Having spent most of the last five years scaring gun owners into believing Barack Obama would take their guns, the NRA’s Wayne LaPierre’s decided to take his fearmongering to a whole new level in an opinion article for the Daily Caller.
In the piece LaPierre warns against violent Latin American drug gangs, terrorists, Hurricane Sandy looters and psychotic criminals. The only solution for the individual American is to own a gun.
And what will lead these gangs and criminals to take over our streets? LaPierre blames Obama’s failed leadership. “President Obama is leading this country to financial ruin,” he writes. “Nobody knows if or when the fiscal collapse will come, but if the country is broke, there likely won’t be enough money to pay for police protection.”
The only problem with that argument is that Obama has pushed to fund a larger police presence nationwide. NRA member Mitt Romney argued against more police and firefighters.
But reality doesn’t stop LaPierre. He paints a picture of future America that seems almost post-apocalyptic.
“Hurricanes. Tornadoes. Riots. Terrorists. Gangs. Lone criminals. These are perils we are sure to face—not just maybe,” he writes. Add some zombies in and LaPierre might just have a new hit TV show on his hands.
With his audience sufficiently fearful, it’s time to offer the cure for this fearful future America. The solution, according to the man who represents the interests of gun manufacturers? Buy a gun!
“It’s not paranoia to buy a gun. It’s survival,” he continues. “It’s responsible behavior, and it’s time we encourage law-abiding Americans to do just that.”
LaPierre must have noticed that his organization’s popularity is on the decline, because he uses that same fear to convince people that joining the NRA “army of freedom” is the only way to prevent this frightening future.
Once that army is amassed, LaPierre writes, “We will not surrender. We will not appease.”
“We will buy more guns than ever.” — LaPierre recently earned just under a million dollars in one year for his gun advocacy work for the NRA. After this rousing marketing appeal, he might just be gunning for a raise.
Morgan Whitaker