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NRA President David Keene responds to the president‘s call for stricter gun legislation and how to prevent further violence in the U.S.
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-- made his gun control announcement yesterday tens of thousands of gun owners stop and watch from the big gun show in Las Vegas.
And then then -- -- a relief a letter to the people at the gun show.
Calling this quote the fight of this century.
And also adding I warned you this day would come and now it's here.
It's not about protecting your children it's not about stopping crime it's about -- your guns period.
Meanwhile the NRA that -- 250000.
Members in sandy hook according to US news and world report bringing its total membership of about four million.
Here now President Obama addressing the -- concerns yesterday.
Will be difficult.
There will be pundits and politicians and special interest lobbyists publicly warning of -- to read too radical all out assault on liberty.
Now because that's true.
But because.
They want to gin up fear or higher ratings or revenue for themselves.
And behind the scenes will do everything they can't.
The block any common sense reform and make sure nothing changes whatsoever.
-- in -- company announced NRA president David team.
-- -- -- of this century is that true.
I think that's right you know you have a president.
Who's dedicated to achieving an ideological agenda and who's willing to spend political capital.
To fight the fight against.
Against public feeling in public attitudes that have been in place for many many years and to fight.
In spite of constitutional safeguards for those attitudes.
You've got a real battle royal and that's what we're gonna have in Washington over the next few months because this president as you saw yesterday.
Fired the first shot in the war that Wayne Lapierre was predicting last year he's using the children.
To achieve an ideological -- so his press conference wasn't about security for kids.
It was about using and building fear -- for the safety of our kids to achieve that agenda.
We were very disappointed by that we -- surprised by it because -- what we expected.
And that's what we know we're gonna have to do battle over.
David you know speaking -- press conferences and expectations after sandy hook.
-- went black for -- while the website was taken out and there was no comment.
There's a lot of build up to win lot -- press conference and a lot of people thought it would take on a different tone it did not.
It was sort of it will all the tough one of losing your face there was no it was a conciliatory at all.
And listen that's one you guys the NRA a lot of fans amongst conservatives.
But the bigger question is could you be losing the battle amongst the general public the public relations battle.
I think not if you go back to -- -- press conference in what's happened since.
We zeroed in on the causes and the of the causes for problems like what took place up there in Connecticut and the causes are two things one.
We have a broken a devastatingly broken.
Metal health care system in this country almost every one of these people these are criminals the year people who -- literally crazy these are people.
Who should not have fallen through the cracks of our mental health care system they should have been identified early on it's interesting to back in the -- -- shooting the only person.
And there are many signs that the only person who acted on it was a gun dealer who refused to sell the shooter gun because of that guy's crazy.
The fact of the matter is that's the root problem and the second problem this is what -- were asking themselves after.
The -- action shootings in what we were responding to.
The parents were asking how to we protect our kids and we think that's where the administration has fallen down because they've used this.
As an excuse to achieve an anti gun agenda that they -- to -- achieve for a long time.
It doesn't address the question if you did all of the feel good things that they talk about.
How would that present prevent the next and -- -- it wouldn't.
We've suggested we've suggested it consistently that what we need to do is protect our kids and given the fact.
That you can't as a practical matter.
Predict.
When somebody who's got really severe mental problems -- going to break you need to provide security when we suggested that.
Right the establishment came back and said we weren't saying they did and -- it turns out that 48000 schools have armed security.
Right David let them believe me there there was a lot of comments since things put out their but again it feels like more of of of again.
From a public relations aspect beyond speaking to your own core constituents if bills like may be you guys are taking on attacked.
That's gonna do you more -- -- good give me an example did you know the president -- kids yesterday I think that was.
I I called the despicable on this show but by the same token the NRA brought up his kids in his school.
It.
You know I mean -- that go too far do you need to mention the president's kids when it comes to this.
But wasn't about his kids it was about the fact that his children and other children of leads go to places go to schools that have our protection and our point is everybody's kids deserve to be protected and that's what that whole reaction was about it was about.
How dare you suggest.
That we should spend government money.
To protect your kids that's not in the cards.
We think that we should be addressing the question of providing protection for everybody's children we think that's what it's about we think that's what the American people want and incidentally.
Every poll it's been taken -- that's the one thing that -- want I believe that.
Another network did a poll this week which showed that more people agree.
With the NRA position on that than with anybody else I think we're right we're pleased that it is in fact.
Hitting exactly what Americans want we're not doing it for that reason we're doing right because as we looked at it we think it's the right.
Today they have I think you're right with respect to that a lot of people are warming up to the idea and you know they actually -- -- -- -- when you drive away from the school knowing that there's a professional.
Armed guard there -- what about the cultural aspect of this though the president you know and that things that he did yesterday no mention of the movie industry to video game industry.
The music industry a cultural a culture where -- young kids take each other lives at the drop of the hat.
Is is there is the White House missing the larger picture here.
Episodes -- this simply because.
They have simply targeting US as a as a conservative.
Perhaps we'll -- even say right wing organization is this is specifically about.
Holding the NRA down removing the Second Amendment and that even addressing the real problems in this country.
Of courses if you go back and listen carefully to the president sort of statement.
It's typical.
President Obama.
He positions himself -- the only reasonable man America with common sense solutions to our problems.
In this suggests that the only reason that those problems -- not not be addressed in the way he would address them.
Is it -- some body out there.
With a very dark agenda in this case that would be us -- we don't represented any thing except.
Our own interest -- were special interest that were part of the gun industry and all of us.
That's that's a typical Obama attempt to divide.
Did to divide the country into two groups should try to make his -- the majority I don't think it's gonna work.
Because our job is not to protect gun manufactures our job is not even simply to protect.
Our members.
Our mission and it has been -- 1871.
Is to make sure that we protect the Second Amendment of the constitute.
And David before I let you go I'm gonna ask -- -- -- -- yes or no.
This -- yesterday reiterating that he was for the Second Amendment doesn't NRA still stand by the idea that President Obama will like to see it abolished.
Yes thank you very much that we'll talk again soon believe me we believe this is going to be one of the fights of the century.
Now.
