Who is Wayne LaPIERRE and why is he such an a-hole?!1

[UTUSN]

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[font size=5]Wayne the piss-e-p [/font]


He has been a government activist and lobbyist since receiving his Masters degree including positions on the board of directors of the American Association of Political Consultants, the American Conservative Union, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.[citation needed]

National Rifle Association activity[edit]
Since 1991, he has served as Executive Vice President and chief executive officer of the National Rifle Association (NRA), the largest gun rights organization in the United States. LaPierre joined the NRA in 1977 after working as a legislative aide to a Democratic Virginia delegate, Vic Thomas.

Shortly before the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, LaPierre wrote a fundraising letter describing federal agents as "jack-booted government thugs" who wear "Nazi bucket helmets and black storm trooper uniforms".[3] Former president George H. W. Bush was so outraged by the letter that he resigned his NRA life membership.[4] In response to growing criticism, LaPierre apologized, saying he didn't intend to "paint all federal law-enforcement officials with the same broad brush".[5]

In 2000 LaPierre said President Bill Clinton tolerated a certain amount of violence and killing to strengthen the case for gun control and to score points for his party.[6] Clinton White House spokesman Joe Lockhart called it "really sick rhetoric, and it should be repudiated by anyone

(f-it I don’t care about this a-hole... )

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[Democracyinkind]

1. He ain't no Biff Webster, that's for sure.

Neither is he a Spud Crowley or a Chuck Steak.

Which about explains why he's so invested in the whole selling-fear-bullshit-artistry.

RIP, George Carlin.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. What I want to know.......

is how the NRA got so powerful and why so many politicians are so damned afraid of him and the NRA and why do they listen to LaPierre's insane rants about how every seemingly reasonable efforts to curb gun violence in this country or, hell, efforts to learn about the medical aspects of gun violence puts us another step towards gun grabbing and totalitarianism. President Obama's surgeon general has been made to appear "radical" for even appearing to be concerned about the effects of gun violence in our country.


Can't we have RKBA in this country with some sensible restrictions on guns in this country? Or do we have to turn the entire US into one huge open/concealed no gun rules/restrictions zone before the NRA will be satisfied?

[MicaelS]

4. The NRA didn't become as powerful as it is today

Until Gun Control / Prohibition Advocates started advocating the Prohibition of Handguns, then Semi-Automatics, and for some Anti-Gun Advocates, all guns. Attempt to take people rights and freedoms away, and they will react.

Another factor contributing to the change in the NRA was the realization that the "Fudds" (those who believe the only purpose of owning guns was to hunt) would be perfectly willing to sell out other guns owners as long as they were allowed to keep their hunting guns. And since fewer gun owners hunt these days, the non-hunters were not about to let themselves be sold out.

The big internal change in the NRA occurred in 1977 with what became known as the Cincinnati Revolt. Make no mistake, this was not some covert action by gun manufactures it was a real grass roots revolution from within.

How NRAs true believers converted a marksmanship group into a mighty gun lobby

The rise of various organizations seeking to strictly limit or ban handguns.

Mark Borinsky founded the National Council to Control Handguns in 1974

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brady_Campaign

Also involved was Nelson T. (Pete) Shields III whose son, Nelson 4th, was shot and killed in San Francisco in 1975, a victim in a series of racially motivated killings of whites by four blacks that came to be known as the Zebra killings.

"We'll take one step at a time, and the first is necessarily - given the political realities - very modest. We'll have to start working again to strengthen the law, and then again to strengthen the next law and again and again. Our ultimate goal, total control of handguns, is going to take time. The first problem is to slow down production and sales. Next is to get registration. The final problem is to make possession of all handguns and ammunition (with a few exceptions) totally illegal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coalition_to_Stop_Gun_Violence

In 1974, the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society formed the National Coalition to Ban Handguns, a group of thirty religious, labor, and nonprofit organizations with the goal of addressing "the high rates of gun-related crime and death in American society" by licensing gun owners, registering firearms, and banning private ownership of handguns with "reasonable limited exceptions" for “police, military, licensed security guards, antique dealers who have guns in unfireable condition, and licensed pistol clubs where firearms are kept on the premises.” In the 1980s and 1990s, the coalition grew to 44 member groups. In 1989, the National Coalition to Ban Handguns changed its name to the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, in part because the group felt that "assault rifles" as well as handguns, should be outlawed.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

7. There may be groups that want to ban guns granted

But just because there are doesn't mean that people who want some restrictions share that particular agenda.

[pipoman]

5. I view it that neither gun control organizations, nor gun rights organizations

Really want to change anything...advocates do, not the organizations.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

6. I dunno.

The NRA wants guns everywhere at all times. They even want states to recognise each other's laws.

[Hoyt]

3. Because of the right/white wing gun fanciers who support what he stands for,

even if they say they hate the NRA.

[doc03]

8. I was a loyal NRA member until Wayne La Pierre showed up. Lapierre has changed the

NRA from a gun rights group to a Republican propaganda machine. I quit back around the time
George H. W. Bush gave up his life membership.