When Anti-Gunners Say "Gun Safety," They Don't Mean It

When Anti-Gunners Say "Gun Safety," They Don't Mean It

Friday, September 25, 2015

https://www.nraila.org/articles/20150925/when-anti-gunners-say-gun-safety-they-dont-mean-it

 In what can only be described as a blatant display of hypocrisy, two gun ban groups have started a petition to deny a federal grant for Project Childsafe, a gun safety program operated by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).

This year, for the first time since Barack Obama’s 2008 election, the NSSF has won a U.S. Department of Justice grant, in the amount of $2.4 million dollars for Project Childsafe.  According to NSSF’s website, this program is “committed to promoting firearms safety among firearms owners through the distribution of safety education messages and free firearm safety kits.”

As gun owners, we are all dedicated to safe firearm usage, and NRA is the leading provider of firearms safety training in the world. With tens of thousands of trainers and instructors, NRA provides the curriculum and guidelines that allow millions of Americans to learn how to use and store firearms safely.

NSSF is also dedicated to firearm safety.  In cooperation with their industry partners, including manufacturers, distributors and dealers, the group promotes numerous programs and materials on safe gun ownership.  Project Childsafe is just one of the programs that NSSF sponsors, and it is operated in partnership with law enforcement departments throughout the United States.

Apparently, real dedication to firearm safety is opposed by two anti-gun groups. The Newtown Action Alliance and the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence have begun a petition campaign to have the Justice Department rescind the grant.  It seems that all the talk of “firearm safety” and “responsible gun ownership” from these anti-gun groups is nothing but a smokescreen.

But this is not surprising.  NRA and NSSF spend millions each year to teach and promote firearm safety -- programs that actually save lives.  For NRA and NSSF, safety isn’t just a political ruse, it’s a top priority. In contrast, groups like those challenging the Project Childsafe grant do nothing to promote firearms safety. They hide behind the term “gun safety” to fool people about their real intentions: to reduce or eliminate legal gun ownership.

With the antagonism that the Obama administration has shown to legal gun owners and any organization that defends the Second Amendment, it remains to be seen if the grant will be delivered or if anti-gun politics will win the day.

If these two radical groups are successful, it will only prove that any talk of gun safety by Obama, his Justice Department or anti-gun groups is just that, empty talk.

 National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF)

Orion Strategies is the lobby firm for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), and was the lobby firm for the Open Society Policy Center.

Note: Open Society Policy Center is an advocacy affiliate for the Open Society Foundations.

Jonathan Soros is a director at the Open Society Policy Center, the vice chairman for the Open Society Foundations, George Soros’s son, and was the vice chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Alliance for Justice, the American Constitution Society,

George Soros is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, Jonathan Soros’s father, was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, and a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, the Harlem Children's Zone, and the Sundance Institute.

Robert Raben was a director at the Alliance for Justice, a director at the American Constitution Society, an assistant attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice, and is the president of the Raben Group.

Eric H. Holder Jr. was a board member for the American Constitution Society, the attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice for the Barack Obama administration, and an intern at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.  

Raben Group is the lobby firm for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, and Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns is a “Gun Safety” group for guns.

Michael R. Bloomberg is a co-chair for Mayors Against Illegal Guns, the founder for Everytown for Gun Safety, was a benefactor for the Harlem Children's Zone, and a contributor for Americans for Responsible Solutions.

Everytown for Gun Safety is a “Gun Safety” group for guns.

Americans for Responsible Solutions is a “Gun Safety” PAC for guns.

Covington & Burling LLP was the lobby firm for Americans for Responsible Solutions.

Eric H. Holder Jr. is a partner at Covington & Burling LLP, was a board member for the American Constitution Society, the attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice for the Barack Obama administration, and an intern at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund.  

Michael D. Barnes was a senior of counsel at Covington & Burling LLP, and the president for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence is a “Gun Safety” group for guns, and named for James Scott Brady.

Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence is a “Gun Safety” group for guns, and named for James Scott Brady.

Maria Cuomo Cole is a trustee at the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Mario M. Cuomo’s daughter, and married to Kenneth D. Cole.

Mario M. Cuomo was Maria Cuomo Cole’s father, and a board of adviser’s member for the American Constitution Society.

Kenneth D. Cole is married to Maria Cuomo Cole, and a trustee at the Sundance Institute.