The National Rifle Association is being criticized for posting a tweet co-opting the memory and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to advocate for concealed carry permits.
"Today, the men and women of the NRA honor the profound life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.," the tweet, which includes a GIF of Dr. King, begins. "Dr. King applied for a concealed carry permit in a 'may issue' state and was denied. We will never stop fighting for every law-abiding citizen's right to self-defense."
Today, the men and women of the @NRA honor the profound life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King appl… https://t.co/XpyOSci7wn— NRA (@NRA) 1548081529.0
As many on social media reminded the NRA, Dr. King was assassinated by a sniper at long range. He was not granted a concealed carry permit because he was Black. And had he been granted a concealed carry permit it would have made no difference. Sadly, he still would have been shot dead.
@NRA You do know that Dr. King was killed by a sniper over 200 ft away; an escaped convict who still managed to buy… https://t.co/G66mj2sdy9— Dr. Kate (@Dr. Kate) 1548092919.0
Some noted that the NRA has ignored the killings and murders of Black people who legally were carry registered guns, like Philando Castile. Castile was shot dead by a police officer after telling the cop he had a gun. Castile's girlfriend was live-streaming the interaction with police on Facebook, and despite shooting Castile seven times, the officer was acquitted. The NRA said nothing until weeks after the verdict.
@NRA Except we all heard crickets from y’all when Philando Castile, a citizen with a concealed carry permit and reg… https://t.co/ok4mkjJpIm— Unbowed💛Unbent💛Unbroken (@Unbowed💛Unbent💛Unbroken) 1548096533.0
Others accused the NRA of being in bed with Russia. The gun lobbying group has admitted to taking money from Russia-linked donors. Russia is a hostile foreign power that attacked the U.S. election system in 2016, and has worked for years, before and since, to disrupt American democracy.
@NRA More fitting picture for the .@NRA and .@waynelapierrejr imho. https://t.co/t02QQxIX0p— Derek M. Lacey (@Derek M. Lacey) 1548093407.0
In just five hours the NRA tweet has received nearly 900 comments, the vast, vast majority of them attacking the gun lobbying organization.
Here's a small sampling:
@NRA And the @nra has actually found a new low— Joshua Israel (@Joshua Israel) 1548095337.0
@NRA oh my fucking god— Master Rebecca Schoenkopf, Wonkette Editrix, King (@Master Rebecca Schoenkopf, Wonkette Editrix, King) 1548094249.0
@NRA This is like the most absurd and tasteless appropriation of a cultural icon possible. This post was terrible a… https://t.co/1oKTyceGxj— Engineer Extraordinaire 👽 (@Engineer Extraordinaire 👽) 1548094275.0
He was assassinated by an escaped violent felon who bought his Winchester .30-06 rifle legally and without a backgr… https://t.co/p1VYN11zWm— Zeddy (@Zeddy) 1548092508.0
@NRA Dr King might have a different opinion on gun laws now, but we won’t ever know because he was assassinated— wi… https://t.co/wnyXSp9ULy— Dr Liz (@Dr Liz) 1548094362.0
Ah yes, there were laws passed in the 1960's designed to keep African Americans from owning guns. These laws were l… https://t.co/lEBx6hshUx— Chris 📷 (@Chris 📷) 1548099463.0
Peak white people is the NRA commemorating MLK as a champion of gun rights. https://t.co/uWseKjCZIv— "Once in Royal" David Thomas Moore (@"Once in Royal" David Thomas Moore) 1548099672.0
