On Thursday afternoon, the National Rifle Association suddenly emerged from the darkness, after essentially vanishing in the immediate wake of the Las Vegas massacre, to issue a statement which said that the newly controversial "bump stock" attachment for rifles needs "additional regulations."
The milquetoast NRA statement said that "the American people are looking for answers as to how future tragedies can be prevented," but shielded themselves, and the country's gun culture from sharing even the most minimal of responsibility.
"Unfortunately, the first response from some politicians has been to call for more gun control. Banning guns from law-abiding Americans based on the criminal act of a madman will do nothing to prevent future attacks," the statement said. "This is a fact that has been proven time and again in countries across the world."
Although there is plenty of contradicting data to the NRA's claims, the organization made no effort to prove their point. The statement then proceeded to take shots at the Obama administration for allowing "bump stocks" in the first place.
"Despite the fact that the Obama administration approved the sale of bump fire stocks on at least two occasions, the National Rifle Association is calling on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) to immediately review whether these devices comply with federal law," the statement said.
The devices, which the shooter used several of, are completely legal and are reportedly banned at the shooting range at the NRA's own headquarters, as well as at many other shooting ranges.
The NRA went on to say that the device the shooter used "should be subject to additional regulations." Details on what "additional regulations" means is still unclear, especially because the devices had never exactly been regulated. It's also unclear whether the device would be simply regulated or become outright illegal to possess or purchase.
Rick Vasquez, a former firearms official, signed off on a 2010 recommendation that the BATFE did not need to regulate the devices, according to The Washington Post.
In brazenly tone-deaf fashion, the NRA ended its statement by urging Congress to take action and "pass National Right-to-Carry reciprocity, which will allow law-abiding Americans to defend themselves and their families from acts of violence." To conclude, the organization said it "remains focused on our mission: strengthening Americans' Second Amendment freedom to defend themselves, their families and their communities."
Just to be clear; the NRA finally emerges only to blame Obama, make an ambiguous statement about "additional regulations" and push for more lax gun laws that would allow Americans to "to carry a concealed handgun into or possess a concealed handgun in another state that allows individuals to carry concealed firearms." No wonder NRA fan Donald Trump Jr. was so quick to come out in support of the statement:
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