PARKLAND, Fla. — A survivor of the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida, took to Twitter over the weekend to blast the National Rifle Association after it announced that guns would not be allowed before and during Vice President Mike Pence's speech Friday at its convention in Dallas.
"Due to the attendance of the Vice President of the United States, the U.S. Secret Service will be responsible for event security at the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum," the NRA announced in a Facebook post last week. "As a result, firearms and firearm accessories, knives or weapons of any kind will be prohibited in the forum prior to and during his attendance."
We are pleased to announce another confirmed speaker for the NRA Institute for Legislative Action Leadership Forum at...
Posted by NRA - National Rifle Association of America on Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student Cameron Kasky, a vocal proponent of gun control in the wake of the February mass shooting, quoted the statement in a tweet Saturday, adding: "The NRA has evolved into such a hilarious parody of itself."
The NRA has evolved into such a hilarious parody of itself. pic.twitter.com/6Pw6NTQAe6
— Cameron Kasky (@cameron_kasky) April 28, 2018
By Monday morning, the tweet had more than 31,000 likes and 9,000 shares.
Supporters, including Marjory Stoneman Douglas alum Matt Deitsch and Fred Guttenberg, father of Parkland shooting victim Jaime Guttenberg, criticized the NRA, as well.
Wait wait wait wait wait wait you’re telling me to make the VP safe there aren’t any weapons around but when it comes to children they want guns everywhere? Can someone explain this to me? Because it sounds like the NRA wants to protect people who help them sell guns, not kids.
— Matt Deitsch (@MattxRed) April 28, 2018
On so many levels, this is enlightening. According to the NRA, we should want everyone to have weapons when we are in public. But when they put on a convention, the weapons are a concern? I thought giving everyone a gun was to enhance safety. Am I missing something? https://t.co/f4wgNhJ7RI
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) April 28, 2018
But NRA backers and other social media users quickly hit back, with many pointing out that the Secret Service, not the NRA, instituted the weapons ban during the speech.
The NRA has nothing to do with this. This is a Secret Service requirement. And that is the ONLY time and place firearms will be restricted at this event.
— Cherokee Jim 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@realCherokeeJim) April 28, 2018
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