In Newtown Connecticut, if you drive 3 miles from Sandy Hook Elementary School heading towards Rock Glen State Park, you’ll reach the headquarters of the National Shooting Sports Foundation. NSSF is the association representing 7,000 firearms manufacturers, gun dealers, and shooting range businesses across the country. Here’s what NSSF has to say about the massacre of 20 neighborhood kids and 6 local educators:
“DEAR NSSF MEMBERS AND INDUSTRY ASSOCIATES . . . We at the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute have been deeply shaken and saddened by the horrible events that took place in Newtown last week. There are not many degrees of separation in small communities like Newtown, and so, not surprisingly, we had family, friends and acquaintances that were affected. We are weighed down by their heartbreaking stories and the sorrow that has blanketed our community. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims of this terrible tragedy.
Last Friday, we posted on the NSSF and SAAMI websites that out of respect for the families, the community and the ongoing police investigation, it would be inappropriate for our organizations to comment or participate in media requests. That remains our position at this time.”
That’s it. Heartfelt.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation Government Relations division had lots more to say when opposing laws against high-capacity magazines of the type used to slaughter kids three miles from the NSSF doorstep. A similar bill will be reintroduced in Congress. A Connecticut state bill banning high-capacity magazines was defeated last year due to pressure from the gun lobby.
More:
“The Second Most Powerful Gun Lobby Is in Newtown, Connecticut,” Lydia DePillis, The New Republic
“Gun lobby thrives just 3 miles from Sandy Hook school where shooter killed 26,” Larry McShane, New York Daily News
___________________
Short Link: http://wp.me/p6sb6-ffF
Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com
Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.
Add to: Facebook | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumbleupon | Reddit | Blinklist | Twitter | Technorati | Yahoo Buzz | Newsvine
Tags: arms dealers, Connecticut, firearms, gun manufacturers, gun violence, Guns, lobbyists, mass shootings, murder, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Newtown, Newtown CT, Sandy Hook, Sandy Hook elementary School, Sandy Hook ES, shooting
NotionsCapital 
December 18, 2012 at 8:47 am
Sigh. Blaming the gun lobby for the actions of nutjobs is as insane as blaming the auto industry for the actions of nutjobs. Or the knife lobby, or the baseball bat lobby.
December 18, 2012 at 8:52 am
Stevie Nichts: The auto industry doesn’t lobby government to allow nitro-fueled dragsters on public roads. The National Shooting Sports Foundation campaigned, successfully, to allow high-capacity magazines into America’s schools, theaters and homes. NSSF did so to maximize corporate profits, at the expense of innocent lives.
December 18, 2012 at 1:57 pm
The gun lobby is DIRECTLY responsible for putting military grade assault weapons in the hands of killers.
January 16, 2013 at 10:00 am
[…] of Newtown, Connecticut this week by hosting that New England town’s resident gun lobby, the National Shooting Sports Foundation. 60,000 gun worshippers are expected to attend the memorial for the 20 children and six […]