In my last post I should have noted once again that the public overwhelmingly supports universal background checks, with one recent poll showing 85% of self-identified Republicans supporting the idea.
But being outside the mainstream has never been much of a problem for the NRA. Today MoJo‘s Tim Murphy reminds us the organization’s Institute for Legislative Action published just last September–and for no apparent reason–a vast list of “anti-gun” individuals and organizations.
Murphy highlighted some of the funnier names on this “enemies list,” like Barry Manilow, Bob Barker and that well-known totalitarian Mary Lou Retton.
But I enourage you to peruse the whole list. You got the doctors (American Medical Association) and the nurses (American Nursing Association) and the lawyers (American Bar Association). You’ve got Jews (American Jewish Committee), Catholics (U.S. Catholic Conference) and Protestants (too many groups to list here). You’ve got the YWCA. Then there’s the Sarah Lee Corporation (whom nobody doesn’t like–except the NRA!) and Hallmark Cards. Apparently gun-grabbers are running wild in Missouri, because the Kansas City Royals, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the St. Louis Rams are all on the list. Motorcycle Cruiser magazine is there.
That’s just the organizations. Among the “celebrities,” it would be easier to list the show-biz figures who are not on this list. Did you know Britney Spears is part of the conspiracy to rob you of your precious Second Amendment rights? And Tony Bennett! Say it ain’t so, Tony!
I guess it’s not that surprising the NRA views itself as perpetually embattled. If all those enemies were not enough, the NRA is always drawing unfriendly fire from the Gun Owners of America, which regards the NRA as a bunch of liberal wimps because it hasn’t endorsed mandatory gun ownership! No wonder they’ve flipped on universal background checks.
