NRA Touts The AR-15 As An 'Everyday Gun' For 'Everyday Citizens.' Critics Go Ballistic.
The National Rifle Association hailed the AR-15 military-style rifle as an “everyday gun for everyday citizens” in a tweet that shocked many on Saturday.
The lethal firearm — a favorite weapon of mass shooters in the U.S. — was also deemed a “modern-day musket” by the gun lobby:
The AR-15 is the modern day musket.
An everyday gun for everyday citizens.— NRA (@NRA) July 11, 2020
“Modern-day musket my ass,” tweeted David Hogg, who was a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2018 when a gunman armed with an AR-15 shot 34 students and staff members:
6 minutes 20 seconds Is all it took for the shooter at my high school to fire over 100 rounds from his AR-15 to shoot 34 people.
In that same amount of time even the most trained person would have only been able to fire 18 rounds with a musket.
Modern day musket my ass https://t.co/ED2Tyxxdrc— David Hogg (@davidhogg111) July 12, 2020
Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter, Jaime Guttenberg, was one of 17 people fatally shot at Parkland, described the gun as the “modern weapon of choice for mass murderers”:
The AR-15 is the modern weapon of choice for mass murders. It was used to kill my daughter and 16 others in school in 6 minutes. An everyday gun for those who want to kill as many as possible.
— Fred Guttenberg (@fred_guttenberg) July 12, 2020
Others pointed out the dangers of the NRA and its position on this particular weapon:
Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.
you are insane
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) July 12, 2020
The @NRA is a modern day lobbying arm for the gun manufacturers.
And our children are dying a a result.— Bryan 🇺🇸 #PoliceThePolice (@swimmerbr78) July 12, 2020
The AR-15 is a weapon of war. It has no place in our society. You want to use it, then enlist to serve your country.
— 45 is a pathological liar. (@DrPimK) July 12, 2020
How many muskets took out a classroom full of kindergartens?
— Dave Weasel (@DaveWeasel) July 12, 2020
Nothing says mass murder like an AR-15 or similar weapon. These firearms were marketed to the "wrong crowd" from the start. @NRA amplified that marketing. This damage to society can only be reversed by banning these weapons, with retribution to victims.https://t.co/Vf9nF2FLW1
— Dianne Broussard 🕊️ (@LovedByaDove) July 11, 2020
As a gun owner, there is absolutely no good reason for people to own AR-15s.
ARs suck at hunting anything but hog and are lousy at home defense because of their penetration.
They're fun to shoot, but I'd rather my kids not live in fear of being murdered in elementary school.— Blue Texan (@bsawtx) July 12, 2020
Look I get it. I was a crack shot with my M-16A2 service rifle. Expert badge. I could split a man in half 9 times out of 10 from 500 meters.
Unlike all you @NRA punks I can actually fire an AR-15 with deadly precision. That’s also why I know, no civilian needs 1 or should own 1. pic.twitter.com/ZeF0ZgnKUu— Bleeding Heart Liberal Marine (@zaharako) July 12, 2020
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) July 12, 2020
— Molly Jong-Fast🏡 (@MollyJongFast) July 12, 2020
On February 14th, 2018 the Parkland community lost 17 lives in a tragic and preventable act of gun violence. Everything we have done and everything we will do is for them. #MSDStrong pic.twitter.com/pnaOwTSD2c
— March For Our Lives (@AMarch4OurLives) February 13, 2019
The NRA’s response to a tsunami of criticism on Twitter was to bash “ignorant gun control keyboard warriors” who mistakenly believe that the “AR” in the gun’s name stands for “assault rifle.”
The AR actually stands for ArmaLite Rifle, which was originally designed in the 1950s by ArmaLite Inc. for the military. Colt eventually purchased the design, provided the military with its own M-16 weapons and sold the AR-15 to law enforcement — and civilians. The guns, and other versions by other manufacturers, were banned in the U.S. from 1994 to 2004.
Also on HuffPost
This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
