Editor, Advertiser:

Senator Mike Green has called a meeting with nearby Republican State District Representatives, the NRA, Sheriff Representatives of Tuscola and Lapeer County, plus other gun activist organizations, all being groups trying to prevent gun regulation, especially background checks. The meeting in Lapeer on March 1 is focused on gun rights and no doubt will include their hype that “Obama wants to take their guns,” a war cry since President Obama was elected in 2008, and an obvious political war cry.

The National Rifle Association repeatedly twists facts about the prevalence of gun violence. They have insisted that falsehoods were true, and ignored the facts. For example John Hopkins University, a prestigious US institution of academics has shown that states who stopped background checks had increases of gun violence between 17% and 23%. When it comes to the NRA revealing hard numbers the gun lobby’s favorite numbers are full of holes. They use these inaccuracies to create fear and create a false need for firearms, which has been shown with an increased number of tragedies reported in the news daily.

The NRA accuses the president as being the anti-gun agent and repeatedly accuse him of trying to set up a gun registry, even though our president ruled out gun registration. A similar NRA claim asserts that he is coming for your guns. Politi-Fact found this wrong while FactCheck.org clarified “Pres. Obama is not trying to seize guns already owned by Americans”. Their goals seem to spread disinformation and recruit new members. NRA Members are encouraged to influence their state senators to “keep their hands off my guns and rights.”

In the old days the NRA did their rightful job of promoting gun and hunter safety classes. But it has turned into a gun shop where huge profits are made by gun manufacturers whose contributions to election of Republican candidates is insurmountable. The NRA claims it stands between the gun owner and the government which is plotting to take away rights and to cause tyranny. They promote their belief that the constitution gives anyone the right to use military grade assault weapons. It seems they want our American states to return to the days of “The Wild West” as they support “Stand Your Ground” and all efforts that sell increased numbers of guns. The NRA needs to take responsibility for the gun violence that exists in America today. Like so many negative Republican politics today, it’s all about corporate profits and brainwashing of the party’s vulnerable and uneducated constituents.

Dee Dickinson