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Conrad Duncan
Feb 25, 2019
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Gun violence is a tense topic in the US right now.
The statistics are well-known - last year was the worst for school shootings with 113 people killed or injured (on 12 December 2018) and America’s rate of gun homicides per person is much higher than other developed countries.
Additionally, a US Coast Guard lieutenant and self-identified white nationalist was arrested last week on suspicion of plotting to attack Democratic politicians and journalists.
In such a tense climate, everyone should be careful with how they use language associated with violence.
But being careful is not really the National Rifle Association’s thing.
In the latest edition of American Rifleman, the NRA’s magazine, a picture of Democrats Nancy Pelosi and Gabby Giffords appeared alongside the headline “Target Practice” for an article on how politicians are “persecuting” gun owners.
Some political commentators saw it as an unsubtle call for violence against politicians, especially as Giffords was shot in a 2011 assassination attempt.
And soon Democrat politicians were criticising the layout.
Even Pelosi’s daughter condemned the NRA for what she called “intentional outrageous criminal incitement”.
However, some conservatives defended the organisation and denied that the article’s layout was calling for violence.
This isn't the first time the gun lobbying group has got into trouble over using threatening language.
Last year, an advert warning the media that their “time is running out” was criticised for encouraging violence.
The NRA have not yet responded to requests for comment and the intentions behind the layout are still unknown.
HT: The Daily Dot
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