“Simple research would assist Kennedy’s enlightenment and explain that the NRA advocates for responsible gun ownership through training and education.”
George Kennedy, a former professor of Journalism at the University of Missouri, made a very shocking claim in a column published by the Missourian. According to his column,
“What makes the NRA so feared is its willingness to spend heavily and campaign aggressively in pursuit of its goal of removing all restrictions on the possession and use of firearms just about anywhere by just about anyone.”
Kennedy went on to compare the NRA to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, suggesting that the NRA is more dangerous than ISIS. Of course, this sparked outrage among American citizens who are staunch supporters of the Second Amendment. The fact that Kennedy can draw parallels between the NRA and ISIS shows how uninformed certain people are. It further illustrates that spreading misinformation is easy for “credible” sources—debatable in this instance—like a professor of Journalism.
The way his column is set up leads people to believe that the NRA is passing out assault rifles to every Tom, Dick, and Harry. Simple research would assist Kennedy’s enlightenment and explain that the NRA advocates for responsible gun ownership through training and education.
ISIS advocates for terrorism and radical Islamic ideology that condones brutal acts of unspeakable terror in the name of religion. The two pale in comparison. There’s also a conversation that has been pushed in the United States refuting the danger of terrorism on our own soil. Many feel that terrorism isn’t as big a danger as President Donald Trump and his supporters believe it to be. I’m assuming those who push that narrative aren’t aware that murders within the United States in recent years have had terrorist ties. Perpetrators of these horrific mass killings, such as the Fort Hood shooting, had pledged their allegiance to terrorist organizations.
There’s a common misconception floating around in the United States that guns should be feared and only handled by professionals like law enforcement and military. Images of violent crimes circulate with anti-gun rhetoric to establish an argument against gun ownership, which might effectively deter citizens without experience or training from pursuing their Second Amendment right to bear arms.
The world has evolved into a very scary place where attacks and home invasions occur in broad daylight. Supporters of the Second Amendment and the NRA have chosen not to become victims. While owning a gun isn’t going to guarantee safety in every instance, having that security and peace of mind is important to many citizens—especially families.
ISIS represents everything the NRA stands against. It’s still important for citizens of the United States to not only recognize their rights, but protect them as fiercely as the Constitution allows. ISIS distributes hatred and death through their disgusting crimes by waging violent jihad against those who believe differently. George Kennedy should know better as a journalist to even compare the two.
