The National Rifle Association Lies ... Again

No surprise. The National Rifle Association is lying.

Again.

Few organizations have a sleazier reputation when it comes to political stuff in election season.

Lying is part of the NRA modus operandi, especially in Presidential elections, and so it is this time around.

But you don't have to believe me.

FactCheck is a neutral source, and they have actually done the work of flagging the false claims made by the NRA in their mailers and TV ads.

Here is what they say -- and what the NRA has said in response.

The bottom line, according to FactCheck.com,
is that the NRA ads are lies.

As the folks at FactCheck note on their web site:

The NRA is circulating printed material and running TV ads making unsubstantiated claims that Obama plans to ban use of firearms for home defense, ban possession and manufacture of handguns, close 90 percent of gun shops and ban hunting ammunition.

Much of what the NRA passes off as Obama's "10 Point Plan to 'Change' the Second Amendment" is actually contrary to what he has said throughout his campaign: that he "respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms" and "will protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport, and use guns."

The NRA, however, simply dismisses Obama's stated position as "rhetoric" and substitutes its own interpretation of his record as a secret "plan." Said an NRA spokesman: "We believe our facts."

We believe our facts? Wooooeeeeee!

Doesn't that sound like folks fresh from the alternative-universe that George Bush has been living in for the last eight years?

Doesn't that sound like the alternative-universe John McCain is living in right now?

Who needs facts? We make crap up and your job is to salute it! That's the mantra of George Bush ("Mission accomplished!") and John McCain ("the economy is fundamentally strong")

Apparently the NRA believe its members don't want or need the truth -- they can do fine on "truthiness."

They don't want want or need the facts -- they just make do with a bunch of stuff made up whole cloth.

Fact Check notes that the NRA has lied boldly: "We find the NRA has cherry-picked, twisted and misrepresented Obama's record to come up with a bogus 'plan.'"

The flier looks almost as though it comes from the Obama campaign. It uses the same color and font scheme as well as the campaign's sunrise logo. And on some points it is right; Obama has called for national legislation against carrying concealed firearms, and he would revive and make permanent the expired ban on semi-automatic "assault weapons," for example. On other points it exaggerates. Obama has spoken in favor of government registration of handguns, for example, but has not called for registration of all "firearms" including hunting rifles and shotguns. But the TV spots and fliers also make claims that are directly contrary to what Obama actually says about guns.

And so what does Barack Obama REALLY think about the Second Amendment and your right to hunt and protect yourself and home?

Here's what he has actually said and written:

... Barack Obama believes the Second Amendment creates an individual right, and he respects the constitutional rights of Americans to bear arms. He will protect the rights of hunters and other law-abiding Americans to purchase, own, transport, and use guns.

And what is John McCain's position on guns? The same as Obamas! Both support the Second Amendment, and both want to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and crazies.

Well, let's go to the video clip -- the video that the National Rifle Association does not want any of its membership to see.






Want to know more?

Read through an earlier post from this blog about the Second Amendment entitled The Liberal Case for Gun Ownership.

That's where I come out on guns, and that's about as pro-Second Amendment as you can get.

And so, in theory, I should be an NRA member. But I am not, and I never will be because the NRA lies like most animals breathe, and this current campaign is a perfect example.

I will not support liars.

And neither should you.

.