NRA Hosts Convention in Texas as Gun Deaths Rise
Washington DC — Ahead of the National Rifle Association (NRA) Convention in Dallas, GIFFORDS, the national gun violence prevention organization founded by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, called out the group for contributing to gun violence in Texas. Yesterday, GIFFORDS launched its Texas state program, GIFFORDS Texas. The NRA is hosting their annual convention the same weekend that marks six years since the mass shooting at Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas, where eight students and two teachers were killed.
Roger Garza, GIFFORDS Texas State Director
“We launched GIFFORDS Texas as the NRA comes to the state because we want Texans to know that we will go toe-to-toe with the NRA and fight on behalf of the vast majority of Texans who want gun safety laws. As the NRA navigates seemingly endless corruption and scandal, it came to Texas hoping to find allies. We’re here to show it that we will not stand for its extremism, and we’re organizing for a better and safer Texas, free from gun violence.”
Steven Kling, Senior Ambassador of GIFFORDS Gun Owners for Safety in Texas
“As a combat veteran, gun owner, and fifth generation Texan, I’m telling the NRA that it’s not welcome here. The NRA claims to stand for our freedoms, but the truth is that it peddles only paranoia, lies, and fear, and has sold our safety for its own selfish profit. The majority of gun owners know that the NRA no longer speaks for them. They should also know that GIFFORDS Gun Owners for Safety upholds responsible gun ownership and fights to keep our communities safe.”
The NRA consistently pushes for dangerous laws like permitless carry, which allows someone to carry a loaded gun in public without training or a background check. Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed it into law in 2021. In 2022, 4,630 Texans died due to gun violence. Texans have also suffered from several mass shootings across the state, including in Uvalde, El Paso, Sutherland Springs, Midland-Odessa, and Allen.
As the NRA continues to become more and more extreme, Texans—including gun owners—are finding a home at GIFFORDS Gun Owners for Safety and GIFFORDS Texas.
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