The San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the “legislative branch of the City and County of San Francisco […] consist[ing] of 11 members […] elected on a non-partisan basis,” has declared that the National Rifle Association (NRA) is a “domestic terrorist organization.”
The resolution passed Tuesday, the same day Walmart decided to respond to the uptick in mass shootings in the U.S. — and particularly the El Paso mass shooting at one of its stores — by announcing it would no longer sell certain types of ammunition. Walmart also asked customers not to openly carry firearms, even if their state’s law allows it. The NRA notably called Walmart’s policy decision “shameful” and one that would “not make us any safer.”
While this spat was going on, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors was apparently working on a resolution to label the NRA a “domestic terrorist organization.” The resolution cited “an epidemic of gun violence, including over 36,000 deaths, and 100,000 injuries each year,” the recent mass shooting at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, and the “at least three mass shootings” since Gilroy. Those would be the El Paso, Dayton and Odessa-Midland mass shootings.
The crux of the legislative body’s arguments:
WHEREAS, The United States Declaration of Independence declared that life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are unalienable rights, and
WHEREAS, The United States Constitution specifically delineates that the country was founded to establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, and promote the general welfare, and
WHEREAS, The United States Department of Justice defines terrorist activity, in part, as, “The use of any…explosive, firearm, or other weapon or dangerous device, with intent to endanger, directly or indirectly, the safety of one or more individuals or to cause substantial damage to property;” and
WHEREAS, The United States Department of Justice further includes any individual or member of an organization commits an act that the actor knows, or reasonably should know, affords material support, including communications, funds, weapons, or training to any individual has committed or plans to commit a terrorist act, and
WHEREAS, The National Rifle Association musters its considerable wealth and organizational strength to promote gun ownership and incite gun owners to acts of violence, and
WHEREAS, The National Rifle Association spreads propaganda that misinforms and aims to deceive the public about the dangers of gun violence, and
WHEREAS, The leadership of National Rifle Association promotes extremist positions, in defiance of the views of a majority of its membership and the public, and undermine the general welfare, and
WHEREAS, The National Rifle Association through its advocacy has armed those individuals who would and have committed acts of terrorism; and
WHEREAS, All countries have violent and hateful people, but only in America do we give them ready access to assault weapons and large-capacity magazines thanks, in large part, to the National Rifle Association’s influence.
After that, the City and County of San Francisco said it has resolved to reassess “financial and contractual relationships our vendors and contractors have with this domestic terrorist organization,” “take every reasonable step to limit those entities who do business with the City and County of San Francisco from doing business with this domestic terrorist organization,” and to encourage “all other jurisdictions” to follow in their footsteps.
The NRA has responded to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ declaration.
“This is a reckless assault on a law-abiding organization, it’s members, and the freedoms they all stand for,” the NRA said. “We remain undeterred – guided by our values and belief in those who want to find real solutions to violence.”
San Francisco Board of Advisors Calls NRA ‘Terrorist’ Org by Law&Crime on Scribd
[Image via Scott Olson/Getty Images]
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