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All eyes on NRA-ILA Leadership Forum as gun group comes under fire after Uvalde school massacre

The event is happening on Friday, May 27, and former President Donald Trump is one of the confirmed speakers at the forum

HOUSTON, TEXAS: In the wake of the Uvalde school massacre that saw the deaths of 19 children and two school staff members at the hands of Salvador Ramos on May 24, netizens have taken aim at the NRA-ILA Leadership Forum. The National Rifle Association meeting will reportedly take place in Houston on Friday, May 27, and former President Donald Trump is one of the confirmed speakers at the forum. “NRA members are excited to hear him speak and thank him for his support for our right to keep and bear arms," NRA Executive Vice President & CEO Wayne LaPierre said.

Jason Ouimet, executive director of NRA-ILA, added: “NRA members are thrilled that President Trump will be joining us at this year's NRA-ILA Leadership Forum. President Trump has always stood tall for the constitutional freedoms in which his fellow NRA members believe... President Trump recognizes the Second Amendment is about liberties that belong to all Americans, and knows that our right to self-defense is non-negotiable.”

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The NRA event has lately become a major gun rights campaigning platform. Hosted by the association’s Institute for Legislative Action, it claims to be “one of the most politically significant and popular events in the country”. The meeting will reportedly see the US’ “top Second Amendment leaders in government, the media, and the entertainment industry.”

The event’s announcement statement noted that it will begin at two in the afternoon. It says, “Admission is free and will be first come, first served. Tickets are not required but you must be an NRA Member to attend,” before adding: “Per the U.S. SECRET SERVICE, firearms, firearm accessories, knives, and other items WILL NOT BE PERMITTED in the General Assembly Hall. You will not be allowed in the General Assembly Hall with any of the items on this list. There is no storage available for firearms.”

Apart from Trump, other prominent speakers include LaPierre, Ouimet, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, Senator Ted Cruz, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Senator John Cornyn, Congressman Daniel Reed Crenshaw, and Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina Marc Robinson.

However, people on Twitter have slammed the group, which has always taken a stand against attempts to make guns inaccessible to all. A user tweeted, “NRA-ILA spends millions to buy lawmakers in Congress. This is why no law will be made while the NRA-ILA are allowed to shovel money into any lawmakers hands they do. Guns are what make mass shootings....The first school shooting was in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, July 26, 1764. NRA-ILA.. lobbyists, guess what their job is? $10 million a year lobbying in Washington. money buys loyalty in Congress and state capitals across the country.”

Another user questioned: “So Donald Trump is headlining and event hosted by the NRA-ILA on Friday the 27th. What will he say or will he even acknowledge the awful tragedy that occured today.” “@GregAbbott_TX @tedcruz ABSOLUTELY F*CKING DISGRACEFUL. Trump, Abbott, Cruz & more set to speak at NRA annual mtg in Houston days after Uvalde shooting - NRA-ILA Leadership Forum will be held Fri, May 27, in Houston as part of NRA's annual mtg,” a third one noted.

Meanwhile, one user shared a link to a petition and wrote: “Cancel the NRA-ILA Leadership Conference out of respect for victims of Uvalde shooting - Sign the Petition! #GunControlNow #uvaldestrong #Texas https://chng.it/hsbVmbRkgL via @Change.” The petition states that the conference “is tone deaf and unbecoming of Texas’s elected officials days after innocent children were massacred at school thanks to the loose gun laws of the state.”

“YES! And Trump, Abbott, Cruz set to speak at NRA annual meeting in Houston just days after Uvalde shooting The NRA-ILA Leadership Forum will be held Friday in Houston We have got to get these dirt-bags out of office,” another concurred.