The NRA Board – It’s WAR!
Wayne LaPierre, the Executive Vice President and CEO of the National Rifle Association has been front and center in the public discussion about gun rights, and gun control. His extremist rhetoric has drawn criticism, and he’s become an iconic symbol of what progressives believe to be a tone-deaf and radical agenda in which “the only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” LaPierre may be the one most often in front of the cameras, but the board of the National Rifle Association actually has 76 directors who call the shots, as it were. The majority of these directors are nominated by a committee within the NRA, and elected by only a small fraction of the membership.
So, who are these 76? It turns out that:
- 87 percent are men.
- 93 percent are white.
- 25 percent are current or former federal, state, or local lawmakers or officials.
- 22 percent are current or former law enforcement officers.
- 30 percent are current or former members of the military.
- 24 percent are lawyers.
- 12 percent are entertainers or athletes.
- 64 percent are hunters.
- 71 percent are sport or competitive shooters.
- At least 71 percent were nominated, endorsed, or selected by the NRA’s Nominating Committee.
You may know some of them. There’s Ted Nugent, of course, and Grover Norquist. Former Senator Larry ‘the toe-tapper’ Craig is even on there, which proves his brutally untamed masculinity and complete non-gayness. Oliver North even gets to be an NRA director, instead of sitting in prison cell somewhere. He says he really likes it “in large part because it drives the left a little bit nuts.” A true patriot, as always.
Patricia Clark, one of the few women, and a member of the Nominating committee which selects the vast number of directors, actually lives in Newtown, Connecticut. Her bio says she believes “youngsters are the key to the NRA’s future.” Awkward.
But as I perused the list, I came upon a very familiar face, immediately recognizable to most Alaskans – a certain Mr. Wayne Anthony Ross. Yes, THAT Wayne Anthony Ross, the one nominated by Sarah Palin to be the Attorney General for the State of Alaska.
The Wayne Anthony Ross who drives about town in a giant Red Hummer with vanity plates featuring his initials: WAR.
He’s the only person in the history of the state of Alaska nominated for the position who failed to be confirmed by the state legislature. And it wasn’t even close – 35-23. Picture some kind of large fuel-laden aircraft doing a perfect nose dive right into the ground.
So what was the reason for Mr. Ross’ bipartisan legislative ass-kicking?
Photo by Robert J. Shem. (Belatedly attributed with regrets)
The fact that his anti-subsistence, anti-sovereignty statements had every major Native group in the state denouncing him?
The fact that he called gays “degenerates” and “immoral,” refused to take it back, and instead created a delightfully lame analogy comparing the gay community to lima beans (which he said he ”hates”) to make us all feel better?
The fact that multiple members of the community stood up with stories and quotes from Ross’ past that were not only sexist, but misogynistic to the highest degree?
The fact that right before his confirmation he told the legislature not to worry their pretty little heads about whether a new senate appointment from the governor was legal or illegal, and wrote a letter denying he’d ever said that, right before the audio of him saying exactly that was released?
The fact that the selection of this utterly controversial, divisive and inappropriate candidate happened in the first place?
Nope. According to Palin, it was the bloggers.
Gov. Sarah Palin is blaming bloggers and lies for the defeat of her attorney general nominee, who the Alaska Legislature refused to confirm last week.
“A great problem was public lies were told about Mr. Ross,” she said.
Palin declined to say whose lies undermined Ross, citing the blogosphere and e-mails from members of the public.
If the media weren’t so damned nosy, and interested in what was going on in the government, and weren’t sitting behind our keyboards flappin’ our yaps all the time, then people wouldn’t have gotten so upset about Mr. Ross’ track record.
It’s kind of like when Wayne Anthony Ross himself pointed out that there wouldn’t be such a problem with domestic violence, if women would just keep their mouths shut. Mr. Ross would have been the AG if the bloggers and constituents would just shut up about it.
So, why do I bring this all up again? Now that you’ve woken up those brain cells from February of 2009, I will direct you to WAR’s biography on the NRA’s website, highlighting the point of my interest:
The thing that interested me is that, ironically, right after he lists the Vice Chairmanship of the Ethics Committee on the top line, he then boasts he was “Sarah Palin’s Attorney General (2009).”
Really?
The last time I checked, you’re not supposed to credit yourself for holding a job if they decided not to hire you for it. Quick, someone better report him to the Ethics Committee. Oh, wait…
He looks like Elmer Fudd. “Must kill the wabbit, I must kill the wabbit…”
C.K. was a world wat 2 vet and a man of honor
*whispering*
(I’m so glad someone mentioned the Capt. Kangaroo thingy. I’ve a confession.
When a I first saw WAR at the courthouse, I thought he was Capt. Kangaroo.. Yup, went to my lunch date and announced that Capt. Kangaroo was, infact at our Alaska state court house. My date laughed.)
Oh dear, there must be some misunderstanding here. WAR didn’t state that he was ALASKA’s attorney general, he stated that he was SARAH PALIN’S attorney general. So, gee, I guess that our crafty Sarah figured out how to have her very own personal attorney general!! II think we can understand why Ms. Palin needs a personal chief legal adviser/ enforcement officer . She is terribly confused about what is legal and what is not and so are her many lawyers. I am also glad that WAR found another position after the Alaskan legislature rejected him as their attorney general.
Once upon a time the NRA was an educational, recreational organization of like-minded individuals who liked to own and use guns. They were effective especially in educating people in the safe handling of fire arms. Then, like so many other benevolent organizations they became inundated with money from the armaments industry and began throwing their weight around as a lobbying group.
What surprises me about the numbers you cite above is that so few of the 76 directors are hunters, only 64 percent.
BTW, in case you haven’t heard, ‘Gun Appreciation Day’ had several casualties, at least 5 hurt in 3 separate shooting related incidents at gun shows today…so much for the educational and safety aspects of the NRA!
Also one Don E. Young on the list. Is that OUR Yon Dung?
yuppers!
our very own Representative for All who vote for him only…
An acting Attorney General who pushes to get something done and asserts the question is not whether it is legal had no business being appointed . Thank heavens he wasn’t confirmed !
What is most irritating about “Sarah Palin’s Attorney General (2009).”?
The fact he was never more than a short term acting Attorney General instead of the rill-dill or that he was whatzername’s Attorney General? Not the Attorney General of the State of Alaska but SP’s AG?
SP gets a frickin AG and the Department of Law of the State of Alaska, OUR Department of Law, gets what?
I don’t miss her nor her so-called administration one bit- bleah.
Have known he was on the NRA board for quite awhile, along with that fruitloop Ted Nugent (whose bio stinks as badly as WAR’s for its glossy half truths and lies)
A board with those demographics is out of touch with the country by definition, add in WAR and some of the rest of them and it is even more obvious how NON mainstream the NRA has become.
Has been interesting to see such a lot of attention on NRA claims and such like lately- way overdue for the bullies to get some real scrutiny
http://www.mediaite.com/online/gun-fluffer-nutter-nra-accused-of-inflating-membership-with-zombies-freebies/
EXCELLENT POST….!!
Oh the legal fireworks and drama has just begun folks…the NRA rantings just add fuel to the fire…and Palin is being investigated by federal agencies for crimes committed…remember no statute of limitations in alaska…
Now how did that come to pass…smirk…head tilt…smile…
COOL…..! Couldn’t happen to a more deserving individual….!!
Yeah and it just got hotter…INTERPOL is also looking at the activities…poor poor Sarah…lol…
I don’t care about the make up of the NRA whether they are one gender race or another (bashing white males is fashionble) but I also don’t care for their pugnacity and strident resistance. In that sense they are not unlike any other extremist group that is the spear point for a cause. That said though I think they are emblematic of all the reasons people are *for* gun control laws. They bring out defensiveness in others and perhaps create opposition where they could have allies. Regardless of the points that are worthwhile they shoot themselves in the foot while “calling the shots” – some interesting “metaphorica” here (even thought that is not the right literary term being as “like” or “as” is not in the sentence).
Don’t suppose it helps that Wayne not only has a sissy name but also looks a bit like Capt. Kangaroo.
Capt. Kangaroo was kindlier, of course.
And knighted in Poland and the VATICAN…??? And also an auctioneer….??? Looks like he’s got his paws in everything…
Bob Keeshan must be rolling in his grave at the very thought that this jerk resembles him.
Maybe we should drop 100 ping pong balls on his head . . .