Editing National Rifle Association (section)

===Mass shootings===
{{Main|Mass shootings in the United States}}
[[File:2018.03.24 March for Our Lives, Washington, DC USA 4616 (39185981580).jpg|thumb|[[March for Our Lives]] in Washington, D.C., on March 24, 2018]]

====Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting====
Following the high-profile 2012 shooting at the [[Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting|Sandy Hook Elementary School]], the organization began to become the focus of intense criticism, due to its continued refusal to endorse any new restrictions on assault-style gun ownership, or to endorse any other types of new restrictions on gun ownership.<ref name=Hickey130116>{{cite news |last=Hickey |first=Walter |date=January 16, 2013 |title=How The Gun Industry Funnels Tens of Millions of Dollars to the NRA |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/gun-industry-funds-nra-2013-1 |website=[[Business Insider]]|access-date=June 5, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Eller |first=Donnelle |date=February 3, 2013 |title=Iowa gun accessories supplier a key part of community |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/02/02/gun-firm-key-part-of-community/1886739/ |newspaper=[[Des Moines Register]] |publisher=[[USA Today]] }}</ref>
While supporters say the organization advances their rights to buy and own guns according to the constitution's Second Amendment, some critics have described it as a "terrorist organization" for advocating policies that enable and permit the widespread distribution and sale of assault-style weapons, and for its opposition to any other types of restrictions on gun sales or use.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/16/opinion/the-nras-complicity-in-terrorism.html The N.R.A.'s Complicity in Terrorism] ''New York Times'' Editorial Board. June 16, 2016.</ref><ref name=twsPPG1>February 18, 2018, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Kathleen Parker, [http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/Op-Ed/2018/02/19/Kathleen-Parker-Change-agent-with-a-camera/stories/201802190032 Kathleen Parker: Change agent with a camera], Retrieved February 19, 2018, "...&nbsp;successfully lobbies Congress to designate the National Rifle Association as a terrorist organization.&nbsp;... "</ref>

In December 2012, following the shooting, NRA broke its social media silence and media blackout to announce a press conference.<ref name=LaPierre12-2012>{{cite news|title=NRA releases statement on Conn. shooting|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/12/18/nra-statement/1778157/|access-date=January 6, 2013 |date=December 18, 2012 |newspaper=[[USA Today]] }}</ref> At the event, LaPierre announced an NRA-backed effort to assess the feasibility of placing armed security officers in the nation's 135,000 public and private schools under a "National School Shield Program". He called on Congress "to act immediately to appropriate whatever is necessary". The announcement came in the same week after President Obama had stated his support for a ban on military-style [[assault weapons]] and high-capacity magazines.<ref name="Armed Guards WP">{{cite news|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/put-armed-police-officers-in-every-school-nra-head-says/2012/12/21/9ac7d4ae-4b8b-11e2-9a42-d1ce6d0ed278_story.html|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|title=Put armed guards in every school, NRA leader Wayne LaPierre says|last=Sullivan|first=Sean|date=December 21, 2012 |access-date=December 21, 2012 }}</ref><ref name=armedNYT>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/22/us/nra-calls-for-armed-guards-at-schools.html|title=N.R.A. Calls for Armed Guards in Schools to Deter Violence|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 22, 2012 |first=John H.|last=Cushman Jr.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://latimes.com/news/la-nra-calls-for-armed-police-officer-in-every-school-20121221,0,6328031.story|title=NRA calls for armed police officer in every school|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=December 21, 2012 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117113354/http://www.latimes.com/news/la-nra-calls-for-armed-police-officer-in-every-school-20121221,0,6328031.story|archive-date=January 17, 2013}}</ref>

The NRA has been criticized for their media strategy following [[mass shootings in the United States]]. Following the Sandy Hook shooting, the NRA released an online video which attacked Obama and mentioned Obama's daughters; New Jersey governor [[Chris Christie]] called it "reprehensible" and said that it demeaned the organization.<ref name=Knox130117>{{cite news |last=Knox |first=Olivier |date=January 17, 2013 |title=Christie: NRA ad with Obama daughters 'reprehensible' |url=https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/christie-nra-ad-obama-daughters-reprehensible-230123003--politics.html |work=Yahoo! News |access-date=January 19, 2013}}</ref> A senior lobbyist for the organization later characterized the video as "ill-advised".<ref name=Cornwell130125>{{cite news |last=Cornwell |first=Susan |date=January 25, 2013 |title=Exclusive: NRA senior lobbyist says attack ad was 'ill-advised'|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-guns-ad-idUSBRE90O0X020130125 |work=Reuters |access-date= January 25, 2013}}</ref>

====2017 Las Vegas shooting====
{{Main|2017 Las Vegas shooting}}
After the October 2017 shooting at a concert in Las Vegas, which left 58 people dead and 851 injured, the NRA was initially criticized for their silence.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Cerullo|first1=Megan|title=NRA silent following Las Vegas shooting|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/nra-silent-las-vegas-shooting-article-1.3538901|newspaper=New York Daily News|access-date=October 5, 2017}}</ref> After four days they issued a statement opposing additional gun control laws, which they said would not stop further attacks, and called for a federal law allowing people who have a [[concealed carry]] permit in one state to carry concealed weapons in all other states. The organization also suggested additional regulations on so-called [[bump fire stock]]s, which allow a semi-automatic weapon to function like a machine gun; the Las Vegas shooter had used such a device.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/05/republicans-guns-bump-stocks-las-vegas-shooting|title=NRA breaks silence after Vegas shooting to call for 'additional regulations' on bump stocks|date=October 5, 2017|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=March 8, 2018}}</ref>

====Stoneman Douglas High School shooting====
{{Main|Stoneman Douglas High School shooting}}
In February 2018 a school shooting at a high school in Florida left 17 dead and another 17 injured, and student survivors organized a movement called [[Never Again MSD]] to demand passage of certain gun control measures. Many of the students blamed the NRA, and the politicians who accept money from the organization, for preventing enactment of any gun control proposals after previous high-profile shootings.<ref name=twsAxios423>{{cite news|title=Parkland student: Politicians accepting NRA money are against shooting victims|url=https://www.axios.com/parkland-student-politicians-accepting-nra-money-e7b89d81-1662-496f-b121-b6b9a8630286.html?|date=February 19, 2018|website=[[Axios (website)|Axios]]|access-date=February 22, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.npr.org/2018/02/16/586616026/students-who-survived-florida-shooting-want-politicians-to-know-theyre-angry | title=Students Who Survived Florida Shooting Want Politicians To Know They're Angry | work=[[All Things Considered]]| publisher=[[NPR]] | date=February 16, 2018 | access-date=February 18, 2018 }}</ref> An NRA spokesman responded by blaming the shooting on the FBI and the media.<ref name = Zurawik>{{cite news|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-fe-zontv-nra-stoneman-douglas-pr-battle-20180226-story.html|title=The NRA is getting trounced by Stoneman Douglas students in the PR battle over gun control|last=Zurawik|first=David|date=March 1, 2018|newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]]|access-date=March 8, 2018|archive-date=March 9, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309054540/http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/tv/z-on-tv-blog/bs-fe-zontv-nra-stoneman-douglas-pr-battle-20180226-story.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The NRA also issued a statement that the incident was proof that more guns were immediately required in schools in the hands of a bolstered force of armed security personnel in order to "harden" them against any further similar assaults.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2018/02/22/after-silence-on-parkland-nra-pushes-back-against-law-enforcement-the-media-and-gun-control-advocates/ "NRA goes on the offensive after Parkland shooting, assailing media and calling for more armed school security"] ''Washington Post''. Mark Berman and David Weigel. February 22, 2018.</ref> A Florida law passed in the wake of the shooting, which includes a provision to ban the sale of firearms to people under 21, was immediately challenged in federal court by the NRA on the grounds that it is "violating the constitutional rights of 18- to 21-year-olds."<ref name="Sanchez">{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/09/us/florida-gov-scott-gun-bill/index.html|title=Florida Gov. Rick Scott signs gun bill|last1=Sanchez|first1=Ray|last2=Yan|first2=Holly|date=March 9, 2018|website=[[CNN.com]]|access-date=March 10, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Schweers">{{cite news|url=https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2018/03/09/nra-sues-florida-over-gun-bill-same-day-gov-scott-signed-law/412365002/|title=NRA sues Florida over gun bill same day Gov. Scott signed it into law|last=Schweers|first=Jeffrey|date=March 9, 2018|newspaper=[[Tallahassee Democrat]]|access-date=March 10, 2018}}</ref>

In May 2018, [[Cameron Kasky]]'s father and other Parkland parents formed a [[Political action committee#Super PACs|super PAC]], Families vs Assault Rifles PAC (FAMSVARPAC), with a stated goal of going "up against NRA candidates in every meaningful race in the country". The organization seeks federal legislation to ban "the most dangerous firearms", while not affecting the Second Amendment.<ref name="Smiley">{{cite web | url=http://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article212173729.html | title=Parkland parents launch a Super PAC to go after politicians and the NRA | work=[[Miami Herald]] | date=May 30, 2018 | access-date=May 30, 2018 | last=Smiley | first=David}}</ref><ref name=Huriash>{{cite web | url=http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/parkland/florida-school-shooting/fl-sb-douglas-parents-families-rifles-pac-20180529-story.html | title=Parkland parents set up PAC to take on NRA | work=[[Sun-Sentinel]] | date=May 30, 2018 | access-date=May 30, 2018 | last=Huriash | first=Lisa}}</ref><ref name=Schallhorn>{{cite web | url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/parkland-parents-create-super-pac-to-oppose-nra-backed-politicians | title=Parkland parents create super PAC to oppose NRA-backed politicians | work=[[Fox News]] | date=May 31, 2018 | access-date=May 31, 2018 | last=Schallhorn | first=Kaitlyn}}</ref>

====Boycott====
{{Main|2018 NRA boycott}}
The NRA offers corporate discounts to its members at various businesses through its [[affiliate program|corporate affiliate programs]]. For several years, and increasingly in the aftermath of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, "affiliate companies" have been targeted in social media as part of a boycott effort<ref>{{cite news|title=Companies Cut Ties to the N.R.A., but Find There Is No Neutral Ground |website=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/business/nra-boycott.html|access-date=February 26, 2018|date=February 23, 2018|last1=Creswell|first1=Julie|last2=Hsu|first2=Tiffany}}</ref> to terminate their business relationships with the NRA.<ref>{{cite news|title=A List of the Companies Cutting Ties With the N.R.A. |website=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/24/business/nra-companies-boycott.html?xing_share=news|access-date=February 26, 2018|date=February 24, 2018|last1=Fortin|first1=Jacey}}</ref> As a result of this boycott movement, several major corporations such as [[Delta Air Lines]], [[United Airlines]], [[The Hertz Corporation|Hertz]], [[NortonLifeLock|Symantec]], and [[MetLife]] have disaffiliated from the NRA, while others, such as [[FedEx]] have refused to disaffiliate.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.newsweek.com/nra-boycott-full-list-companies-have-cut-ties-gun-lobby-over-florida-shooting-819050|title=The full list of companies who have boycotted the NRA over the Florida shooting|date=February 24, 2018|magazine=[[Newsweek]] |access-date=February 24, 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/business/nra-boycott.html|title=Companies Cut Ties to the N.R.A., but Find There Is No Neutral Ground|last1=Creswell|first1=Julie|date=February 23, 2018|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=February 24, 2018|last2=Hsu|first2=Tiffany|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Tuttle |first=Brad |date=February 26, 2018 |title=Only One Major Company Is Still Giving Discounts to NRA Members |url=https://money.com/nra-discount-partnership-fedex-amazon-boycott/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907060014/https://money.com/nra-discount-partnership-fedex-amazon-boycott/ |archive-date=September 7, 2021 |access-date=February 26, 2018 |magazine=Money.com}}</ref>