The NRA is not pleased with its rescinded invite from the city of Dallas to host its annual convention.
Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway is pressing the National Rifle Association to move its convention — planned for May in Dallas — to another city.
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In light of the deadly mass shootings in Florida last week, Caraway said he was seeking to put citizens first, and found hosting the convention at this time to be inappropriate. The convention will include firearms displays and exhibits, and Caraway warned that if the event went forward, it would be met with “marches and demonstrations.”
For its part, the NRA told a local ABC news affiliate that politicians cannot “tell the NRA not to come to their city.” Andrew Arulanandam, the NRA’s public affairs director continued that the NRA is “already there. Dallas, like every American city and community, is populated by NRA members.”
“Our members work in fire stations and police departments,” Arulanandam said. “They save lives in local hospitals and own businesses in communities urban and rural throughout this country.”
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Caraway, meanwhile, asserted that the NRA “needs to step up to the plate” and “show leadership” by establishing better gun laws. He said that while he is a “believer” in the second amendment, “we should not allow people to possess assault rifles and weapons.”
Despite Caraway’s conviction, not all of his fellow council members share his belief that the convention should be moved. It remains to be seen whether the NRA will bow to his pressure.