Disarming the Audience in Dallas: The Secret Service Pros Don't Buy the NRA Mantra

The only thing that will stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.

The mantra of the NRA, repeated ad nauseam.




Yes, that wild and mad cap bunch known as the National Rifle Association is holding its annual convention this week in Dallas. The organization is estimating around 80,000 gun toting members will be present. In addition, the Vice President and President of these United States will show up on Friday to speak to the throng.

Accompanying them will an unknown number of Secret Service agents who, unlike the attendees, have pledged to protect both gentlemen with their lives.

Since the agency has an acute understanding of security, not to mention vast experience when it comes to protecting the VP and President from would be assassins, they made one thing perfectly clear to the NRA. No one entering the hall before, or during the addresses made by, Mike Pence and Donald Trump will be allowed to carry, firearms, ammunition, gun parts, ammo magazines, knives, drones, signs, or glass containers. That's right, when it comes to guarding the bosses, the Secret Service doesn't fuck around with politics--they go all Wyatt Earp in Dodge City.

The NRA, who backed The Big Orange Guy during the last presidential election to the tune of $30 million, was quick to comply. The act is a complete and unabashed reversal of what the group claims is best for America in general and its school children in particular.  

The Washington Post has reported this twisted bit of irony, which appears to come straight out of a Twilight Zone episode, is not lost on some, especially those who have had their lives impacted by mass shootings.

The Post quoted, Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter, Jaime was murdered while she attended class at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. He said, "On so many levels this is enlightening. According to the NRA we should want everyone to have weapons when we are in public. But when they put on a convention the weapons are a concern? I thought giving everyone a gun was to enhance safety. Am I missing something?"

Matt Deitsch, who graduated from Stoneman Douglas the year Trump was elected and now serves as chief strategist for the March For Our Lives protest posted on Twitter, "You're telling me to make the VP (and President) safe there aren't any weapons around, but when it comes to children they want guns everywhere? Can someone explain this to me? Because it sounds like the NRA wants to protect people who help them sell guns, not kids."

Parkland student, Cameron Kasky also took to Twitter, writing, "The NRA has evolved into such a hilarious parody of itself."

At least one NRA member also realized the incongruity. On a message board the anonymous poster wrote, "Obviously even republicans and so called leaders don't trust the, 'good guys' I realize it is the VP (and President), but this makes our whole argument look foolish."

Of course, these days making the NRA look foolish isn't that hard to do. However, the unknown author misses the point. It wasn't the republicans, or even the NRA leadership who came down on the we all get to carry a piece crowd. It was the pros who know their odds of guaranteeing the safety of Pence and Trump go straight to hell when everyone in the audience is packing a potential murder weapon.

Indeed, the Secret Service, as opposed to some foul NRA front man like Wayne LaPierre, are career experts in security. They understand perfectly, "the good guy with a gun," chant is just so much gun fetish bullshit.

Tragically, scads and scads of Americans refuse to come to the same conclusion.

Well, hey, who is to argue with a national addiction? At this point it is time to realize all we can do is hope to limit the carnage the best we can.

That's why I'll take a touch of irony as a victory any time. Listen, it beats the alternative--that one we know is coming to another school somewhere in this country far too soon.



sic vita est

4-30-18