Gun safety groups are condemning National Rifle Association board member Ted Nugent for promoting a fake video of Hillary Clinton being shot. The groups are calling for the NRA to condemn Nugent or remove him from the organization’s board of directors and suggesting that “common sense NRA members” should disassociate themselves from the group if it will not confront Nugent.
Gun Safety Groups Slam Ted Nugent's “Vile,” “Horrifying,” “Deplorable” Promotion Of Video Showing Hillary Clinton Being Shot
Written by Timothy Johnson
Published
Nugent Shares Video Of Sanders Shooting Clinton During Debate About Gun Policy
Nugent: “I Got Your Guncontrol Right Here Bitch!” In a May 10 post to his Facebook page, Nugent shared a fake video of Sen. Bernie Sanders graphically murdering former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with a handgun during a Democratic presidential debate. He added the comment, “I got your guncontrol right here bitch!” [Media Matters, 5/10/16]
Gun Safety Groups: Nugent’s Behavior Is “Repugnant” And “Should Not Be Tolerated”
States United To Prevent Gun Violence: “We Urge NRA Members To Disaffiliate From An Organization That Harbors And Condones Hate Crime Actions And Inspires Extremism.” In a statement representing 30 individual gun safety organizations, States United to Prevent Gun Violence denounced Nugent, saying his “post is tantamount to encouraging the assassination of a Presidential Candidate” (emphasis original):
States United to Prevent Gun Violence Call on NRA Members to Disaffiliate Following NRA Board Member Ted Nugent's Recent Dangerous Actions
The undersigned State Affiliates of States United to Prevent Gun Violence denounce NRA Board Member Ted Nugent for his violent Facebook post and the NRA Board of Directors for harboring him. Nugent’s post of the assassination of Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton exceeds the bounds of First Amendment free speech by encouraging followers to consider the shooting of Ms. Clinton as a form of “gun control”. Nugent's post is tantamount to encouraging the assassination of a Presidential Candidate. We urge NRA members to disaffiliate from an organization that harbors and condones hate crime actions and inspires extremism.
Arizonans for Gun Safety
Women Against Gun Violence
Colorado Ceasefire
Connecticut Against Gun Violence Ed Fund
Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence Ed Fund
Georgians for Gun Safety
Hawaii Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence
Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence
Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence
Iowans for Gun Safety
Maine Gun Safety Coalition
Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence
Stop Handgun Violence
Michigan Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence
Protect Minnesota
Grandparents Against Gun Violence (MO)
New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence
North Carolinians Against Gun Violence Education Fund
Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence
Oklahoma Gun Sense
Ceasefire Oregon
Ceasefire Pennsylvania
Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence
The Safe Tennessee Project
Texas Gun Sense
Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah
Virginia Center for Public Safety
Washington Ceasefire
Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort Ed Fund [States United to Prevent Gun Violence, 5/12/16]
Coalition To Stop Gun Violence: “It Is Repugnant To See Longstanding NRA Board Member Ted Nugent Again Musing About Shooting One Of America’s Elected Officials.” Noting that “There has never been ANY movement among the NRA leadership or rank & file to remove Nugent from the board,” Coalition to Stop Gun Violence labeled Nugent’s promotion of the video “repugnant”:
It is repugnant to see longstanding NRA board member Ted Nugent again musing about shooting one of America’s elected officials. It reinforces the image of the National Rifle Association as an insurrectionist organization that preaches treason not patriotism, violence not safety. There has never been ANY movement among the NRA leadership or rank & file to remove Nugent from the board. [Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, 5/11/16]
Joint Action Committee: “Common Sense NRA Members” Should “Disassociate Themselves With The Organization If This Is The Type Of Conduct The NRA Tolerates.” Joint Action Committee, a group that “promotes the United States-Israel relationship, reproductive freedom, separation of religion and state, and social policies in keeping with the core values of the American Jewish community” condemned the “deplorable video” in a statement to Media Matters and noted that “There is absolutely no place in any political debate for the promotion of violence” (emphasis original):
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) strongly condemns Ted Nugent’s deplorable video showing a fake shooting of Hillary Clinton. There is absolutely no place in any political debate for the promotion of violence. America faces a growing epidemic of gun violence which plagues every community in this country regardless of economics. Nugent’s vitriolic rhetoric, laced with racism, misogyny, xenophobia and anti-semitism, promotes hatred and violence. The NRA, by failing to condemn Nugent, is actually helping to spread his bigotry and vile attacks. JAC calls upon the NRA to condemn Ted Nugent’s actions immediately and urge common sense NRA members to disassociate themselves with the organization if this is the type of conduct the NRA tolerates. [Joint Action Committee, 5/11/16, Joint Action Committee, accessed 5/12/16]
Newtown Action Alliance Chairman: “Promoting Videos Of Any Presidential Candidate Being Shot Should Not Be Tolerated.” Newtown Action Alliance chairman Po Murray told Media Matters, “The video Mr. Nugent promoted on Facebook is disturbing, vile, dangerous and borderline criminal,” and added, “The NRA must repudiate Mr. Nugent's behavior and take immediate action by asking him to relinquish his board position”:
Ted Nugent, who is a board member of the NRA, has a long history of pushing the limit on his First Amendment rights. The video Mr. Nugent promoted on Facebook is disturbing, vile, dangerous and borderline criminal. The debate on gun violence prevention is contentious but it should not be dangerous. No matter which side of this issue in the gun debate, promoting videos of any Presidential candidate being shot should not be tolerated. The NRA must repudiate Mr. Nugent's behavior and take immediate action by asking him to relinquish his board position. [Po Murray, Newtown Action Alliance, 5/11/16]
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence: Nugent’s Promotion Of Clinton Video “Goes Beyond The Pale.” New Yorkers Against Gun Violence slammed Nugent in a May 11 statement to Media Matters, saying, “That we have come to this is truly horrifying” and adding, “All Americans should rise up in anger and condemn the NRA”:
We are used to condemning Ted Nugent's misogynistic, xenophobic, hateful, racist and violent screeds but his latest stunt - showing Hillary Clinton being shot - goes beyond the pale. By keeping looney Ted on the NRA board the corporate gun lobby shows that it condones political assassination. Because you can be certain that another nut with easy access to a gun will view this as a call to action. That we have come to this is truly horrifying. All Americans should rise up in anger and condemn the NRA, our homegrown terrorist organization, for fomenting hate and fear. [New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, 5/11/16]