'When an Angel Speaks'

Special Commentary from Bishop Terry Angel Mason 

They Fear the Wrath of the NRA

When the framers of the U.S. Constitution placed a provision in the landmark document stating that we have a right to bear arms, I don’t think they were talking about assault rifles, semi-automatic handguns and lethal bombs! The real elephant in the room that no one wants to discuss is that the National Rifle Association (NRA) has tremendous political and financial muscle; to the point that even potential Presidential candidates are extremely hesitant to propose new gun control bills, less they place themselves in jeopardy of losing an election. What’s even more bizarre is that many Tea Party extremists and GOP right-wingers back and support the NRA – giving credence to this madness!

Not long ago, as many of you may recall, the NAACP openly rebuked the Tea Party when they encouraged Americans to arm themselves with guns, if necessary, to take back the government from an African -American president. It wasn’t long after this incident that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and other noted officials and supporters were brutally gunned down in Arizona. When Gifford’s father was asked who he felt was to blame, his reply was, “Everyone in the tea party!”

Brothers and sisters, events like the senseless shooting of Trayvon Martin, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, and now multiple victims in the horrific Colorado Massacre, are just the beginning – with regard to the number of brutal massacres that are likely to occur in the future. There have been 27 mass-murder incidents since the Columbine shooting in 1999. Given the current and unfortunate political polarization of our country, as stated previously, similar tragedies are sure to follow.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently criticized President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, boldly stating that they need to stop making flowery promises to Americans and be more pro-active regarding gun control. We also realize, albeit sadly, that Mitt Romney, being a card-carrying member of the GOP, will obviously side with the NRA. That is, until he inevitably flip-flops in his predictable and misguided zeal to pander and solicit more votes! We, however, sympathize and empathize with President Obama for two important reasons: the first being the irrefutable fact that no matter how he weighs in on gun control, the obstructive GOP will twist, misrepresent, and blatantly distort any measure of truth and insight he offers on the issue.

Secondly, we understand his reticence and reluctance in initiating strong dialogue about America's questionable, unyielding, and, at times, insane love for assault firearms because he is seriously enmeshed and embroiled in the political fight of his life to win a second term. But be warned President Obama! You are being given a temporary pass until the November election. If the country awards you with a second term, we will expect to see leadership on this issue and results! But the reality is that after all the dead are eulogized and laid to rest, and the others that were  critically injured are released from local hospitals, things will go back to normal unless the American people demand that Congress put specific laws in place indicating the types of weapons people should and should not be allowed to own.

As an African-American civil rights activist, I have seen billionaires and millionaires funnel untold millions into the GOP in what is likely to be the most expensive Presidential election in history. I would like to think that money provided to potential candidates would not influence our voting system, but the sad reality is that many in our country are uninformed and completely oblivious to what is really going on. Countless bloggers like me have penned numerous essays, articles and commentaries that expose right-wing hypocrisy and the NRA's blatant misuse of power and disregard for human life. The right-wing’s sole purpose is to line their pocketbooks and secretly pad their off-shore bank accounts with billions. Despite our best efforts to engage and enlighten the public, Americans allow themselves to be repeatedly brainwashed by well-crafted and misleading political ads.

The reality is that we didn’t learn from the massacre in Columbine, and I doubt if we will learn from the horror that unfolded at the Century 16 theatre in Aurora. Undoubtedly, there will be an outcry from the nation for a short while. The voices will fall silent once the NRA and right-wing billionaires begin to bombard us with prejudicial campaign ads in an attempt to make us believe that voting for their candidates is more important than preserving the lives our or children, friends and loved ones. This nation must rise up and speak out. No citizen of this country should have their life or well-being placed in extreme danger…simply because they decided to go see a popular movie at a Multiplex theatre.

Terry Angel Mason is a Global Author and the publisher of Guardian of Truth LGBT News Magazine.