INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

‘New York Daily News’ Thanks The NRA For Orlando Shooting, Says Strong Opposition To Stricter Gun Laws Allowed The Worst Massacre In History

By Alap Naik Desai
Published on: 03:25 PST, Jun 13, 2016

The New York Daily News will thank the National Rifle Association (NRA) for the Orlando shooting incident. In a recent tweet, the publication released tomorrow’s front page, which blames the NRA for enabling the terrorists.

Blaming the NRA for enabling killers such as Omar Matteen, the New York Daily News has designed tomorrow’s front page that links the association’s staunch opposition to get the weapons banned with the Orlando shooting incident, which resulted in the death of 50 innocent civilians and injured 53.

The newspaper appears to openly condemn the NRA with the headline, which reads, “50 dead in Orlando club massacre” before “Thanks NRA” is written in bold letters. It then continues: “Because of your continued opposition to an assault rifle ban, terrorists like this lunatic can legally buy a killing machine and perpetrate the worst mass shooting in US history.”

Omar Mateen, who the newspaper calls a “madman,” was single-handedly responsible for the murder of at least 50 people in the popular gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, Florida. The man is further responsible for gravely wounding 53 people, who are battling for their lives in hospitals, with the majority being listed as critical. Medical professionals are doing their best to save the innocent lives, but many quietly worry the death toll may rise.

The New York Daily News is being applauded on the internet for its strong opinion and for standing up against one of the most powerful lobbies in the United States, reports the Huffington Post. Unfortunately, despite numerous attacks using similar legal firearms, they are still available for purchase by anyone who clears a background check.

While the Orlando shooting is undeniably one of the worst massacres the country has witnessed, the newspaper also points to previous incidents. The AR-15 assault rifle Mateen used has been the preferred weapon of mass murderers. The same style of weapon was used to murder 20 children and six adults in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012. The AR-15 rifle was also used to murder 12 people and wound 70 in a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, earlier that year.

One of the recent incidents happened last October at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, where 26-year-old Chris Harper-Mercer used the AR-15 assault rifle to kill nine people before turning the gun on himself. The massacre was quickly followed by another one in December. The infamous San Bernardino attack orchestrated by Islamic terrorists Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik, 27, involved the use of AR-15 assault rifles, among other weapons.

After these incidents grabbed headlines, people rallied to get this class of weapons banned. However, instead of raising awareness, the campaigns only served to increase sales as people rushed to gun stores to pick them up in case they were pulled in the near future.

The AR-15 assault rifle is a very versatile and adaptable weapon. Owing to its design, it is very easy to use. While gun lobbyists may stress that it is a semi-automatic weapon that doesn’t continue spraying bullets once the trigger is squeezed, it has been designed for the United States military with the primary aim of taking out hostile targets with maximum efficiency and ease. This makes it a very deadly weapon that can be easily used to spread mayhem.

The assault rifle continues to remain a hot favorite among gun enthusiasts probably because of the accessories it supports. People can easily modify or improve the weapon with a variety of add-ons. Experts estimate close to three million of these assault rifles are in circulation in the United States alone, reported Joe My God. One of the very few limitations the states impose is the number of bullets that can be inserted in a single magazine. While regulations vary from state to state, the AR-15 is capable of firing 45 rounds a minute.

Incidentally, there was a strict weapons prohibition that began in 1994 with the passing of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban (AWB). However, it was allowed to expire and never renewed due to intense lobbying by the NRA.

Following the Orlando shooting incident, the conversation about gun laws has been reignited. Should the weapons ban be reinstated?

[Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images]

Share this article: ‘New York Daily News’ Thanks The NRA For Orlando Shooting, Says Strong Opposition To Stricter Gun Laws Allowed The Worst Massacre In History
Gun Control nra
More from Inquisitr