After a day of fierce criticism over whether it cares about the second amendment rights of black Americans, the National Rifle Association posted a statement late Friday in response to the death of Philando Castile, an African American man shot to death by a police officer during a traffic stop.
Without mentioning Castile’s name, the gun rights organization called the reports of the 32-year-old’s death “troubling” and said they “must be thoroughly investigated”.
The aftermath of Castile’s shooting by a Minnesota police officer was broadcast live by his girlfriend, who said officers, identified as Jeronimo Yanez and Joseph Kauser, had stopped the car and asked Castile for his license and registration. She said Castile told the officers it was in his wallet but that he also had a pistol he was licensed to carry, and that the officer shot him as he moved his hands, despite Castile’s efforts to comply with the officer’s orders.
The NRA was silent for more than 24 hours after news of Castile’s death emerged overnight Wednesday – a day after Alton Sterling was shot dead by police in Louisiana, with what looked like a gun in his pocket. The criticism from racial justice advocates was seething:
Let's go NRA. I know y'all are for the 2nd amendment. Are you also for equal protection? https://t.co/PaKMcZ7ina
— John Legend (@johnlegend) July 7, 2016
Will the @NRA being making a statement condemning the killing of #PhilandoCastile, who reportedly had a #concealedcarry permit?
— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) July 7, 2016
.@NRA we know that NOONE fights so hard for "the right to legally bear arms" more than you do. That said... #PhilandoCastile? Anyone?
— Questlove Gomez (@questlove) July 7, 2016
In its Friday statement, the NRA avoided commenting on any of the details of Castile’s case, or drawing any early conclusions, saying only that “it is important for the NRA not to comment while the investigation is ongoing”.
But answering the widespread criticism that second amendment rights seemed only to apply to white Americans, the NRA called itself a “civil rights organization” and said “the NRA proudly supports the right of law-abiding Americans to carry firearms for defense of themselves and others regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation”.
“Rest assured, the NRA will have more to say once all the facts are known,” the statement read.
Even after the statement, many criticized the NRA for omitting Castile’s name. “Say his name,” a series of Twitter users told the NRA, echoing one of the rallying cries of Black Lives Matter advocates.
#PhilandoCastile complied with gun laws and with the officer who shot him dead. SAY HIS NAME, @NRA.
— Pauly David (@PaulyDavid) July 7, 2016
@NRA "Reports" ...His name was Philando Castile. He was a man who was murdered, not a "report." Say his name.
— Kat Michelle (@ififorget) July 8, 2016
Say his name, @NRA! Or does that whole "tyranny against government" talk apply only to certain US citizens? https://t.co/Tn54ESWTPo
— James A Jenkins (@_jajenkins) July 7, 2016
Earlier on Friday, the NRA’s executive vice-president, Wayne La Pierre, put out a more sweeping statement in support of the law enforcement officials killed and injured in the targeted attacks during an ant-violence protest in Dallas.
The NRA’s statement on Castile’s death follows a much stronger condemnation Thursday from the Second Amendment Foundation, an influential nonprofit that focuses on gun rights litigation.
“Wednesday night’s shooting of Philando Castile is very troubling, especially to the firearms community, because he was a legally-armed private citizen who may have done nothing more than reach for his identification and carry permit,” said the foundation’s founder, Alan Gottlieb, in the statement.
The statement called for an independent investigation of Castile’s death. Unlike the NRA’s statement, the foundation statement directly addressed both the allegations that racism played a role in Castile’s death – Minnesota’s governor said racism was a factor in Castile’s death and the incident would not have happened to a white American – and the broader concerns of other concealed-carry permit holders.
“We are cognizant of the racial overtones arising from Mr. Castile’s death,” Gottlieb noted. “The concerns of our members, and honest gun owners everywhere, go even deeper. Exercising our right to bear arms should not translate to a death sentence over something so trivial as a traffic stop for a broken tail light, and we are going to watch this case with a magnifying glass.
“America’s 13 million citizens who are licensed to carry deserve to know exactly what happened and why. There are conflicting explanations, and only an independent investigation can hopefully reveal the truth.”
The NRA is often slow in its response to controversial public shootings, and is wary of commenting before all the facts are known, gun rights advocates said yesterday in defense of the NRA’s initial silence on Castile’s case.
