I admit that I had to do a double take when I saw the Facebook image and news flash across my screen that NSSF has invited Bill Engvall to be the new headliner at SHOT this year. I mean, they bill him as a target-shooting hunter, what would possibly be bad about that?
Well, except Engvall is on the record promoting the idea that no civilian should be allowed to own an AK-47. He also said in that video that he’ll compromise with people calling for an outright repeal of the Second Amendment and ban guns that shoot too many rounds that would ruin meat while hunting.
When fans challenged him on Twitter at the time, he dismissed the concerns of his “redneck” fans: “My Twitter account blew up. All these country fans of mine, and redneck fans were like, ‘Are you a Communist? You can’t take away our guns!'” I even remember challenging him on the issue at the time, and he stood by his statements that civilians shouldn’t be allowed to own them. I was rather shocked that he was responding at all, but he did.
I find it interesting that Engvall is now more than happy to run and deposit the check issued by a group that gets their donations from companies that make and sell the very guns he wants to ban.
I get that Jay Leno’s cancellation put NSSF in a bad spot, but it seems there had to have been better options. To the best of my knowledge, other than mocking his fans who disagreed with him a few months after the incident, I’ve never heard Engvall try to make the situation right by educating himself on the issue. Even Jim Zumbo made the effort after his anti-“modern sporting rifle” remarks.
One less comedian I’ll pay to watch.
Makes his money via the first amendment, wants to scrap the second. Maybe he should stick with the fifth.
I’m a hunter, but, I am willing to vote for something that will ban all hunting if it will allow me to defend myself with a modern firearm.
Typical Fudd
Well, I guess there’s no reason to contribute any more to NSSF, if they’re just going to use it to pay a 2A-challenged comedian. Here’s your sign, Bill.
Zumbo his ass.
This is sad. He’s one of my favorite comedians.
Posted these tweets to Twitter:
@lkeane @NSSF “I don’t believe there’s any reason for a person like myself to own an AK-47…” – Bill Engvall
@nssfshotshow “I don’t believe there’s any reason for a person like myself to own an AK-47…” – @billengvall
@chrisdolnack @nssfshotshow @billengvall “I don’t believe there’s any reason for a person like myself to own an AK-47…” – Bill Engvall
@Stenomama11 @nssfshotshow @billengvall Advocates against AK-47s, then makes money to entertain the @NSSF industry dinner. #NSSFools
Result:
You are blocked from following @billengvall and viewing @billengvall’s Tweets.
LOL
I’ve seen plenty of liberal comedians that hate guns and I still laugh at their jokes if they are funny, that’s because I know where they are coming from and where they stand on the issue and I can accept that. Yet there is something so annoying about this fake hillbilly jack ass going around trying to have things both ways by acting like the purpose of the Second Amendment is just to ensure that we all have venison. He thinks that so long as we have bolt action 30 calibers the will of the founding fathers is respected which shows that he has know idea what the hell he is talking about.
Second link doesn’t appear to have anything to do with Engvall.
NSSF needs to drop this guy. –Do people come to SHOT for the flippin’ “entertainment,” or to look at guns?
Had video blocked. ::blush::
Who?
He said there is “no reason for a person like myself” to own an AK? I don’t get all the angst or I misunderstand. There is no reason that a person like myself needs to own a Searcy 470 Nitro double … But that sure doesn’t mean I want them banned.
I sort of wonder if he even realizes that the AKs he can own (without a pile of cash, NFA stamp, and FBI background check) are … ones that don’t go “brap!!!” while you hold down the trigger?
And are less powerful than a lot of Perfectly Respectable Hunting Rifles, too.
Joke-makers and professional Fool and such don’t seem to have/be very astute politically – they tell “funnies” to get any laugh at any cost, and they have to be pretty thick-skinned and somewhat mental.
Maybe (and I could be generous) the, “no reason for a person like myself†is because he knows himself – that he’s a borderline psycho trembling in his dressing-room, fraught with demons and scarred with haunting memories.
And all this is just ~way~ outside his wrapper.
This guy was kind of funny at one time but now he is an idiot if he thinks rednecks don’t understand the 2nd amendment. I wonder if the lefties will laugh at his joke because I think he has passed his use by date with his audience of regular gun people.
Time for him to get out of the pool.
Never heard of him.
Should have got “Uncle” Ted Nugent.
It’s easy to take other PPL’s God Given Rights lightly when your a filthy rich ‘entertainer’. The Little People only exist to work and give you their money
Just ask The Clintons
Here’s your sign!
You misunderstand. Bill’s wife likes the Hollywood party circuit. If Bill wants to be invited he must espouse those views.
NSSF deleted and is now blocking comments on their announcement page
I heard about that over the weekend. That is disappointing even though I really like the guys I know there and don’t think they are bad people for this misstep. I just wonder if they forgot one little step in looking up good speaker material – google the celebrity’s name with the words “gun control” and see if there’s anything obvious that pops up as a problem. Locking people out of the conversation isn’t going to generate good will among those who are more offended by the selection.
Hopefully if the NSSF does not do the right thing and cancel his appearance, the industry members in attendance will boo him off stage.
I wonder what Ron White’s opinion on the Second Amendment is? He seems to give less than a f@ck about what people think of him.
So the manufacturers are paying money to support a gun control advocate?
Somehow I suspect they didn’t do enough research here.
Given the history of SHOT and it’s consumer cousins, I’d suggest they deliver a sign and toss the crypto-progressive from the headline act.