On The Road to Charlotte

We’re hurling down the Pennsylvania Turnpike, on our way to Charlotte. Been on the road since 5AM at this point. There some pretty good media coverage of the NRA Annual Meeting today in the media. First, Josh Sugarmann notes that NRA is getting in good with the Teabaggers and Militia whakos in Charlotte:

Palin’s appearance is only the most public example of growing links between the NRA and the Tea Party movement. The recently released Violence Policy Center (VPC) study Lessons Unlearned: The Gun Lobby and the Siren Song of Anti-Government Rhetoric details NRA marketing to Tea Party supporters and reveals links in nine states between NRA State Election Volunteer Coordinators, the Tea Party movement, and other factions of the “Patriot movement.” The study also offers examples of how the NRA is once again embracing and validating anti-government rhetoric.

What a sad, rage filled man Josh is these days. WBTV Charlotte notes that the convention will be the largest in the state’s history, and says, “The entire event is expected to pump $20 million into the local economy. Love it or hate it, the NRA is going to have a very large, very positive effect on businesses here.”

Huluq notes that there will be 400 vendors with their wares on display, and that “80 percent of those in attendance will be male.” I am happy to report that 33.3% of this car is female, so we’re helping balance that a little bit at least. The Charlotte Observer notes what the other side will be doing during the convention, and sadly it doesn’t seem like they will be protesting us.

“We don’t protest the right to own guns and gunowners,” [North Carolinians Against Gun Violence] said. “We work with them. This is simply another option for people who want to prevent gun violence.”

A shame, because we need someone to snicker at.