The Signorile Report
The Signorile Report
The unauthorized history of the NRA
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The unauthorized history of the NRA

Independent journalist Frank Smyth, spoke with me in depth on my SiriusXM show about his illuminating new book, The NRA: The Unauthorized History, in which he does an amazing job of unearthing the relatively secret history of the National Rifle Association — that is, a history the NRA itself has done a lot to try to hide.

He details how the group began in the late 19th century as a marksmanship group and was an organization dedicated to gun control, fighting organized crime and terrorism in the early part of the 20th century. That was true even right up until the assassination of President Kennedy and Martin Luther King, when the NRA helped spearhead a new federal gun regulation. It was soon after that, however, that a revolt took place at the NRA, and the shift began to occur, which turned the group into the dangerous lobbying group that is today very much a pillar of Trumpworld.

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As the NRA has experienced some recent debilitating scandals, as well as financial damage and layoffs amid the coronavirus pandemic — even as it uses the pandemic to fear-monger among gun owners — it’s a good time to look at its history. Take a listen to this eye-opening interview.

(A reminder that if you’re not a SiriusXM subscriber, through May 31 you can listen free to my SiriusXM program, “The Michelangelo Signorile Show” — live each weekday, 3-6 ET — and to a ton of other talk and music shows and channels by downloading the SiriusXM app and streaming on your phone, or you can listen online here. I’m on SiriusXM Progress, channel 127, where you’ll catch all of our great progressive political shows. No credit card info taken or trial, just sign up and listen.)

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