The anti-gun hysteria in the wake of Parkland, Florida school shooting appeared to have reached a fever pitch Tuesday as NBC Nightly News ran a report touting social media posts by irrational former gun owners destroying their weapons. “Some gun owners are posting videos of themselves destroying or getting rid of their firearms, declaring ‘one less gun’ on social media,” fill-in anchor Savannah Guthrie gleefully announced.
“On social media, some gun owners are getting rid of their rifles and posting pictures under the hashtag: #OneLessGun,” explained reporter Gabe Gutierrez. “It all started with a Facebook video viewed more than 17 million times of a self-described responsible gun owner with a faded tattoo of the right to bear arms. So moved by the Florida shooting, that he sliced his AR-15.”
The man’s name was Scott-Dani Pappalardo, and in the video clips Gutierrez shared, he can be heard telling viewers: “I’m going to make sure this weapon will never be able to take a life … Now, there’s one less.”
Destroying his own rifle to make sure “this weapon will never be able to take a life” was a ridiculous empty gesture. It’s a shame that this has to be said, but: Guns are not sentient beings! The rifle was not going to sneak out of the house in the middle of the night and shoot someone. So, as long as Pappalardo wasn’t going on a rampage and kept the rifle secured, nothing was going to happen.
“As I see more and more AR-15s being part of mass shootings, I don't want to be a part of that,” declared Mike Russell of North Carolina. He handed over the rifle to his local authorities according to Gutierrez. Russell’s worries were completely unfounded since he wasn’t involved in any mass shooting and the overwhelming majority of AR-15 owners don’t use them to commit crimes.
“As she watched the horrifying images of the Parkland shooting, gun owner Amanda Meyer of Connecticut says she needed to do something. So she destroyed her handgun,” Gutierrez also reported. Meyer appeared to take a grinder to the gun’s slide and told NBC, “I hope that some people are inspired by it. At least that they would go out and do the same thing.”
To contrast the three gun destroyers, Gutierrez spoke with only one gun rights advocate, an NRA instructor named Marco Avalon who spoke in defense of AR-15s. “It's a scapegoating. There will be another mass shooting right afterwards. So, I don't see where the solution is coming from with that,” he said in the clip Gutierrez allowed.
Gutierrez wrapped up his report with a shot at the Second Amendment. “Tonight there is a renewed debate among gun owners themselves over the extent of the Second Amendment when it comes to AR-15s, and whether the right is worth the risk,” he proclaimed.
Of course, these people were perfectly within their right to do this to their firearms since they are, or were, their property. But their actions ultimately mean nothing because they were apparently law-abiding gun owners and not criminals looking to kill people. It was little more than virtue signaling that the liberal media chose to elevate.
Transcript below, click expand to read:
NBC Nightly News
February 20, 2018
7:04:28 PM Eastern [1 minute 53 seconds]SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: And there is another movement going viral in the wake of this school massacre. Some gun owners are posting videos of themselves destroying or getting rid of their firearms, declaring “one less gun” on social media. Here is NBC's Gabe Gutierrez with the story.
[Cuts to video]
GABE GUTIERREZ: As she watched the horrifying images of the Parkland shooting, gun owner Amanda Meyer of Connecticut says she needed to do something. So she destroyed her handgun.
AMANDA MEYER: I hope that some people are inspired by it. At least that they would go out and do the same thing.
GUTIERREZ: In North Carolina, Mike Russell handed over his AR-15 to law enforcement. He bought it as a hobby, but –
MIKE RUSSELL: As I see more and more AR-15s being part of mass shootings, I don't want to be a part of that.
GUTIERREZ: On social media, some gun owners are getting rid of their rifles and posting pictures under the hashtag: #OneLessGun.
SCOTT-DANI PAPPALARDO: I’m going to make sure this weapon will never be able to take a life.
GUTIERREZ: It all started with a Facebook video viewed more than 17 million times of a self-described responsible gun owner with a faded tattoo of the right to bear arms. So moved by the Florida shooting, that he sliced his AR-15.
PAPPALARDO: Now, there’s one less.
GUTIERREZ: The NRA has called the AR-15 the most popular rifle in the U.S., owned by eight million Americans. Enthusiasts say it's customizable, accurate, and versatile. But it's become the weapon of choice in mass killings. Marcos Avalon is a certified NRA instructor who says banning AR-15s is a mistake.
MARCOS: AVALON: It's a scapegoating. There will be another mass shooting right afterwards. So, I don't see where the solution is coming from with that.
GUTIERREZ: Tonight there is a renewed debate among gun owners themselves over the extent of the Second Amendment when it comes to AR-15s, and whether the right is worth the risk. Gabe Gutierrez, NBC News, Parkland, Florida.
