Country star Eric Church blames NRA and gun lobbyists for Las Vegas mass shooting
Eric Church, one of the headliners at the Route 91 festival in Las Vegas — the scene of the 2017 massacre known as the deadliest mass shooting by an individual in modern U.S. history — is blaming the NRA for the attacks.
Church performed at the festival two nights before the shooting, and the experience has changed his views on guns “a little,” he says.
While fellow country singer Jason Aldean was performing, a gunman opened fire on the crowd, killing at least 58 people.
Now Church is speaking out about the incident. While he says he considers himself a “Second Amendment guy,” referring to the right to bear arms, Church is blaming the NRA and gun lobbyists for being a “roadblock” to gun safety, according to a recent interview with Rolling Stone.
“There are some things we can’t stop,” Church told the magazine. “Like the disgruntled kid who takes his dad’s shotgun and walks into a high school. But we could have stopped the guy in Vegas.”
The “Desperate Man” singer added: “I blame the lobbyists. And the biggest in the gun world is the NRA.”
“I don’t care who you are — you shouldn’t have that kind of power over elected officials. To me it’s cut-and-dried: The gun-show [loophole] would not exist if it weren’t for the NRA, so at this point in time, if I was an NRA member, I would think I had more of a problem than the solution,” Church said. “I would question myself real hard about what I wanted to be in the next three, four, five years.”
He went on to add, “I don’t think our forefathers ever thought the right to bear arms was that.”
Fans of the country music star are speaking up on social media.
In this article, he also mentions his hatred of the NRA and his love for Bernie Sanders! I lost all respect for the Chief and have pulled my church choir membership! Hope he continues to be snubbed by Nashville.
— Brigmann Bailey (@beetlehound1) July 26, 2018
@NRA @ericchurch your NRA comments are simple minded and wrong headed. Your music is going in the shredder tonight. Will never bye anything with your name on it again. Sending NRA $100 donation.
— Tom Fassbinder 🇺🇸 (@FassbinderTom) July 26, 2018
Goodbye eric church. How about we take away your 1st amendment rights an you can't sing anymore. #2ndamendment
— Surgeon911 (@seeknaygo1) July 26, 2018
Church is also being compared to the Dixie Chicks on social media. On March 20, 2003, the country music band performed in London, and while playing its opening song, “Travelin’ Soldier,” one of the Dixie Chicks commented on the invasion of Iraq.
“Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas,” singer Natalie Maines said, referring to former President George W. Bush.
Many fans shunned the country superstars after their comment.
Buh-bye @ericchurch You are now categorized with the Dixie Chicks. #irrelevant @NRA
— Daphne Hawk (@daphnehawk) July 26, 2018
@ericchurch HEY MORON, NOW YOU CAN TOUR WITH THE DIXIE CHICKS
— patrick hennigan (@pthennigan) July 26, 2018
However, others are supporting the country superstar on social media following his comments on the NRA.
Eric Church is by far the most prominent and commercially relevant mainstream country artist to denounce the National Rifle Association. https://t.co/IX6OvExRwQ
— Jonathan Bernstein (@jonbern) July 25, 2018
BREAKING
Country Music Star Eric Church blamed the @NRA for the Las Vegas shooting, saying that they are being a "roadblock" to safety, in an interview with Rolling Stone.Thanks you @ericchurch for your honesty!
I'm going to buy your album even though I hate country music!— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) July 26, 2018
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