David Hogg, who survived the Florida High School shooting, has hit back at NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch about whether her loyalties lie with her members or gun manufacturers.
Hogg, 17, has been the target of online smear campaigns in recent days after he emerged as a powerful voice for stricter gun control after 17 people were killed at MS Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
On the weekend, NRA national spokeswoman Loesch questioned whether stricter gun control would have prevented the mass shooting. She claimed the NRA was not to blame because the "firearm did not walk itself into the school" and local police allowed the shooter to go unchecked.
But Hogg had a chance to respond and directly address NRA members about the group's leadership on ABC's 'This Week'.
"Honestly, it's just disgusting. They act like they don't own these politicians, they still do," Hogg said.
"Look at what she's [Loesch] saying, is she actually saying anything or is that just a tone to distract the American public and distract her NRA members from the fact that she's not serving them? She is serving the gun manufacturers," Hogg added.
"She's not serving the people of the NRA because the people that are joining the NRA, 99.9 per cent of them, are amazing people that just want to be safe responsible gun owners."
Hogg went on to slam the NRA as an organisation "that's completely broken" comparing it to the failures of US democracy to pass stricter gun control laws.
Loesch had told ABC This Week that the spotlight should be on the authorities that didn't stop the shooting from taking place after "numerous calls".
In this Feb. 22, 2018, photo, Dana Loesch, spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Source: AAP
"We're talking about banning firearms and the discussion is about banning all semi-automatic firearms and that's really the discussion. Can we actually look at what could have prevented this?" she said.
"That firearm did not walk itself into the school. An individual who was allowed to go unchecked by the Broward County Sheriff's Office allowed that firearm to go in the school. This is not the fault nor are five million innocent law-abiding Americans culpable for this, and many of us are parents, too."
#BoycottNRA has gained momentum since the shooting with US companies, led by Delta and United airlines, have begun to end their affiliation with the NRA.
United and Delta airlines are part of an NRA boycott movement following the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Source: AAP
"Delta is reaching out to the NRA to let them know we will be ending their contract for discounted rates through our group travel program," Delta said in a statement.
"We will be requesting that the NRA remove our information from their website."
The two airlines join several other companies in retracting benefits for the NRA and its members, including rental car companies Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise and Hertz, First National Bank of Omaha and insurance providers Chubb and MetLife.
The companies that have pulled support for NRA
- First National Bank of Omaha
- Car rental brands Enterprise, National and Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz
- Chubb
- Symantec
- Delta and United airlines
- Moving services Allied and North American Van Lines
- MetLife, which offered savings on home and car insurance to NRA members
- Wyndham Hotels and Best Western hotels
Companies that continue to support the NRA
- Amazon offers the NRA TV app that allows people to watch the channel
- Other services that make NRA TV available: Apple, Google, Roku, YouTube
- FedEx, which- offers members discounts from 18 to 26 per cent for domestic and international shipping
- Omni Hotels
Source: Huffington Post UK, AP
- With AAP
