On May 6, liberal comedian Jon Stewart opened The Daily Show by making fun of last weekend’s 142nd Annual Meeting of the National Rifle Association.
Imitating the dialect of a southern gent, he pointed out that this year’s meeting was held in Houston, TX, where NRA members didn’t come “to raise their hands in the air like they just don’t care, [but] to high five each other with their non-gun holding hands.”
From there he made fun of speakers and attendees for being focused on a single issue, saying, “It was to celebrate the single issue that binds members of the National Rifle Association [together].” He then showed clips of Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaking to NRA members about President Obama’s disregard for the 10th Amendment, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) speaking about the administration’s strangle-hold on military chaplains and the 1st Amendment, and former Ambassador John Bolton speaking about Benghazi. He made fun of these speakers for not being single issue.
Stewart then laughed at the NRA’s “Vulcan-like appeal to reason,” as demonstrated by Sarah Palin’s concern for the “future of freedom,” Jeanine Pirro’s concern that the rights of Boston bombing suspects appear elevated above the rights of law-abiding gun owners, and Wayne LaPierre’s concern that the passage of more gun laws will only hinder law-abiding citizens while actually enabling future terrorists, kidnappers, and elementary school shooters.
When LaPierre said such ne’er do wells are waiting right now–“waiting, and planning, and plotting”–Stewart ducked behind his desk, just peeking his eyes over the top of it at the camera, as if LaPierre were driven by paranoia into exaggerating the danger we face in this world at this time.
Stewart’s first joke was funny. After that, mocking genuine concerns over the 10th Amendment, the 1st Amendment, the Benghazi cover-up, the future of freedom, the rights of law-abiding citizens, and the safety of children and adults alike, got old really fast.
Some things in this life need to be taken seriously.