Following the gun control push that began in July 2012 with the Aurora theater shooting and escalated after the December 2012 Sandy Hook attack, donations to the National Rifle Association rose to nearly $100 million.
IRS disclosure forms show that donations for 2013 alone were $96.4 million.
According to the New York Daily News, this is an “11.5 percent” increase over the “$86.4 million” given to the NRA in 2012. Moreover, the increased funding came at a time when the NRA was spending less money on “professional fund-raisers.”
In other words, the donations were the result of a grassroots groundswell.
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence executive director Leah Gunn Barrett described the financial news as “very perverse.” She suggested “most Americans would have a visceral reaction toward those numbers following a tragedy where 20 (kids) were slaughtered.” What Barrett missed was the NRA’s visceral reaction to the left’s ongoing demand that school children spend their days in gun free zones like Sandy Hook Elementary.
Gun free zones are target-rich environments for criminals intent on taking life. The NRA seized on this, rallied against it, and money poured in from those who realize gun free zones are only gun free for law-abiding citizens.
As Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld said on February 24: “‘Gun free zone’ is liberal for ‘sitting duck.'”
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.