CNN commentator Van Jones claimed Thursday that a “whole generation of young people” now sees the National Rifle Association (NRA) as the KKK because of the NRA’s “destructive role” in the debate on gun control.
Van Jones began by arguing that the NRA “has played a net destructive role for people who are trying to solve this problem.” He added that “there is a sense of fear and terror among people who are in elected office that if they even entertain certain notions that the NRA is going to drop a ton of bricks on them.”
Due to this fear, he said, "we haven't had the kind of innovation, experimentation, trying of things—I don't know of any of the things being proposed would make any difference at all yet, but we should know more than we know right now. We should have been able to try things and we haven't been able to."
"You have a whole generation of young people who essentially see the NRA as their enemy," he then argued. "To them the NRA is like the KKK; it's just some hostile force that is against them, that's risking their lives."
Jones said, "these kids, they're not fighting for their future—they're fighting for their right to survive, to have a future. They do not see the NRA as a friend in that fight."
His comments come following the horrific mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which left 17 students dead last week. Many of the survivors of the shooting have vocally advocated for a change to U.S. laws to prevent similar tragedies. President Trump held a listening session with survivors and parents at the White House Wednesday.
NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, MD Thursday and proposed better security in schools including armed guards.