The National Rifle Association (NRA) has drawn criticism on Twitter over its Mother's Day post after it tweeted a photo of a mother and daughter posing with rifles after a mass shooting in Colorado Springs.
Seven people were killed on Sunday in the shooting rampage after a gunman, who was identified as a boyfriend of one of the female victims, opened fire at a birthday party before turning the gun on himself, as reported by IBT.
NRA's Mother's Day Post
On Sunday, to commemorate the occasion of Mother's Day, the NRA posted a meme suggesting that mothers should arm their young daughters.
"Happy Mother's Day to all NRA moms! On top of the millions of other jobs moms have, NRA moms fight for our right to self-defense, while also defending themselves, their families, and communities. We are forever grateful for these fierce women," tweeted the NRA. "Mama didn't raise a victim," read the caption over an image of a woman and a young girl with their firearms.
Happy Mother's Day to all NRA moms!
— NRA (@NRA) May 9, 2021
On top of the millions of other jobs moms have, NRA moms fight for our right to self-defense, while also defending themselves, their families, and communities.
We are forever grateful for these fierce women. pic.twitter.com/IC2rvlhGDe
Outrage on Social Media
The NRA's tweet immediately sparked significant backlash leading to NRA becoming a trending topic on the micro-blogging platform with people calling out the NRA for encouraging young children to arm themselves amid the recent wave of deadly violence and denouncing it as a "terrorist organization."
"You are a terrorist organization and using children as props," wrote one user, while another commented, "This is felony child abuse. Arrest this woman, rescue this child, and shut the NRA down like the terrorist group that it is."
"So a child who is too young to legally vote has the maturity to handle a firearm responsibility?" tweeted a third user, while yet another opined, "What a disgusting thing to tweet, given how many children have died in mass shootings already this year."
Here are some more reactions:
This is absolutely disgusting. Shame on you. pic.twitter.com/g9jQEGHXy7
— Suzan Scott (@NewsJunkieBlu) May 9, 2021
"Mama didn't raise a victim."
— Optimistic Patriot (@dialogician) May 9, 2021
No... she raised a sociopath who creates victims.
Six people were shot and killed by a gunman at a birthday party in Colorado Springs this morning - on Mother's Day.
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) May 9, 2021
At least 94 more people in America will be shot and killed - and over 230 will be wounded by gunfire - before the day is over. https://t.co/vo4UGw35eB
The NRA is a terrorist organization, it should be shut down, its assets need to be liquidated, its leaders should be criminally indicted and their social media accounts should be banned for promoting violence. Who agrees? ✋
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) May 10, 2021
The Colorado Springs shooting was this year's 194th mass shooting in the United States and comes days after a sixth-grade student pulled a gun out of her backpack and started shooting at a school in Idaho, injuring three people, as previously reported.