Fight For Gun Control

Father Of Murdered Journalist Blasts NRA, Promises Tireless Fight For Gun Control

 by Jack Jenkins

The father of slain journalist Alison Parker, who was killed in a tragic shooting on live television Wednesday, is calling on politicians to stop being “cowards in the pockets of the NRA” and pass meaningful gun violence legislation.

Speaking Thursday morning on CNN, Parker reiterated a message he voiced last night on Fox news, when he said the murder of his daughter and cameraman Adam Ward should inspire action on gun control. But in addition to declaring plans to be a “crusader” against gun violence, he also blasted the influence of the National Rifle Association.

“Look, I’m for the Second Amendment,” he said. “But there has to be a way to force politicians, who are cowards in the pockets of the NRA, to come to grips and have sensible laws so that crazy people can’t get guns. It can’t be that hard. And yet politicians from the local level, to the state level, to the national level — they sidestep the issue, they kick the can down the road. This can’t happen anymore.”

Parker went on to deconstruct an argument often voiced by NRA leadership: That arming more people will somehow prevent mass shootings.

“And I know the NRA, I know what their position is going to be,” he said. “I can hear it now. They’re going to say, ‘Oh, gee, well, if they were carrying, this never would’ve happened.’ Well I got news for you: If Alison or Adam had been carrying an AK-47 strapped around their waist, it wouldn’t have made any difference. They couldn’t have seen this thing coming. I don’t want to hear that argument from the NRA and you know that’s going to happen.”

“How many Newtowns are going to happen? How many Sandy Hooks? How many Alison’s is this going to happen to before we stop it?” he added, listing other recent mass shootings.

Parker also called on journalists to keep reporting on the issue of gun violence, telling the CNN reporter, “Alison was one of you guys.”

“I’m challenging you, the media, because, again — this is one of your own,” he said. “This has got to hit home for journalists. And if journalists are targets — and we’re not talking about someone going to Syria and being in the crosshairs of ISIL. We’re talking about two kids, two young people who were doing a benign story about a marina opening … and a crazy person with a gun shoots them.”

As the interview drew to a close, Parker was asked to reflect on his daughter’s life. Fighting back tears as he recounted how “everybody loved her,” he was quickly overcome with emotion.

“I just wish I could touch her soul right now,” he said. He then broke down into sobs, unable to continue.