At a time when the National Rifle Association and the Second Amendment are being maliciously attacked by gun-ban advocates and their media co-conspirators at every turn, the Association has tapped American war hero LtCol Oliver L. North, USMC (Ret.), as the new NRA president.
North, a Purple Heart and Silver Star recipient, was elected by the NRA Board to replace Pete R. Brownell, who stepped down after one year at the helm.
Much loved by NRA members throughout the country, North is a dogged combatant and respected leader who is expected to elevate the NRA in its battle to save the Second Amendment from those who would see it repealed or gutted.
“This is the most exciting news for our members since Charlton Heston became president of our Association,” said NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre. “Oliver North is a legendary warrior for American freedom, a gifted communicator and skilled leader. In these times, I can think of no one better suited to serve as our president.”
Upon announcement of his presidency, North immediately retired from Fox News, where he acted as a political analyst.
“I am honored to have been selected by the NRA Board to soon serve as this great organization’s president,” North said. “I am eager to hit the ground running as the new NRA president.”
Because of the celebrity status of both North and Heston—one of NRA’s most beloved leaders—the comparison has been raised. Despite being a household name, North shrugs it off.
“I’m ... quite frankly humbled by the challenge,” North said. “Someone just asked me if I thought I was Charlton Heston. I told him, ‘No, he was Moses. I’m a United States Marine.’ And now is the time when you need a Marine at the top of the pyramid at the National Rifle Association.”
Indeed, this is such a time. Since the horrible mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., in February, many who oppose freedom and the Second Amendment have focused their hatred on the NRA, rather than on the violent criminals who perpetrate such carnage.
“Discussing this with Wayne LaPierre,” former President Brownell said, “he suggested we reach out to a warrior amongst our Board members, LtCol Oliver North, to succeed me. Wayne and I feel that in these extraordinary times, a leader with his history as a communicator and resolute defender of the Second Amendment is precisely what the NRA needs. After consulting with NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox, First Vice President (Richard) Childress and Second Vice President (Carolyn) Meadows, I can report there is extraordinary support for LtCol North.”
LaPierre is quick to reiterate North’s importance to the Association at this critical moment in history.
“The board acted quickly and with great vision,” LaPierre said. “Oliver North is, hands down, the absolute best choice to lead our NRA Board, to fully engage with our members, and to unflinchingly stand and fight for the great freedoms he has defended his entire life.
“Oliver North is a true hero and warrior for freedom, and NRA members are proud to stand with him.”
Upon his election, North quickly got to work, appearing on television news programs and granting newspapers interviews to get the word out. His resounding theme is that the NRA is being attacked like never before, so we must fight back like never before.
“[The NRA] is under attack,” he said. “Quite frankly, I’ve never seen anything quite like it. They’ve hacked into almost everything they could. They’ve threatened the officers, the directors, the staff. The harassment goes beyond simply yelling at people. It now involves vandalism. They’ve slashed tires and broken windshields and things like that. And there’s no place for that in America.”
North said the renewed call for repealing the Second Amendment proves how determined the enemies of freedom are.
“We’ve got a former Supreme Court justice urging that we repeal the Second Amendment,” he said. “The 6 million members of the NRA are not going to stand still for that. The attack that has been waged against the NRA over the course of the last two or three months is unprecedented.
“We’re going to stand and support the Second Amendment for the American people. They’re using the First Amendment as a weapon against the Second Amendment. That’s got to stop.”
Truth be told, all NRA members should be proud and excited to have LtCol North leading our association into the next battle—and the next era, LaPierre said.
“He’s an unflinching, unapologetic defender of Second Amendment freedom who has earned the enduring respect and admiration of our members,” he said. “And he strikes genuine fear into the freedom-hating political elites who so desperately wish for a weakened NRA.
“He understands what all the so-called Washington and media experts still don’t—that the strength of this organization will always and forever come from our nearly 6 million members.”
For his part, North’s focus will be on defending and growing the Association, protecting the Second Amendment, and spreading the word about NRA’s goals.
“We’ve got a message to get out to the American people. And it’s a very straightforward message,” he said. “The NRA was created in 1871 to teach the safe handling of firearms, marksmanship and protection of the Second Amendment. What we want to do is help everyone keep their freedom.”
