Can Liberals Finally Defeat the NRA?
The rise in white supremacist shootings could change the politics of gun control
The weekend’s deadly massacres in El Paso and Dayton served as a grim reminder of past inaction on gun policy. Even posting the famous Onion headline “‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens” on social media has become a kind of ritualistic cliché.
In the past, such atrocities have quickly faded from the public consciousness because gun-rights groups are better organized than their gun-control rivals, as well as able to more effectively inspire their members to vote their beliefs at the ballot box. Due to fears of the outsize political influence of pro-gun groups like the National Rifle Association (NRA), few Republicans are willing to break ranks with the NRA, while Democrats who represent rural and swing districts often seek to avoid taking positions on guns that could endanger their seats.
However, the growing salience of high-profile shootings by white nationalists could change these dynamics. According to the New York Times, the El Paso shooter was the eighth linked to racial or ethnic hatred since Trump took office — a trend that mirrors an apparent increase in extremist violence motivated by white supremacy. While it is difficult to prove the role of political…
