Shooting survivor to Trump: We're more important than 3D-printed guns

A survivor of the Las Vegas mass shooting slammed Trump for turning to the NRA for guidance on 3D-printed guns instead of crime victims.

Trump’s State Department reversed course from the Obama administration and dropped the U.S. government’s opposition to pro-gun activist Cody Wilson, who posted designs for a 3D-printed gun online.

Wilson then went ahead and posted the designs on the website for his company, Defense Distributed.

As the story hit the news, Trump tweeted, “I am looking into 3-D Plastic Guns being sold to the public. Already spoke to NRA, doesn’t seem to make much sense!”

The NRA appeared to signal it would not directly oppose posting the plans online. Instead, NRA Institute for Legislative Action executive director Chris Cox asserted that undetectable plastic guns are already illegal and slammed “anti-gun politicians” for raising concerns about the plans.

Trump, who received millions in support from the NRA, usually does whatever the NRA tells him to do on gun issues. He has refused to support popular gun safety ideas supported by most Americans.

Appearing on CNN’s New Day, Las Vegas shooting survivor Brian Claypool debated conservative pundit Jan Morgan (former spokesperson for “Citizens for Trump”) on 3D-gun printing.

Claypool then turned directly to the camera and said, “Instead of President Trump calling the NRA – guess what? Give me a call and give victims across this country a phone call, who have dodged bullets from assault weapons and find out how they feel about it before you propagate this recipe for mass disaster.”

Fifty-eight people were shot and killed when a gunman fired upon the crowd at a country music festival in Las Vegas in October of 2017.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi slammed the Trump administration for its role in allowing the information online. “This decision is a death warrant for countless innocent men, women and children,” she said. “For the sake of all our safety and lives, it must be reversed immediately.”

Several Democratic Attorneys General have filed suit in court to prevent the distribution of the designs. Courts in New York, New Jersey, and Washington have blocked the files on a temporary basis.

Like most Americans, Claypool has seen Trump pick his paymasters at the NRA over public safety time and time again.

That is why Trump’s decision to take guidance from gun extremists on 3D-gun printing prompted him to speak out.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.