Missing an Opportunity

Today, February 1st, is the opening day of the 1st ever "Great American Outdoor Show" at the Harrisburg Farm Show.  It is the replacement for the Eastern Sports and Outdoors Show that lasted for over 60 years.

In many ways, it is the same as it's predecessor.  It will feature; exhibits, concerts, speakers, demonstrations, and the other trappings (no pun intended) of a show catering to those who enjoy the outdoors. 

The major difference is who is running the show.  After Reed Exhibitions, who had put on the event for many years, requested that AR-15s and other assault weapons similar to those used in the Sandy Hook and other mass shootings not be displayed or sold, manufacturers of these weapons staged a boycott that led to the show being cancelled.  Enter the National Rifle Association, who according to Media Matters for America plan to use the show to advance their insurrectionist agenda.

To begin with, I don't see what place AR-15s, etc have at an outdoors show.  The weapons in question seem to serve little purpose than to be used to kill as many humans as possible, as quickly as possible. 

But I also wonder if groups like CeaseFirePa, Heeding God's Call, etc, missed an opportunity.  A symposium on countering the NRA agenda would have sent a message.  Speakers from groups like Moms Demand Action, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, or victims, direct or indirect, of gun violence could contribute.  With this being an election year, strategies for mobilizing those tired of the daily death toll of guns could have been discussed as well. 

Some of the street theater tactics of Occupy or ACT-UP may have also worked a bit.  A few people going to the tables of Bushmaster, etc and asking about how well their assault weapons would hold up against military bulletproof vests would have shook people up.  And with Trayvon Martin's birthday happening during the show, a few folks in black hoodies, or any hoodie, carrying Skittles could be an effective silent witness. 

Of course, something like that might work better if George Zimmerman ever comes to the show.  After all, they brought Ted Nugent in this year.