Speaking at the National Rifle Association's annual meeting in Indianapolis on Friday, NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre delivered a blistering attack on the mainstream media and its abdication of the traditional role as government watchdog, stating, "Rather than expose government dishonesty and scandal the way they used to, the media elites whitewash it all."
According to LaPierre "political dishonesty and media dishonesty have linked together" to deceive the American people. "The political and media elites are lying to us... They pass legislation, they admit they haven't read it then they go on TV to defend it."
The NRA leader addressed the recent administration scandals, saying "The IRS is now a weapon — a weapon -- to punish anyone who disagrees with them. And that means every one of you." He then went through a list of some of President Obama's most controversial actions:
They try to regulate our religion; they give us Solyndra, Benghazi, massive unemployment, debt that will choke our grandchildren and one executive order after another. Rather than expose government dishonesty and scandal the way they used to, the media elites whitewash it all. "Move on," they tell us, "There’s nothing to see here."
Calling it one of the greatest threats facing America today, LaPierre accused the mainstream media of failing "to provide a level playing field in this country for the truth...Truth be damned they have their own agenda." That agenda according to Mr. LaPierre, is hating the NRA and Gun owners.
They try to ridicule us into oblivion, or shame us into submission. But we will never submit and surrender to the national media, I promise you that.
When the CEO asked the attendees if they trusted the government to protect them, the crowd responded with a resounding, “No!" "We are on our own," he responded, "that's a certainty."
The audience cheered as he promised:
One hundred million gun owners will not back down, not now, not ever. Freedom has never needed our defense more than now.
LaPierre's entire speech is embedded above.