Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway wants NRA convention to stay out of Dallas

Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway on Monday called for the NRA to not hold its convention in Dallas this May.

The annual NRA meeting and exhibition is already scheduled for May 4-6 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. The event last year in Atlanta had more than 800 exhibitors and drew tens of thousands of gun enthusiasts.

“I am saying to the NRA, reconsider coming to Dallas. There will be marches and demonstrations should they come to Dallas,” Caraway said.

Caraway said it’s not appropriate for the NRA to hold its annual convention in Dallas in light of the recent deadly school shooting in South Florida last week and historical events involving deadly gunfire in Dallas. He specifically mentioned the ambush murder of five Dallas police officers in July 2016, the murder of Dollar General clerk Gabrielle Simmons and even invoked the 1963 John F. Kennedy assassination.

Caraway said he's a strong believer in the second amendment, adding that he personally owns five guns. But caraway said if NRA leadership is coming to Dallas then he feels it’s their responsibility to work with local leaders to help establish gun laws that keep the community safe.

“It is time for them to stand up and it's time for us to listen and it's time for Mr. Trump and every elected official in Washington and USA on every level to stand up and speak out against this type of violence,” Caraway said.

Caraway said he was not speaking for the Dallas City Council and Monday’s comments were a personal appeal to the NRA.

Colion Noir, who hosts a show on NRA TV, said Caraway was posturing.

“If you want to talk about having a conversation, you might not want to start off with don’t come to my city,” Noir said.

Noir believes caraway is wrongfully targeting the NRA rather than the individuals who commit crimes.

“We've gotten to the point where we vilify the firearm in it of itself instead of holding accountable the people who engage in violent activities,” Noir said.

In response to Caraway's public request, the NRA issued a statement: “Our members work in fire stations and police departments. They save lives in local hospitals and own businesses in communities urban and rural throughout this country. No politician anywhere can tell the NRA not to come to their city. We are already there.”