To the Editor:

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Newtown-based corporate gun lobby, will be holding its annual firearm trade show and conference in Las Vegas next week. The SHOT Show and Conference is the largest firearm trade show in the world and 62,000 industry professionals will be meeting to fight any and all sensible gun laws. Unlike Jay Leno who cancelled his appearance last year, Jeff Foxworthy will be performing at the NSSF Industry Dinner.

The NSSF has grown from its hunting and target shooting roots as a gun industry trade organization to one of the most powerful gun lobby groups in the nation. The NSSF outspent the National Rifle Association on lobbying for gun rights in 2014 and spent nearly the same amount in 2015. The NSSF is responsible for rebranding assault rifles as “modern sporting rifles” and putting more guns (including assault rifles) in the hands of small children.

Three months ago, many advocates signed our coalition petition asking the Department of Justice (DOJ) to cancel the $2.4 million grant to NSSF for its Project ChildSafe program. No taxpayer in Amer-ica should have to foot the bill for a profit-focused gun lobby group looking to improve its public image. During our December trip to Washington DC for the 3rd National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence near the 3rd anniversary of the Sandy Hook tragedy, we hand-delivered our coalition petition signed by over 28,000 people to a representative at the DOJ with advocates from Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and MomsRising.

In our effort to raise awareness about the NSSF and its irresponsible marketing and lobbying practices, we will be joined by Connecticut Against Gun Violence, Greenwich Council Against Gun Violence, Brady Campaign Southwest CT Chapter and the Enough Campaign to rally in Newtown outside the NSSF headquarters at 11 Mile Hill Road on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 18th at 4 pm.

I had the pleasure of meeting the President before he announced his executive actions at the White House last Tuesday. I thanked him for supporting Newtown and he stated, “I made a promise.” Please join us at the rally to thank the President for keeping his promise.

It was heartbreaking see an empty seat representing all victims of gun violence at the State of the Union address last night. We must continue to work together to prevent our tax dollars from being awarded to NSSF and send a strong message to the gun industry to stop its relentless fight against sensible gun laws in pursuit of corporate gun profits. We can no longer accept the status quo where guns are killing more than 30,000 Americans annually.

We are on the right side of history. The conversation has changed since the Sandy Hook tragedy. States are passing background check bills. Presidential candidates are debating gun violence like never before. We urge you to join us at NSSF on Monday to honor Martin Luther King and all other victims of gun violence.

Po Murray

Chairman, Newtown Action Alliance

PO Box 3325, Newtown         January 13, 2016