The NRA on Tuesday announced the cancelation of the 2021 NRA Annual Meeting in Houston.
Lexi Klein is the NRA-ILA director of grassroots programs and campaign field operations.
“Due to concern over the safety of our NRA family and community, we regret to inform you that we have decided to cancel the 2021 Annual Meeting & Exhibits,” Klein said in a press release. “This cancellation applies to all events and meetings that were scheduled in Houston. We will provide future notification regarding a rescheduled date for the annual Meeting of Members.”
In June, COVID-19 appeared to be behind us, but the arrival of the more contagious delta variant of COVID-19 has led to dramatically higher case counts, hospitalizations and COVID-19 deaths. This has led to calls for mask mandates at schools.
“We make this difficult decision after analyzing relevant data regarding COVID-19 in Harris County, Texas,” Klein said. “We also consulted with medical professionals, local officials, major sponsors & exhibitors, and many NRA members before arriving at this decision. The NRA Annual Meeting welcomes tens of thousands of people, and involves many events, meetings, and social gatherings. Among the highlights of our annual meeting are acres of exhibit space featuring the latest and greatest firearms, the display of countless accessories, and the offering of adventures and group gatherings that many travel hundreds, and some even thousands, of miles to experience. We realize that it would prove difficult, if not impossible, to offer the full guest experience that our NRA members deserve.”
After looking at all the data, the NRA leadership determined that it was simply not worth the risk.
“The NRA’s top priority is ensuring the health and well-being of our members, staff, sponsors, and supporters,” Klain explained. “We are mindful that NRA Annual Meeting patrons will return home to family, friends and co-workers from all over the country, so any impacts from the virus could have broader implications. Those are among the reasons why we decided to cancel our 2021 event.”
The National Rifle Association is the nation’s largest pro-Second Amendment group.
Daily new diagnosis of the coronavirus had gotten down to less than 15,000 per day by late June. It was 171,737 on Wednesday. COVID-19 deaths in this country had been down to 181 on July 3. 1,287 more Americans were reported dead from COVID-19 on Wednesday and the delta variant is proving to be more harmful to children and young people than the earlier strains of the coronavirus.
To this point, 649,680 Americans have died from COVID-19. 21,961 of those new cases yesterday were in Texas along with 245 deaths. Texas trails only Florida in new coronavirus diagnosis; while leading the country yesterday in new deaths.
The CDC is urging that all Americans 12 and over get the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine is free at Wal-Mart and many pharmacies. If you test positive for the coronavirus, please self-quarantine and contact your doctor about treatment options.
Avoiding crowds and unnecessary travel, masking, social distancing, washing hands frequently, and staying home as much as possible are other ways to avoid spreading the coronavirus. While even vaccinated people may contract and spread the coronavirus, the vast majority of cases requiring long hospital stays and ventilation are among Americans who have not been vaccinated.
To this point, 4,480,523 persons across the world have died in the global pandemic.