NRA meets days after Texas school massacre

The NRA is holding its annual meeting days after the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting; at least 300 cases of monkeypox have been recorded in 20 countries outside of Africa.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.

NRA meets after a school shooting once again

Cecile Clocheret/AFP via Getty Images

• The National Rifle Association began its 2022 annual meeting in Houston on Friday — three days after a gunman killed 19 elementary students in an Uvalde, Texas, elementary school. [CNN / Devan Cole]
• Former President Donald Trump was among the speakers at the NRA’s first meeting since 2019. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the NRA refused to postpone the event until after the victims’ funerals. [Washington Post / Isaac Arnsdorf]
• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott didn’t appear in person as planned, traveling to Uvalde instead. He addressed the convention via prerecorded video, saying, “We grieve and mourn with these families” but that no law could have stopped the shooter. Several musicians and officials pulled out of the convention. [New York Times / Daniel Victor]
• NRA officials in their remarks addressed the calls for reform in the wake of Uvalde but said mental health and police funding were the policy solutions — not gun regulations. In 1999, the group also held its Denver convention in the wake of the Columbine High School massacre. [Associated Press / Juan Lozano and Jill Colvin]
• In recent years, the misuse of finances and other legal troubles have weakened the NRA and reduced its spending. However, the group can still galvanize millions of members for political action. [CBS News / Aimee Picchi and Kate Gibson]
• Gun control advocates and other groups planned protests outside the convention center Friday. Beto O’ Rourke, who faces Abbott in the Texas governor’s race, will attend. [NPR / Rachel Treisman and Tim Mak]

Over 300 cases of monkeypox in 20 countries

• Friday, the World Health Organization urged countries to enact measures to contain monkeypox, as at least 300 cases have been reported in 20 countries outside Africa. [Reuters]
• Officials are asking countries to increase surveillance of the viral infection, which is endemic to West Africa and spreads via close person-to-person contact. [CNBC / Annika Kim Constantino]
• The CDC has emphasized that the risk is low for the general public, and there are treatments and vaccines available. [The Hill / Joseph Choi]
• Meanwhile, public health officials are trying to communicate the risk for men who have sex with men without stigmatizing the gay community ahead of next month’s Pride celebrations. [StatNews / Helen Branswell]

A Texas Department of Public Safety official said Uvalde Police made the “wrong decision” not to storm the classroom because the commander believed no more children were at risk. [BuzzFeed News / Clarissa-Jan Lim]

• President Joe Biden is reportedly nearing a decision to erase $10,000 in student debt for individual borrowers who earned less than $150,000 last year or couples who earned less than $300,000. [Washington Post / Tyler Pager, Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, and Jeff Stein]
• A federal judge dismissed Trump’s lawsuit against New York Attorney General Letitia James on Friday. [Wall Street Journal / Corinne Ramey]
• Thursday evening, Southern Baptist leaders released a list of ministers and church officials accused of sexual abuse. [NYT / Ruth Graham]

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“While a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and an NRA member, I would not want my appearance today to bring any additional pain or grief to the families and all those suffering in Uvalde.” 

[Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on his decision not to attend the NRA meeting / CNN]

The shooters were 18

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