NRA Bankruptcy Triggers the Inevitable Online Reaction: ‘Thoughts and Prayers’
People had a lot of fun at the expense of the National Rifle Association on Friday after the organization filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in New York. And mocking how the group has been the primary opponent of meaningful laws to prevent gun violence, plenty of critics offered the NRA their “thoughts and prayers.”
A quick catch-up: The group filed for bankruptcy on Friday and, in a follow-up statement desperately worded to sound like a repudiation of a liberal enclave, announced its intention to reincorporate as a Texas-based nonprofit. Of course, the bankruptcy filing comes 5 months after New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit seeking to dissolve the group due to what it called “years of self-dealing and illegal conduct.” And it’s against the law for any New York-based charity to dissolve and regroup in another state without the state Attorney General or Supreme Court signing off. So it looks like the NRA’s plan to get out from under the lawsuit probably won’t work and they’ll be stuck in New York until those legal problems are hammered out.
But anyway, enough about the legal minutia, on to the laughs. The bankruptcy announcement was met with celebration, relief and straight up mockery from entertainers, politicians, journalists and activists who, as we said above, offered the NRA a HUGE amount of “thoughts and prayers.” They were of course referencing the stock phrase deployed by right wing opponents of even token efforts to stop gun violence whenever yet another massacre happens.
Also Read: John Oliver Cannot Believe What He's Seeing on NRA TV: 'Holy S--' (Video)
Our personal favorite example came from Kentucky congressman John Yarmuth, who also managed to get in a dig at the infamous rating system the NRA uses to whip up members to oppose (mainly Democratic) politicians who advocate for laws to prevent gun violence.
Thoughts and prayers. But wait, how am I supposed to get my F rating? https://t.co/RzxNctIDYn
— Rep. John Yarmuth (@RepJohnYarmuth) January 15, 2021
But he was far from the only one. Check out the never-not-hilarious examples below:
Thoughts and prayers.🙏🏿 https://t.co/589EQG6Vs6
— W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) January 15, 2021
Thoughts and prayers.
Let’s make sure they stay that way. https://t.co/eZoZIB0z30
— Congresswoman Marie Newman (@RepMarieNewman) January 15, 2021
Thoughts and prayers… https://t.co/UU5XWrO5Z5
— Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) January 15, 2021
Thoughts and prayers. https://t.co/XQL0cSdxqe
— Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie) January 15, 2021
Thoughts and prayers https://t.co/n887K6K95A
— Zack Bornstein (@ZackBornstein) January 15, 2021
Thoughts and prayers🙏 https://t.co/ySTunJoYkw
— Ike Barinholtz (@ikebarinholtz) January 15, 2021
Y'all are not gonna tweet about the bankruptcy? Oh and "thoughts and prayers" on that… https://t.co/Cvy6EShD2H
— Joy WE VOTED!! WEAR A MASK!! Reid 😷) (@JoyAnnReid) January 15, 2021
Thoughts and prayers. https://t.co/JBBuXF4lCy
— Jason Reid (@JReidESPN) January 15, 2021
No thoughts, no prayers. https://t.co/QUZCLE5Ki0
— Ken Tremendous (@KenTremendous) January 15, 2021
Some people were more direct in calling out the NRA’s role in opposing meaningful gun violence prevention even after children have been murdered. For example, comedian Shahak Shapira:
Hard times for the NRA without all the school shootings https://t.co/fxElr9lJr1
— Shahak Shapira (@ShahakShapira) January 15, 2021
Ouch.
Others just plain celebrated the news for its own sake.
The NRA has been out of touch with American voters and lawmakers for decades, and now they’re out of money, too.
HAPPY NRA BANKRUPTCY DAY!!! pic.twitter.com/cGyeCb5C44
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) January 15, 2021
financial or moral?
NRA files for bankruptcy, says it will reincorporate in Texas https://t.co/KAe5s9XOL4
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) January 15, 2021
Just a reminder: We are winning!
1. The House (2018)
2. The White House (2020)
3. The Senate (2021)
4. NRA files bankruptcy (2021)
And Biden/Harris are not even in office yet.
Don't rest. But feel good. For 5 whole minutes!
And then we all go back to work to fix America.
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) January 15, 2021
BREAKING: The @NRA files for bankruptcy. Least distressing news of the pandemic. 👇 pic.twitter.com/iQGFBicMdO
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 15, 2021
The NRA pic.twitter.com/JXonWjcsdl
— Brandon Pope TV (@BpopeTV) January 15, 2021
With the NRA declaring bankruptcy, now seems like a good time to look back at one of their more expensive and pointless endeavors: NRATV.https://t.co/DGnZjb1bKz
— Last Week Tonight (@LastWeekTonight) January 15, 2021
Your moral stance is as bankrupt as your coffers.
— Grady Booch (@Grady_Booch) January 15, 2021
‘The @NRA has filed for bankruptcy’ is the best news headline I’ve ever read.
— Stuart Hazeldine (@stuarthazeldine) January 15, 2021
NRA going bankrupt is good, Trump going bankrupt will be better
— Jennifer 'It's time to grow up' Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) January 15, 2021
Read original story NRA Bankruptcy Triggers the Inevitable Online Reaction: ‘Thoughts and Prayers’ At TheWrap