Do Michael Bloomberg's Anti-Gun Ads Violate All 3 of the NRA's Basic Gun Safety Rules? Here's the Evidence

Part of being a gun owner is knowing and respecting the serious responsibilities that come with the constitutional right to own a firearm. A large part of the National Rifle Association's platform is dedicated to promoting gun safety.

The NRA promotes three basic, must-follow gun safety rules:

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. A safe direction means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off it would not cause injury or damage.

2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot. When holding a gun, rest your finger on the trigger guard or along the side of the gun. Until you are actually ready to fire, do not touch the trigger.

3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use. Whenever you pick up a gun, immediately engage the safety device if possible, and, if the gun has a magazine, remove it before opening the action and looking into the chamber(s) which should be clear of ammunition.

Why do we bring this up, other than to remind responsible gun owners to continue handling their firearms safely?

Well, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is spending about $12 million to produce and air anti-gun attack ads aimed at pressuring U.S. senators to support national gun control legislation. One of the actors that stars in two of the anti-gun ads, supposedly a "responsible," Second-Amendment supporting gun owner, breaks all three basic gun safety rules, according to the Washington Times.

Bloomberg's organization, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, recently unveiled two ads that show the supposed gun owner holding a shotgun while wearing plaid flannel with a camouflage hat and sitting on a truck's tailgate. Children can be seen swinging on a tire behind him when he says, "I support comprehensive background checks so criminals and the dangerously mentally ill can't buy guns."

Watch the two videos and see if you can spot where these important safety rules were violated:

The Washington Times' Emily Miller explains:

The first rule is to always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. In this case, the children are playing in the yard. Although the viewers can’t see what is to the side of the truck, the man should be pointing the muzzle in the air or at the ground.

The second NRA rule is always keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

In the ad “Responsibility,” the man has his finger on the trigger, as if ready to shoot. While doing this, he says, “I believe in the Second Amendment, and I’ll fight to protect it. But with rights come responsibilities.”  To make an ad demonstrating actual gun responsibility, the man would put a straight forefinger above the trigger guard to make sure he doesn’t accidentally touch the trigger.

The third NRA safety rule is always keep the gun unloaded until ready to use. This means a situation in which the gun is available for immediate use — such as when hunting and a deer could step out at any time or when the firearm is safely stored but ready for quick self-defense as needed.

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While saying this, he holds the pump-action shotgun with the action (bolt) closed, so it is impossible to know if it is loaded. To make this a demonstration of safety, the bolt would be wide open to demonstrate that it is unloaded.

As Miller also points out, if Bloomberg really wants to save lives from guns, he should use some of the $12 million he is spending on anti-gun ads to ensure those ads are promoting basic gun safety.