On May 3 through 5, the National Rifle Association (NRA) held its annual convention in Houston, Texas. Over 550 exhibitors packed the hall with displays of guns and ammunition, and hunting and survivalist gear of every type. One display of jewelry featured, “bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings made in the style of the elephant hair jewelry made in Africa”, according to the NRA. A man-size target resembling President Barack Obama allowed attendees to shoot at the president and make him bleed – until the last day when media exposure forced its removal. The theme of the convention, as usual, was: we are sticking to our guns and fighting the culture war against everybody that wants meaningful gun control.

Republican politicians – mostly of the Tea Party persuasion – claimed spots on the speakers’ dais. From Texas came Governor Rick Perry and Senator Ted Cruz. Sarah Palin did her usual culture war shtick. From the supposedly more moderate Republican zone, Louisiana Gov Bobby Jindal paid homage to the gun gods. Glenn Beck, the television conspiracy and bigotry monger and Tea Party promoter, drenched his culture war rhetoric in the bloody rag of the Alamo. National Rifle Association spokespersons will tell you that the NRA is a non-partisan lobby for the Second Amendment to the Constitution. In real life, it is an organization that bridges conservative Republicans to the hard right. At the convention, it was apparent that the organization was gearing up its members for the 2014 elections.