NRA News, the National Rifle Association’s online news website and “your first source for Second Amendment news and information,” has recently added three commentators to its lineup, to compliment its daily online video broadcasts. Videos featuring the commentators will apparently include a disclaimer that they do not “necessarily reflect the views of the National Rifle Association.” But from what little has been put out so far about the commentators, that disclaimer might just be for show. For those of you who don’t normally click over to NRA News during your lunch hour, here’s a quick introduction to the new faces:
Colion Noir
nranews.com
“What happens when you takes the ‘gun’ out of ‘gun violence?’ That’s right, you still have ‘violence.’ Gun control isn’t a solution. It’s a band-aid on a bullet hole.”
Colion Noir, billed by NRA News and his personal website as an “urban gun enthusiast,” is also a YouTube personality, “budding attorney,” and “regular guy who happens to love guns.” Noir’s video editorials on his YouTube page have notched hundreds of thousands of views, and he was the first new NRA News commentator to be introduced to the public.
“The media is going to have a hard time stereotyping the National Rifle Association (NRA) after the organization just announced its latest contributor to NRA News,” the Glenn Beck-founded website The Blaze gushed in an article about Noir in early March.
Noir has already produced two episodes — both just a few minutes long — for NRA News, and he’s received some (negative) attention from high places. Earlier this month, Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons criticized the first promo video starring Noir in a blog post on Simmons’ website Global Grind.
“I find the message of this new video by the NRA deeply troubling, where the guy in the Yankees hat is advocating that our people arm themselves and fight the government (all under the banner of the NRA),” Simmons wrote.
Natalie Foster
nranews.com
“You’re absolutely wrong, you have no idea what you’re talking about, and you’re feeding this misinformation to the general public, and they’re believing it.”
Natalie Foster is co-founder, CEO, and editor of girlsguidetoguns.com, which aspires to be a cross between Vogue and Guns & Ammo magazines. Foster grew up in a family of hunters in West Texas, but took little interest in firearms until she was an adult. According to her official bio, she took up shooting as a way to spend time with the guys in her family when she visited from Los Angeles.
“Within a year or two of shooting and researching all that the shooting sports have to offer, Natalie realized there wasn’t much information out there for stylish chicks who enjoy their fashion labels just as much as they enjoy putting lead down range,” the bio reads. “She created Girl’s Guide to Guns to show other ladies just how fun, challenging and addictive shooting can be.”
Dom Raso
nranews.com
“Being overseas and being in combat and seeing the government take away weapons and how it negatively affects the population, and then coming back home and watching the same thing unfold is … I’m in shock by it.”
Dom Raso is a former U.S. Navy SEAL.
“I did 12 years in the Navy, as a SEAL, and just recently got out, and now going into this role and trying to help you guys out,” Raso recently told NRA News in an interview.
Unlike Noir and Foster, Raso does not appear to have prior media experience. Instead, he’s being pitched by NRA News as a voice for veterans and an “experienced voice of Second Amendment freedoms.”
