NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre on Thursday told a group of conservatives that the "greatest freedom" was the ability to have "all the rifles, shotguns and handguns we want."
LaPierre took the stage at the 2014 Conservative Political Action Conference late in the afternoon to give what was the most fearful speech of the day.
"I've never been worried about his country until now," he said. "We fear for the safety of our families. It's why neighborhood streets that were once filled with bicycles and skateboards and laughter in the air, now sit empty and silent."
"That's why more Americans are buying firearms and ammunition," LaPierre asserted. "Not to cause trouble, but because that America is already in trouble."
The NRA CEO pointed the finger of blame at Democrats for "Solyndra, Benghazi, Fast & Furious, Obamacare, massive unemployment, a debt that will choke our grandchildren, and one executive order after another right on top of each other."
And he said that the news media was also at fault.
"Here's how you know the media is lying," LaPierre declared. "They still call themselves journalists."
He insisted that "NRA members will never -- and I mean never -- submit or surrender to the national media."
In the end, LaPierre argued that the only thing Americans could trust was "what we know in our hearts to be right: We trust our freedom."
"There is no greater freedom than the right to survive and protect our families with all the rifles, shotguns and handguns we want!" he exclaimed.