The “First National Gun Appreciation Day,” conveniently scheduled for Saturday, January 19, Robert E. Lee Day — widely observed in the South to honor the Civil War hero of the Confederate Army — is sponsored by a “broad coalition of gun rights, conservative groups,” including a Southern Poverty Law Center listed white nationalist hate group, American Third Position, and an SPLC listed “Patriot” anti-government group, Oath Keepers.
Other, non-hate group sponsors include CNN contributor Erick Erickson‘s RedState, and Judson Philips‘ Tea Party Nation, which the SPLC has covered although not officially listed as a hate group.
“Gun Appreciation Day (GAD) is partnering with American Third Position (A3P), a political group that describes itself as representing “the unique political interests of white Americans.” According to a party official, the organization is composed of ‘white nationalists,'” Media Matters reports:
GAD’s organizers ask supporters to visit “gun stores, gun counters, gun shows, and gun ranges to protest the Obama administration’s post Sandy Hook assault on gun rights.” The event has received significant media coverage and promotion in recent days.
GAD lists A3P on its “sponsors” page along with its logo, motto (“Liberty. Sovereignty. Identity”) and a link to American3rdPosition.com. Other sponsors include prominent conservative media outlets like RedState, the right-wing blog edited by CNN contributor Erick Erickson. The event’s main page asks visitors to “Please Support Our Sponsors.”
Media Matters also notes:
Civil rights groups have harshly criticized A3P. The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) categorizes A3P as a white nationalist hate group, and states that it is a “political party initially established by racist Southern California skinheads that aims to deport immigrants and return the United States to white rule. The group is now led by a coterie of prominent white nationalists.” The Anti-Defamation League calls A3P a “white supremacist political party.”