Ex-NRA leader duped into delivering graduation speech to empty chairs representing dead students
Gun safety group Change the Ref tricked former NRA president David Keene into delivering a graduation speech to 3,044 empty chairs the organization says represent high schoolers who won’t graduate this year because they were shot to death.
Keene delivered his remarks to “The Lost Class” in Las Vegas, Nev., believing he was rehearsing to speak to the graduating class of James Madison Academy, which isn’t an actual school. Video of the event begins with Keene, wearing a graduation gown, behind a podium delivering his address.
“There are some who’ll continue to fight to gut the Second Amendment, but I’d be willing to bet that many of you will be among those who stand up and prevent them from succeeding,” he says.
As Keene continues, the camera pulls back to show thousands of striking white chairs that appear to go on forever. Audio then begins to play of chilling 911 recordings from the 2018 Stoneman Douglas school shooting in Parkland, Fla., that left 17 people dead, including the son of Change the Ref founders Manuel and Patricia Oliver.
“An overwhelming majority of you will go on to college while others may decide their dream dictates a different route to success,” Keene says.
The video continues interspersing Keen’s speech with audio of frightened students, parents and a 911 operator trying to understand what was happening at Stoneman Douglas during the Valentine’s Day shooting spree three years ago.
“So my advice to you is simple enough, follow your dream and make it a reality,” Keene continues in his speech. “And never for a minute doubt that you can achieve that dream. Thank you.”
The screen then goes black and in white lettering appears the words, “He will never get these students’ ovation,” followed by the sound of gunshots. In conclusion, the Change the Ref video asks viewers to sign a petition pushing for universal background checks.
Change the Ref pulled the same stunt with “More Guns, Less Crime” author John Lott Jr., who served in the Trump administration’s Department of Justice. He called the stunt “outrageous” and told NBC News he drove 1,000 miles to deliver his speech because he thought he was helping school kids.
Non-profit group Every Town for Gun Safety found that more than 3,000 Americans under the age of 20 are killed each year by gunfire.
