Hilton Coliseum was transformed Aug. 11 in order to accommodate the Iowa Straw Poll.

The first program in Hilton was a rally put on by the National Rifle Association.

The rally took approximately 25 minutes. Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA, was the speaker at the event.

“You know you can always tell how someone feels about American freedoms by how they feel about the Second Amendment,” LaPierre said.

“A person’s position on the right to keep and bear arms is the great predictor of their true position on freedom.”

LaPierre talked about the importance of the right to bear arms.

“It’s the one right in the Bill of Rights that preserves all of our rights,” he said.

LaPierre said those who “attack” the Second Amendment “undermine all freedoms.”

LaPierre said the solution to violent crime was not more gun control. He used Philadelphia as an example. He said the reason Philadelphia’s murder rates had risen was the drop in the homicide arrest rate.

“You want to kill people, go to Philadelphia, where only a third of all murders will even be arrested,” he said.

LaPierre also said only half of all rapists are arrested in Philadelphia.

He said most law enforcement were with the NRA and not with the politicians for gun control.

LaPeirre also attacked the United Nations for its position on gun control.

He said the U.N. is trying to ban gun ownership for all civilians worldwide and wants to declare a human right violation in countries that do not enforce it.

“These guys think they know better than our founding fathers,” he said. “How dare they come to our shores and tell us as Americans how much freedom we can have.”

LaPeirre showed a clip of Rebecca Peters of the U.N. saying Americans should be like any other citizens of the world when it comes to gun control.

“I think she’s got it backwards, the citizens of the world should have as much freedom as American citizens have,” LaPeirre said, receiving loud applause from the crowd.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals were also discussed in LaPeirre’s speech. A clip was shown of a PETA representative saying school shootings were by hunters.

“The fact is that kids who are taught to hunt responsibly are among the most mature, well mannered and sane adolescents,” he said.

LePeirre told audience members they needed to defend their right to bear arms.

“You are an American and the defense of freedom is right in your DNA,” he said.