The National Rifle Association (NRA) plays a unique role in the gun control debate. A non-profit who's primary goal is, "protecting the Constitution of the United States," the NRA is one of the largest anti-gun control political spenders. According to the infographic below, the NRA spend 32 million dollars in the 2012 federal elections.
The NRA is also an interesting subject because associating or disassociating with it is almost as controversial and gun-control laws themselves. Most people refer to the NRA as the foremost protector of Second Amendment rights. They argue that the way to keep Americans safe from gun violence is to allow more people to carry weapons to protect themselves, and inform its members on gun safety and accident prevention. It is also commonly assumed that all gun owners are supporters of the NRA. This is not true. In an opinion article she wrote for the NY times, Lily McCaulou explained that 90% of gun owners do not belong to the NRA, and that she--a life long hunter--vehemently does not support their political efforts. She says, "I’m a hunter and a sportswoman. I own guns, but not for self-defense. I support gun control laws. In other words, the N.R.A. does not represent me." |
"I’m a hunter and a sportswoman. I own guns, but not for self-defense. I support gun control laws. In other words, the N.R.A. does not represent me." -Lily Mccaulou Lily McCaulou is also not alone. There is a rather large community of gun owners who do not support the NRA. While these people may not consider themselves active gun control supporters, they respect the power of the weapons they carry and use. Most are hunters, or people who have otherwise grown up with guns in their houses their whole lives. They keep their weapons locked and unloaded most of the time, but still feel security knowing if there were an intruder they would be capable of fighting back. They support gun control legislation and general cultural trends to encourage smart and responsible gun use. They oppose the NRA because instead of promoting these common sense ideas, it refuse to support any restrictions on gun use. Gun control laws will not solve the problems of gun violence, but they will also not keep guns out of the hands of those who plan to use them responsibly.
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"Nine out of 10 Americans agree that we should have universal background checks, including three out of four NRA members." -The Brady Campaign