In the debate on gun control, there is a central argument of interpretation of the 2nd Amendment. Pro-gun lobbyists and organizations hold that the right to bear arms is a fundamental right of all Americans, and that any efforts to limit these rights are unconstitutional. Gun Owners of America (gunowners.org), a non-profit lobby group, says that they "see gun ownership as a freedom issue."
According to their website, GOA is the only no-compromise gun lobby in America. The lobby group believes in every citizen's right to own a gun, and believes gun control laws are ineffective and do not keep guns out of the hands of criminals and instead render law abiding citizens defenseless against an armed attacker. The group points to cases of civilian self defense against criminals to argue that it is well within a person's rights to be able to protect themselves. |
The video below is from GOA and explains why they believe gun control laws are ineffective. Gun Owners of America is only one of many lobbies and political action groups--such as the Second Amendment Foundation and the National Association for Gun Rights--that work alongside the NRA to protect gun rights. It is, however a group worth focusing on because of their organization and prevalence in different fields.
GOA has a network of attorneys who only deal in cases of second amendment rights violations. They also have a political action branch--responsible only for raising funds for the cause. They have an education branch whose job is holding seminars to inform the public about what they believe are the most important issues at hand. Finally, they have a branch that only works in California. |