What has the National Rifle Association ever done to you? The amount of vitriol directed toward this organization that has done nothing wrong is unprecedented, and purely politically driven.
Liberal and leftist politicians hold the NRA up as the ultimate “bogeyman” to their followers. This is supported and driven by a partisan and unapologetic media. Common sense, which is extremely uncommon today, should tell you that a group representing legal and law-abiding gun ownership is in direct opposition to evil men who commit school/mass shootings.
The NRA was started to promote marksmanship and safety. It was founded in 1871.
In the early 1900s the Association participated and promoted youth shooting programs and competitions.
During the 1930s, when Second Amendment rights were being legally challenged, they formed a Legislative Affairs Division.
In the late 1940s, a hunter education program was started also.
The NRA Police Firearms Instructor certification program began in 1960.
With renewed attacks against the Second Amendment in the '70s, the NRA formed the Institute for Legislative Action.
The Eddie Eagle GunSafe program began in 1988 with the goal of teaching young children what to do if they should find or see a firearm. (“Don’t touch. Run away. Tell a grown-up.”)
Currently the NRA helps teach men and women across the country personal safety with their “Refuse to Be a Victim” seminars.
Combined with all these safety programs and their commitment to legal gun owners and legally own firearms, this national organization proves that they are trying to be part of the solution. Short of providing security for every school in this country, there’s not much more we can ask of the NRA in regard to these tragedies.
Liberals, leftists and the media still want to cast them as the problem. Gun control supporters and anti-Second Amendment groups claim that the NRA “owns politicians” because they spend so much money.
According to Politifact (not a conservative outfit by any means), the group spent, at most, $203 million dollars from 1998-2016. That’s about $11 million per year — nationally! That is paltry sum compared to what unions contribute, with their recipients being almost entirely Democratic candidates. From 2015 to the 2016 election of Donald Trump, unions contributed $108 million! That’s just in one year! Who really owns politicians?
What causes so much hatred towards an organization that does so much good for communities around the country? The answer is obvious and simple — by being effective.
The National Rifle Association core expressed value is “public safety.”
Enabling police to be better trained is public safety.
Teaching youths how to properly handle and use firearms is public safety.
Wanting hunters to be safe is public safety.
Showing young, untrained children to not touch firearms is public safety.
Fighting for an individual’s right to self-defense is public safety.
The NRA does not support school shootings.
The NRA does not support mass shootings.
The NRA does not support mass shooters, terrorists, or common thugs.
In the strongest terms possible, Wayne LaPierre and other executives of the National Rifle Association have condemned all types of crimes committed with firearms.
After the shooting in Parkland, Florida, a fresh new method of leftist attacks was devised. Survivors of the school shooting were organized and promoted as a “grassroots movement.” The main target of these student protests was the NRA. They believe that a group devoted to public safety was somehow responsible for the shooting.
They ignored that police and the FBI dropped the ball after being twice warned beforehand that the perpetrator would commit some type of mass shooting.
The “March for Our Lives” was front page and “top of the hour” news all across the country. David Hogg became a poster boy and “media darling” with his espousal of NRA hatred.
Opposing the NRA because school shootings occur is the same as opposing the American Automobile Association (AAA) because drunk driving happens frequently. Calls for banning semi-auto rifles would be akin to calling for a ban of the beer because most DUI’s involve that product.
The NRA does oppose many new gun laws because there are enough gun laws in place. New laws cannot prevent any of these tragedies. The ultimate example is that a law against homicide exists federally and in all 50 states. It is completely ignored by mass shooters, terrorists, gang bangers and thugs, or any other lawbreaker, just like any existing or future gun law.
You must direct your outrage, hatred, and loathing in the right direction — the perpetrators of these crimes. Unfocused anger looking for a scapegoat is useless and dangerous.
The NRA is not a giant corporation. It is merely an organization of millions of Americans across the country who support gun safety, the right to self-defense and the Second Amendment. If you hate the NRA, you hate those ideals… and those 5 million+ law-abiding, fellow Americans.
And what have those American ideals or citizens ever done to you?
John Cylc is a conservative Christian and eight year U.S. Army veteran who primarily speaks out on the Second Amendment, gun rights issues, and contemporary topics. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he currently resides with his wife and youngest son in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains in beautiful East Tennessee. He is the founder of ThirteenFox.com and a contributor to LifeZette. To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.