I recently read about a few vocal gun owners that have become disillusioned with the NRA, and are suggesting that people join other pro gun organizations instead of the NRA. Basically, their complaints are that the NRA is overly concerned about raising money for itself, or that it does not do enough to protect the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. I happen to disagree with these complaints, however there is a much bigger issue at play – the need for unity in the pro gun right cause:
The complaints about the NRA
I’ll begin by saying that I don’t agree with either complaint made by the disgruntled gun owners, however they are certainly entitled to their opinions. The NRA has worked tirelessly to support the Second Amendment, by challenging unconstitutional anti gun rights laws, and by getting the word out about anti gun organizations. The NRA has fought against racist anti gun laws, and supported gun education. Were it not for the NRA, our gun rights would simply not exist as we know them today. I am not saying that the NRA is perfect, or that it always represents my exact views – but I agree with the NRA on the majority of issues.
It should also be clear that suing to protect gun rights, lobbying state and federal legislators, and debunking the lies propagated by anti gun rights groups, costs quite a bit of money, and that is why the NRA focuses on fund raising. As a non-profit organization, the NRA does not pocket this money, but instead uses it to fight for gun rights. Anti gun rights groups are heavily funded, and were the NRA to neglect its fund raising efforts, it would not be able to afford lawyers to challenge gun rights restrictions in court.
The threat to gun rights
As I’ve mentioned, there is a concerted effort on the part of anti gun groups to take away the right to gun ownership. Some push for an outright ban on gun ownership, while others try to whittle away the right to gun ownership by incorrectly calling various guns “assault weapons” and banning them. Another tactic is to ban inexpensive guns, preventing poorer people from being able to afford a self defense tool. Still others try to make more and more members of society see guns as taboo items that should not be discussed or owned. A further approach is to try and make it so difficult to lawfully get a gun that people will give up in frustration, meaning that battered women can’t buy a gun in time to save their lives.
The need for unity
The only way that the well funded, cooperative, and politically connected anti gun rights groups can be stopped is if America’s gun owners unite. The NRA is our best chance at countering the anti gun politicians, and anti gun media bias. It is for that reason that I would urge my fellow gun owners to join the NRA (as well as any other pro gun groups that they feel like joining, of course). Petty disagreements should not be allowed to splinter gun rights supporters into a bunch of factions that are each powerless to protect the second amendment. If we fail to unite and defend our gun rights, we may end up like the people in Britain – without gun rights and defenseless against increasingly violent crime.