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The NRA claims to represent the views of the vast majority of Americans. But a survey by Marttila Communications found a majority of self-described Conservatives and Moderates disagree with the NRA on the most basic gun safety issues. The survey found that:
What the NRA Says In addition to being out of touch with Americans on gun safety, the NRA leadership also strays from mainstream America in its inflammatory rhetoric on gun safety and other social issues: “In fact, the way Andrew McKelvey’s [founder of Americans for Gun Safety] network operates sounds a lot like Osama Bin Laden and the Al-Queda. A billionaire with an extremist political agenda, subverting honest diplomacy, using personal wealth to train and deploy activists, looking for vulnerabilities to attack, fomenting fear for political gain, funding an ongoing campaign, to hijack your freedom and take a box cutter to the Constitution. That’s political terrorism, a far greater threat to your freedom than any foreign force.” Wayne LaPierre, NRA Vice President “Al Gore intends to force every American gun owner to carry a national I.D. card. He didn’t exactly say tattoo a number on you forearm, but you get the idea.” -Wayne LaPierre, NRA Vice President “The goal of good government is the optimum balance of liberty and order. Social diversity does not pull in that direction. Liberty is what we seek over the centuries, but if we grant it to too diverse a population, order disappears. Regarding the United States… it would seem that we ought to choose assimilation over diversity. It seems to me that diversity, rather than being a goal to be sought, should be an obstacle to be circumvented.” -Jeff Cooper, NRA Board Member “In fact, studies of homicide victims -- especially the increasing number of younger ones—suggest they are frequently criminals themselves and/or drug addicts or users. It is quite possible that their deaths, in terms of economic consequences to society, are net gains.” -Paul Blackman, Head NRA Researcher What the NRA Does Among the NRA-supported legislative initiatives that are far out of step with the common-sense gun safety that Americans want are: The “Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act” (S.659). This bill will strip victims of gun violence, including family members of those who died in the D.C. sniper shootings, of their right to pursue civil justice against gun dealers and manufacturers whose misconduct has contributed to injury or death from gun violence. The Bull’s Eye Shooter Supply in Tacoma, Washington, the source of the Bushmaster rifle allegedly used in the D.C. shootings, has a long history of misconduct, including having 238 weapons missing from its inventory and having 52 of its weapons connected to violent crimes. Neither of the suspects in the sniper case, John Muhammad and Lee Malvo, was legally eligible to purchase the weapon, but managed to acquire one of the many weapons Bull’s Eye claimed was missing from its inventory. The Immunity legislation passed in the House and is expected to go to the Senate floor in early 2004. Lifting the federal Assault Weapons Ban. Next year, the 10-year ban on military style, rapid fire assault weapons will expire. The NRA is urging Congress not to renew it so that these highly lethal weapons, including grenade launchers, will be back on the streets. In Florida, Bill HB 155 (drafted by the NRA) prohibits everyone, including police, from keeping a computer database of people who sell guns at pawn shops. The shops can maintain paper records for one year. Other exceptions include the NRA's own membership lists, the state's list of people licensed to carry concealed weapons and records pertaining to stolen guns (for no more than 30 days after the weapon is recovered). The penalty for a police agency is a third-degree felony and a fine of up to $5 million. The House Judiciary Committee passed the bill. The next step is a vote by the full house in March. |