NRA: Analysis rather than emotion

Unpopular as history is these days, a little history regarding the 148-year-old, 5.5 million member National Rifle Association seems to be in order.

The association was founded in 1871 in order to offer training in safety and marksmanship to the New York National Guard when support for the military was at a low point, as is typical between wars. Ever since, the NRA has continued with gun safety and marksmanship programs and supports safety, marksmanship and competitions both domestic and international with demonstrable success.

The NRA is not the primary firearms industry lobby, the National Shooting Sports Federation is. Because of the association’s increased lobbying on constitutional issues, the NRA-ILA (Institute for Legislative Affairs) was formed, separate from the other safety, training and competitions divisions. The verifiable, steady decline in firearms accidents and crime rates is proof that education and training works.

Australia’s 1996 experiment with gun confiscation (plus three extra laws) had little effect. Given human nature and the nature of governments generally, the elimination of gun violence by criminals or tyrants is not going to happen. The deterrent effect of the means of defense by private individuals is impossible to measure accurately but research has been done, by J. Wright and Peter Rossi (“armed and considered dangerous”), Gary Kleck (“defensive use of firearms” — Florida State University), John Lott Jr. (More guns, less crime — University of Chicago).

Be informed — be rational.

DAVE WAARVIK

Rathdrum