Tuesday, June 20, 2006

An Alternative To The NRA

Finally, something I have been seeking for years.

Disclosure: I like guns. I currently own five. Three shotguns, one rifle and one pistol. I also like hunting. I hunt deer, dove and quail. This fall I plan to attend more hunts than I have in the past. If I don't bag a buck this year I will be disappointed.

Now back to the new American Hunters and Shooters Association.

In recent years, extreme political positions purporting to support gun rights
have jeopardized our sport and have hurt the image of responsible gun owners.
Unless the sporting community can become unified behind an organization that
fights for safe and responsible hunting and shooting practices and sensible gun
ownership, future generations may be unable to participate in and enjoy the
shooting sports.


I have always firmly believed that the NRA does more harm than good. I have also firmly believed that many gun laws are daft and useless. Many, not all. A key word that the NRA seems to not understand.

Opposing restrictions on "cop killer" bullets despite protestations of police organizations is probably the best example of the NRA's bull headed banging into trees despite the forest attitude. The result of these types of absolutist positions continues to push those who oppose gun ownership further towards prohibition only. It also leaves us reasonable gun owners scratching our heads.

Instead of spending any significant amount on education and gun safety, topics that resonate with both gun owners and non-owners, the NRA chose to draw a hard line and spend money on ridiculous lawsuits, illogical PR campaigns and and most importantly lining the pants of politicians who were willing to sponsor legislation to turn parts of the country back into Deadwood.

Some are already discussing conspiracy theories that this new group is a stalking horse attempting outflank the Republicans on the gun issue.

My response? So what.

If there is a gun group who is preaching responsibility, conservation and reaching out to non-owners then I could care less about the potential political Machiavellian maneuvering.

It's what the stupid NRA should have done decades ago.


Cross posted at Radical Georgia Moderate.

2 comments:

Melissa McEwan said...

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me.

Anonymous said...

You live in Georgia, where gun control laws are liberal. Compared to California, where i live. The NRA opposes restrictions on shooters that you think are reasonable, but you don't seem to get it. If it wasn't for the NRA, we'd be exactly like the British and Aussies - gunless.
Hitler did not take the rights of the German people, burn books and turn the country to a disastrous world war overnight, but in increments, so slowly that even smart people who understood what was going on could do nothing at all to oppose evil. And that is how they intend to take our gun rights, IN INCREMENTS! Existing gun laws are sufficient, there is no need for new ones. the firearms restrictions are absurd and always a new one in the works. Here's a few: ALL magazines limited to 10 round capacity. No folding stocks on "assault" rifles. New ammo bill coming to limit purchase restrictions and require fingerprint to buy ammo. It is endless. And if you like guns, trust me, you don't want to live here! If you are lazy about your gun rights, and think it won't happen here, why don't you come out for a visit to California, and i will show you what a nanny-stated does to us "for our own good".