January 29, 2013 - 12:04pm
Bleeding Blue: It's the NRA that's crazy, not gun owners
BY JOE PAONE
In the wake of high profile shootings from Tucson to Aurora to Newtown, the Obama administration is making the strongest push for gun control measures in two decades. His plan includes renewing the expired ban on assault weapons, restricting high capacity magazines and expanding federal background checks on gun buyers.
The National Rifle Association, a four-million person political weapon of the gun industry, prevented the renewal of the 1994 assault weapons ban in 2004 and continues to fight every effort at gun regulation. At first glance, a large group of motivated activists influencing legislation seems like the cornerstone of a healthy democracy, but how much does the NRA really care about personal freedom?
As a 501(c)(4) organization, the NRA isn't required to disclose its donors. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the organization spent over $24 million on candidates in the 2012 election cycle alone. Though about half of the NRA's $200-million yearly revenue comes from membership fees, it received $71 million in donations in 2010 alone. The Violence Policy Center estimates that around $40 million has come from gun manufacturers like Smith & Wesson and Beretta USA since 2005.
Despite majority support among NRA members for some of Obama's proposals, especially background checks, the group is devoted to opposing any new gun laws that could reduce firearm sales. The NRA isn't committed to protecting the rights of gun owners — it's the gun manufacturers that they really serve. Responsible gun owners welcome background checks as they know firsthand the power of guns like the AR-15, which was used in the Newtown and Aurora shootings. They don't want violent people carrying guns around anymore than anyone else.
The NRA completely ignores the issue of easy access to weapons, blaming gun violence on video games, music and violent movies. In reality, the NRA only cares about creating an unregulated business market for the gun industry.
Politicians shouldn't be listening to groups that profit from higher gun sales when deciding how to regulate firearms. Listen to the NRA's grassroots members who support background checks and listen to the survivors of shootings who have seen the devastation of high-capacity magazines. NRA’s Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre and his Smith & Wesson front group don't stand with the reasonable majority and it’s time the politicians got their hands out of the NRA's cookie jar.
Joe Paone can be reached at jpaone@umich.edu.
