The strange history of the National Rifle Association

[Politruk]

The NRA was founded by two Army officers serving in the Civil War who noticed that many of the Union troops, never having handled a gun before they enlisted, were poor shots. The organization was all about marksmanship and gun safety -- see this comic book published by the NRA, which is all about a boy (who has shot his little brother by accident) learning to handle a rifle safely, and shoot it at targets.

It was not about gun rights. The NRA supported gun-control legislation on several occasions.

All that changed in 1977. See the Cincinnati Coup.

The Revolt at Cincinnati (also known as the Cincinnati Coup or the Cincinnati Revolution) was a change in the National Rifle Association of America's (NRA) leadership and organizational policy which took place at the group's 1977 annual convention in Cincinnati, Ohio. Led by former NRA president Harlon Carter and gun rights activist Neal Knox, the movement ended the tenure of Maxwell Rich as executive vice-president of the NRA and introduced new organizational bylaws. The Revolt at Cincinnati has been cited as a turning point in the NRA's history, marking a move away from the group's focus on "hunting, conservation, and marksmanship" and towards defending the right to keep and bear arms.[1][2][3]

It would be for the best if the NRA reversed that, and went back to its original mission. Let the hardcore gun nuts join Gun Owners of America.

BTW, it is sometimes said the NRA influences elections by campaign contributions. This is not true -- the money the NRA can muster is trivial compared to corporate donations. What makes the NRA feared in Washington is its ability to mobilize single-issue voters.

 

[RobDownSouth]

The NRA is in a death spiral. They bring in 66 million dollars a year and spend 224 million. Their biggest expense now is legal retainers to fight gun laws (and internal conflict-of-interest lawsuits).

The NRA "jumped the shark" when King Wayne LaPierre decided his position was such that commercial air travel was no longer an option for him, he required a Learjet.

 

[Politruk]

The NRA is in a death spiral. They bring in 66 million dollars a year and spend 224 million. Their biggest expense now is legal retainers to fight gun laws (and internal conflict-of-interest lawsuits).

They could pull out of all that, and leave it to the GOA.

 

[Bray123]

The NRA funds its ‘School Shield’ program — created in the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting and billed as the gun rights' movement's flagship effort to keep children safe from school shootings, to the tune of $20,000 per year.

For context, the NRA funded new suits for Wayne LaPierre to the tune of $23,000 per year.

 

[Politruk]

The NRA funds its ‘School Shield’ program — created in the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting and billed as the gun rights' movement's flagship effort to keep children safe from school shootings, to the tune of $20,000 per year.

What does that involve? What do they spend the money on -- arming teachers?

 

[Bray123]

What does that involve? What do they spend the money on -- arming teachers?

Probably. A gunfight on school premises between teachers and angry pupils would be the NRA's wet dream.

 

[Politruk]

Probably. A gunfight on school premises between teachers and angry pupils would be the NRA's wet dream.

A gunfight on school premises between teachers and angry pupils would be an appealing project in Hollywood.

 

[RobDownSouth]

What does that involve? What do they spend the money on -- arming teachers?

I dunno about you but if the teachers I had way back in high school were armed....smdh.
I think maybe the head football coach (former Marine) would be the only person who would take care not to shoot anywhere near students.

The assistant football coach, though, would have used a "school shooting" as a golden opportunity to do a bit of student huntin' on his own.

 

[Politruk]

I dunno about you but if the teachers I had way back in high school were armed....smdh.
I think maybe the head football coach (former Marine) would be the only person who would take care not to shoot anywhere near students.

The assistant football coach, though, would have used a "school shooting" as a golden opportunity to do a bit of student huntin' on his own.

You went to a . . . dysfunctional school.