PART I – Legislative Activity Then and Now
This is the first of a (for now) two-part series on the NRA and legislation. This diary explores a bit of legislative history in light of Rep. Carolyn McCarthy’s impending bill to ban high-capacity clips for semi-automatic weapons. Next time, the diary will look at the NRA’s historical roots, current activities, and financial underpinnings.
First, full disclosure: I am not now, nor have I ever been, a hunter. I have never been in a position that it was required to feed myself or my family, so I have never had a motivation to take it up as an activity. I am, however, a gun owner. Several guns, in fact. And I know how to use them.
For several years I participated in competitive shooting events, some of them sponsored by the NRA, and I have won a few marksmanship trophies. However, I am not now, nor have I ever been, a member of the NRA. That doesn’t mean that I’m anti-NRA. There is another reason I have never joined the organization.
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