NRA Exploitation of the Lobbying System
November 1 marked the end of the intense and gruelling trial in which the 2019 Parkland shooter was sentenced to life in prison without parole. From the beginning to the end of this case, the American legal system proves faulty and in need of dire change. But the greater picture captures years of avoidance and zero progress regarding gun laws within the U.S. It’s an embarrassment on a global level, considering progressive gun laws worldwide, and their successful effects on mass shootings. The blame can be pinned on the lobbying system in place, and the aggressive chokehold the National Rifle Association holds on Congress.
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association originally served as a recreational club for the use of firearms. In 1934, the NRA turned political when Congress first proposed gun restrictions. After the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King and President John F. Kennedy, the NRA was somewhat supportive of restrictive measures. The hardliners of the NRA rose to prominence in 1980 when they first endorsed Ronald Reagan’s campaign and pushed for the 2nd amendment right. To this day, the entanglement between Congress and the NRA is incredibly complicated and corrupt. The NRA’s grip on congress and its enormous budget do not act as the only strong footholds for the NRA to thrive. By appealing to Americans with the age-old of idea of defending individuality, the deeply embedded gun culture lives on with phrases like “Don’t Tread on Me,” and “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” and “From my Cold Dead Hands.” The NRA claims to stand as a public interest group, but the reception of millions of dollars from gun companies reveals the true intentions of the NRA. By hijacking these American ideals, the NRA can convince gun owners that their individual rights are at stake. This is not the case.
Undoubtedly, the American ideals of individualism that feeds popularity in gun ownership cannot simply be removed. However, restrictions and improvements can be made in the process of gun sales and purchases. A number of times, the NRA supported restrictions and regulations after several assassinations of prominent political leaders. But in regards to the horrifying statistics regarding teens and kids who die of gun violence, not nearly enough has been done. Nearly one thousand kids are fatally wounded by unintentional gun violence due to insecure gun storage. A disproportionate number of young, black males are caught in some of the most disheartening gun violence statistics. And of course, there is the shocking reality of white supremacists and young men killing their own peers in classrooms. None of these are isolated instances, but rather a common plague within the United States.
The issue has had many scapegoats, including video games and poor mental health. This obscures how multiple mass-shooters have been influenced by white nationalists who promote replacement ideology to young men via 4chan, discord, and other dark online alleyways. This catalyses racist and hateful communities, and a “warrior” narrative adopted by young, white men who carry out the heinous attacks. The root of the problem, over time, can be tackled and uprooted. But right now, children are killed in their own schools, and innocent shoppers slaughtered in their neighbourhoods. If policymakers are willing to prioritise human life over individuality, quicker solutions can be enacted that would save lives.
The steps that need to be made are not targeted towards individual American gun owners, but rather the manufacturing and accessibility of purchasing guns. Though it has been proven on a global scale that even small measures and steps can be made to prevent gun violence, there has been no progress in the U.S. thus far. Despite state and federal legislation, the NRA continues to block and push back on state-level mandates, effectively holding influence on a greater federal level. Simple background checks and permits-to-purchase are vital steps to the curbing of gun violence. Another proposal is the restricting of assault rifles like the AR-15, which were originally banned in 1994 but the ban expired in 2004. Re-banning the rifle, the weapon of choice for the Buffalo and Uvalde shooters, would significantly eliminate easy access to the weapon. The AR-15 is designed to “kill a lot of people in a short amount of time.” This is not a weapon for sport or simple self-defence.
With a majority of the American Public, including gun owners, supporting some sort of sensible gun laws, the blame lies on the lack of legislative process due to the NRA and the lobbying system in place, which, until significant changes are made, will always outbid true democracy.
Image Courtesy of Michael Reynolds via EPA, © 2017, some rights reserved.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the wider St. Andrews Foreign Affairs Review team.
