The Policy Impact of the National Rifle Assoc Interest Group Operating in the USA Today - Essay Example

As one of the biggest American organization, National Riffle Association of America (NRA) is a non profit making firm that deals with protection against firearms and their possession. This organization has been in existence for the last 130 years and its main aim is to support skills involved in marksmanship. It does not only prohibit illegal guns but offers many more services such as safety and self protection to protect the lives of American citizens. According to Langbein and Mark (1996) the organization ensures that these services are provided in the right manner through offering training to their instructors who later transfer the knowledge to other individuals wishing to acquire it. These include army officers, police officers and sheriffs while they also participate in occasions meant to compete in shooting skills. The organization has set programs meant to keep off violent criminals’ incorporation with the law. These programs include CrimeStrike that was introduced in order to eliminate gangs and other unwanted people from the streets of America and be convicted as per the crimes they commit. The other program introduced is the Eddie Eagle meant for children that creates public awareness on the importance of observing the laws stipulated against possession of guns and how to protect one self. This program gives warnings such as Stop or Don’t Touch signs put at places where these guns are kept in the house. Other programs educate adults such as skilled hunters, shooters and people who possess ammunition for the sake of their safety such as security gourds. Most foreigners have been surprised by the way most Americans prefer to own guns. Antagonists view the Second Amendment as stated by the constitution on the ownership of guns as a cause for the problem. The statement reads that as well as a military officer lawfully allowed to posses a gun, then owning guns has to be a right to all and must not be prohibited. There have been recent debates on ways of controlling guns to the public but this has brought no change in US we daily find shooting cases on the media. This evidence shows that there is a very strong correlation between violence and accessibility of ammunitions. Some federal laws initiated in 1970s due to the assassinations of high people in government for instance Martin Luther King. Later other policies were also set up as a result of several assassination cases. It is for these reasons that Brandy Bill has to take time while issuing out guns to the public. This helps to analyse the conditions of the buyers and their purpose. Crime Control Bill proposed in 1995 has also helped to outlaw the use of this harmful tool endangering the lives of many citizens. Cases reported include two boys who were students at Columbine High School located in Colorado were able to access guns and shoot over ten people including their teachers (David 2009). They later shot themselves after the act this was almost ten years ago. It is therefore essential to set up tight analysis on the people purchasing guns and policies be amended in such a way that if a person is found with an illegal gun then should be jailed. NRA however thinks that formulating controls will not help. The organisation opts for offering education services to the entire public including children. This will be by sensitising people that it is not guns that murder but people murder one another. Politicians have been on the fore front of opposing sale of guns yet it is evident that the same people can never be without one as it has now turned out to be an indisputable right to all. NRA has therefore published several books and magazines meant to give offer education on how to use guns and the rules to be adhered to. Some of the rules involved in these publications include ensuring that people keep their guns in a position that they tip points a safe direction, the gun should also be on the hand while at use to avoid touching the trigger and finally that that it should not be uploaded unless in applications. The organization had previously participated in the shooting sports under the International Practical Shooting Confederation but recently these competitions are now so developed. The organization has been representing U.S as the best riflemen in the world. The instructors participating in these events are organized according to their disciplines and their skills in shooting. Their responsibilities include; offering safety kits at home in reference to the use of a gun. They also show the gun holders on the manner to load the riffle, shot gun, and pistol at the time of use. Apart from cleaning and handling of the gun, these instructors show their students how they can become better marksmanships. This is by first introducing them to the program offered by the organization where they acquire the necessary skills needed in marksmanship. Those participating have to complete the full course in Marksmanship Qualification Program which enables them to move on to the next stage. The organization sustains a good relationship with other firms for example the Boy Scouts of America. These relationships enables NRA to get support on management for example the provision of funds and equipment capable for distribution to their programs and also BSA provides NRA with professional instructors to train hunters and other officers. The tactics use in the organization include offering education, introducing competition events, offering volunteer opportunities and contributing to the society in terms of Corporate social responsibility (CSR). This is where the firm pulls funds to better the lives of individuals who involve themselves in violent act due to lack of enough resources (Edel 1995). Politically, NRA has been known to be the strongest lobbying organization according to the Congress. This is because of the influences it causes to the political opinions about guns. NRA also emphasise that the second amendment gives citizens freedom to own guns and this reason has made the organization to set up policies meant to go against the amendment. NRA also required that people who own guns at home should either unload or keep it away from children. As an interest group, NRA has several impacts on elections. The empirical evidence shows some direct and measurable effects. This was first detected in the 1994 elections where the organization had special list of names about who was to posses a gun legally. These published names were also meant to show that the kind of leader they supported in the election had to address the issue of possession of guns in the country. The results of the elections showed that many of the leaders that NRA supported won and this showed that interest groups are machines that impact a great change in elections outcomes. Interest groups can be defined as those that comprise similar attitude between members who interfere with other influences in the society such as political movement and societal establishments. These groups comprise same values and attitude in terms of estimating behaviors. These groups have extended their attitudes towards the political system. What makes NRA a strong group is the funds available, committed workforces who are ready to act according to the organizational goals and finally is the powerful partners in the Congress. The group is however different from other interest groups due to its ability of overpowering the state. In Washington for example measures have been introduced for curbing the use of guns due to the recent killings in Virginia. Interest groups work in coalition with the candidates and thus influence political opinions through mobilization. These groups may also support a candidate in terms of funds for campaigning. In 2000 for example, NRA supported the elections where Bush promised that he would spend over 300 million dollars on other campaigns that would eradicate the use of guns for violence. He also said that those arrested over the possession of illegal guns their sentences would be extended. The argument in America is to determine whether the interest groups threaten democracy or not. Some ideas have been discussed that if the group consists of educated members and if it is well organized then it will be of importance to the community. There are various factors that show the development of a group these include; a group is mostly formed in cases where there is a major issue to be addressed. These issues are those that affect social, political or economic status of the society (Thomas and Milton 2007). In such cases interest groups develop to either propose or oppose the government. An example of such an occurrence is when President Reagan proposed the armament program in America as well as the introduction of nuclear bomb. These publications resulted to the rise of groups such as the Nuclear Freeze Group that objected the idea and finally it gained more support from the public. The leadership skills contained in these interest groups determine whether they will succeed in their protest. The leaders of the groups have to be sure of what will persuade the public in order to gain support. An example of such influential leader was Martin Luther King which saw the Civil Rights Act pass in 1964. The other reason that would facilitate the development of the group will be the social and economic formation of the members in the group. The members have to be educated and have more knowledge about how political issues are to be handled. This makes them confident on what they are advocating for and thus makes then continue with their activities. The members are also in a position of giving up other activities and concentrate on the issues at hand. According to Harry (2005) the growth of interest groups has been facilitated by several factors which include; government power. This can be explained by the fact that recently the government has influenced more activities in the society and this does not necessarily help members in the community. These members feel that the government is really pressing on their rights. This factor has therefore made more groups being formed in order to oppose this influence. Though the government should be concerned about the public, it should not take advantage of it powers to regulate businesses. The other factor that facilitates the formation of interest groups is the decreased power from the common public. This has been led by the growing economic status and technology that make people in poor regions seem powerless. The organisations strength has significantly increased since the elections held in 2006 where most Democrats involved won by overthrowing the republicans and supporting conformist leaders. This year represented the swearing in of new members in the congress. Their director being Chris Cox showed the association that their main aim was to protect the new members who were also pro- gun. According to the head of Brandy Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (BCPGV), it was evident that on daily basis almost many people die due to shooting which is also not a curable disease but in stead can be prevented through adhering to the steps needed in reducing this violence (David 2004). To implement the strategy there are also two important aspects that should be reviewed such as the motivation from the politicians and two is the pressure from the entire public. This has made the organization to spend over 16 million dollars on public campaign in a bid to sensitise the public either through the media or bill boards for them to support the Bill against guns. The tragedy cited at Virginia left the association speechless but praying for the families of the ones affected. This because the organization received so much critics from the state though the advocates supported them saying that the group was providing negative forecast about the disaster. Bush in an interview after being elected kept on addressing the need to curb the use of guns in America as he insisted that background checks were necessary for the process. The country has therefore been forced to come up with policies meant to keep guns from violent groups and at home especially near children’s reach. Apart from gun control, NRA has also proposed that those carrying guns should be licensed to carry. After the Hurricane Katrina, the issue was about the need to seize the use of firearms. This exercise was carried out by moving from house to house in search of illegal weapons. Conclusion The organization is led by several directors who elect their president. It has earlier been led by Charlton Heston who really advocated for the agenda. The organization has been receiving critics from all over including the gun control advocated. These groups include Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, American for Gun Safety any others. The first group showed that NRA was not meant to arm people in order for them to be against the government. The Brady Campaign also criticized NRM stating that crime had increased as more youths were in a position of buying guns. Other critics involved supporting politicians who were against the gun laws. Though the organization has been critic much even by its members, it has continuously been in a position to educated the entire public in the usage of the firearms and how to protect the lives of the ones we care for especially the children. The instructors have also been advised on the best methods of advice and have also gained more knowledge on handling weapons. Currently, there exists no centralised ban of firearms though it has been known that the Obama government would help in restoring the laws. References David, B 2004, The governmental process. New York. Pearson Longman, pp. 246-251. David, M 2009, American politics and society, 6th ed. Prentice Hall. Edel, W 1995, Gun Control: Threat to Liberty or Defense against Anarchy? Westport, Conn: Praeger Publishers. Harry, L 2005, Guns, gun control and elections: The politics and policy of firearms, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Oxford, UK. Langbein, L& Mark, 1996, Political efficacy of lobbying and money: Gun control in the U.S. house, Legislative Studies Quarterly, pp. 413–40. Thomas, D & Milton, C 2007, Politics in America, 7th ed. Longman Publishers, California. Read More