Sticking to America’s Guns: The Power of the NRA
Ralph Peters suggests the National Rifle Association is a tyrannical organization that is responsible for these horrendous massacres (“NRA Tyranny,” PostOpinion, March 3).
Can he name any NRA members guilty of participating in the carnage?
There are millions of AR-15s in the hands of honest, patriotic, trained individuals who do not commit gun crimes.
To blame the NRA for the actions of a handful of deranged individuals is like a teacher who keeps the whole class after school for the actions of one disruptive student. Chuck Lehmann Delray Beach, Fla.
I never served in uniform, but I agree with Peters. I don’t believe the Founding Fathers would support civilians owning assault rifles.
The Second Amendment was designed in an era when the enemy was a monarchy that imposed its will by force of arms.
Today, you can fight the government with a leaked e-mail or a social campaign, such as the one that forced Sen. Al Franken to resign. We don’t need assault rifles to fight tyranny. Mark Zafrin Los Angeles, Calif.
Peters said the NRA is afraid to allow a nationwide vote on gun restrictions. As a republic, we don’t pass laws with nationwide votes.
Nothing stops a congressman from introducing a bill to regulate the Second Amendment. The NRA does not prevent that from happening.
But I dare say that Sen. Chuck Schumer could not get re-elected in New York if he called for this. Dave Miller Central Islip
Peters ranted about the NRA and its 5 million members having influence.
But he fails to mention how. When a bill is introduced that takes action on firearms, the NRA’s only goal has been to measure it against the liberty that government is obligated to protect.
The NRA has never stood against constitutional actions, nor has it rejected all suggestions without an authoritative and principled reason. David Panzera Warnerville
The NRA is the only national organization promoting legitimate and responsible shooter rights (ownership, hunting and competition). It’s the only organization that sounds the clarion call when those rights are in jeopardy.
It can be zealous in its words and actions, much like PETA’s rhetoric on fur garments or Planned Parenthood on choice.
But without the NRA mobilizing its membership, the United States would have long ago gone the way of Australia with highly restrictive or complete bans on firearms ownership. Michael Mainelli The Bronx
I usually agree with Peters but take exception to his condemnation of the NRA. Peters cites the 1.5 percent of the population who are NRA members, believing that the remaining 98.5 percent are antiNRA, a rather faulty assumption.
There are untold numbers of Americans who agree with the NRA but are not members.
Although I believe that AR-15s should be banned from civilian use, Peters neglects to address the issue of the acquisition of illegal guns. Sam Frazer Fort Myers, Fla.
Peters tells it like it is. Of 325 million people in the United States, 1.5 percent (or 5 million) has imposed its gun-obsession on the other 98.5 percent.
Peters blames “a spineless Congress that puts re-election ahead of children’s lives, safe schools” and everyone’s right to safety.
Another root of this evil is the money the NRA gives to politicians. They’re bought, plain and simple. Money is the priority, not providing protection for a safe, civilized country, even though there were more than 38,000 gun deaths in 2016. Manny Martin Manhattan
Peters called the NRA a dictatorship. Actually, dictators throughout history have made gun confiscation a top priority.
He decried the “out-ofshape, middle-aged men with AR-15s” as the typical NRA member.
He must not be familiar with the countrywide programs dedicated to teaching young people gun safety. Robert Mangi Westbury