You know what's screwed up, is the original mission of the NRA was to teach people firearms safety and marksmanship in pursuit of civic duty. It was founded in 1871, shortly after the Civil War, as a means of training militias. The charter members believed that the Civil War could have been won by the North sooner if its militias had been better marksmen. The focus was on supplementing our police and armed forces in defense of the nation as a whole, not on individual freedoms. I daresay neither the founding members nor those governing over the next century would've endorsed today's cockblockery of restrictions that might prevent nutjobs from acquiring weapons.
Indeed, prior to the 1980's, the NRA helped write most of our current laws restricting firearm use. It wasn't until the end of the 1970's / early 80's that the NRA became a lobby for opposing any form of gun control, even though the 2nd amendment has never been in any danger. Now the focus is more libertarian, individual freedom, hands off my guns! The NRA has lost its way.
In fact, the 2nd amendment doesn't mention anything about individual liberties with regard to personal defense. "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." That literally means private citizens must be allowed to keep weapons to defend our country. What does not mean is a pistol in every pot, an assault rifle in every garage, a sniper at every concert, a drive-by in every slum. The distinction is subtle, but has had profound repercussions. The right to bear arms used to be attached to an understanding of civic responsibility. Now the responsibility part is almost forgotten.
Enough is enough. I want the pre-1970's NRA back. And I would argue that the current incarnation of the NRA blatantly practices in direct opposition to the "well-regulated" stipulation of the 2nd amendment.
