To Keep and Bear Arms Part III
Liberals are perplexed by how difficult it is to prohibit, or even restrict, gun ownership. A large part of the reason is the political sway of the sixteen million gun owners in America. Another part of the reason gun rights are upheld is that gun owners are organized.
In part one of this series, I discussed the historical roots of gun ownership in America and how political tensions led to the emergence of the National Rifle Association (NRA). In the second part, I discussed how the right to defend yourself and your family is older than the nation. I also showed that as politicians became more anti-gun, the NRA became more active.
The NRA is the group that everyone knows but in this final part of the series, I’m taking a look at the other, lesser-known groups, that each has a particular interest and focus.
Second amendment foundation
If you live in the Pacific Northwest this group might be of particular interest to you. Founded in 1974 by businessman, author, and gun-rights activist Alan Gottlieb, the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) is a 501(c)(3) organization that publishes gun rights magazines, public education materials, funds conferences, produces a podcast, and provides media contacts. SAF is the country’s oldest legal-action group focusing on gun rights. Since their founding, they have been active in many high-profile gun-rights cases such as District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago. SAF is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, state and claims a membership of over 650,000.
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) was established by Gottlieb in 1971, three years before he founded SAF, but it has become the SAF political lobbying arm. Four radio stations in the Pacific Northwest, KBNP, KGTK, KITZ, KSBN, are jointly owned by the SAF and CCRKBA.
Gun Owners of America
Founded in 1976 by gun-rights activist and former politician H.L. Richardson, Gun Owners of America (GOA) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization. If you take a hardline stance towards gun rights GOA might be of interest to you. According to a January 2013 article in Mother Jones magazine GOA leadership “routinely lambastes the NRA for being cowards who cave too much to the Democrats.”
GOA opposed John McCain’s 2008 presidential bid, describing his gun-rights voting record as “abysmal, wretched, and pathetic.” GOA gave him a grade of F− on Second Amendment issues. The NRA gave McCain a grade of C+. The GOA Political Victory Fund supports strong Second Amendment candidates and has raised nearly twenty million dollars to lobby Congress on Second Amendment issues. The organization claims a membership of two million.
National Association for Gun Rights
Founded by Dudley Brown and Incorporated in Virginia in the year 2000, the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) is a 501(c)(4) organization. They described themselves as the “conservative alternative” rival to the National Rifle Association. I like their slogan. Wikipedia quotes the Huffington Post as stating NAGR is “The much leaner, more pugnacious version of the NRA. Where the NRA has looked to find some common ground with gun reform advocates and at least appear to be reasonable, NAGR has been the unapologetic champion of opening up gun laws even more.”
NAGR, through their foundation the National Foundation for Gun Rights, donated over $50,000 to assist with the defense of Kyle Rittenhouse. After Kyle’s acquittal, the foundation released this statement, “When we saw the video evidence of Kyle defending himself and others in Kenosha, WI, NFGR made the decision to support him right away, and we’re thrilled to see that he is now a free man.”
Through its foundation, NAGR has filed many amicus or “friend of the court” briefs. Often these remind the court that the Second Amendment is not a second-class right or a collective right of the state. In the case of McDonald v. Chicago, the NAGR amicus brief was cited by the court before the verdict in favor of gun owners.
Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership
Another group based in Bellevue, Washington, state is Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (JPFO). It was founded by author Aaron Zelman in 1989, as a 501(c)(3) organization. Wikipedia states that the group believes they are “protecting a pre-existing natural right of individuals to keep and bear arms.” JPFO describes itself as defending “all of the Bill of Rights for all Citizens.” JPFO has criticized the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) several times accusing them of undermining the welfare of the Jewish people by their anti-gun stance. The group says they have 8,000 members.
Conclusion
Liberals and progressives believe gun ownership is a relic of the past and that the police should protect citizens. However, in the age of “defund the police,” riots, and lawlessness conservatives understand that laws and restraining orders are just words on paper unless backed by force. At times that force must come from a citizen defending themselves or their family.
I hope that this series inspires all gun owners to get involved in protecting gun rights. Be sure to check out our two previous articles here and here and, in the comment section below, let me know what you think of the NRA or other groups mentioned in the series.
