United States – -(AmmoLand.com)- One of the more infuriating euphemisms that anti-Second Amendment extremists have often used for the vast array of injustices they seek to inflict on millions of Americans who never shot up a Walmart or school is “gun safety.” It seems they do not comprehend what real gun safety is when they call for it.
Real Second Amendment supporters have always had an interest in reducing accidents involving firearms – and should celebrate the great reduction in fatal accidents since 1933. It is a matter of common knowledge and common sense that firearms have the immense power to deprive people of their life. Common sense also should tell Second Amendment supporters that we should work to promote the responsible exercise of our Second Amendment rights in such a manner as to reduce the risks that our actions will cause the wrongful deprivation of life – whether from malice, madness, or negligence.
As important as the efforts to protect our rights from infringements at the local, state, and federal levels are on the legislative and political fronts, they alone are not enough. Second Amendment supporters should also be promoting education and training efforts. All too often, those who dismiss firearms safety inflict wounds on the cause of protecting our freedoms by failing to think about how they come across in the best of cases. At worst, there is a tragedy and a life needlessly lost. The good news is that the oft-derided National Rifle Association has been doing this for decades, and as such has played a huge part in neutralizing the “gun safety” arguments that anti-Second Amendment extremists use.
Here’s how: There are over 125,000 NRA-certified firearms instructors, training up to a million people a year in the safe and responsible exercise of their Second Amendment rights. That is a lot of one-on-one time for people to learn real gun safety and to get their first interaction with a member of the NRA. And for that million or so who do take part, the they quickly discover that the Letitia James and other anti-Second Amendment extremists are lying when they label this civil rights group a “domestic terrorist” group. And once that recognition sets in, they can be turned around on the various issues – be it semi-auto bans, “red flag” laws, or concealed carry.
This is one very unstated reason why the NRA has been so effective in defending our rights – by putting the lie to claims that Second Amendment supporters do nothing to promote firearms safety, reducing fatal accidents, or the responsible exercising of our Second Amendment rights. Groups like Gun Owners of America and Firearms Policy Coalition have done good work on the legislative and legal fronts, but given the fact that the battle for our Second Amendment rights is a full-spectrum fight, they cannot pull up certified firearms instructors, hunters, or competitive shooters from a given congressional district to shore up a wavering politician’s vote on a key bill.
When it comes to pursuing real gun safety, the NRA has been an incredible asset in the defense of freedom. Given that reality, is it any wonder that the NRA is what draws the ire of anti-Second Amendment extremists on a constant basis? To be very blunt, Andrew Cuomo thought through the long-term strategy for his abuses against the NRA very well, and Second Amendment supporters should be worried that he may succeed.
About Harold Hutchison
Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.
