Fairfax, Virginia – -(AmmoLand.com)- The Cuomo-James jihad against the National Rifle Association has drawn some support from some Second Amendment supporters. Many of them have often called the NRA “sellouts,” “Fudds,” or “Negotiating Rights Away.” But not standing against the state of New York’s attacks on the NRA is very short-sighted for a number of reasons.
Cuomo Wasn’t Just Targeting The NRA
When one reads the actual letters Andrew Cuomo’s minions sent to banks and insurance companies, the exact language used is key. The late Rush Limbaugh told us, “Words mean things.” So, what words did those letters use? Both letters mention NRA, but they also included the phrase “similar gun promotion organizations.”
What is a “gun promotion organization?” Could it be those that advocate for Second Amendment rights? Arguably, because the NRA did that for years. But does it stop with the NRA? Probably not. Gun Owners of America, the Second Amendment Foundation, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and the Firearms Policy Coalition are just one four-letter word for New York: Next.
Even Ammoland might be considered such an organization. Think about that. The NRA is our first line of defense against New York’s assault.
NRA’s “Single-Issue” Approach Matters
One thing is clear: There are a lot of new gun owners, and gun ownership is becoming more diverse. This is potentially very good news, but only if we can avoid allowing anti-Second Amendment extremists from playing “divide and conquer.”
Ironically, the NRA’s “single-issue” focus, long a boogeyman of some, may actually be crucial when it comes to capitalizing on more diverse gun ownership. By focusing only on gun issues (to include secondary issues like judicial nominations and fighting campaign “reform” schemes), the NRA brings a diverse coalition together and complicates things for anti-Second Amendment extremists.
Remember, 2020 was decided by a razor-thin margin in a number of states. Biden really has no room for error, as noted earlier in these pages. We should not repeat his blunders.
NRA Doesn’t Just Do Politics And Legislation
The NRA has never been just about lobbying. They have been at the forefront of providing training in firearms safety. The group also helps provide training for law enforcement and those who have an interest in gunsmithing. There’s work for hunters, ranges, local gun clubs, and competitive shooters as well. The group also has programs for those with disabilities, youth, and women.
Who else does any of this, much less all? Maybe you don’t like the NRA’s political and legislative strategy. That is your business. But the loss of those programs, especially when we are seeing millions of new gun owners, would be a blow from which the Second Amendment community might not recover from.
For 150 years, the NRA has been there for those who exercise their Second Amendment rights, and not just on the legislative or political arenas. Yes, Wayne LaPierre’s strategic missteps are such he should step down, but the organization has much to provide for the next 150 years, and Second Amendment supporters would be very short-sighted to root on the Lavrentiy Beria-inspired witch hunt Letitia James has been carrying out.
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.
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