National Rifle Association

The National Rifle Association, or NRA, is a highly organized 501(c)(4) group for gun promotion in the United States. It sponsors firearm safety training courses, as well as shooting skills and sports. The organization is sometimes considered to be the most powerful single non-profit organization in the United States and was established in New York in 1871 as the 'American Rifle Association'. It often refers to itself as the oldest civil rights organization in the U.S., defining gun ownership as a civil right protected by the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights.

Criticisms

Due to its stature as the most prominent pro-gun group in the U.S., the NRA has received a good deal of criticism from gun control groups such as the Brady Campaign and Americans for Gun Safety. A variety of newspaper editorial boards, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today, frequently disagree with the NRA's policies, such as in September of 2004, when they called for the extension of the assault weapons ban; in general, support for the NRA is higher in rural areas than urban areas. These groups tend to point to instances of gun violence, claiming that they could have been prevented through legislation that the NRA opposes. They also view the NRA as an extremist group, and attack it for encouraging a "culture of death". The NRA denies these claims, claiming that its work is more effective at preventing crime and violence than the efforts of its opponents; for example, it regularly notes everyday "armed citizens" preventing crime through gun ownership.

Related Topics:
Gun control - Brady Campaign - Americans for Gun Safety - Newspaper - Editorial board - New York Times - Washington Post - Los Angeles Times - USA Today - Assault weapons ban

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