From: rrw@philabs.Philips.Com (Roger White) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NRA PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES - To protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, especially with reference to the inalienable right of the individual American citizen guaranteed by such Constitution to acquire, possess, transport, carry, transfer ownership of, and enjoy the right to use arms, in order that the people may always be in a position to exercise their legitimate individual rights of self-preservation and defense of family, person and property, as well at to serve effectively in the appropriate militia for the common defense of the republic and the individual liberty of its citizens; - To promote the public safety, law and order, and the national defense; - To train members of law enforcement agencies, the armed forces, the militia, and people of good repute in marksmanship and in the safe handling and efficient use of small arms; - To foster and promote the shooting sports, including the advancement of amateur competitions in marksmanship at the local, state, regional. national and international levels; - To promote hunter safety, and to promote and defend hunting as a shooting sport and as a viable and necessary method of fostering the propagation, growth, conservation and wise use of our renewable wildlife resources. NRA POSITIONS IN BRIEF FIREARMS LICENSING AND REGISTRATION We believe that any type of licensing and computer registration scheme aimed at law-abiding citizens is a direct violation of Second Amendment rights, serves no law enforcement purpose, and could ultimately resort in the prohibition and/or confiscation of legally owned firearms. Nationally, registration and proposed confiscation has already happened in Cleveland, Ohio, Washington, D.C., New Jersey and Massachusetts; internationally, confiscation is a reality in Soviet Georgia, Cuba, Lithuania and Bermuda, among numerous other countries. Such laws would not keep guns out of the hands of criminals, drug addicts, or mental incompetents who are already prohibited by law from legally purchasing, owning or using firearms. Registration for criminals, according to the Supreme Court, would be a form of self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment and thus be unconstitutional. Also, licensing systems have been used by issuing authorities to prohibit firearms ownership. SEMIAUTOMATIC FIREARMS We believe the press and anti-gun groups have misled the American people concerning this issue, since true "assault rifles" are fully automatic firearms and the sale of such newly-manufactured rifles has been prohibited since 1986. It is lawful to hunt with semiautomatic firearms of one kind or another in 49 states, and 71 percent of the competitors at the National Matches at Camp Perry use semiauto rifles and pistols. In competitions held nationwide, 74 percent of the matches can be accomplished using semiautos. There are an estimated 30 million lawfully owned semiautomatic firearms in the U.S., 3 million to 4 million of which have a military-style appearance. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has testified that the functional mechanisms of all these guns are identical; banning a particular firearm because it is a semiauto will by definition affect all semiauto firearms in this country. Finally, according to law enforcement statistics and testimony, military-style semiauto firearms are involved in only about 0.5 percent to 1 percent of all homicides. "WAITING PERIODS" FOR THE PURCHASE OF FIREARMS We believe only law-abiding citizens are affected by "waiting periods." Research proves that "waiting periods"/police investigations drain law enforcement resources, and do nothing to deter crime. Common sense and criminological research show that criminals avoid legal channels or use fake identification to circumvent the screening system. In addition, criminal record systems are inadequate; only 40 percent to 60 percent of all state felony records are automated, making an accurate and timely check in detecting criminals no better than the toss of a coin. This is why 28 states and the federal government have rejected the scheme. "ARMOR-PIERCING" AMMUNITION We believe the American public should know that despite media disinformation and anti-gun propaganda, the NRA has never lobbied for so-called "cop-killer bullets." IN fact, NRA helped gain passage of the legislation that limited the sale of a narrowly defined type of ammunition to police and military - therefore regulating what had long been an industry practice. The final legislation insured that popular rounds of sporting and hunting ammunition were not banned by the U.S. Congress, as originally proposed. "PLASTIC GUNS" We believe that anti-gun groups, ultimately seeking a blanket handgun ban, created and used the non-existent "plastic gun" issue to push legislation that would have banned millions of detectable, metal firearms. NRA efforts refocused the issue to highlight the inadequate airport security and proved to lawmakers that no undetectable "plastic guns" exist. NRA helped gain passage of legislation insuring that all firearms remain detectable by state-of-the-art security devices. "SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIALS" We believe this meaningless but derogatory term was coined to promote legislation banning many popular models of handguns. Research shows that small, inexpensive firearms are not favored by criminals, as their detractors insist, but are disproportionately used for sport and especially for self-defense by honest citizens. Research shows that criminals will use whatever firearms they can get - preferring log-barreled, heavy, large caliber pistols or revolvers to small caliber, alloy frame, low melting point guns. The few who prefer smaller guns would, in their absence, move to bigger and potentially deadlier handguns or long guns. FIREARMS PROHIBITION We believe that gun bans only disarm honest citizens, not criminals. Since adopting a virtual handgun ban, Washington, D.C. has recorded an increase of almost 200 percent in its murder rate, making it the nation's murder capital. NRA and the nation's law enforcement community agree that criminals, not guns, are responsible for crime. No make or model of firearms should be blamed for the actions of outlaws, particularly when the supporters of such legislation readily admit their plans are to add more and more models to banned lists. NRA calls for tougher anti-crime laws and mandatory sentencing - proven to reduce crime - rather than ineffective gun bans. HUNTER PROTECTION LAWS We believe that hunting is a cherished American tradition and a viable wildlife management tool. Therefore, NRA has helped pass legislation in 38 states protecting your hunting heritage from attacks by hunting saboteurs who are intent on using all manner of disruptive tactics to end lawful hunting. CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM We believe that stronger law enforcement, tougher prosecutors, tougher judges, harsher sentences and more prisons - not firearms restrictions or prohibition - are major, proven ways to bring crime under control. **************************************************************** The above has been copied (without permission) from the 32 page NRA Member Guide which appeared in a recent (February?) issue of the American Rifleman magazine.