{"id":11439,"date":"2018-02-25T03:35:44","date_gmt":"2018-02-25T03:35:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=11439"},"modified":"2018-02-26T03:39:15","modified_gmt":"2018-02-26T03:39:15","slug":"the-nras-journey-from-marksmanship-to-political-brinkmanship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/the-nras-journey-from-marksmanship-to-political-brinkmanship\/","title":{"rendered":"The NRA’s journey from marksmanship to political brinkmanship"},"content":{"rendered":"

Robert Spitzer<\/a>, State University of New York College at Cortland <\/a><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The mass shooting on Valentine\u2019s Day in Parkland, Florida<\/a>, ripped at the hearts of Americans in a way perhaps not seen or felt since the Sandy Hook Elementary School bloodshed in Newtown, Connecticut<\/a> six years earlier.<\/p>\n

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students<\/a> who witnessed their classmates\u2019 deaths reacted by becoming outspoken gun control advocates. They are blaming the National Rifle Association<\/a> for thwarting stronger gun laws<\/a> that might have prevented this tragedy and many others. Many Americans, especially teens<\/a>, agree with them.<\/p>\n

But so far, the largest and oldest U.S. gun group is doubling down<\/a> on its sweeping opposition to restrictions on gun ownership.<\/p>\n

After spending decades researching and writing about how and why the NRA came to hold such sway<\/a> over national gun policies<\/a>, I believe it might not be as invincible at this point in its history as the interest group\u2019s reputation suggests.<\/p>\n

\n \"\"<\/a>
\n People delivered boxes of petitions calling for stronger gun control rules to Florida Gov. Rick Scott after the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida.<\/span>
\n AP Photo\/Gerald Herbert<\/a><\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Three phases<\/h2>\n

The NRA\u2019s nearly 150-year history spans three distinct eras.<\/p>\n

At first<\/a> the group was mainly concerned with marksmanship. It later played a relatively constructive role regarding safety-minded gun ownership restrictions before turning into a rigid politicized force.<\/p>\n

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