Commentary on NRA News Commentators Episode 78 

     NRA commentator Billy Johnson made a video recently about establishing a hypothetical United States Gun Policy to oppose the anti-gun policy that has been bombarding pro-gun supporters for decades. In the opening of the video Mr. Johnson proposes a hypothetical pro-gun policy to include mandatory gun zones. Mr. Johnson proposes that if we assume guns are necessary to enrich people’s lives than the government would have to fund the program as part of the policy.

     Owning a firearm is protected under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution except in cases of a person convicted of a felony offense or a person deemed mentally incompetent by a court of law. Mr. Johnson argues that guns are needed to make a person’s life better. Is a person’s life worse off if they do not own a firearm? The answer is obviously no. Firearm ownership should be a choice. Not everyone feels comfortable around firearms or even believes they can be trusted with one. I have a female friend of mine who told me on numerous occasions that she should never carry a weapon because she knows her bad temper would cause her to hurt somebody. I agreed with her and encouraged her to not own a firearm and to talk to a mental health professional. Now is that the type of person you would want to have learned shooter education and marksmanship at a young age? Firearms are not for everyone.

 See the video here

     Mr. Johnson also brings up that part of the policy would be mandatory firearms education in schools.  Mr. Johnson goes on to say that it would be mandatory to advance. Shouldn’t firearms education be an option such as team sports or clubs? What would be the purpose in making firearms education mandatory? Drivers education is a more useful skill to have and that class is not mandatory at all.

     Even though this is completely a hypothetical situation, which I pray the NRA does not intend to pursue, it has caused a stir of controversy on the internet. I personally believe that the commentary was absolutely irresponsible. In the light of recent tragedies that involved school shootings why use a government funded firearm education in American schools as an example to educate future adults in responsible firearm ownership and use. Speaking to friends that are anti-gun they now, more than ever, have an extremely skeptical view of the NRA. I can’t say that I blame them.

     To secure our freedom under the Second Amendment law abiding gun owners and organizations such as the NRA need to show the country that people can be trusted with firearms. The majority of the country is looking at us with laser guided precision waiting for the next gun related tragedy. When someone affiliated with the NRA makes a video advocating mandatory firearms education in schools and mandatory gun zones it does the rest of us a disservice and furthers the negative stereotypes placed upon us.