The NRA should push a cheap gun safety program

vanity | 7/16/2020 | myself

[Vigilant1]

The NRA has a real opportunity here. There are literally millions of new first-time gun owners. If there is one thing the NRA does well, it is gun safety training.

They should launch a nationwide gun safety training program just for new gun owners. They could tap gun & sporting goods manufacturers, gun ranges and wealthy pro-gun folks to contribute to subsidize the cost. This would be great publicity for them while doing a genuine public service to the nation. Outreach to minorities, women, gays and the elderly as part of this would be helpful.

Any of you that have contacts with the NRA leadership, please pass this along. Thanks!

[JParris]

The NRA is dead.

Until the leadership changes it will rot and decay until it is no more.

[trebb]

Are talking gun safety in general or approved courses that some States demand for carry permits?

Grew up in NRA family and dad got together with a Shop teacher to bring training into the school - it was readily and cheaply available but someone had to take the initiative.

[Vigilant1]

What people seem to be missing here is that I am calling for a standardized gun safety course that is very affordable (or even free) because it is subsidized by the gun & sporting goods industries and donations. That would be coupled with a big advertising push to get the word out on gun safety.

Others have said here it will not help the NRA's leadership debacle. I disagree. NRA leaders at the moment lack a common program they could all get behind. This could help bring them together and resolve their differences. They are squabbling like children at the moment, but they are all American patriots who might answer such a call to do a public service for their country. It is worth a try.

[HenryBowmanAZ]

Then you’re calling out the wrong organization.

NRA instructors don’t work for the NRA. They are independent, and many (maybe most?) of them are volunteers who don’t make a profit off their work. When you call on “the NRA to offer a free program” what you are really saying is that “these independent volunteers should work unreimbursed.” Sorry, Massa, we decline.

If you want this program to be “subsidized by the gun and sporting goods industries and donations,” you need to be hitting up the NSSF, not the NRA. Feel free to do that. We’ll wait here for you to tell us all how successful you were.

[Vigilant1]

"NRA instructors don’t work for the NRA."

I did not suggest they did. You are refuting your own strawman.
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"They are independent, and many (maybe most?) of them are volunteers who don’t make a profit off their work. When you call on “the NRA to offer a free program” what you are really saying is that “these independent volunteers should work unreimbursed.” Sorry, Massa, we decline."

You are making stuff up, then falsely trying to insert your words into my mouth. I never said any such thing. Either quote me honestly or not at all.
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"If you want this program to be “subsidized by the gun and sporting goods industries and donations,” you need to be hitting up the NSSF, not the NRA. Feel free to do that. We’ll wait here for you to tell us all how successful you were."

With an attitude like yours it would be impossible to accomplish anything at all. Good luck with that.

[Magnum44]

With all its warts at the national level, the NRA is still the only nationally recognized training institution in the country, though there are many other excellent shooting schools. As to the article, as an NRA instructor, I reached out to my local community for new gun owners to train and found the response amazing. I have full classes for the foreseeable future.