The National Rifle Association (NRA) is an association of the gun owners in the United States of America. A gun is a very dangerous weapon that need to be handled with a lot of care. People that have been permitted to carry a gun are known and registered by the government. The reason for their registration is to enhance safety of the person and the general public. In most countries, guns are a state weapon that is used in keeping law and order (Sugarmann 261). The firearm is therefore recognized as a state arm as it is mostly identified with state servants such as police and the army. Given the importance of the instrument, some individual are permitted to carry and use it for private defense. The members of the public who are allowed to possess guns usually come from the political class, business tycoons and other wealthy members of the society. Before an individual is allowed to carry a gun, a thorough investigation that involves a sanity test is carried out. The person is then trained to use the weapon and instructed the needful situation it should be used. After passing these processes and many other as required by the law, the individual is registered as a gun owner and can freely join the NRA.
The following are the objectives of the NRA
- There is a provision in the constitution of the United States of America that gives individuals the right to carry a rifle (Hammer 148). There may be a situation when a change in government can result to the banning of this privilege. When this happens, individuals may not be permitted to own and transport the firearm from one point to the other. The association main objective, therefore, is to defend the constitution concerning the application of private arms.
- Individuals in possession of the rifles usually contribute to the maintenance of law and order in the country. In fact, the individuals are only supposed to use the firearm when faced by criminal groups. The use of a firearm in self-defense usually leads to reduced criminal activities in the country (Davidson 214). The activity also saves the state a lot of money that could otherwise be used in paying for security personnel. The objective of maintaining law and order in the state, therefore, becomes a role of the NRA.
- The NRA comprises of individuals who may not have knowledge of handling the rifles. It is the association’s responsibility to ensure that the members of the public are well trained in the ways of using the arms (Davidson 214). The associations usually ensure that the arms holders are not engaged in some malpractices such as robbery by strictly ensuring that the rifle is used for the right purpose. The training also relieves the government a lot of expenditure that could be used in offering education to the public.
- Another objective of the NRA is to encourage the shooting sport among the registered members. The association members are encouraged to engage in different clubs that offer the game (Davidson 217). Individuals who perform well locally and internationally are highly rewarded for their talent. Talented individuals may use their hobbies as an opportunity for financial income.
The National Rifle Association is highly dominated by men. Most of the individuals participating in various affairs concerning the possession, transfer and use of rifles are male. The association can, therefore, be confused as male affairs only. One of the target goals that the association is engaging in is the involvement of women in their activity (Patrick 24). Women are being encouraged to join in the possession of the rifles as there are many benefits of engagement. The global society is trying to offer a space for women to practice what men does. In the essence of achieving an equal gender in the public, women are motivated to engage in activities that are widely dominated by men. As a means of showing the way to other organizations, the NRA is recruiting women to the association. The association is encouraging women by helping them acquire the rifle from the government, training them and encouraging them to join in various association’s activities. There have been a positive response to the target group in the United States of America over female recruitment in the association.
The targeted audience of the National Rifle Association is the government, the general public, and the registered gun holders (Sidlow and Henschen 127). All the three categories are in one way one the other essential in the maintenance of the general security in the country. The government is an audience in this forum as it is the custodian of the overall law governing the people as detailed in the constitution. The individual’s right to own gunfire is mentioned in the constitution, and, therefore, the NRA acts as the watchdog over this right. The general public is also important in this discussion. They usually need the answers as to why some people holds guns while others do not. The audience also needs to know how the arms are used and the rules governing their use. The rifle holders also need to understand that they can be protected while they are under the umbrella of the NRA.
The public authorization to have an ownership of rifles can be very dangerous when not controlled. There is a need for the rifle holders and the government to hold a public sensitization that will encourage individuals with guns to group under an association. The set rules of the association will be beneficial in educating and managing the fire holders for the benefits of the public’s safety.
Works Cited
Davidson, Osha Gray. Under Fire: The NRA and the Battle for Gun Control. New York: University of Iowa Press, 2012. Print.
Hammer, Sebastian. Interest Groups in the USA – The National Rifle Association. New York: GRIN Verlag, 2013. Print.
Patrick, Brian Anse. The National Rifle Association and the Media: The Motivating Force of Negative Coverage. New York: Arktos, 2013. Print.
Sidlow, Edward and Beth Henschen. America at Odds, Alternate Edition. New York: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print.
Sugarmann, Josh. National Rifle Association: Money, Firepower & Fear. New York: CreateSpace, 2010. Print.