An Imaginative and Respectful Approach to Gun Control

The NRA could play a role in solving our mass murder shooting problem.

What would happen if the NRA took on a much more prominent role in promoting gun ownership and safety? Yes, I know the NRA offers gun safety classes and that it promotes gun ownership for family hunting activities — but I think it could go much farther to help Americans keep their guns and promote healthy community living.

The Basic Idea

Imagine that the many hundreds of VFWs spread around America partnered with the NRA to build public member-controlled armories? Everyone could keep their guns and get them with a simple membership to your local NRA/VFW armory that you controlled.

These new hybrid institutions could support an indoor and/or outdoor firing range, sell ammunition, offer classes in competition shooting and gun safety, while promoting the growth of healthy communities.

Individual NRA/VFW facilities could take this concept as far as its members wished, periodically sponsoring turkey shoots, clay shooting competitions, biscuit breakfasts, etc. Heck, your local NRA/VFW could put in a bowling alley, a 24 hour coffee bar or anything else. The government would have no control over this new private membership entity.

So, if you need your AR-15 at 3 AM to go out hunting, fine. Just go and get it at your local member-controlled armory. There might be a friend or extended family member there fixing to do the same thing, for example if it was the start of Turkey hunting season. But if you are drunk or high on drugs the fact that your gun is stored in a community armory, should make you think twice before getting it to shoot a classroom full of fourth graders.

It is my understanding that the NRA and VFW both could use a shot in the arm (figuratively speaking). We also desperately need to develop open, friendly communities where all people feel welcomed and safe. Why not use the powers of these two organizations to help protect our communities and nation from gun violence?

Please note that I firmly believe in gun registration, background checks, and even a two day wait time. There is nothing in the above proposal that replaces these safegards. The thrust of the essay is saying that a positive social connection to the gun owning community is critical to the prevention of destructive uses of fire arms.