Sometimes I Ask, “What Is The NRA Thinking?”

I’m not sure I can figure out sometimes what exactly the NRA is trying to do and I don’t think I’m alone. What is odd is that too many people label the NRA as an extreme or radical gun rights group. Personally, I don’t think they are at all, as I and millions of other gun-owning Americans have witnessed as the NRA “compromises” our Second Amendment rights away.

Most of the time I will offer them support because they are the most powerful supposed pro gun organization America has.

As do probably millions of other NRA members and those with interest, I get notifications from the NRA in my email. Yesterday and today were no exceptions. The NRA was drawing my attention to an article written by Howard Troxler of the St. Petersburg Times, my hometown newspaper. The NRA notice says that “We doubt you’ll find a better one from anyone in the media.” in regards to understanding U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle’s ruling about guns in cars in the work place.

I was a bit surprised before I even read the article, as I am familiar with Troxler’s writings. Why would Troxler, who believes that employees have the right to prohibit what you can bring in your car to work, have a good understanding of the law and the ruling by Judge Hinkle?

Well, you can read his article yourself but I am a bit disturbed that the NRA is essentially glorifying the explanation Troxler gives concerning this gun rights/property rights issue. Troxler explains quite well the reason Judge Hinkle ruled on guns in employee’s cars as legal but not for customers to the same location. What I didn’t like is his seeming disregard for the Second Amendment.

So, if no one’s basic rights are being violated, this becomes a mere political question. What do we want our law to say about guns?

The Legislature could reasonably have passed this law, the judge wrote — or just as reasonably defeated it.

Either way, he wrote, “This was within the Legislature’s constitutional authority.”

Isn’t this saying that we should put little emphasis on our Second Amendment rights and defer only to the states to “reasonably” regulate guns? Yes, it’s within the Legislature’s authority to make laws concerning guns but when those laws restrict the rights of lawful Americans, this cannot be acceptable, as we have seen in District of Columbia vs. Heller. It appears though that the NRA by glorifying Troxler’s article as being one of divine intervention, more accurately is saying that even if the state legislature passed a law that does in fact prohibit the right of a person to self-protection, that’s alright too.

Perhaps the NRA shouldn’t quite so quick to grant kudos to one columnist’s editorial without first explaining that what Troxler said isn’t exactly what the NRA stands for. Or maybe it is!

Tom Remington