by Karen Mehall Phillips - Friday, April 10, 2015
NRA is always busy—eternally vigilant, in fact! Here are my top five fast facts I watched NRA staff sharing with NRA members at the NRA booth.
1. Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America's oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group and 144 years later is more than 5 million strong! Follow the NRA on Facebook and on Twitter.
2. Gun control has been reduced significantly over the past decade. The federal waiting period on handguns ended in 1998. Congress refused to renew the federal “assault weapon” and “large” magazine ban, allowing it to expire in 2004. Congress and 33 states have prohibited frivolous lawsuits against the firearm industry. Forty-two states have Right-to-Carry laws, and 48 states prohibit cities from imposing gun laws more restrictive than state law.
3. More guns mean less crime. From 1991 to 2012, the total violent crime rate declined 49 percent to a 42-year low, and the murder rate declined by 52 percent to a 49-year low.
4. NRA’s 93,000 Certified Instructors and 12,000 Law Enforcement Instructors reach more than 800,000 people annually!
5. NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program has been used by more than 26,000 schools, law enforcement agencies and civic groups to reach more than 26 million children since 1988.
The Bottom Line: NRA and its efforts in support of safety, education and training continue to pay off!
