The NRA was originally a moderate organization that supported gun control measures

Evidence

Originally founded to promote training in marksmanship, the National Rifle Association (NRA) was formed by a former Union army general, who was dismayed by the deficient shooting skills of urban Union soldiers, and a military magazine editor. Another aspect of the NRA’s mission was to support wildlife conservation by creating open lands for hunting. The latter program was funded by a tax on hunting rifles and ammunition. In its long history, the NRA adopted a moderate position regarding guns. It helped draft a number of laws that placed limits on gun sales, gun prototypes, and their use. For example, during the 1930s, NRA President Karl Frederick testified in support of a bill requiring a permit to carry a concealed weapon: “I do not believe in the general promiscuous toting of guns. I think it should be sharply restricted and only under licenses” (Rosenfeld, 2013). In the aftermath of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy with a military rifle purchased by mail order, NRA Executive Vice President Franklin Orth supported a ban on such sales. “We do think that any sane American, who calls himself an American, can object to placing into this bill the instrument which killed the president of the United States” (Rosenfeld, 2013). — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 1016

Categorization

Category: Contrarian or Surprising Claims

• XREF: Connects to the moral disengagement theme of how organizations drift from founding values — parallels the organizational capture dynamics in the diamond bourse / trade chapters.
• DEEPTHINKING: A vivid instance of how an institution’s identity can be transformed from within by activists — the same organization that drafted gun limits becomes the leading opponent of any regulation.

Related

• The NRA began as a moderate group that supported gun restrictions. (similarity 0.96)
• Most NRA members favor moderate gun regulations (similarity 0.81)
• The NRA represents gun makers more than its hunter constituents (similarity 0.80)