The National Rifle Association University held a forum on gun ownership and firearm rights in the Student Center on Wednesday, Oct. 10. Participating students had the opportunity to talk with two gun experts about the NRA, the second amendment, gun safety and gun rights.
The forum was brought by the Temple University College Republicans as part of their Second Amendment Appreciation Week. The forum is important because it dispels myths associated with gun ownership, TUCR members said.
“It is interesting to hear a different perspective from what I’m used to hearing from my family and the news,” Erin Gregory, a freshman chemistry major, said.
Suzanne Anglewicks, a gun expert and speaker for NRA U, started the forum by describing the NRA as a non-partisan organization focused on a single issue – firearms ownership and use.
“We are the oldest civil rights organization in the country,” Anglewicks said. “Our civil right is on the Bill of Rights itself, we are always going to fight for the right of Americans to bear arms.”
Anglewicks emphasized the relevance of the second amendment today. People don’t get to pick and choose which of the Bill Of Rights they think is a good idea and which they don’t, she said.
Throughout the two-hour long forum students asked questions related to state-specific gun laws and a clear definition of what an “assault weapon ” is.
Anglewick said that there is a misconception about assault weapons perpetuated by the media and policy makers.
“An assault weapon discharges one bullet for each pull of the trigger,” Anglewick said. “They are wrongly confused with machine guns, which are fully automatic weapons.”
When a student asked about the organization’s position on gun control, Anglewick said the NRA opposes it across the board.
“We oppose gun control not because we don’t believe on gun violence but because it doesn’t work” Anglewick said. “Gun control never affect[s] criminals, they are not going to follow the law, especially when there is no enforcement of the 20,000 gun laws that are currently in place.”
Towards the end of the forum, a video featuring Chuck Norris was used to prompt students to register to vote as a means to protect their constitutional right to bear arms.
“There is only one way to support our freedoms,” Norris said. “By voting for the candidates who support them.”
Before leaving, attendees received a free NRA membership and information on how to become involved with the organization’s grassroots activities.
Laura Ordonez can be reached at laura.ordonez@temple.edu.
Be the first to comment