NRA University members discuss gun rights

The issue of the right to bear arms as defined in the Constitution’s Second Amendment has always played a prominent role in American politics.

Two volunteers from NRA University, a program for college students run by the National Rifle Association, a non-governmental organization promoting the rights of citizens to own firearms, spoke in Huntsman Hall today on gun control and advocated Second Amendment activism.

Suzanne Anglewicz, who presented first, gave a brief overview of the history of the NRA and the Second Amendment.

“The Founding Fathers intended that the Second Amendment be an individual right,” she said. Angelwicz went on to explain that the Second Amendment is just as relevant today, if not more so.

She went on to refute what the NRA perceives as gun-control myths, including the notions that more guns lead to more crime and that registration of firearms is necessary to maintain safety.

She cited FBI statistics showing the national crime rate has decreased over the past few decades, and she said that registration laws fail to secure the safety of law-abiding citizens, since criminals would not register their firearms.

Anglewicz, however, also emphasized that the NRA takes gun safety very seriously, noting that enforcing existing laws, punishing criminals and enforcing background checks on firearms purchases is necessary.

Colton Kerrigan, who presented next, encouraged students to vote in order to affect gun legislation. He said the college-age voting population is key, since any legislation passed today will mainly affect this group.

He also expressed concern over President Obama’s administration’s “anti-Second Amendment” stances, referring in particular to the president’s appointees in the Supreme Court, and he urged the audience to take such measures as establishing more pro-Second Amendment groups on campus in order to spread awareness of this issue.

Overall, the 40 or so students who attended enjoyed the presentation. College senior David Agyekum said he learned a lot about the NRA.

Engineering junior Edward Funger said, “It was interesting to see how the NRA came to a school that seems predominantly liberal and to see the strategies they used to promote a more conservative political agenda.”

College senior Cille Kissel, president and founder of the Penn Shooting Club, which hosted this presentation, said, “It’s the second time we’ve held this event, and although there was a slightly smaller turnout this year, there was just as much enthusiasm as last year.”

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