Rights V. Safety: Comparing the NRA and Moms Demand Action

 Dec 13, 2024

Rights Vs. Safety: Comparing the NRA and Moms Demand Action

Introduction:

Interest groups can be regarded as linkage institutions since they relate citizens to the government. They sway the public and encourage people to get out to vote by enlightening them on given topics. In this blog, I will compare and contrast the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Moms Demand Action (MDA). The NRA is a group of gun owners that advocate for Second Amendment rights while MDA aims at parents and people in families. This blog will discuss how both groups approach gun control vs. safety.

Interest Group 1: National Rifle Association (NRA)

The NRA advocates guns and emphasizes the Second Amendment, as a protection measure. They are very in favor of gun possession as they believe it is crucial to national security. The NRA supports the use of background checks that bring out criminal records, mental problems, etc. It also supports the idea that all gun owners must take a course to understand how to use firearms responsibly, teaching owners how, when, and why they are and should be used. The organization also walks about the concept of carrying arms to prevent crimes and protect the society. The NRA recently published an article on the organization’s website that includes information about the organization’s stand against ‘red flag’ laws. It insists that these measures violate due process. These laws are considered by the NRA as "attempts of government to encroach on constitutional rights." These laws are presented in the article as intruding on individual freedom. This is often seen as the NRA protecting the rights of the people. This position proves that they do NOT support any effort that takes away the rights of the people that have been explicitly stated in the Constitution (The Second Amendment). 

Interest Group 2: Moms Demand Action (MDA)

Moms Demand Action is a group of people pushing for gun control measures efforts to ensure that fewer people have access to guns due to the dangers that they posses. They stress the sense of calling new legislation, including background checks for all gun purchasers, and no possibilities for assault weapons ownership at all. MDA officials call for state and federal laws that would involve background checks, pushing for gun safety education, and restricting its usage by those who come across violence and mental disorders. They also approve the community based programs that talk about the risk factors leading to gun violence. On Moms Demand Action’s website there is a video with survivors of gun violence, demanding changes in gun control. The video further points out that tighter legislation could have minimized several terrifying accidents. This artifact shows the organizations concern with the emotional cost of gun violence and their demand for the change of law. It emphasizes their passion, talking about advocating for safer communities through change.

Compare and Contrast:

While the NRA currently is a protector of rights and security, Moms Demand Action uses similar language. However, one fights for thew rights of the people and the right to bear arms, whereas the other aims at the safety of the community. A president's argument may be more persuasive to those who value everybody’s lives, as Moms Demand Action appeals to parents in the United States due to the problem of shootings in schools. In a recent survey about the reduction of gun violence, families with children feel particularly appealed by the MDA's article. In the artifacts, which both groups lean on, messaging is built on our emotions. The NRA concentrates on gun possession and sovereignty and Moms Demand Action focuses on human lives and the call for change. The NRA’s artifacts are based on government and constitutional liberties, while Moms Demand Action’s artifacts are personal and legislative. Lastly, it show how each group successfully establishes their plan to the audience depending on their values and priorities.