I’m sure you know exactly who the National Rifle Association (NRA) is; the non-profit organization was established in 1871 and it’s members have been trying to protect their Second Amendment rights ever since. Advocates feel as though it is their right as Americans to be able to hunt freely and without regulation.
The NRA has managed to pass some legislation that animal rights activists have frowned upon. Among these is the “concealed carry” legislation in Alaska, Arizona, and Vermont, which allows arms to be carried, virtually without restriction. In 38 other states, the NRA has made concealed carry permits easily available to those who apply.The NRA have a huge presence in the United States legal system, and use it to their advantage to pass laws that favor their cause, no matter how ridiculous it may be.
Last year the NRA put their power to the test by backing Arizona proposition 109. Proposition 109, or the “Arizona Hunting and Fishing Amendment,” would have made the hunting, fishing, and harvesting of wildlife a constitutional right. In an article I wrote for my other blog, The Vegan College Student, I stated, “ [Arizona prop 109] gives the State Legislature exclusive authority to enact laws regulating these activities, prohibits laws that restrict hunting, fishing and harvesting wildlife or the use of traditional means and methods, and establishes hunting and fishing as a preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife.”
Thankfully, the proposition wasn’t passed. Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, said, “It was an incredible night for animal protection, going into a strong headwind. We are elated!”
Second Amendment rights are not necessarily black and white issues for vegans or non-vegans, but the threat of an increased prevalence of non-regulated hunting and fishing is certainly alarming. What are your thoughts on the NRA and how it affects the vegan movement as a whole?
