What’s the real story? Will the NRA oppose universal background checks? Or will they allow that legislation to prevent worse bills from going through Congress? I have heard multiple sources say different things and it caused me concern over what is actually the case. On Tuesday, NBC News reported the NRA would not oppose a “background check deal—if Democrats cede a tough records fight.” Evidently the NRA told some members of Congress they would not campaign against the bill. In the same article, however, the head of the NRA-ILA, Chris Cox, was quoted saying, “we do not take positions on hypotheticals. We will make our position known if and when legislation is introduced… To be clear, the National Rifle Association does not support legislation that would criminalize otherwise lawful transfers of firearms between law-abiding Americans.” After reading the article, I began to wonder how its author could make such a claim. The official statement was the NRA would oppose universal background checks, yet the author stated the exact opposite, citing mysterious unnamed “aides familiar with the stalled negotiations.” 
The story posted on NBCNews.com alleges that NRA will not oppose expanding the background check system to include all private firearm sales, “provided the legislation does not require private gun sellers to maintain records of the checks”. This statement is completely untrue. The NRA opposes criminalizing private firearms transfers between law-abiding individuals, and therefore opposes an expansion of the background check system. The NRA supports meaningful efforts to address the problems of violent crime and mass violence in America, through swift and certain prosecution of violent criminals; securing our schools; and fixing our broken mental health system.
So what’s the real story? Why would NBC report something that is so unlike the NRA, categorically untrue and on such flimsy evidence? Well, not to be too Alex-Jonesy, but the answer has a bit of a conspiracy tinge to it. On March 8, Breitbart.com published a blog post discussing the warnings of NSSF president Steve Sanetti about the major media outlets trying to divide gun rights organizations and conquer the quarreling masses. Steve Sanetti stated the NSSF position is improving the background check system, a stance he names “Fix NICS.” 
What does all this mean?
The media is attempting to further split up the gun lobby by convincing the public that certain groups do not have your best interests in mind. If they can continue to fracture the pro-Second Amendment voters and lawmakers with false or misleading news articles, they can make it easier to pass laws that infringe on our rights. While the NRA and NSSF squabble over background checks and other gun rights groups argue over other issues, the gun grabbers in Congress can slip a few bills onto the floor and the votes will be too split on our side to have enough power to vote those bills down. I’m a Greek history buff, so this makes perfect sense. King Phillip told his son, Alexander (eventually The Great), the easiest way to take over the Greek city-states was to diairei kai basileue—or as we say it today—divide and conquer. That is exactly what is happening RIGHT NOW! The media (and groups like Mayors Against Illegal Guns) are trying to split up the pro-2A factions in Congress and convince people like you and me that we should support or not support a certain group because they aren’t looking out for our interests. Now it is more important than ever to stand behind all of our gun rights lobbyists and support the people who are fighting this fight on Capitol Hill and in statehouses all over America. Don’t let the gun-grabbers play mind-games with you. Don’t be a victim of their propaganda. Don’t let them infringe on our right to keep and bear arms.
Support or join the NRA today!
The actual folks who worry about background records searches are often the ones will likely have a fuzzy track
record.
I have an LTC and am not subject to the NICS check, but I know that a universal background check system will inevitably lead to a national database of gun owners and possibly even a national licensing system.
You are trolling for the Brady/Bloomberg bunch, but at least you are honest enough to use a username which shows that.
JUST AS AN ASIDE TO THE COMMENTS ABOUT NICS AND RECORD KEEPING: IF YOU HAVE EVER FILLED OUT A “YELLOW FORM” OR A “WHITE FORM” THROUGH WHICH A CALL WAS MADE TO SEE IF YOU WERE CRIMINAL OR INSANE, THE FORMS ARE NEVER DESTROYED. THE BATFE KEEPS THOSE FILES SOMEWHERE BACK IN THE CORNER IN THE DARK….SO IN A WAY, REGISTRATION HAS ALREADY HAPPENED. WE ARE TOLD THAT THE FORMS ARE DESTROYED AND NO RECORDS KEPT. BS! I USED TO BE AN FFL DEALER. WHEN I GAVE UP MY LICENSE, THE THEN, BATF, CAME AND TOOK ALL THE RECORDS…FOR SAFE KEEING…..SO I WAS TOLD. I WAS ALSO INFORMED BY A VERY LARGE, NATIONALLY KNOWN CHAIN, THAT THE BATFE CAME IN AND GOT ALL THE FORMS AND TOOK THEM WITH THEM. OUR WONDERFUL GOVERNMENT IS NOT “LILLY WHITE” IN THEIR EFFORTS. WE’RE NOT GETTING THE STRAIGHT SCOOP. OUR MOTO BETTER BECOME…..HANG TOGETHER..OR..HANG SEPARATELY. QUIT “BAD-MOUTHING” YOUR FELLOW AFICIONADOS AND STICK TOGETHER. THE DIVIDE AND CONQUER GANG HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER! SUPPORT NRA!
For people that do not understand what is going on because your not informed or you do not have much gray matter between your ears let me shed some light on how the background check leads to a national registry. As a FFL dealer since 1982 I know about the 1968 gun control act (http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/922) and how it progress to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, Mandated by the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 and launched by the FBI on November 30, 1998. This states that “Before ringing up the sale, cashiers call in a check to the FBI or to other designated agencies to ensure that each customer does not have a criminal record or isn’t otherwise ineligible to make a purchase.” After the check is done if a person is not a convicted felon or ineligible to purchase a firearm the NICS cannot be kept it has to be destroyed and cannot be used as a registry. http://www.uhuh.com/guns/nics.htm
If a NEW NICS is put in place the information obtained by the NICS check will be kept. The kept information will be used to compile data as to who purchased a firearm; the make, model and serial number of said firearm, which is a national registry.
The federal government will have your name; address, social security number and drivers license number. At any time legislation or with the stroke of a pen by a unfriendly president like Obama your firearms will be confiscated because they know who you are, where you live and what you purchased. If you do not produce the firearm then you will be subject to jail.
Enough said, NRA understands this and opposes it, what is your stance now are you still in favor of new background check??
No, I can sell the firearm and not keep a record of the sale. Nobody knows where it is after that happens. It can be sold over and over again in the same state without records.
Please keep in mind that the voters are all willingly allowing themselves to be labeled. Why? That is the key to their stealth divide and conquer and has been in process for decades now. I belong to no party nor do I claim any ideological unflexible position. I say, “The constitution has no sides and neither should we.” To support unity and stop the divide we as individuals should not ever ridicule the views of anyone especially our fellow Americans. It has been built upon now for some time and we are feeding our own demise everytime we ridicule or mock etc, opposition to our own conclusions. That should stop immediately. Parties divide, the Constitution Unites.
Cal, It makes all the sense in the world! The gun haters have already got a lead on us. They have their background checks, and registration is already in existence, carrying concealed demands a permit, (not in the 2A) and a host of other infringements have incrementally been enacted into law. Each one of them leads to the next. In 1968 the late Senator Thomas J. Dodd had the library of congress translate Hitler’s “Nazi Weapons Manual” from German to English. That same year, the GCA68 or gun control act of 1968 was made law, which outlawed the Saturday night special. That was the gun of choice for the civil rights activists. It was usually a cheap 38 calibur. It was affordable, sometimes as cheap as 20 cents. The law was racist from the start. It was to disarm the discontented black Americans and leave them vulnerable to the democrat party’s racist agenda. This was no coincidence. All of our laws are from that same manual. All of them are strategically implemented and for the purpose of genocide eventually. Registration is forced under the guise of safety and then they have the names and addresses of those who will not be irresponsible and not of those who are the criminals. They have a few more unwasted crises and then claim there is no other way but to not allow us the God given right to protect ourselves. In NY they “stop and frisk” a practice that would not be needed had they never taken away the citizen’s guns in the first place. So, instead or restoring our rights, NY added more betrayal on top of betrayal. The UN wants the US citizens disarmed. They want to implement agenda 21. Look it up. It is global slavery and cannot be so easily forced onto a nation of citizens armed. Disarming the American people is high on the global elitists list. They must. We must not allow it. See the chart provided by this link. It is alarming: http://jpfo.org/pdf02/genocide-chart.pdf
How exactly would universal background checks “inevitably lead to a national firearm registry”? That doesn’t even have a shred of logic behind it!
Cal, there are two answers to your claim that it doesn’t make sense.
1) It isn’t possible to ensure that private sales are being checked through the NICS if all firearms are not registered. A “Universal” NICS system without universal registration of firearms simply is a system waiting for the start of demands for registration when the first one or two “mass shootings” occur and it is revealed that the firearm(s) used were not NICS checked after a private sale.
2) Those who push for “Universal Background Checks” also demand that all NICS results are kept. As I’m sure you are aware, currently all NICS checks which are successfully passed are destroyed within 24 hours (depending on the IT maintenance scheduled) and only those who fail the check have the data kept. IF all NICS check data is kept, eventually a substantial database of gun owners, and the type of firearm(s) they have bought, will build. It won’t be perfect, but eventually many gun owners will be included in the national database.
IF you don’t find either of those have “…a shred of logic behind it!”, we will never agree on the issue (which would mirror the situation between most gun owners and those essentially opposed to citizens owning firearms)
I like many others that understands exactly what is going on I wonder why others can be so absent minded. The liberal news media and gun grabbers want you to think all this is about is background checks but open your eyes people and look through the smoke that is being pumped out to divide people this is not about background checks nor is it about so called Assault weapons this is bout one thing and one thing only, this is about taking away every firearm Americans own leaving you helpless so Obama and other ant gunners can make us slaves. I have heard a few people give the right information but it seams like it falls on deaf ears. Wake up people and look at how this is being done and compare this with what Hitler and others did. It starts with a plea for a safer society claiming all that is needed is background checks to keep firearms from criminals while the main criminals are being over looked the politicians that are denying us our Second Amendment Rights which no other country has that is why were unique and hated.
Yes it cannot be denied there are some criminals that obtain firearms but that can never be stopped. I have yet to see one country that has taken firearms from law-abiding citizens that criminals do not have them. This is about firearm confiscation. If antigun Politicians can get just one firearm restricted then the doors are slung wide open for complete firearm confiscation. If politicians can keep law-abiding citizens arguing among them selves then they can slip in legislation that restricts and takes away your rights to own a firearm.
People be very careful of what you read because the liberal media is very clever at making there messages sound one way when there actually talking about something else. Never let your guard down; never accept anything except complete victory for our rights to be able to own any firearm no matter what is said about it, never compromise because when you do you will loose every thing.
I can see that the “anti gunners” tactics are working because some”people” are getting sick of hearing about all this, and just want it over with. “Staunch” opponents are starting to “give in” and get “mealy mouthed”.
“Money talks and BS walks”
Comment by johnny4NRA
(quote) Final word, the NRA should support stronger background checks for now. Once we get the money and the votes, we can have more control going forward, but if we oppose background checks we will be seen as a loose cannon and will loose members and public support. Johnny
It sounds so amiable to give a little here and there, just to get along, or to further the cause… BUT!!! This isn’t reallhy about the ‘background checks’. That’s exactly how they do it, a little at a time. A little here, a little there, a little next year, and it’s not long and we’re crying because we gave it all away, just a little at a time. Believe me here, it’s not easy, if even possible, to get any of it back when you make that realization.
More money, more votes! Sounds like pickin’ fly crap out of the pepper to me. It isn’t always about the money, and if you don’t have the votes now, just how will you get them. Or even ‘Why’ for that matter, you already gave it away. Remember, enough of the little parts, just here and there, all combined are equal to the whole. You turn around one day and ask yourself where you were and what were you thinking that day. The day you gave it all away.
Oh… it’s your “Freedom” we’re speaking about here (and mine), and not really the ‘Background Checks’.
Respectfully, Roger
I probably have read several hundred thousand words at least since the Connecticut shooting. Some of those words have been more insightful than others. But there is one fundamental point that both the NRA and the NSSF, as well as every single individual writer have missed. And that is that there is a number of otherwise sensible Americans who are snot-running, hand trembling, underwear soiling, tear flowing, brain numbing AFRAID of firearms–any and all kinds of firearms. From that basic fear flows hatred–it is axiomatic that we hate what we fear. And like the four-year old who is convinced that there are monsters under his bed, we cannot reason away the fear. In fact, I do not believe that we can successfully address the fear/hatred at all. I believe that we need to concentrate all our efforts on reaching the majority of Americans who have not yet been taught to be afraid so that we can raise a whole new generation of bright Americans who simply will pay no attention to foolish, self-important, charlatans like Feinstein.
I am an Emergency Physician in a leadership position. I can tell you that our profession is evenly split on the issue of gun control. While the NRA has shifted on some of it’s traditional positions, it is because the political winds have shifted. Washington understands only one thing, and that is money. If you want the NRA to take a stronger stance than ai suggests you give 10x what you gave last year and recruit two new members willing to contribute same. The second amendment is under attack. The opposition is determined to divide us over policy, i.e., High caliber and assault weapons. They are winning. However, they will not stop with this victory but will seek other ways to divide us. Whatever our differences, lets put them a side momentarily to defeat this clever strategy to divide us. Let us give more then ever to the NRA now with our money and our votes and work our our differences internally. We can be smatter than this.
Final word, the NRA should support stronger background checks for now. Once we get the money and the votes, we can have more control going forward, but if we oppose background checks we will be seen as a loose cannon and will loose members and public support.
Johnny
I have to agree with Kicknbak, once you agree to a compromise giving away “half the loaf”, that won’t be the end of demands to “compromise” as the Left will be back shortly for another “half of the loaf”. And history shows that once some part of your rights have been given up, they are gone forever. My first firearm was bought by mail order and sent directly to me by the Railway Express Agency (REA) and ads were common for .55 caliber Boyes and 20mm Lahti and Solothurn AT rifles. Without an FFL it hasn’t been legal to obtain a firearm without the involvement of an FFL dealer and modern firearms of calibers greater than .50 must be NFA registered. It has been that way for half a century. And the REA was dissolved in the 70s. Nobody can honestly say either will return.
The NRA has always been the grass roots for hunters & gun owners, but seems like they are loosing a lot of ground/respect lately, as they are not standing up as they should be & are constently speaking out of both sides of their mouths at the same time. Either you are against the new proposed laws or for them. There is no in between. As far as “We will make our position known if and when legislation is introduced”, I think the members want/need to know. JMO.
I guess the real question was in the title of this post. That is about the NRA, and For or Against background checks. NBC and others have tried and lied to test our loyalties to the NRA or their loyalties to you. Hey, you have to put your faith somewhere. Do you trust the leftists and their rotten media liars, Or do you trust an organization that made their name while standing up for your rights. It is a matter of divide and conquer… and if you’re going to believe the leftists media trash then you’ve already lost. Not for yourself but for all of us. Wayne LaPeirre, and others, of the NRA have already said where they stand. Look it up before you rat out on them, educate yourselves(if possible)before you become one of the folks helping to divide the good guys. The lefties are going to attack the strongest that stand against them and try to whittle them down, and turn YOUR faith against the NRA. Wallah, they have divided and conquered. Think about this…
Did the Republicans actually have the presidential election won? Except the opposition was actively attacking your loyalties, splitting the voting up between Republicans, Conservatives, Independents, Tea Party, and iffy voters who now backed out all together. All divided up, it was no wonder the Republicans lost. While the Democrats remained Democrats united, added the minorities votes, added out of work votes, added the immigrant votes, and the folks voting more than once, is it any wonder they pulled it off? Meanwhile the Republicans were standing divided. Divide and Conquer. It worked for them then, it will work again, covertly they will continue to use it until someone gets smarter than the average disgruntled idiot that believes ‘rumor and propaganda’. Wake up people, or continue to complain… when you could be saying “Crime Does Not Pay.” Now? Of course it does.
NBC News said they do, but then again, they are as Liberal as it gets.
NRA sent me an email saying that they flat oppose any size, shape, or form of a universal background check.
To me, gun grabbers have always been those who get up a lot earlier than I do, making the yard sales at the crack of dawn, while people are still dragging out folding tables to put the guns on, and the ammo/reloading gear under. Or, they are waiting by the doors as they open at the gun show, with two wheelers, and lots more money than I ever have. I can’t even move that early.
The few times I’ve bought new, the background check takes maybe 15 minutes, and I work with Police on a volunteer basis, which is the only time I’m unarmed, (how ironic) so I’ve already passed a background check.
What I don’t understand is why did Lapierre say awhile back that we needed them, and now says we don’t? That’s the kind of stuff that fuels the anti-gun sheeple, giving them hope. Gun control is not even a logical term. People still die every day from guns, so obviously there is no control. People Control however, seems a more fitting term. And that’s not going too effectively either, when kids who roam the streets with guns, commiting long lists of documented violent crimes get probation for shooting at an officer, and quickly put back on the street.
Of course we had a background search when we applied for CCL here in Texas but
I can see if it was “misread” it could be trouble.
why the hell don’t they just ENFORCE THE LAWS THAT ARE ALREADY ON THE BOOKS ! ! ! i just talked to a friend of mine that own a gun shop he told me “he can’t get anything in,and thinking of closing his doors” and the a$$ holes we elected is for the small business man BULL $HIT ! ! ! ! ! !