"The Gun Lobby"?

[Ultimate Shield]

Is there actually such a thing as "The Gun Lobby"?
All the goddamn time, and especially now with the 2nd anniversary of SH passing us by, I often see liberals touting shit like "the NRA only represents The Gun Lobby in order to push sales" etc and not actual freedom etc...
I'm ever confused when I read these statements as I feel they are not only irrational fear mongering, but idiotic, uneducated, and unsupported statements as well. I know liberals are largely uneducated when it comes to guns in general. But where did this concept of theirs that Gun manufacturers are working closely together like oil tycoons in order to turn a massive profit even come from?
I already know that the NRA represents us, its individual members, even though us in MA have largely been abandoned by them. But I am also under the impression that companies like Remington, S&W, Beretta, Glock, and whatever else have you, are in fact relativity small businesses compared to what we would consider large corporations, and not actually working together as some giant conglomeration in the hopes of bringing in these "massive profits"
I guess my question is, is there any easily obtained information available that I can shove right in a goddamn anti's face whenever they bring up this stupid "The Gun Lobby" myth to show them that their phantom doesn't actually exist, and that it truly is the people who are fighting their bullshit laws?

 

[mclina]

Now this is a gun lobby:

I am not intimately familiar with the working of DC, but I think that pretty much every interest has lobbyists working on their behalf. The NRA likely has folks who knock on doors trying to get support for our cause, and I assume that larger gun manufacturers do the same.

I assume it's no different than ladder manufacturers, car makers, people who make safety equipment for sports, etc...

 

[JGoz]

Gun lobby = Me

every one of us is a member of the gun lobby. And if you're an outta-the-closet gun-nut that's why it's so important to be a calm, intelligent, safe, reasonable person whenever you interact with folks that know you're a gun person.

 

[FormerlyIndifferent]

I guess my question is, is there any easily obtained information available that I can shove right in a goddamn anti's face whenever they bring up this stupid "The Gun Lobby" myth to show them that their phantom doesn't actually exist.........

It's Hobby Lobby, and The Gun Parlor. There's no gun lobby that I am aware of.

You can cite to them: www.hobbylobby.com, and www.thegunparlor.com.

 

[Hoover]

For some reason the anti's set up the NRA as their boogie man. Maybe since they are the most public nationally. There are plenty of groups who lobby for 2a. NSSF, GOAL is a state level lobby group, GOA, you name it. There are hundreds federal and state groups.

 

[Another_David]

I'm sure there are gun industry lobbyist groups but the big money is in government sales, military and law enforcement, not the consumer market.

I think the "it's the industry" argument is really misleading though because unfortunately, most industries have money in politics and it's largely to just keep the status quo. So while there could be industry money involved I don't think it's any more than any other industry.

When it comes politics and voting though people VOTE for those that protect their rights.

 

[Hoover]

Gun lobby = Me

every one of us is a member of the gun lobby. And if you're an outta-the-closet gun-nut that's why it's so important to be a calm, intelligent, safe, reasonable person whenever you interact with folks that know you're a gun person.

Good points.

To the op, if they are an anti try to get the to go shooting. There are quite a few who are anti because of ignorance. They've been influenced by the media or others and have a warped view of firearms. If they are a loon anti, don't waste your time on them. They are stupid, don't know anything about the subject but you won't change them.

Don't get in a shouting match with anyone, convertibles or real anti's. Talk normally and try to inform the and get the interested in trying shooting.

 

[Waher]

Biased article with some numbers:
http://www.propublica.org/article/b...ing-by-gun-rights-and-gun-control-interest-gr

Leaves out the $50 million from Bloomberg alone and the other billionaires funneling money through various organizations and special interest groups.

These articles ignore all the other groups aside from occasionally kicking the NSSF because of its headquarters in Newtown, CT and the fact IT IS THE REAL INDUSTRY LOBBYING GROUP not the NRA!

 

[MisterHappy]

It's an effective way to lump a group of people together.

They say, "Gun Lobby"

We say, "Antis" or "Brady Bunch"

If you say, "My neighbor has a different opinion" you have personalized it; if you say, "The Gun Lobby..." then you can say what you like true or not.

 

[AlKatori]

IMHO 'Gun Lobby' is used so they can feel that the pro gun side is made up of business and special interests and their side is made up of all citizens.

Its easier than realizing that the NRA and gun rights side is made up of citizens too.