Customer Reviews

Under Fire: The Nra and the Battle for Gun Control

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This is a must-read if you really want to become truly informed about the NRA. A statement near the end of the book clearly reveals the thesis of the author. The author says something like "The NRA is not the evil empire that its enemies claim but neither is it a super patriotic defender of the constitution." The author goes on to explain that the NRA is simply a special interest group. The NRA's understanding of the second amendment is flawed. If gun-control is really unconstitutional then why are there so many gun-control laws in some areas of the US? No court has ruled those laws unconstitutional. The NRA has often tried to demonize those who support sensible and moderate levels of gun-control. Instead of addressing the issue logically, the NRA is content to resort to personal attacks and name calling by referring to such people as communists and comparing them to Hitler.

On the other hand, the book tells of how the NRA was right about cop killer bullets and plastic guns. A ban on all types of armor piercing bullets would have included many types of hunting and sporting ammunition. Plastics guns that can fire real bullets is a myth. A ban on such weapons is unnecessary. So if you are looking for a book that tells it all, then read this book.

Gray does a masterful job in documenting the founding of the NRA, as a quasigovernmental organization through the powerful lobbying organization it is today. It presents the story without any particular bias, exposing the infights and its hot and cold relationship with law enforcement.

The documentation of the Cincinnati Revolt of 1977, which brought Harlon Carter to power, thus giving the association its John Birch veneer, is unique. It was interesting to note that "jackbooted thugs" was a long-standing staple of the organization.

The story of the obstructionism, disguised as cooperation, in the Bush decision to ban imports of certain assault rifles shows exactly how powerful this group has become. The exposure of tactics such as smears of law enforcement officers, who had the audacity to enforce gun control laws, shows why this is an organization to be feared, and perhaps countered. The deceitful practices of fudging their membership roles, and framing the public debate to regulation equates to confiscation, through historical misrepresentation, is enough to give one a jaundiced ear to anything the organization says.

Gray doesn't hold back in his similar exposure of the proregulationers either. His description of the evolution of the "green apple" to become known as the "cop killer" is a case in point.

All in all, an excellent book, which fills a critical niche in the gun control debate, and it's confluence with contemporary politics.

the subtitle, "... and the battle for gun control" pretty well states the author's bias. even so, he attempts to be fair and on occasion unintentionally provides flashes of insight. for example, he states that n.y.c.'s 'sullivan law' was passed because of fear of immigrants, and further says that that is an example of the sort of tactical position you should take to advance gun control if it will be effective. (similar to 'the racist roots ...')

in the chapter on the inner city, he documents that 'all' 'gun violence' is related to the drug trade, in other words, the fallout from prohibition.

the broad history of the nra is somewhat useful for tracing the left's deep-seated hostility towards the right to keep and bear arms. the nra grew out of the national guard movements that, after the civil war, were called upon to defend industries against union organizers.

like a loaded gun, this book is a useful tool in the hands of someone who knows how to use it;-)

If I had (or was forced) to read only one anti-gun book this year I would read this one because it shows how biased some can be and the nonsensical arguments that are used.

Clearly a biased book. Does not fairly present the facts of firearm ownership.

The author has done an outstanding job illustrating the twisted logic used by gun-control extremists in their campaign for domestic disarmament.

Davidson is quite successful in revealing the fact that "gun control" is not about crime and public safety, but about punishing those who hold political beliefs contrary to those of the cultural elite.

Some reviewers have noted that "gun nuts" (et al) will complain about the bias that they tend to claim isn't there, but when you read the last chapter that was added after the first edition was published ("200,000 Bodies: The Battle Continues") it's painfully obvious. If after reading that chapter someone STILL claims there's no bias, the claim says a lot about that reader and little, if anything, about reality.

Still, Davidson does a good job, overall, of at least minimizing his (or her?) bias and reporting information, but the bias is still present enough to be obvious if you're not already biased as much or more than Davidson.

That said, it's still a good source of information on the NRA. Only religiously pro gun rights advocates can argue that the NRA is purely noble and beyond reproach without embarrassing themselves, and Davidson points out why, beyond the typical simple-minded, reactionary recrimination and myth-making (and buying) so often heard from uninformed, feeling-over-fact liberals and "we know what's best for everyone," social engineering, nanny-state democrats.

Under Fire is well written and makes for fascinating reading. Davidson mixes antidotes, history and analysis that is easy to read and insightful. He also does an excellant job in giving a balanced presentation of the facts and his conclusions. It is compelling reading to learn the details on how the NRA, a small interest group, has had such a powerfully influence on American politics for the last forty years.

The author has written books on other topics; he has no background on this one. OGD did try to hold back his biases, but they slipped out in many places. Chapter 1 tells of "The Stockton Lesson" and how it was exploited by Gun Prohibitionists to further their agenda. The real lesson is that the Establishment refused to hospitalize a sick, deranged individual; they would prefer to exploit any crazy attack that occurs in a "gun free zone". How many other walking time bombs are being released in the hopes of another incident? OGD's criticism of the volunteer NRA (p.22) shows he doesn't understand "Democracy in America"; DeTocqueville stated that voluntary association was the basis of democracy in America. Pages 28-29 document no infringement on the right to keep and bear arms, then. OGD does NOT mention the name of the group that paid for "sweeping legislation to ban or regulate a wide variety of firearms" (p.29). Pages 35-39 show how the NRA is a democratic organization responsible to its members. Compare that to the "Million Mom March Inc.", or the major political parties! The 1968 Gun Control Act banned mail order sales of guns and ammunition, even though this leaves a paper trail, and provides a delay for cross-checking!

Pages 63-81 has a good summary on the passage of the McClure-Volkmer law, reports that are usually censored in the corporate media. OGD's writing shows his bias here. Page 69 shows the difference between the politically appointed Justice Department and popular elected House members. Page 50 mentions a description of ATF as "jackbooted group of fascists ... a danger to American society", but doesn't mention why. Could it be Waco? There is no mention of Ruby Ridge either. Read the book "Tainting Evidence" for good information on both events.

There is another deliberately misleading or false statement on page 121. The rate of violent deaths in America is less than in Japan, but ahead of Canada. See how OGD constructs sentences to hide this fact! This is the typical dishonesty of Gun Prohibitionists. OGD also mentions the high gunshot death rate among young black males. Does this underline their oppression in our society? Psychologists know that concentrating laboratory rats creates aggression and violence. Are urban ghettos a "kinder, gentler" version of concentration camps? Hubert Humphrey wanted "good jobs at good wages"; didn't he also attack the 1968 Gun Control Act when running for President? Since crime is very low in South Dakota and Vermont (no gun control laws), could "gun control" be a scheme to generate business for urban hospitals (p.122)? Since 1987, 33 of the other 48 states passed "right to carry" laws that overturned WW I era laws. The book "More Guns, Less Crime" reports the results.

Another dishonest statement is on page 129: "opinion polls have showed consistent support for gun control". The 1976 Massachusetts referendum to ban all hand guns was soundly defeated! The truth is that these polls are rigged to get the answer that is desired! Page 135 shows another deliberate distortion of the Second Amendment. Those who passed the Bill of Rights did NOT want only the Federal Military to "keep and bear arms". That quote by W. Burger suggests the contrariness that accompanies senility. You will find William Weir's "A Well-Regulated Militia: The Battle over Gun Control" a better and more informative book.

Pro-gun folks, of course, complain of the "bias" of this book, but if those are indeed the quotes of Wayne LaPierre, Harlon Carter and the other leaders of the NRA, they speak for themselves. It's hard to imagine another organization that has perverted the American political system as consistently as the NRA has. Among the things that I learned from this book--a good read, by the way--is that the NRA wasn't always as rabid and politically oriented as they are now. I think that they should return to representing the interests of outdoor enthusiasts before they lose all their credibility in the defense of cop killer bullets and AK-47s. I was particularly interested in Davidson's depiction of the organization's structure. It seems that a core of wealthy pro-gun fanatics run the whole thing and send nothing but "Chicken Little" letters to the rank and file members to scare them into opening their wallets.

Davidson's book is a MUST READ for anyone who is an NRA member.