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Discussion Questions:
1. Do you think that with his background, Oliver North is fit to lead the NRA?
2. What do think of the recent criticisms that the NRA has suffered in the wake of the recent mass shootings?
Monday, May 7, 2018
NRA elects Oliver North as President
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Discussion Questions:
1. Do you think that with his background, Oliver North is fit to lead the NRA?
2. What do think of the recent criticisms that the NRA has suffered in the wake of the recent mass shootings?
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I think that having been an aide to President Reagan and serving in the military, North is capable of fulfilling the job of president of the NRA. However, me not being a member of the NRA or surrounding myself with that world, I am greatly uninformed and don’t really know what is best for the nonprofit organization. There is one thing however, according to CNN, North has a show on Fox News called, “War Stories with Oliver North” which makes him a fairly public figure for the people who are a part of the NRA and back in the 80s he was in legal trouble with the Iran-Contra scandal. This makes him sort of a celebrity within the circles of the NRA, meaning that maybe his celebrity status helped him land a job he isn’t really ready for. Also, he has been surrounded by controversy before, so what are the odds it happens again and what would that mean for the state of the NRA? But going into the ideals of the organization itself, I agree with both the people that are rebuking the NRA and the NRA itself. I recognize that guns have to be controlled in some capacity as to ensure a reasonable level of safety in society, but the government also shouldn’t have overbearing control over how people choose to arm and protect themselves. I think that the criticisms that the NRA is facing is normal following any sort of massive shooting and that the people issuing those criticisms should express them, but I also don’t think the NRA should cave to the extreme-left liberals because they are also free to think what they want.
ReplyDeleteThough this decision is understandably annoying for the Democratic Party (as it increases the legitimacy of the NRA as they have a former Vice President now as their president) it isn't particularly surprising or new. The NRA focuses on "stirring the pot" among anti-gun legislators and they can't let this controversial vote disrupt movement towards crucial legislation.
ReplyDeleteI think that since Oliver North has been in the Marines Corps and has been the aide to President Reagan he is able to be the president of the NRA and that he has the right background and history for this job. And in light of the recent shootings that have been taking place within high school that North should have the right education to come up with a solution to this problem. Like the background checks of the person trying to buy a gun should a mandatory procedure. Many of the shootings that happen were a result of not having a background check or they acquired the weapon.
ReplyDeleteI don't think North is fit to lead the NRA. Yes, background wise he has experience however I think in this current day situation it isn't an appropriate position for him. He was involved in a scandal with secret arms sales in the past during his president aide years however this shows that he could be irresponsible or inconsiderate with arms. Someone who has engaged in a deceiving scandal of this short should not be trusted to lead the entire NRA. The gun control stance is very complicated and controversial currently and I think the president of the NRA has to be very considerate of this and know how to go about it. However, since North has seemed to take the situation lightly in the past by engaging in scandals, how should we know that won't happen again especially in our sensitive world right now.
ReplyDeleteOn surface level, North seems to be an adept leader for the NRA; however, as Mavi said, he was involved in the secret arms deal, which is cause for some caution. North may be an adept leader, but he isn’t the best—ideal—leader that the NRA could have currently, in my opinion. The criticism that the NRA has received is fair. People want to keep them for various reasons (eg, protection, hunting), which is reasonable. However, the NRA’s lobbying has caused laws that make it extremely difficult (ie, virtually impossible) for any research into gun violence to occur; given the recent abundance of mass shootings, research into guns and gun violence—for security reasons—we should definitely have more information on. Which we do not thanks to the NRA’s lobbying. In addition, the NRA’s lobbying makes it difficult for regulations that would make the US safer harder to implement. Given all this, the NRA definitely deserves the criticism they have gained.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to say that Oliver L. North will be a good president of the NRA or not. North has experience in armed weapons with being the former Marines Corps lieutenant colonel, but he was involved in a secret arms deal in Nicaragua. He might not be the most reliable to lead the National Rifle Association because of some of his past experience. However, he could have learned from those mistakes, and on the other hand, he could be due to repeat them again. I think that the NRA has suffered fair criticisms due to the fact that there have been so many recent mass shootings. Armed weapons and gun control are a controversial ideas, so the NRA needs to be careful in what decisions they make next to ensure that mass shootings become less frequent.
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ReplyDeleteI think that Oliver North is not fit to lead the NRA. Since he was involved in the Iran-contra scandal in the 1980s, who's to say he won’t abuse his power as being the president of the NRA and be involved or lead similar actions like this. The scandal that surfaced in the eighties shows others that he can be secretive and dishonest, as the NRA’s president. According to an article in the New York Daily News, North criticized the survivors of the Parkland school shooting, who have called for tighter gun laws. He told the Washington Post, "They call them activists. That's what they're calling themselves. They're not activists — this is civil terrorism," he said of the outspoken teens. North likening anti-gun violence activism to “civil terrorism” and denouncing survivors of a mass shooting is not someone who sounds like he can see both sides of the struggle against gun violence and be open minded about the subject. This definitely makes him come off as a judgmental and narrow-minded person that doesn’t seem fit to be in charge of a huge and powerful gun organization.
ReplyDeleteI think that it is up to opinion, but Oliver North to me seems acceptable as the head of the NRA. I say this because while he was a participant in the Iran-contra scandal, he hosted his own show on Fox that talked about war stories as sited in the NY Times article. A lot of time has passed and I think that people should overlook the scandal because it also most likely had some higher up political motivation involved with Reagan. Also, due to the nature of the NRA, it is very strong political party that is obviously for gun control, so the recent outcries against guns have all been refuted by the NRA. So I think it really does not matter how considerate the leader of the NRA is towards guns because the organization will not change its stance for a very long while. The criticisms that currently have the NRA under fire are justifiable to say the least because the recent shootings have stemmed predominantly from the access to a firearm. So to make a change and attempt to stop the problem from happening quite so frequently, people have called for reforms in the government and in the NRA who controls the gun rights because of their massive party power. So like I said, the topic is justifiable, but there is most likely no change to come especially with North coming in to be the next leader of the party.
ReplyDeleteI think the NRA needs to do a lot of rebuilding and reconsider the way they present there selves. They are obvious lobbyists and have recently been in the news a lot for refusing to change gun laws and policies. They are a major company that is continuing to make money off of the lives of innocents./ I don't believe that the leadership will affect the action of the NRA. The whole entity has proven to be corrupt and will continue to fight back against what will improve the lives of the public.
ReplyDeleteBased on his background, I do not think that Oliver North is fit to lead the NRA. Oliver North has been involved in countless scandals, and unfortunately, he has the opportunity to let history repeat again. Therefore, the recent criticisms of the NRA are nonetheless true. It is natural for citizens to have an uproar, for not only is Oliver North not seen as American, he is a symbol of hypocrisy after so many school shootings. Yet, at the same time, Oliver North is not the most significant problem at present. The more threatening, significant problem would be the actual weapons, the guns, that continue to take lives. I think that from recent news it is evident that humanity’s credibility is unreliable, generically saying. Therefore, the design of guns should be altered in regulation. Common, purchasable guns should be designed to inflict less harm, and I also stress the gravity and importance of thoroughly done background checks. With those two aspects coherently regulated in the future, there will be less gun violence in the US.
ReplyDeleteI think North's scandals and dangerous situations he has been in make him unfitting to be president of the NRA. This is an organization that requires a proper leader that understands the scenarios of gun usage and will effectively work to make sure that guns are under control. Even though North has had previous military experience and has been an aide alongside Reagen, experience does not give enough to become a sufficient leader. One must be able to comprehend the power a gun possesses and make sure that the rules and regulations that come along with it are followed to make sure no harm is done to anyone using these weapons. With the heat the NRA is taking for the recent shootings, the NRA needs a leader that can address the situation and properly handle is so everyone is satisfied. This is not a topic that can be taken lightly, so it is imperative that a qualified candidate runs this organization. I believe with time, if North is not doing his job, we could see action being taken to resolve the leadership issue.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Neel that he is not fit to be president of the NRA. While he has experience with guns, this does not mean he is fit to run one of the most powerful organizations in the United States. He was the former aid of Ronald Reagan, and that could make him more knowledgeable in politics than others, but I do not think that this makes him the most qualified candidate to be President of the NRA.
ReplyDeleteOliver North is clearly not fit to lead the NRA. His history with being involved with such a morally confusing topic such as the Iran contra deal (and as the NRA is a confusing moral topic, his inability to deal with the situation doesn't bode well for his ability to lead). Also in the article it states that he destroys government documents which also doesn't bode well for a leader for any leader of anything. In regards to the second question I must disagree stated. Guns, while a sport for some, do not deserve their current place in the US. While obviously people need to have the right to protect themselves, but when you can protect yourself (from what threat I might ask as well) at what point does it not worth it when it takes away from others right to live. Guns aren't needed for protection at all. If guns aren't allowed, then you don't need to protect yourself from guns, the main cause of protection. You don't need to protect yourself from the government (if you don't trust the government then why are you in America). Some may say that gun control doesn't work, but it is working in Australia. Amendments (also amendments prove this because they are changes to the constitution), can be changed if the situation changes. Which it has since the 1700s.
ReplyDeleteThe NRA-The National Rifle Association, an organization that supports putting guns in schools, an organization that puts children in danger, an organization that death threatens people who oppose their ideas. Now that we have Trump as president we should definitely have Oliver North as president of the NRA, he was found guilty on three of 12 charges arising from the affair, he was given a three-year suspended jail sentence, ordered to do community service and fined $150,000" (Biography). This man who has several offense, should not be given any power. From the words of the CEO of the NRA, "Oliver North is, hands down, the absolute best choice to lead our N.R.A. Board, to fully engage with our members, and to unflinchingly stand and fight for the great freedoms he has defended his entire life" (Biography). With the recent shootings we see a growth in buying guns due to the fact people want to be safe. The NRA- The National Rifle Association of America is an American nonprofit organization that advocates for gun rights. These rights are the same ones that have had total of (since 2012) of 128 people killed. Overall Oliver North should not be the president of the NRA, as he has been convicted and to make him the president of a power so influential as the government is wrong.
ReplyDeleteI think that even though Oliver L. North seems like a good fit to lead the NRA because of his background as a former Marines Corps lieutenant colonel, he is not capable of fulfilling the job as president of the NRA. Oliver North was involved in the Iran-contra scandal with secret arm sales in the past and this is reason enough that he shouldn’t be NRA’s president. Being the president of the NRA requires the ability to handle guns properly and with extreme safety precautions. North is definitely not the most reliable person and seeing that he was involved in past scandals, it shows that there is a possibility that it could happen again and that is a very serious issue now, especially because of the recent uproar in shootings and gun violence. It is not a good idea to put the lives of millions of people in the hands of a man who has shown incompetence before and could again.
ReplyDeleteWith the current situation with guns and the NRA, I feel like the association needs a strong and stable president who will make the right decisions. If Oliver L. North is not the most reliable person and has been involved with scandals, it would worrying for people because there's an untrustworthy person put I charge. He may be a former Marines Corps lieutenant which means he has experience with guns, but in order to keep the country safe he needs to prove that he is worthy enough to be president especially after the scandals. Once he does this then he'll have more respect and security with his country.
ReplyDeleteTaking into account Oliver North´s past, I believe that he is definitely unfit to fill the position as president of the NRA. He has been involved in many scandals & that is enough to know already that he in unfit to be the president of such an organization. It is understandable though as he is a former Marines Corps lieutenant, but I believe the scandals wipe away any form of trust towards him. Like Peter stated, I think he will need to prove his trustworthiness and show that he is the right choice.
ReplyDeleteNow despite the criticisms, I think that Mr. North has the qualifications. It's rather fitting actually, a man who has a history of lying to the Senate and selling weapons to our opposition in Iran, I think is a great choice as far as NRA leaders go, he'll fit right in with the rest of the organization. I mean, who better to run the NRA than a convicted arms dealer who shouldn't even be allowed to own a gun?
ReplyDeleteNow, speaking seriously here, I think that when taking into consideration the situation currently in America, and where the NRA exists at the moment, it's important that they have a figurehead who wasn't already controversial prior to his implementation. I mean, we literally just got Gina Haspel in the White House, are we really out of politicians that haven't been involved in a scandal of some kind? The NRA is an organization covered with more dirt than the bottom of my shoes, and it doesn't help them at all to have a man leading them who he himself isn't exactly the cleanest of figures. So I guess what I'm saying is that the NRA really just needs to get it together, seriously, I don't like them at all but this is still just absurdly depressing to watch.
In response to the recent Santa Fe High School shooting in Texas, Oliver North blamed the problem of school shootings on “youngsters who are steeped in a culture of violence.” Despite having lots of experience, the president of the NRA should not be someone that doesn’t recognize gun accessibility as a contributor to the frequent mass shootings in America. In addition, the scandals that North were involved in demonstrates that he is incapable of making good decisions. However, as untrustworthy as he is, there probably isn’t anyone else more qualified or competent than North that has a good chance of being elected president of the NRA.
ReplyDeleteGiven North's turbulent background, it's easy to say he'd make a terrible president for the NRA. Yes, he has experience as a former Marine Corps lieutenant colonel, but his scandalous history severely mitigates that so-called qualification. His political ideology and philosophy and lack of a clean record fit right in with the NRA, but we need to work on making the NRA more tolerable, reasonable, and moderate, and North is not the man to do so. North was involved in the Iran-Contra scandal in the 80s, which should be reason enough for him to be announced inadequate and untrustworthy. Also, his outlook on recent school shootings leaves much room for worry. Blaming school shootings on "culture," instead of the clear reason, guns, and calling survivors of mass shootings "civil terrorists" is completely unreasonable and immoral. The whole NRA is immoral, though, so I guess North would blend right in.
ReplyDeleteConsidering the fact that North has been involved in a scandal where secret arms are concerned, I do not feel that he is suitable to be the president of the NRA. According to Wikipedia, he "solicited $10,000,000 from the Sultan of Brunei". When there is obvious evidence of someone being dishonest, it is hard to say that they would make a good leader. Something must be done about the gun violence in America, and it is necessary for the NRA to address the issue. Real progress must be made, and I am not sure if North is the one to do that. The criticism facing the NRA is not surprising to me. When there is a problem with people in power, people must speak up and criticize others' beliefs, or nothing gets done.
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_North#Iran–Contra_affair
I think Oliver North is the perfect candidate for the NRA due to his background. He Served as a lieutenant colonel in the Marines, which is a very high leadership position in the Marine Corps and takes many years to work up to. So he is very fit for this leadership position. Another positive is that he knows the anatomy of a firearm and what they mean to the United States, from serving in the Marine Corps. I don’t think that the recent criticisms towards the NRA are very factual, for instance, the whole deal that the NRA cares more about guns than children is a completely baseless argument. The reason is that the NRA has been holding firearms safety classes for both adults and children for many years. They teach about the proper handling of a firearm and how to use them to protect yourself and others.
ReplyDeleteAmidst the criticism of the NRA for recent shooting events, the installment of North as President of the NRA is a smart decision on their part because it both gives legitimacy to the group in the minds of their current supporters and attract new supporters. North, as a former Marine Corps member and a rich military history has a lot of credibility in military families and people who follow the military. Because of this, his new role in the NRA is likely to attract many people within his sphere of influence. Whether or not his involvement with the Iran-Contra affair makes him unfit to lead an association of that size is irrelevant to the NRA; he attracts supporters, which itself is good for the organization
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