Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D.

3-18-89 Saturday. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is one of the most potent political lobbies in the country. For years it has resisted gun-control legislation, any sort of regulation of hunting, hunters, or firearms, and even bans on so-called cop-kil­ling bullets (those that can pierce what are ordinarily bulletproof vests). The NRA has a large membership, takes in millions of dol­lars in dues each year, and has influence with nearly every politi­cian at the national and state level. Even George [Herbert Walker] Bush, the presi­dent, is a member of the NRA. These days, the issue is assault rifles. Bush’s “drug czar”, William Bennett, has proposed a ban on the manufacture and importation of assault rifles, since they are used primarily by drug dealers. Many police officers have been killed by such weapons. Naturally, the NRA resists such a ban. The irony is that Bennett has impeccable conservative credentials. He is considered one of the two or three conservative ideologues in the administration. So it’s interesting to see this clash—between a conservative cabinet official and a fanatically conserva­tive organization. Here’s the twist. I’ve heard reports that the NRA contacted Bennett to “point out” to him that his political future is in jeopardy if he persists in trying to ban assault ri­fles. Bennett is stubborn and principled, so I suspect that he’ll stick to his guns (sorry). I love to see conservatives fight in public.