The PBS program “Gunned Down: The power of the NRA” highlighted how the NRA continues it’s stranglehold on the government and gun policies. It is quite clear that gun control advocates attempt to play off the emotion of citizens whereas pro gun advocates fear the public into believing the government is attempting to steal their guns and liberties. The side of the gun control advocates can be seen through the likes of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Conversely, the pro gun effort is shown through Ringleader Wayne LaPierre who continues to save the NRA and second amendment rights. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were both portrayed as compassionate, caring individuals that were fighting for a life or …show more content…
By the end, I had a strong distaste for Mr. LaPierre and what he has contributed to the gun debate. Nevertheless, LaPierre uses a tactic that has had extreme success. LaPierre uses fear to progress his agenda. In this case, LaPierre attempts to convince the public that the government is trying to take their guns and their rights. He threatens that this is a treacherous path leading towards tyranny and a police state. Another example of inciting fear being a successful tactic is through Donald Trump stealing the presidency away from Hillary …show more content…
This power was demonstrated multiple times throughout the documentary. An example of this can be seen through the way the NRA manipulated Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Manchin, an A rated senator according to the NRA, took damaging blows from the association when he attempted to persuade Congress to compromise on closing the gun show loophole with comprehensive background checks. Not only did the NRA tarnish Manchin’s reputation throughout the association, they also killed the bill in its tracks. In my opinion, the NRA and other notable groups of equal power are a threat to democracy. Another instance where the NRA exerted its political power was during Al Gore’s campaign for president. The NRA produced slogans such as “if Gore wins, you lose” to scare voters into believing that if Gore wins, they would lose their second amendment rights. Although Gore lost by a slim measure, this was anything but a slim win for the NRA. This was massive. The NRA played a decisive role in the defeat of Al Gore and silenced the gun control movement for the years to