To whom it may concern,
I'm confused as to why no one in the media is questioning the NRA standard talking point that only criminals and mentally ill people are the ones who commit crimes using guns. Someone isn’t a criminal until they are convicted. Based on this NRA categorization there is no such thing as a first offender, a person who is not mentally ill and who has never been convicted of a crime, who then commits a crime using a gun. The NRA is stating that it’s impossible that individuals who are not mentally ill or who don’t have a criminal history will never in the future undertake a criminal activity which involves the use of a gun. The NRA states this ridiculous standard talking point over and over, yet no one from the media even questions it.
Another important point not brought up by the media is that NRA handgun training does not guarantee that a person knows how to safely use and store a handgun. Just go to any indoor shooting range. There are partitions separating each shooting lane. Look at those partitions and count the number of bullet holes in them because someone has their finger on the trigger and accidentally discharges the gun. Watch the people walk away from shooting lanes while holding a gun with their finger on the trigger, pointing the gun at or near other people, etc. NRA training does not guarantee that the person who receives their very short training session will safely use a firearm in the future.