The NRA And Mr Maloney

To the Editor:

Jim Maloney: “I don’t want the support of NRA members.”

I want to thank Mr Maloney for making it clear that he does not support the NRA, its four million members, or the principles for which it stands. By his rhetoric, Mr Maloney has made it clear that NRA members need not vote for him.

However, for those of you who heard the rest of Mr Maloney’s rhetoric Monday night at his debate with Mark Nielsen, let me set the record straight about gun safety. The NRA, founded over 100 years ago, is the oldest firearms instruction and safety organization in the United States. NRA certified instructors have trained millions of men and women in the safe and effective use of firearms. The NRA has also spent over 20 million dollars in the past five years promoting its award winning “Eddie Eagle” child gun safety program.

These efforts have resulted in the lowest number of accidental deaths of children by firearms in the 100 years that this statistic has been kept. They also have resulted in law abiding, armed citizens preventing over two million crimes every year.

Mr Maloney and Handgun Control, Inc., are conspicuously absent in their support of the efforts made to achieve these accomplishments.

Andrew J. Buzzi, Jr

122 Hanover Road, Newtown                                      October 24, 2000