By Stephen Macaulay

One of the things that tends to be overlooked when the NRA convention is discussed is that it is also a tradeshow, with an expo center packed with a variety of companies showing their wares. There was a panoply of products, from companies offering gator hunts to ammo to magazines (print and otherwise) to scopes to guns to knives to the NRA Cigar Club, “the premier way for NRA Members to support the organization” by signing up for a stogie subscription service.

This is big business.

No, this is BIG BUSINESS.

According to the NSSF: The Firearm Industry Trade Association, “The total economic impact of the firearm and ammunition industry in the United States increased from $19.1 billion in 2008 to $70.52 billion in 2021, a 269 percent increase, while the total number of full-time equivalent jobs rose from approximately 166,000 to over 375,819, a 126 percent increase in that period.”

A 269% increase in 13 years. 

And that jobs number is nothing to sniff at.

It is easy to lose sight of the fact that the NRA isn’t just a group of individuals who are interested in their right to bear arms led by a group of high-paid functionaries who get wet-kissed by venal politicians who somehow imagine there are heirs to James Madison, who wrote the Second Amendment, it is a large cog of a big industry. Like all industries, it has representatives that work hard to maintain smooth running for its operations. 

What’s somewhat unlike all other industries is that even a speed bump—the slightest thing that could cause a restriction—is considered to be nothing but a comprehensive attack on all aspects of operations. And what is also unlike other industries is that the lack of sensible actions has as a consequence the multiple deaths of innocent children.

Children.

Any regulations that might inconvenience a prospective customer — merely inconvenience those for whom gun purchase and ownership is not a matter of concern (and ideally would prevent those for whom it is a bad, bad idea) — is considered to be a liability, something that could affect the bottom line.

The probable fear is that should there be measures put in place that in any way inhibit the purchase of guns that are best handled by a well-regulated militia there will be still more regulations, and that would be bad for business. Never mind the corpses of children.

The leadership of the NRA. The politicians that slavishly carry their water. These people aren’t stone stupid.

They undoubtedly know that the multiple, continual mass shootings are abhorrent.

But they are afraid to take the risk that if there are any additional laws, before you know it there will be every additional law. And that could impact their paydays.

Let’s not be naïve about this.

This is business.

Certainly those who are in favor of regulations should do their utmost to vote the tone-deaf toadies out of office when they are up for reelection and to take every opportunity to remind those people that they have blood on their hands every day on the way up to election day.

But there need to be other pressures. The investment community needs to stand up. Make it less lucrative for those associated with the firearms industry. It is one thing to make rifles and ammo for recreational hunting. It is fully another to make rifles and ammo that are likely to be used for killing cops. And children.

The legal community needs to find every possibility they can to make it problematic for those who don’t want to have common-sense regulations. The Second Amendment isn’t going to be amended. But presumably there are other ways to strengthen protection.

Plenty of those NRA expo exhibitors are straight-shooters, both literally and figuratively. Many of the companies that are part of the NSSF are organizations that are simply making products for recreational purposes. 

Presumably they are as horrified as anyone at what happened in Uvalde.

The goal isn’t to put them out of business. Responsible commerce is the goal.

But there are those whose pictures could accompany the dictionary definition of “oleaginous” whose efforts must be absolutely stymied.

They know who they are. We do, too.