The NRA Outdoor Center is both a present reality and a future potential. The reality is that the NRA owns almost 36,000 acres of land that is well adapted to the purposes and concepts of the NRA Outdoor Center. The potential is that development will be what the NRA membership wants and will pay for. An experienced blue-ribbon committee has been charged by NRA President C. R. Gutermuth with the capital development of this Outdoor Center. This committee is listening carefully to all segments of the NRA to be sure plans represent the membership's thinking and needs. Top quality facilities without gilt edging are being planned. Well-built improvements, such as ranges, training facilities, etc., will be cheapest and most satisfactory in the long run. The financial response of the membership will ultimately determine the quality and quantity of facilities completed at the NRA Outdoor Center. Building the NRA Outdoor Center will take many years and millions of dollars. The membership of NRA has proved steadfast in support of the lasting programs of their Association. You can help. Now is the time! [From the American Rifleman, June 1975] RATON CENTER PLAN The NRA Outdoor Center at Raton, N. Mex., will cost $27 million to construct at today's prices, Fred M. Hakenjos, NRA past president and chairman of The Outdoor Center Committee, told the Board of Directors at San Diego. This compares with $16 million estimated for the feasibility study of two years ago "which was the basis for the Board decision to proceed with acquisition of the property," Hakenjos said. Inflation of “about 20 percent”, particularly in the cost of roads, parking areas and utilities, is the cause of the gulf between the two figures, he said. A six-page construction program is contemplated, spread over several years, with priority given to providing initial facilities for the Conservation Education Center on the north end of the property. JULY 1, 1975. CBS NEWS POLL FINDS STRONG PUBLIC SUPPORT FAVORING NATIONAL LAW FOR REGISTRATION OF ALL HAND GUNS A CBS News poll on questions of gun control indicates that the American public strongly disagrees with President Ford's opposition to a Federal law requiring the registration of firearms. The poll found that the public strongly favors a national law requiring all handguns to be registered by a margin of 4 to 1. The nationwide telephone poll of 889 people of voting age was conducted by the CBS News Election and Survey Unit during the week of June 16, the same week the President delivered his crime message to Congress. Some findings of the poll were broadcast last night, Monday, June 30, on the CBS Evening News With Walter Cronkite. Almost half of those interviewed came from a family where they or an immediate member of the family own a rifle or handgun. Över two-thirds of these people (69 percent) support a nationwide law requiring the registration of handguns. Three-fourths (73 percent) of those interviewed who said they were Republicans also favored such legislation. The CBS News poll found that other parts of the President's crime message received greater public support. Those interviewed favored the proposal calling for mandatory prison sentences for anyone committing a crime with a gun by a margin of 11 to 1, with people in families owning firearms slightly more in favor of mandatory jail terms than those who do not own such weapons, Another of the President's proposals would ban the sale of "cheap" handguns, making it illegal to manufacture, assemble, or sell these guns, though it would not be illegal to own one. According to the poll, a small majority (51 percent) of the public would favor such a ban, except when used for purposes of law enforcement. Those in families who did not own firearms, and women, were more strongly in favor of the ban. The complete results of the poll, based on three questions, are as follows: (1) "Would you favor or oppose a nationwide law requiring all handguns to be registered?" (2) "Would you favor or oppose mandatory prison sentences for anyone using a gun to commit a crime?" (3) "Would you favor or oppose a ban on the sale of all hand guns with the exception of those that are authorized for law enforcement?" The findings in the poll are subject to a sampling error of about plus or minus three percentage points. Warren Mitofsky is Director of the CBS News Election and Survey Unit. [The Harris Survey, for release: Thursday, July 20, 1972] PERSONAL SAFETY OF POLITICAL CANDIDATES AND GUN CONTROL (By Louis Harris) Despite the shooting of Gov. George Wallace while shaking hands with voters in a shopping center earlier in the year, the American people still expect their candidates for President to campaign at close range in 1972. By a clear 57–34 percent, the public rejects the statement that "candidates should stop campaigning out in the open, mingling with crowds." "The public holds this view in the fact of widespread agreement with the position that "our political process has fallen apart when candidates can't campaign without fear of assassination." Part of the explanation for the apparent discrepancy lies in the rather fatalistic view of the American people that "individual shootings can happen at anytime," a proposition accepted by a nearly unanimous 97 percent. "Although the public is resigned to the risks it feels candidates for the White House should and do take, there is still substantial public support for stiff gun control legislation. A cross section of 1,401 voters was recently asked: "Do you favor or oppose a federal law which would put strict gun control into effect, requiring that all hand guns be registered?" Majorities across the country favor tough gun control legislation. However, there are sharp differences by region and size of place of residence. The south and west least favor tough gun control laws, as is the case among rural residents. Ironically, the group most opposed to the registration of all hand guns are the supporters of George Wallace, who was felled by one himself last May. In fact, backers of Gov. Wallace also disagree with the rest of the public on another key question-whether they believe the attempt on his life was the act of one man or part of a broader plot to kill him. The cross section was asked: "Do you feel the attempted assassination of Gov. George Wallace was the act of one man alone or do you think it was part of a broader plot?" An even 50 percent of all Wallace supporters are convinced that the shooting of the Alabama Governor was "part of a broader plot" to kill him. When pressed to say what elements were behind the shooting, people who suspected a conspiracy were vague: 24 percent simply registered their conviction that it "must have been a plot"; another 10 percent accused "people who disliked Wallace" without being more specific; 6 percent mentioned that the alleged trigger man had been "paid travel money"; while another 6 percent charged that "Communists were behind it all." The shooting of George Wallace shocked most Americans, but it did not change many people's attitude on the subject of gun control or their assessment of the state of public safety in the country. After the killing of Robert Kennedy four years ago, 81 percent agreed with the statement that "law enforcement has broken down in this country and lawlessness has taken over." After the Wallace shooting, the split on the same question was 52-43 percent in the affirmative. Although a consistent majority of 70 percent or better of the American people has favored stiff gun control legislation, the intensity of such views has not been sufficient to spur action by Congress up to now. Nor has the sequence of acts of violence against prominent national figures changed the public view that candidates for high office should accept the risks of open campaigning. The cross section was asked: "Do you tend to agree or disagree that candidates for high office should stop campaigning out in the open, mingling with crowds of people?" Should candidates stop campaigning out in open among crowds? Agree Not sure---- [The Harris Analysis, Chicago Tribune, June 3, 1971] Total public (percent) 34 57 66 PERCENT IN UNITED STATES BACK GUN CONTROL Altho Americans favor "strict control and registration of handguns," by 66 to 30 percent, a plurality of the public, 49 to 43 percent, also agrees with the statement: "The way things are today, people should own guns for their own protection." The ambivalence probably goes a long way toward explaining why Congress has had so much difficulty passing legislation providing for tighter control over gun ownership. In principle, the idea of tight regulation of the purchase and possession of guns is popular with most of the public. But America is also a nation in which a majority of the household, [51 percent] possess some kind of a gun. Recently, a cross section of 3,006 households was asked: "Do you favor or oppose Congress passing a law requiring strict control and registration of all hand guns?" There is a direct relationship between attitudes toward gun control laws and gun ownership. The same cross section also was asked: "Do you own a gun in your household or not?" Sentiment against gun control registration, in turn, runs highest among persons who live in rural areas and those in the South. People also were asked: “Do you personally feel upset or not that there is not strict control and registration of hand guns in this country?" Total public (percent) Feel upset.. Not upset Not sure. 54 43 3 Typical of the majority feeling was a 48-year-old lawyer in Lexington, Ky., who said, "Without gun legislation, we're just asking for people to shoot each other up." The opposition was summed up by a 64-year-old farmer in Keokuk County, Ia.. who said, "Why, all that talk about gun legislation is just an effort on the part of city people to keep country folk from enjoying a little honest shooting." Yet close to a majority of the public is willing to admit that gun ownership in America in the latter third of the 20th Century is perhaps necessary "for your own protection." The cross section was asked: "Do you tend to agree or disagree that the way things are today, people should own guns for their own protection?" MAJORITY OF GUN OWNERS AS WELL AS NON-GUN OWNERS FAVOR TOUGHER LAWS (By George Gallup) Princeton, N.J., June 30-As has been the case for more than three decades, a majority of U.S. citizens—both gun owners and non-gun owners say they would favor a law which would require a person to obtain a police permit before he or she could buy a gun. In the latest survey, conducted in late May, 7 in 10 (71 percent) say they would favor such legislation, while 25 percent express opposition and four percent have no opinion. Approval of gun registration is expressed by majorities in all population groups including owners of the three basic types of guns-pistols, shotguns and rifles. Registration is favored at a time when the Senate Judiciary Committee has voted to ban the manufacture and sale of most snub-nosed handguns. The Democratic platform committee has also inserted a plank in the platform calling for tougher gun controls. A majority of the people in this country have favored stricter gun laws for over three decades, as reported periodically by the Gallup Poll. Proponents of gun laws point out that, since the beginning of the 20th century, 750,000 Americans have been killed by privately owned handguns—a third again as many as have been killed in all our wars. Approval of requiring a police permit before purchasing a gun is found to be highest among college educated people, people living in the largest cities, and among women. Gun registration has bi-partisan appeal with almost identical percentages of Republicans and Democrats in favor. The largest percentage opposed to requiring a police permit for purchasing a gun is found among persons living in the South and West and in the smallest communities. However, even in these areas large majorities favor registration. Following is the question asked and the figures for key population groups. Would you favor or oppose a law which would require a person to obtain a police permit before he or she could buy a gun? |