Standing Guard

A quarter of a millennium ago this July 4, John Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence.

NRA CEO & EVP Doug Hamlin returned to MidwayUSA, a place he first visited decades ago in the early 1990s as publisher of Guns & Ammo magazine alongside the late, great Robert E. Petersen.

In any struggle, but particularly in one for human freedom, we should stop and look back now and then, as a backward glance can remind us of our true course.

I am a big believer in transparency. Each individual needs privacy from unconstitutional government intrusion—this especially includes what guns a law-abiding American citizen might own—but an association of freedom-loving citizens must be transparent.

The momentum we’re seeing across the country is both encouraging and energizing. January opened with tremendous activity at the NRA booth during SHOT Show, where members, industry partners and supporters stopped by to connect, share ideas and reaffirm their commitment to freedom and the Second Amendment.

Every company, great or small, needs a realignment now and then. But, when a company has been around for nearly 155 glorious years, straightening the course can take a full reformation.

The strength of the NRA is, and has always been, our membership. Without our millions of members, we would not be able to effectively rally behind elections for pro-freedom politicians; just as importantly, if not for our large membership, our representatives in office would not feel the same urgency to listen to us in this constitutional republic.

I get up every morning with one question on my mind: How do we continue to give America the strong NRA it needs?

This month marks the 234th anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Bill of Rights.