Why The NRA Sucks

     Notice: This is at least sort of a rant.
     Now that Zach's angry, let me just say that this article has relatively little to do with guns. If Howitzers and RPG's were made mandatory in every household in the United States, the NRA would still be one of the worst groups of people involved in government. Now, let's get to why that is.
     Which is more important, the First Amendment or the Second Amendment? If all guns are outlawed and made illegal, there are replacements. Humans have spears, cannons, harpoons, knives, and many other tools with which they can kill one another. However, if free speech is banned, there is literally nothing else that can replace it. Why did I ask this question? Because the NRA prevented the CDC from receiving funding for research about guns. Whether you are pro-gun or anti-gun, shouldn't every human have the right to know what things cause gun violence? There was an actual ban on gun research, and it was extended shortly after the Charleston mass shooting because "'Guns aren't a disease'" Though this is technically true, mental health issues are, and the entire purpose of the government (in theory at least) is to protect and serve its people.
     This is a question for gun owners and NRA members: what is the NRA to you? Is it a structure representing justice, truth, and liberty? Is it protecting your right to bear arms? If these were true, why does its website have a "best value" membership pricing like so many websites trying to mooch money off of the average American? If it really were such a great representative of the American people, why does over half of its funding come from gun companies? and why is its revenue directly linked to theirs? Though this doesn't completely prove anything, it certainly isn't a good sign for who the NRA actually represents. Gun companies are not the average American, they're companies. If Wal-Mart, McDonald's, and Target funded over half of a group fighting against bills raising the minimum wage to "prevent price raises for the average American", does that group actually have the American's interests at heart?
     The NRA is pretty awful. They limit funding that would (hopefully) help prevent mass shooting, and they likely only exist to keep gun sales high. I can at least understand why some people want access to all the guns they could ever want, but I will never understand why gun owners think these politicians actually care about them.