Prag City, USA. A trip down memory lane for the Lairds of Fairfax. NRA endorses White House executive action to ban firearms.

"Today we begin to disarm the criminal and the careless and the insane. All of our people who are deeply concerned in this country about law and order should hail this day. . . Congress adopted most of our recommendations. But this bill--as big as this bill is--still falls short, because we just could not get the Congress to carry out the requests we made of them. I asked for the national registration of all guns and the licensing of those who carry those guns. For the fact of life is that there are over 160 million guns in this country--more firearms than families. If guns are to be kept out of the hands of the criminal, out of the hands of the insane, and out of the hands of the irresponsible, then we just must have licensing. If the criminal with a gun is to be tracked down quickly, then we must have registration in this country."  -- Lyndon Johnson,  Remarks Upon Signing the Gun Control Act of 1968, October 22, 1968.

As I mentioned the other day, I lucked into some back issues of American Rifleman at the thrift store. Regarding the NRA's positions on gun control from the period of the run-up to the adoption of the GCA 1968, I found this in the March 1968 issue:

Editorial: Restraint on TV, Cheap Handguns Wins Favor.

Most NRA members heartily endorse our February editorial suggestion that the White House initiate action to reduce firearms violence, to judge by early responses from across the Nation.

The editorial pointed out that Executive Orders could be issued, without any Congressional action, for the State Department to shut off importation of tons of cheap foreign pistols and for the Federal Communications Commission to restrain television violence that in some opinions stimulates crime.

Comments from NRA members included: ". . . Couldn't agree more if we had written it ourselves;" ". . . has my unequivocal support;" and "I agree completely . . ." Some, but not all, sent copies of their letters to the White House to get their sentiments on the record there.

Regarding a ban on cheap imported handguns, it should be pointed out that while the NRA upholds and protects normal civilian firearms activities, it does not necessarily approve of everything that goes "Bang!" It is on record against machine guns, sawed-off shoulder arms, antitank guns, mortars, bombs, and other devices that have no role in civilian sportsmanship.

Viewed realistically, junky .22 handguns that retail for as little as $7.98 -- we saw some tagged at that recently -- are in much the same category. They aren't suited for target shooting, handgun hunting, or police or protection purposes. Most honest-to-goodness gun owners wouldn't have one around. Yet the reckless use of such junk has harmed legitimate firearms ownership. Many are sold by mail. Therefore it is fortunate that the President, who protested "mail-order murder" in his State of the Union message, can apparently cut off their importation.

Yeah, you read it right.  I certify that it is a correct copy.  Unfortunately I do not have the February 1968 issue referred to.  It seems that the NRA weeniemobile has been in continuous use since at least 1968.  (Actually 1934's National Firearms Act, but then I don't have a photo of that vintage transportation.)