I do not want to steal this thread away from the NRA topic, but mention of the pubic perception is broader than the NRA effort. Working with this public perception starts with us on a personal level - one person at a time. Whenever the chance presents itself whether in conversation with one person, on a blog or forum, in a local group setting, we must be prepared to discuss why a person feels there must be more restrictions. We must first ask them why they feel this way and if they realize we are competitive shooters, recreational shooters, or hunters trying to perfect our skills.
Then point out this more of the same laws approach is not working because the root source of the problem is not addressed. I also point out that the mass-killers are felons who should not be having a firearm. I use the example of Chicago where in my experience living in Illinois firearms are stolen in shipment and have been for six decades. Yet it seems that no one can catch these thieves in the railyards or the truck docks. And if caught, the mandatory five-years incarceration firearms charges are bargained away by the prosecuting attorney..
How many times have you taken someone shooting who expressed an interest in firearms? Many club ranges will let you bring a free guest one time to show them how to shoot and the safety of shooting on a range. I start them with the .22 LR in pistol or rifle. Then I work them up to the .22 Hornet or the .38 Special. (I remember working with some Japanese who were here on a work trip; They would shoot revolvers up to a .38 Special but not a .45 Colt because the bore was too big.)
The NRA needs to learn a lesson from the Battle of Gettysburg and Pickett's Charge. Instead of walking a mile directly into cannon fire and losing so many troops, Lee should have pulled back, gone around the flank and headed for Washington DC pulling the Federal troops off the ridge into the plains where he probably could have defeated them.
The NRA needs to push getting more people shooting even as a stress relief. I mention in the introduction that shooting competition on a Saturday morning took so much concentration that I forgot work and who all I owed money to. That was the first benefit and sometimes I even won a match.
