Do you belong to the NRA?

[ForeverArmed]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, and this seemed as good a place as any to start.

I'm a member of the NRA and GOA because I'd greatly prefer that we be able to keep our gun rights without having to shoot anyone. But I have to say, I'm disappointed that so many gun owners seem to think of lobbying groups as the sole protectors of our rights -- as if rights were something we need to beg for and have granted by our masters. It seems clear that most gun owners have completely forgotten what the purpose of the Second Amendment was.

I'll remain a member of the NRA because IMO it can't hurt. But I won't take them seriously until they start publicly stating that the Second Amendment is about killing those who would imprison or kill us for exercising our rights and demanding the repeal of blatantly unconstitutional legislation like the 1934 NFA. And I'll keep in mind that ultimately only FORCE can guarantee rights, not lobbying.

 

[IronSightRot671]

Yes, joined over a year ago.

DT!

 

[.38 Special]

Josey W

So what do you do to help protect gun rights, and how do you believe your actions, if any, are more effective than the combined voices of several million NRA members?

 

[modifiedbrowning]

I recently renewed early for 2 more yrs. Eagerly awaiting my new pocket knife.

 

[MountainPeak]

One last post for me in this thread. For you whiners on a few phone calls or letters. I wonder what the Founding Father's would think about you and your complaints. How tough is it to say no thanks to a call, or throw a mailing in the trash?I think the Founders may have scarificed a little more! For those that say the NRA only support Republicans. First it isn't true, and second if more Democrats were supporting 2nd Amendmnet Rights, more Democrats would get high NRA ratings, and support. Nuff said!

 

[Parvenu]

I think I would join the NRA if I was an american citizen, I like the idea of people who come together like that to make sure their right to bear arms isnt taken away, although when I watched the heavily editted bowling for columbine and saw charleton heston wave a rifle and say " from my cold dead hand" I pictured him also adding " sieg heil!"

But people who are in it seem friendly, they are on this forum any way.

 

[BOOM-BOOM]

Yes I'm a member but will NOT renew....I have never been bother so much in my life as I have from the NRA...ALL THEY WANT IS YOUR MONEY. I hadn't been a member for 2 months and they wanted me to renew for the next year... and it never stops..I get anywhere from 3 to 6 e-mails every 2 weeks, them asking for donations. NRA no thank you

 

[hotpig]

I would not get a red a** if they just called every now and again. As far as junk mail they stopped on request except for the magazine. They will not stop calling even if you request. They probably have a note saying that this guy will join again if you keep calling.

I hate phone solicitors regardless of who they are contracted for. I just hate the hurried person yelling the UN Troops are coming give me your credit card number.

 

[KINGMAX]

join up - tell your friends

Hey - I challange everyone to get 5 folks to join the NRA this year - I am just a member, nothing to gain here.

 

[Parvenu]

when they call just say " dont u know who i am? i own a GUN, dont u harass me!"

and then fire wildly out the window with the receiver close to the gun.

 

[ajax]

Yes. They sure did call alot though. I asked them to quit and they havn't called back since.

 

[possum]

no.

 

[beretta9]

Have been a member for many years. Really like their magazine.

 

[RNB65]

Those of you complaining about the NRA begging for money and sending too many e-mails and mailings, really need to read the thread below and reevaluate your priorities. The threat to private firearms ownership is very real. Especially now that we have a liberal controlled Congress and will probably have a Democrat in the White House in just two years time.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=246586

I don't know when it's going to happen, but you can be absolutely certain that at some not-too-distant point, liberals are going to make an all out assault on the RKBA. If George Bush can use his bully pulpit to restrict habeas corpus and other civil liberties in the name of homeland security, a liberal president isn't going to hesitate to place draconian restrictions on 2A rights for the same reason.

I don't mean to turn this into a Bush bashing thread, but he has set all types of Presidential precedents for restricting civil liberties. Precedents which do not bode well for the future of the 2A considering that the SCOTUS has a long history of refusing to protect the 2A.

:banghead:

 

[Eleven Mike]

No. It belongs to me.

 

[Ares45]

Begrudgingly, YES.

Remember the NOLA-Katrina State/Federal gun confiscations?

Let's face it, the NRA is the only 800lb gorrilla on Capital Hill when it comes to defending the 2nd Amendment. I don't always agree with the NRA's logic on certain subjects or their endless solicitations but I want to be heard on the Hill.

How many millions of law-abiding gun owners reside in the US? If even half of responsible US gun owners were NRA members there would be no such thing as "gun grabbing liberals".

Until there's a better option I'll continue supporting the NRA and it's efforts.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

You may not like or agree with everything the NRA says or does, but it is the only such organization that elected lawmakers fear.

 

[Colonel Plink]

I am very proud to say I belong to the NRA. Which did not keep me from chewing ass when they call. I told the broad that if I wanted to speak with someone from the NRA, I'd damn well call my area rep. She then called into question my patriotism. I told her I'd stack my DD-214 up against hers any day. She said she didn't know what a DD-214 was.

Yeah, they annoy me. But not as much as Democrats.

I'm proud to be the NRA. But they get some idiots manning the phones

 

[shooter90]

member

member almost 40 years.. am now a endowment member,,

all you have to do is ask and they wont call you ,,

the people calling arnt NRA members,, its a service that gets paid acording to how much money they raise,

 

[3fgburner]

Lifer - got tired of the renewal whinges

You may not like or agree with everything the NRA says or does, but it is the only such organization that elected lawmakers fear.

At the national level, perhaps. In Virginia, the Virginia Citizens Defense League has that honor. The Legislature opens, next Monday. A bunch of us will be taking our customary annual trip to Richmond. The difference between our lobbyists and NRA's? Theirs don't wear guns in the General Assembly Building.

I'm sure it annoys the antis no end, watching us at the GAB's metal detectors. We show our permits, walk through, set off detectors, and go about our business. They set off the detectors with belt buckles or jewelry, and get frisked. It's EASIER to get in if you have a gun and show your permit.

That's actually the only time in any given year that I wear a suit coat, instead of a vest. Since you have to have a concealed permit to carry in the building, I don't open-carry. The coat is a bit more "respectable" than an Outback vest.

 

[Colonel Plink]

"...all you have to do is ask and they wont call you ,,

the people calling arnt NRA members,, its a service that gets paid acording to how much money they raise, "

I asked twice. The third time, I chewed on the caller.

They haven't called back since.

I also asked my area rep what I could do, as a radio morning show host, to get some grass-roots momentum going a few years ago. He got snotty with me and informed me that that's what HE got paid to do that and they didn't need my help. Ya can't say he was worried about being set up by the liberal media conspiracy, since I had met the guy hunting prairie dogs the previous year. He knew who I was, he just didn't want (or aparrently need) my help. Fine. I'll pay my dues. But that very poor representation will stick in my craw for a long time.

 

[Integrity]

Annual member for about 20 years and just became a life member. STRONGLY believe all gun owners should join.

It may be of interest to know that the cost of life membership seems to be negotiable based on my experience. I called them because I had heard about the "legacy" life membership they were recently offering for $300. The woman I spoke with was happy to give me a regular life membership for $300 and didn't care about the legacy requirement of being nominated by your life member father, etc. She did check their records and saw that I had been a member for a long time, so that may have had some influence. Bottom line is that it may be worth it for those on a budget and interrested in life membership to ask what kind of deal they can give you.

 

[North Bender]

No.

And it's inconvienient not to be a member since I can't belong to the local range.

I haven't joined because I can't stand pressure marketing. One poster here said "How hard is it to say "no thanks" to a phone call?". Well, when you have to march upstairs, or come in from outside, or just drop whatever you're doing to answer that call and it's someone asking for money - nothing gets my goat worse. I've read on this string where you can get them to stop calling, and can get them to reduce their mailings. So maybe I will look into that. Perhaps I'll call them to join and tell them it's under the condition that if I get one marketing call I get my money back ...

 

[TNrifleman]

YES, I've been a NRA member for over 30 years.

 

[RNB65]

I haven't joined because I can't stand pressure marketing.

??? What pressure marketing?

I've never gotten a phone call from the NRA except for maybe a pre-recorded message from Wayne a few days before electon day. I get occasional e-mails which I can easily stop by clicking on the link in email or block using a spam filter. I get NRA materials in my mailbox occasionally, but I just toss them in the garbage along with all the other junk mail.

'tain't no big deal.