Got a letter from the NRA that made me very angry today

[Dbl0Kevin]

So being that money has been kind of tight lately I had been putting off renewing my NRA membership for a couple months. Today I got another notice of dues and I figured I might as well scrape up some money and pay up....but then I read the letter. It started out saying:

"Our Second Amendment rights are in grave danger because some NRA members like you have not renewed your membership."

I could not believe the tone of actually accusing me of being the reason the 2A is in danger. How arrogant and stupid is that? Instead of blaming the anti-gun liberals who are trying to take away gun rights they are pointing the finger towards their own supporters. Anyway here is the email I just sent them:

To Whom It May Concern,

I have recently let my membership in the NRA lapse, and as of right now I have no plan to renew in the near future. I wanted to let you know exactly why this is though.

I have been a member of the NRA since I was 14 years old and have always been proud to do my part in protecting the firearms freedoms of this country. Recently, however, I have come upon some hard financial times and had let my renewal fees go for a couple months. I had felt bad about this and planned on renewing as soon as it was financially possible.

Today I received a letter in the mail from the NRA, and when I saw it I figured I would dig into my pockets and renew my membership. That was until I read the letter which started out with the following: "Our Second Amendment rights are in grave danger because some NRA supporters like you have not renewed your membership." I found this incredibly offensive and downright rude. I have supported this organization since I was a young boy and donated resources to help preserve the second amendment for years.

Now because I have hit a rough spot the NRA is accusing ME of being the reason our rights are in danger!? I really think not, and I encourage you to cease sending out letters such as this immediately as you will most likely anger other second amendment supporters such as myself.

Perhaps when I get back on solid ground I will once again become a member of your organization, but I can't say for sure as I was severely displeased with the attitude of the letter I received.

Thank you for your time.

 

[gunsmith]

I once let my dues laspe

And they sent me a letter asking "is everything ok?"

Maybe some anti has infiltrated The NRA (mike moore is a member afaik)
and is sending stuff like this to anger folks.

I've considered trying to get a job with DiFi to do the same but thought I wouldn't fit in,they're rude enough without me helping.

 

[Art Eatman]

Sounds like a typical form letter for anybody who's late in dues-paying. I get the same sort of tone of letters from both the Dems and the Reps when I don't respond to their "Gimme!" letters...

It's not much different from CCRKBA or GOA stuff...

Art

 

[atek3]

rather than berate the guy who lets his dues lapse, why not berate the 76 million gun owners in the US that AREN'T NRA members.


atek3

 

[Roc_Kor]

Well, you do have to admit: If there was no NRA, we probably wouldn't have our guns. I honestly wish more people would join. I do plan on getting a life membership. The NRA is the biggest voice we have. We can only make it bigger.

I know they're not perfect, and things like that can get annoying, but come on, man! The plus side SERIOUSLY outweighs the down side.

 

[R.H. Lee]

"Our Second Amendment rights are in grave danger because some NRA members like you have not renewed your membership."

That's a lousy way to phrase it if they want you to renew. Somebody there needs some marketing courses. The NRA should save it's snotty comments for the gun grabbing left, and not work at alienating its supporters.

 

[joab]

I sent the same letter two years ago apparently they didn't read mine

 

[George Hill]

I'd be more willing to give the NRA a few bucks if they were not such pansies and if I knew my money would actually go to fighting or to training instead of putting more leather backed chairs into the NRA HQ offices.

In my opinion the NRA has become a bunch of pampered dandy fops.

 

[kudu]

Good for you Dbl0Kevin, mine are due in about 6 months and I have been getting a letter about every two weeks wanting a renewal. If they would just put a litle bit of the money from junk mailings back into themselves it would be substantial. I have only let mine lapse once in about 18 years, and you would of thought it was the end of the world. It must of kept them from giving one of their bureocrats a raise.

 

[jsalcedo]

I'm getting sick of the huge wads of paper from the NRA telling me the sky is falling. I also agree the tone of some of the letters I get are insulting
and inane. I sure hope all that junk mail is financially self supporting.

Anyone know who to contact to get off their mailing list?

 

[Ex-Doc]

I live in California and got a similar letter a few years ago. i sent a letter back saying I will send only half of my renewal dues since I now only have have half my rights in this state with no help from the NRA.

 

[Mike Hull]

Just my opinion, but if you don't want to join, fine. But you've got no right complaining about losing gun rights if you don't.

It's like people who say "I don't vote, my vote doesn't make any difference" etc., etc., and then complaining about who gets elected.

I don't mean to criticize, or run anyone down, it's just what I think.

 

[CentralTexas]

There are other options-

Like the Gun Owners of America, they are what I wish the NRA was like and don't forget state orgs!
CT

 

[Dbl0Kevin]

Just my opinion, but if you don't want to join, fine. But you've ot no right complaining about losing gun rights if you don't belong.

1. I wasn't complaining at all about losing any gun rights in this instance, simply the way I was addressed by a group whom I have been a member in good standing with for 9 straight years.

2. If I WERE to complain about gun rights, I do believe I have every right to. Since, as stated before, I have been an NRA member for 9 years, voted in every election after I turned 18, and constantly keep up to date on gun rights legislation more than anyone I know of personally.

 

[Barry in IN]

Good point, kudu.
I guess the money spent on mailings might only be a drop in their bucket, but then again, it might not.
I have known many, many gunowners who are not NRA members. When asked why, they say they were annoyed enough by the mail they get, and were afraid joining would only make it worse. One friend of mine took the opposite approach- He joined thinking they would ease up. It backfired on him. He got more mail than ever. He'll never join again.

Look, I understand they need money. I understand we would be up the creek without them. But, while I've never kept track, I would bet that I average around one piece of mail per week from them.
Let's be conservative, and say I get 30 pieces of annually. Let's say it costs 50 cents each. There's $15.00 a year, plus the cost of the magazine subscription sucked out of my dues every year.
Maybe they wouldn't need money as much if they didn't spend it asking for more.

I quit them once- in 1986. I came back after a couple of years, but have come close to quitting on several occaisions. Shooting HighPower matches kept me in a few times.
A rude letter like DblO got might just do it again for me.

I wonder- If they were to agree to ease of the mail flood, they would see a rise in membership?

 

[shep854]

I understand the letters, etc are annoying; I've been annoyed a few times. One thought keeps coming up though: If the NRA is so bloated and ineffective, why are we portrayed as devils incarnate by the Left? We (the NRA) must be doing something right to get under their skins so. This is not to take credit from other RKBA groups, but the NRA is the BIIIG boogyman to the Left.

 

[joab]

They could be a much bigger boogie man if they did not alienate current and prospective members so much.
Iam still a member even though I am irritated by some of their guilt tactics.
A local talk show host made the same complaint on the air last year the next 3 hours were filled with people calling to relate the same ttreatment and others calling in to say that because of that discussion they would not join. If even 10% of the callers were genuine that represents a huge loss in membership for the organization especially when you factor in the people who just listened and did not calll in.

 

[rock jock]

rather than berate the guy who lets his dues lapse, why not berate the 76 million gun owners in the US that AREN'T NRA members.

If our gun rights are to be preserved, it will be because 10% of gunowners fight to make it that way. The other 90% will not now, nor will they ever so much as lift a finger or spend a single dime to help out. They smugly sit in their cloistered world, content to criticize the NRA, GOA, SAF, etc. for not dotting their "I's" or crossing their "T's" to their satisfaction.

 

[pax]

I guess the money spent on mailings might only be a drop in their bucket, but then again, it might not.

One of my deepest, darkest secrets is that I used to write junk mail for a living. (Don't tell anyone, please. I've repented.)

The reason non-profits send out such letters is because a well-written piece of direct mail usually produces donations significantly in excess of the cost. If it didn't produce income well over and above the cost of printing and mailing the solicitation, they wouldn't bother.

pax

One of my first jobs after college was in a public relations firm. A client would bring in a truth that didn't fit his purpose, and we PR guys would stretch it, twist it, and varnish it to suit his needs. Sometimes we would make two half-truths out of a whole truth, one of our specialties. After a half-truth had been fine-tuned by our technicians, my job was to gloss it over and put some spin on it before packaging. The work paid well and there was no heavy lifting, but for some unknown reason I had trouble sleeping nights. – Pat McManus

 

[spartacus2002]

The duck hunters laugh at the benchrest guys....

the benchrest guys sneer at the EBR guys....

The EBR guys blow off the pistol guys....

"Cain't we all just...get along?"

One team, one fight. I don't hunt or do the benchrest thing, but their rights are my rights and vice versa. Remember, the only difference between a scoped bolt action deer rifle and a deadly sniper rifle is a politician calling it so.

 

[Mr Jody Hudson]

Personally, I consider the NRA lobbiest, to be a bunch of compromising self-promoting money sucking liberals who are taking our money and pretending to help us. That is NOT to put down members. That is to put down the compromising instead of holding thier ground and taking more like Sarah's kids do.

The options I consider FAR more valid are Gun Owners of America and Jews For The Preservation of Firearms Ownership. There are others.

Now, my thing is I find a new shooter and aim for one a week. Every Tuesday I take a day to go shooting with a new shooter for the first time or until they have increased thier interest and understanding to the level where they are self motivated. Then, I encourage them to help me find new shooters or to recover old and inactive ones. From there, I encourage them to actively gain access to press and politicians. I find I spend far less time, far less money and get far more done with this technique.

When I visit ranges and gun shops I almost always see a new person or someone who is fairly new. I do what I can to help, do a little teaching, helping, guiding, questioning, all to the point of helping them become a gun-lover and one understanding of the reality of firearms and firearms laws.

And, if they have questions or seem uneasy, I find out why and help them through it. It gives them and me a better result than if either of us were sent two hundred pounds of junk mail a year at a cost of about $135 a pound or more. Add it up, printing, mailing, postage, handling, etc. Take a look at the pile of mail in the trash at the post office.

 

[feedthehogs]

since I now only have have half my rights in this state with no help from the NRA.

The NRA or any other gun group will never take the place of proactive voters.

It is up to the voters of a particular state to get rid of the politicians they don't like.

35.00 per year is paid and most sit back, don't do nothin and complain when they get screwed.

Apathetic and lazy voters always get what they deserve in the end.

The NRA is not responsible for making sure the bill of rights is not detroyed.
We are.

 

[snug]

Yeap I got one too, but I'm paid up a year ahead.... They're trying to drudge up some funds!!!!!!!

 

[SiG Lady]

Still, it's annoying...

I still find it irritating that the NRA sends SOOOOO much mail... surely it must cost tons 'o money! And with regard to dues paying, I get some kind of mailing once-to-three times a month asking for money, asking me to renew my annual dues (quite often right after I pay the annual fee), and asking for MORE money. I somehow don't get it.

I promote shooting for both males and females. I shoot regularly and spend lots of money on it. I vote in every goddamn' election there is. I feel I vote responsibly. I have virtually no idea where my money goes if/when I send it to NRA. I'm not going to dump my membership, but I sure wish they'd quit sending me all this useless mail several times a month indicating--as someone here aptly put it--that "the sky is falling again." I sense that money sent to them may be going for things we know little about. Just my two cents.

 

[malada]

I quit the NRA after one of their video mailings. A couple of months later I was at a gun show and talked to one of their representitives. I told him I quit because of the video and junk mail. He told me all I have to do is call the toll free number and ask to be taken off the junk mail list. I rejoined on the spot and called the number. Presto!! No junk mail. A year later I bought a life membership for myself and my son.

By the NRA being able to show huge membership numbers they can get the politicians attention. Even if you hit hard times and can't afford the full membership, at least buy an associate membership for $10. You won't get a magazine but your name will be added to the list of members, showing gunowners as a united force to be recognized. An individual complaining won't be heard. An organization in the millions will.

Hang in there and be safe