how do you feel about the NRA?

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"We'd be a lot worse off without 'em."

Amen to that! Been a memeber for a long time and signed up the lady as well.
 
There's just so much help any organization can give us. In addition to supporting them with membership and donations, in the end it's always up to us. Whether we join them or not, we should all be contributing letters to the editors, when the newspapers are wrong, rebuffs to the self appointed intellectuals who oppose us and, for sure, letters and emails to the politicians.
We shouldn't just sit back and depend on others.

And no matter how hot under the collar we get, always remember to take the highroad, of course.
 
I was a member of NRA for over 10 years when they came out in support of the machinegun ban. I wrote several letters which they ignored. They publicly assured everyone that they knew best. While they admitted that it was a violation of the Second Amendment, they said supporting the ban was the best they do and it was good for gun owners because people who sold ammunition would not have to keep records. It may have been good for Winchester and Remington, but it was not good for gun owners because an assault weapons ban and a ban on high capacity magazines followed on the heals of the machinegun ban. I am supposed to believe it would have been worse if the NRA had opposed the machinegun ban.

At the time of the machinegun ban, the NRA said they would fight to get that reversed. I quit in protest and told them that I would renew my membership when that happened. That was in 1985. So far, they are not even moving in that direction and I have no intention of joining again until they do. The ammunition manufactures can hire their own lobbyist. I could support a Haroln Carter NRA, but not the Wayne LaPierre version.
 
I have been a member for more years than I can recall, not even sure when I
made the change to life member. I know the NRA may not be perfect but as far as I am concerned it is the best thing going for gun owners. If each and EVERY gun owner were a member the clout we would have as an organization in DC would be amazing. Perhaps then we would not be under attack from so many quarters. I'm sure the anti-gun folks just love seeing gun owners fighting and arguing with one another. I wonder how many of the voices against the NRA are simply anti-gun folks posing as gun owners doing whatever they can to divide and conquer. I knew a public defender who admitted some years ago she did this as a way to hurt the gun lobby.
 
I have been a member for at least 10 years now and don't plan on dropping my membership. Everyone that is a member of this forum should join some sort of organization that helps to protect our RKBA. We have to stick together or this forum will be talking about basket weaving instead of our favorite gun topics.
 
I send them about 100 bucks a year as well as GOA. Don't agree with the fret and sweat letters they send out all the time but feel that if it was not for these two and several other pro gun lobby groups that we might still be able, maybe, to own a cork gun with string attached. That's all.
 
My .02 on the NRA,

I don't like them,
I'll join SAF,
Why?
The NRA's opposition to Heller, IMO the time is NOW to go to SCOTUS instead of waiting for the perfect case like they wanted, Oh yeah and selling out NFA owners.
 
According to federal law, NRA dues CANNOT be used for lobbying.

See, you got your wish. Get out your checkbook.
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Not quite.
I'm no accountant, but I know something about how corporate books are done.

I work about a mile south of the headquarters building.
I'm pretty sure there's only one building.

I don't think you can guarantee, outside of the on-the-books legal separation of funds, that rent on the lobbyists' offices wasn't in part paid by member fees.
You can't guarantee that a photocopier bought with member fees never copied a draft of the FINAL NOTICE letter.
I would be against this inbreeding even if it went the other way around, with the ILA helping to support the educational programs.

They associate with each other, so the line between them is blurred.
And I am so much against their scare tactics and general lack of action over the last decade that I will not enter a relationship with them until that line is a lot less blurry - the ILA moving to another building and officially breaking ties with the NRA would be more than sufficient.

Although, one of my '08 goals is to become an instructor, and based on their behavior, I'm fully expecting to be told that I can't be certified without being a member... so you'll all get your wish, I suspect.
 
I wonder how many of the voices against the NRA are simply anti-gun folks posing as gun owners doing whatever they can to divide and conquer.
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And I wonder the same thing about voices in, of, and for the NRA. Both are perfectly reasonable and realistic concerns.
 
Yes,there are subversives within the NRA. Remember that Michael Moore is a life member. We need more of the faithful to join to counter them.
 
“Yes,there are subversives within the NRA. Remember that Michael Moore is a life member. We need more of the faithful to join to counter them.”

Maybe the NRA should make its member list pubic.
 
NRA and TSRA member. Subscriber to the NRA Video series.

Three letters - N R A - are entry #1 on each and every anti-gun group's hit list. That's all I need to know. I may not agree with 100% of what the NRA does but there's no denying they are the force to be reckoned with when it comes to pro-gun issues.

I work hard for my money so it's going where it will be most effective. As a grassroots organization the NRA is unmatched in the pro-gun community. As a lobbying powerhouse the NRA-ILA is second only to the AARP. There is no valid reason for me to send my dollar anywhere else.

For those who have a beef about the NRA's fund-raising efforts, why spend so much time getting lathered up about it when a simple phone call or e-mail gets you off the list? A couple of minutes, tops. You waste more time griping about it than it would take to resolve it. Not. Real. Bright.

Brad
 
I'm not even going to look at the other posts,

The bulk of the progress that has been made in gun rights has come about because of the NRA. Any organization of that size is going to generate internal strife and controversy. If you disagree with them on a fine point or two, if you don't like their marketing policies, if you think there is another organization a little more pure, whatever, even if that's true, they still have the most clout.

I don't mind them doing all they can to generate money, because I WANT them to have the most effective lobby in Washington.
 
Many of the staunchly pro-NRA posters here to have set up a false dichotomy in their minds.

It is not the NRA follows their current marketing scheme or they lose money, so put up with it. It is that a different marketing scheme, one that is less insulting to its members and frankly lacking in class might work better.

It is not that the NRA is all we have so we should put up with it, it is can we make the NRA better?

It is not that the 2nd am. is only ever being effectively protected by the NRA, it is that the NRA could be even more powerful if they would be less clubbishly good ol' boy, if they worked in different ways to represent all gun owners, or at least more gun owners.

It is not that I think the NRA should sacrifice effectiveness in order to take amore hard line approach. It is that the NRA could enhance effectiveness by changing their image and approach.
 
The NRA was founded in 1871 to promote marksmanship and safety. They did NOTHING to stop NFA 1934. They gave away the store in 1968. They didn't even form ILA (Institute for Legislative Action) until 7-8 YEARS AFTER GCA 1968.

Even so, many members feel they spend TOO MUCH money and time on political issues that could go to marksmanship programs.

That's one of their problems: This dichotomy has led to "compromises" that should never have been made on legal issues.

Project Exile is AWFUL.

Many times in the 12 year fight for Missouri CCW they were a liability to us.

The "jackbooted thugs" comment was PERFECT and galvanized the public about a VERY real problem. So they apologized for it.

That said, I'm a life member. I'd accept a Board of Director's seat at no pay if asked, to try to fix some of these problems. The NRA leadership wants the organization to be liked. I'd focus on making them FEARED.

Give them money, but support other RKBA organizations too.

My pick for the organization that does the most good with the least money? JPFO.

JR
 
Many of the staunchly pro-NRA posters here to have set up a false dichotomy in their minds.
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Being universally recognized as the best at what you do is a dichotomy? Please clarify.


It is not the NRA follows their current marketing scheme or they lose money, so put up with it. It is that a different marketing scheme, one that is less insulting to its members and frankly lacking in class might work better.
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Such as? The only insult is that some "members" will spend more time griping about a non-issue than it would take to resolve the issue.


It is not that the NRA is all we have so we should put up with it, it is can we make the NRA better?
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Okay. How?


It is not that the 2nd am. is only ever being effectively protected by the NRA, it is that the NRA could be even more powerful if they would be less clubbishly good ol' boy, if they worked in different ways to represent all gun owners, or at least more gun owners.
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We're listening. Please continue.


It is not that I think the NRA should sacrifice effectiveness in order to take amore hard line approach. It is that the NRA could enhance effectiveness by changing their image and approach.
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And...?


Long on gripe and short on solution. Or, as my Grandfather would have said, "It's all whine and no why."

Brad
 
Long on gripe and short on solution. Or, as my Grandfather would have said, "It's all whine and no why."
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No Brad, it really isn't. If you had read my other posts in this thread who would realize that. But if insulting posters instead of actually conversing about the issue is how you want to do things, then enjoy yourself. :)
 
NRA is better than Brady, thats about it in my view. GCA, AWB, and the closing of the MG registry. I'm with the NRA when they actually protect rights. But they need to have the "we will not negotiate with infringes" mindset, which they currently do not. I put them on my list of good guys, but they are below JFPO, SAF, GOA, and SCCC.
 
delta9 said:
No Brad, it really isn't. If you had read my other posts in this thread who would realize that. But if insulting posters instead of actually conversing about the issue is how you want to do things, then enjoy yourself.
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Solutions, then? I'm all ears.

Brad
 
While I think banding together as gun owners is great, I have a problem with banding together under a banner that truly doesn't have our rights fully in it's sights.

I don't believe the NRA should "settle" on gun laws then turn around and tell us it would have been worse if it wasn't for them.

The last time I checked, "shall not be infringed" is still on the Bill of Rights.
 
If you are not with us, you are against us.

The NRA is the strongest organization fighting to protect not only Second Amendment rights, but all rights.

If you don't like the way the NRA is acting on issues join and voice your opinion. No, we don't always get it right, and we don't always make the best choices, but at least we are standing up and making a choice.

It is easy to see how something could have been done different after the fact. We simply try to take what we feel is the best course at the time.

Join the NRA.
 
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