how do you feel about the NRA?

[Hikingman]

NRA is a worthwhile organization, and yes, I'm a dues paying member.

NRA membership is not hurting or on the downslope these days. Hmmm. Let the detractors vote their conscience at the polls. Much of the misinformation or misunderstandings about good folks that support our right to carry or defend is just that. The uninformed can be, and often are-standoffish about what they don't know or understand first hand.

Anyone been on an airline flight, lately? What if it should crash or something should happen? Look at the crashes in the last 50 years in this country alone. Yet we still fly, and rationalize that the statistics are on our side for a safe landing and exit. Gun statistics don't simply account for the good guys that don't have a rap sheet. Yet, they are supposed to bear out our future behavior and demeanor. Please! You can't compare me with criminals that carry or use firearms.

Those of us that do vote, and have NEVER committed/or been arrested for a felony, let alone convicted-choose to support OUR NRA!

 

[ArmedBear]

It is really insulting to one's intelligence IMHO. I'll pass on giving them my money.

So between your ego and your gun rights, ego wins?

I mean, the letters ARE insulting to one's intelligence, especially some of them. But some of us are confident enough in our IQ score that we don't shoot our gun rights in the foot.

 

[SammyIamToday]

I mean, the letters ARE insulting to one's intelligence, especially some of them. But some of us are confident enough in our IQ score that we don't shoot our gun rights in the foot.

Well, to play Devil's advocate, you can surely make the argument that they don't do enough for gun rights to be worth the donation. I don't necessarily feel that way myself, but I could understand how others could.

Especially when you have NRA members telling non-members that they are antis for not joining. If I wasn't already a member, that would turn me off to the entire process.

 

[jakemccoy]

The NRA has done too many shady things. I support other pro-gun organizations. Competition is grand. It's a natural regulator.

 

[Soybomb]

I feel about the same about them as I do about the ACLU. I don't agree with everything they do but on the whole they do more good than bad. I like them much better than the GOA. I wish they seemed to get as much done as the ACLU.

 

[Autolycus]

I agree, Soybomb, the NRA could take a page or two from the ACLU.

 

[86thecat]

If you aren't happy with the NRA join and change it from the inside.

 

[rugerman07]

Sellouts!

 

[camacho]

NRA is the only viable gun rights organization that exists today. Their list of recent accomplishments is long: State Concealed Carry Permits, Katrina, in my state of Florida recent battle for being able to have guns in cars in parking lots where employers have forbidden it, etc.

There are other RKBA organizations but the most you can get out of them is newsletters. They do not have political clout and legislative muscle!

 

[madmattmd]

The NRA has always caused me some pause. I was a member back in the 1980’s and tired of the “bad man going to take your guns” scare tactics. It all seemed so over the top. I let my membership lapse.

I was away from the shooting sports (I’m primarily a hand-gunner) for more than ten years. I sold off most of my center-fire, but kept the .22’s.

I got back into large caliber handguns earlier this decade when I discovered a reasonably priced public range near my home. I started going to gun shows again and shooting in IDPA matches. I became more aware of firearm issues, especially in Maryland, my state of residence. I determined that a well financed and organized effort on the behalf of gun owners was the only way I was going to retain my 2A rights against the anti-gun crowd. I joined the NRA again. Still a lot of the horror stories from them, but much (certainly not all) of what they warn us about seems to be true. I’ve now had others join the NRA through my encouragement. I hope to be able to scrounge the $ up for a Life Membership myself.

Yes, the NRA isn’t perfect, but it’s the best we have. I’ve moved on to the point where I’m willing to become involved to help change what I don’t like. I strongly encourage other gun enthusiasts to do the same. If you don’t work to save your 2A rights, who will?

Take care,
Matt

 

[Scorpiusdeus]

Though I support the concept of the NRA and am a member, I too have had my doubts lately. I also belong to GOA and GOC (CA).

I hope they will all fight for my rights, but in the end, I spend a lot of times writing letters, voting, and supporting those who support my rights.

I'm my own last line of defense.

 

[alsaqr]

"i have grown up with the belief that the NRA is in the pocket of 90% of the govt.

and that they get gun control laws put into legislation so they can get more members and more donations."

Wrong!!

As a 50 year member of the NRA, i can tell you that you would not be able to own a .22 rifle in this country were it not for the NRA.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by BradJohnson
The world ain't perfect and the only way you are going to get your way all the way is if you live in a dictatorship and you are the dictator. Until then life is politics. It's some degree of give and take with each and every other human being on the planet. Like it or not, that's life. Argue with it all you want, that's life. Ignore it or not, that's life. You can set yourself outside it, your screams falling on deaf ears. Or you can learn to live within it, using its own conventions to slowly mold it to your wishes and desires.

I guess that 158 years or so before the 1934 firearms act doesn't count right?

Huh?

Brad

 

[mljdeckard]

I am a member, and I support them. I do suspect that some of the 'compromises' they have made have been exaggerated a bit by rival organizations. Any organization of this size, representing as many people as they do, is never going to be able to please everyone 100%. It's just flat impossible. In any event, I would rather have an organization that compromises a little to get a lot done, than an organization that will never bend on anything, and in return gets NOTHING done in Washington.

I am annoyed by the spam and junk mail, but on the other hand, I want them to raise as much money as possible, however they can do it.

 

[Ed Ames]

I'm always amazed at people who accuse the NRA of using "the're gonna take yer guns, you gotta stop 'em" scare tactics. Umm... people... they *are* gonna take your guns if you don't stop them.

How exactly do you want to be told about impending issues?

"We are pleased to announce that your elected representatives are voting on exciting and fun filled bills tomorrow that, while they won't have any effect on you at all because your guns are perfectly safe, should not be passed into law. Please contact your representative to tell them to vote no on those bills. No pressure of course because nothing bad will happen either way. And remember: nobody is trying to take your guns away or infringe on your rights so don't worry!"

Yeah... good plan...

GOA? Meh. Ineffective and they don't seem to understand the importance of avoiding negative associations. I have a life membership but sometimes I wonder about it.

SAF/JPFO/Liberty Belles/etc? These seem to be good groups but they don't have clout. They are best viewed as social activism, not political activism, groups.

I think they are all worthwhile in their spheres. I think state groups are often even more important.

If you are deciding where to spend your money, here's my unqualified advice:

Start with a basic membership in your state group and the NRA. Those two are the core groups that will give the most bang for the buck.

If you start thinking "life membership" start with your state org. Once you've got that covered go life w/ the NRA.

That's when you should start joining or donating to other groups. And, frankly, some of the main groups you should think of joining are state groups in battleground states. If you are in Nevada or Utah (or anywhere else), you should be supporting California gun owners. Why? Two reasons: 1) if your support helps make gun ownership more mainstream in CA that will slow the social push, and; 2) laws passed in CA have a tendency to be used as a model elsewhere so a fight lost in CA might well turn into a win for the national level antis. Or if you can't stand CA, support groups in MA, DC, NY, or anywhere else that has it worse than you. Each loss makes your life harder. A new law in Nebraska this week could become a setback for the whole nation over then next 5-10 years.

If the antis succeed in dividing us, getting us thinking that it's OK to lose California so long as we gain something in Idaho, we will lose everything.

GOA and the like are good as long as they don't divide us. If we're all members of the NRA, SAF, GOA, JPFO, et cetera that's unifying. If some are NRA, some are GOA, some are SAF, some are doing their own thing... we'll be easy prey for coordinated and orchestrated attackers.

So I like the NRA flaws and all because they are a hub for other memberships. They aren't the only organization to belong to but they are the first national org you should belong to.

IMO.

 

[atblis]

Hmm

oops

 

[jimmyraythomason]

"If some are NRA, some are GOA, some are SAF, some are doing their own thing... we'll be easy prey for coordinated and orchestrated attackers.

So I like the NRA flaws and all because they are a hub for other memberships. They aren't the only organization to belong to but they are the first national org you should belong to."

Very well said and dead on!

 

[ArmedBear]

Especially when you have NRA members telling non-members that they are antis for not joining. If I wasn't already a member, that would turn me off to the entire process.

Do you know what de facto means?

 

[Gunnerpalace]

"I'm my own last line of defense"

That sums it up for me.

 

[Beatnik]

de fac·to /di ˈfæktoʊ, deɪ/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[dee fak-toh, dey] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. in fact; in reality: Although his title was prime minister, he was de facto president of the country. Although the school was said to be open to all qualified students, it still practiced de facto segregation.
2. actually existing, esp. when without lawful authority (distinguished from de jure).

 

[MakAttak]

I heard the perfect example today.

A retired military man was talking about how out in the field his sargeant told him "Headquarters has been wrong for so long, they don't even know what right is!"

Then he got transferred to headquarters and discovered that those people came to work everyday trying to do the right thing. They were always working for the people in the field, trying to do what's best for them.


Now apply that to the NRA. You have people in the field who complain about how the NRA messed up here, doesn't do enough, does too much, etc... (some even claim they are only in it to make themselves rich).

I bet you'd be surprised if you met the people working at "headquarters" and discovered they're only trying to do the right thing.

If you think it isn't the right thing, WRITE THEM. Heck, apply to work there so you can help fix it!

 

[nerfsrule2]

"

I have grown up with the belief that the NRA is in the pocket of 90% of the govt.and that they get gun control laws put into legislation so they can get more members and more donations."

I feel the same way you do. I did a little research and started to wonder about the true motives of the "Higher-ups" in the NRA. The rank and file seem OK.(May God also bless Chuck Heston) So I decided to join Gun Owners of America. (GOA)

 

[Jdude]

To an anti friend:
Jdude: Want a gift certificate to GOA?
Anti: Who?
Jdude: How about one to pink pistols?
Anti: Pink, heh. Trying to hide the evil. No thanks.
Jdude: How about one to the NRA?
Anti: [Not even the slightest bit high road]

That response is exactly why we need the NRA.

The NRA has a new (gift) member. And I will renew mine when the time comes up.

 

[pbearperry]

There are aprox 80 million gun owners in the US.There are aprox 4 million members in the NRA.What are the other 76 million gun owners doing to protect the 2nd ammendment?All I hear is a bunch of whining and crying about how they do not like the NRA.
Then I keep hearing the bold statement from many about the Govt. will have to kill me and pry the gun out of my cold dead hands thing.Maybe I am old fashioned or stupid,but I think spending $35 a year for NRA dues would be a better first step than taking on the Govt. and being killed.Crap,the NRA magazines are worth at least $35 a year as far as I am concerned.
Let me just say this,"If 80 million people belonged to the USA tiddly wink Association,you would never see any anti tiddly wink proposals as it would be political suicide." Think about it !

 

[SammyIamToday]

Huh?

Brad

You said that life is politics. Give and take. However, there was no federal give and take with firearms until 1934. The country was around without it longer than it has been with it. Basically, I'm saying that the compromising is unecessary.

Do you know what de facto means?

I'm not a fan of trying to incriminate others because they don't do what I want. I totally disagree that someone is in any way anti because they aren't in the NRA.

Before I joined, I still wrote my Congressman constantly. That's probably more than most NRA members do and arguably as effective if not more so. Especially when the NRA doesn't agree with my stances on some things.