Makes a person wonder

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I have to really saddened by the high numbers of THR members that are not NRA members. Right or wrong the NRA is the best we have for preservation of the 2A Rights. The gathering contemplated in at the Whittington Center requires 50percent of the attendees to be NRA members. The better question is what are not 100 percent of the THR members NRA members?

Do not give me crap about money! I bet most of you could cough up the money with no problem, because if you find money to shoot then you have money to pay for membership! I bet some of you waste the yearly membership or drinking / smoking in a week.
 
I joined to help out our 2A Rights and everytime I buy from Midway I have them round off to the nearest dollar and it goes to the NRA.

I buy a lot too. LOL... :D

I would really Love to also to see everyone that wants to go to the Whittington Center be NRA members.
 
evan price said:
When I was in my early liberal gun owner days I believed the NRA was too unwilling to compromise. Now that I am an angry conservative constitutionalist, I believe the NRA is TOO willing to compromise.
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Talk about going around the bush in both directions! So which is it? I don't think you understand the art of politics. Compromise is the foundation of any political situation. If, as you say, the NRA is too willing to compromise, why is it that the NRA is the name taken in vain daily in Congress? They have been named the most powerful lobby group in Washington time and time again and are truly feared by some politicians.

Thank heavens they do not have to stand alone. Other groups, such as the Second Amendment Foundation and Gun Owners of America stand with them, but the NRA has more power at the moment. I am a member of all three.

When the Financial Reform Bill was being heard in Congress, it was fear of groups like these that made the politicians tack on the advertising restrictions that now go into effect prior to each election.

It takes money to do the jobs these organizations have taken upon themselves. I live on Social Security and it is hard when they ask for financial help, but I give what I can because I don't want to see the Second Amendment get crapped on any more. I have children and grandchildren that need the freedom I had growing up.

They can't be everything to everyone. I personally think they all do the best job possible, but the more members they have, the more they can do. If you are not a member of the NRA, become a member of one of the other groups that has the Second Amendment as a foundation.

Remember Katrina and New Orleans? Remember San Francisco? Who jumped right in the middle of those situations?

Too willing to compromise my foot. :fire:
 
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Going around the bush in both directions.. yep, I was pretty well indoctrinated back in the day. After all who needs assault weapons, magazines greater than 6 rounds, or anything that looks MILITARY but crazy survivalist types?

Now older, wiser, I think EVERYONE should have as many ugly evil guns as possible, especially those that can fire full auto. IMHO the AWB, Import Ban, BATFE, Machine Gun Ban, etc should all be repealed and replaced with a decent set of rules that does not restrict our rights.
Full auto? No problem.
Crew served? Problem.
Otherwise- no big deal. Want to play with high explosives? Get a license. Miners do.
Want a Dillon Minigun? Why not as long as you can afford the ammo? But let us catch you doing anything nasty with it and we take away your toys.

There ain't no limits in 2A. Otherwise they would be there already.

How many NRA guys would publicly speak for EVERYBODY to own a full auto weapon?
 
Um, they're busy making it so that everybody in every state can at least own any kind of weapon 1st...and not get them taken away in an emergency. If they spent their time, $$$ and lobbying efforts as you suggest, they would accomplish absolutely nothing.

They are the premier organization promoting the safe and proficient use of firearms. This is in fact their main purpose, not politics. They have outstanding firearm safety and civilian and LE firearm instruction programs and instructors to promote safe, responsible firearm ownership. It's worth joining for all the reasons other than politics. Don't donate to the NRA-ILA if they aren't conservative enough for you.

With some gun owners, they are a victim of their own political clout and that's all people think of. http://nra.org/aboutus.aspx a link to a brief history of the NRA, plenty of stuff worth $35 per year that doesn't include politics. Heck, American Rifleman is a good magazine worth 2/3 the membership price alone.
 
evan price said:
IMHO the AWB, Import Ban, BATFE, Machine Gun Ban, etc should all be repealed and replaced with a decent set of rules that does not restrict our rights.
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I have no problem with that, no problem at all.
strambo said:
they're busy making it so that everybody in every state can at least own any kind of weapon 1st...and not get them taken away in an emergency. If they spent their time, $$$ and lobbying efforts as you suggest, they would accomplish absolutely nothing.
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You want full automatic weapons. People in New York, parts of California, Massachusetts, Illinois, and in D.C. just want to be able to own weapons and to keep them in their homes without having to disassemble them or keep them locked up tighter than cash!

The NRA is working as hard as possible along with the Second Amendment Foundation and Gun Owners of America to head off the proposed legislation in California requiring every semi-automatic pistol to stamp an ID onto every casing ejected after firing. That legislation, if passed, could cost ALL people purchasing a firearm hundreds of dollars more per weapon purchased.

As strambo said, the NRA magazine American Rifleman is worth almost as much as the annual fee, and if you really want to know about the politics surrounding the Second Amendment, subscribe to America's 1st Freedom.

Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice President of the NRA publicly debated Rebecca Peters, head of the UN's IANSA (the folks that want to take all of our guns away from us) and that debate was broadcast internationally (that debate took place in England, in the heart of extremely high restrictions on gun ownership). The NRA, working closely with the State Department, was largely responsible for the failure of the UN's conference on small arms regulation last July in New York. The NRA is doing what it can.

One thing is for certain. You will NEVER get your full automatic weapons if you do not support the NRA and these kinds of organizations!
 
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"One thing is for certain. You will NEVER get your full automatic weapons if you do not support the NRA and these kinds of organizations!"

Amen.

One Step at a Time.

David
 
"There ain't no limits in 2A. Otherwise they would be there already.

How many NRA guys would publicly speak for EVERYBODY to own a full auto weapon?"

Here's a suggestion. Why don't you attend a couple of meetings and ask?

:)

If you find someone who doesn't agree with you 100% you can work on converting them.

John
 
Guilty as charged with mitigating circumstances. I only started in November of 05 with guns in my personal possession. Didn't shoot my first weapon till Feb. of this year. Now in the past I've fired everything from a 22, a patriot missile and just about everything in between that you can think of. Thirteen years in the Army allowed me this bit of pleasure. I also will eventually get around to joing the NRA. Understand one thing though. I am also a firm believer in the 2nd Amendment. Especially so when you consider it in conjuction with our Declaration of Independence.


signed by
Just an old woman who has traded boyfriend in on an AR-50.
 
Compromising as it might be, the NRA has done far more to advance the pro-gun rights agenda than all of the bloviating purists on all of teh internets.

Oh, sure, the purists sit around and grouse about how the NRA didn't go far enough, or try to repeal the NFA in full, but until I actually see even a smidgen of effective political action from the uncompromising purists they will remain nothing more than loudmouthed hypocrites.

If you aren't a member of at least one national-level gun rights organization, or working on the local or state level, you're not helping to advance our cause.

Complain about the NRA all you want (and many of those criticisms are valid) but in the end, everyone should realize that the NRA is one of the most feared lobbying organizations in all of Washington DC, operating with the same level of authority as the AARP.
 
JOIN THE NRA!

Justin hit the nail right on the head!

"If you aren't a member of at least one national-level gun rights organization, or working on the local or state level, you're not helping to advance our cause.

Complain about the NRA all you want (and many of those criticisms are valid) but in the end, everyone should realize that the NRA is one of the most feared lobbying organizations in all of Washington DC, operating with the same level of authority as the AARP."

************************

I have been a Life Member of the NRA for over 40 years and have seen it change from a fairly laid back gun-owners organization to THE major advocate in the forefront of the battle against the gun-grabbers. They have taken a lot of hits and body blows during those years but have kept plugging forward and very much are responsible for many of the gains our side has made back from a rather bad position.

I really do not understand why 100% of the THR forum members are not also NRA members.:banghead: If you are not at least a member of the NRA, even if not contributing beyond that, frankly I don't want to hear any complaints from you. :fire: [Edited to clarify fire-breathing statement.]

Think about it! Join more than one pro-2nd Amendment organization if you don't think that the NRA is doing enough but by all means support the NRA. They really are in the forefront of OUR battle.

"Gentlemen, if we do not all hang together, we shall all hang separately." There is still a lot of wisdom in those words!
 
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Same old rant, same issures concerning membership, all valid. I rejoined the NRA, and am OK with it. I respect other's decision not to join. There are many other ways and organizations to further the 2nd Amendment cause and gun ownership. Being arrogant toward others to join the NRA isn't one of them.
 
Am a life member.
But the NRA brought you the 1986 machine gun ban{FOPA}.
They allowed a bill to pass that stripped non military, non LEO, non wealthy, firearm owners of the ability to legally own an affordable automatic weapon.
 
I agree 100% with Justin and am just going to say, I am a life member since 1994. This is not real long but, I was a yearly member for about 15 years prior to that. They do a better job for you than the ACLU.
I am also a member of the Second Amendment Foundation so I guess I am "committed".
 
Bearmgc

I have edited my earlier post to clarify that it was COMPLAINTS from those who are not taking any sort of active part to help preserve the 2nd amendment that I did not want to hear. I see that the original version was not clear.

I hardly think that my post was a rant of any sort. I have been around a long time and am well aware that you are very unlikely to win EVERY battle. Pick your fights and make them be the ones where you at least have a chance to win.

Yes, it's true that the NRA is not perfect. However, they are doing the best that they can. I'm sorry if they are not fighting the particular battle that you want fought.

Of course, that makes me a bit curious. What are YOU doing in the war? At the very least, what do you RECOMMEND anyone else do to help both preserve the 2nd amendment and recover any of the rights that have been lost? Please note that this is NOT an attempt to flame. I said I am curious and that is exactly what I meant. I am quite willing to listen and, perhaps, learn.

Please also note that I said that there are other 2nd amendment organizations that deserve support. It is just that the NRA is the big dog in the fight. Support from smaller dogs is certainly needed and helpful but if the big dog loses, we all do.:(

See the post by glajlu. (#8) He said it better than I did.
 
Best national organization for defending RKBA? Maybe not.
Most effective national organization for defending RKBA? Definitely.

I get irritated with them sometimes (the deluge of mail, the Chicken Little fund-raising tactics, and selling my mailing address, for starters) but none of that changes the fact that they're doing a better job than anybody out there right now.

As far as I'm concerned, there's no excuse for not being a member.
 
I can see the frustration with the compromises, indeed I feel the same way, but at this point it's useless to cry over spilt milk. This is a struggle, and we have to crawl before we can walk, and walk before we run, and considering how the clouds are gathering, it's going to be hard enough to keep crawling in the next few years.

So yes, I am a member. VCDL also. Is that enough for some people? No. But it's more than most, unfortunately.

Dang, I was hoping to squeeze another cliche in there. Ah well.
 
Why am I not an NRA member?

A lot you will say this is a lousy reason. You may be right, but to me it's very simple:

I like to own NFA weapons. The NRA doesn't like NFA weapons.
 
Hmm, I could be a member, if I didn't live 8000 km away. Does being a volunteer in military organization count?
 
Keith Wheeler said:
Why am I not an NRA member?

A lot you will say this is a lousy reason. You may be right, but to me it's very simple:

I like to own NFA weapons. The NRA doesn't like NFA weapons
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As I said in Post #8 of this thread, I have no problem with a person considered a legally acceptable gun owner wanting to own fully automatic weapons. The NRA started as a hunting, sports-shooting organization and fully automatic weapons have not typically been recognized to fit into either of those categories. HOWEVER, if it were not for the NRA, GOA, SAF, CCRKBA, and those types of organizations, there is a distinct possibility that you would not be able to own ANY firearms, let alone carry concealed right now.

Also, as I said early on in this thread, without support for these organizations you NEVER will see the day you will be able to own a fully automatic weapon without jumping through all the hoops set out by BATF.
 
Just exactly what is the NRA doing right now to change the hoops one must jump through to own any title II firearm?

I didn't say that I don't support certain organizations, I said I am not an NRA member because I'm not a freaking duck hunter. I prefer to own modern firearms, and other than the occasional "AR-15s do exist" the NRA just doesn't seem interested.

I doubt the NRA's attitude towards title II firearms has changed since 1934 or 1986.
 
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