NRA 'TAG' Poll? (is it just to raise money)

[KelBench400]

Hi,
(first post on THR)
I just recieved something in the mail from the NRA called the 'Truth About Gun Owners Poll'. Inside it has a poll to fill out with copies for both of my Senators and my Representative. But attached to those is the standard donation slip. It says not to detach anything and that you have to sign the donation slip for your poll to count.

Now I joined the NRA less than 6 months ago (I'm a youngin') and I gave them more money than my year of membership. So I'm not exactly looking to send more money right now.

I'm wondering if I should fill out this poll and send it with no money, or just throw it away. Is it a legitimate poll? Or is it a fund raising piece of junk mail?

Thanks,
Kel
(longtime TFL lurker and occasional poster)

 

[Cliff]

Kel,
I'm sure other folks may have info behind this poll,but as for myself,I filled it out and sent it back without any money. I support the NRA,but their about midway down on my list of where I send my money, mortage,car payment,gas,ammo,food,etc....

 

[Carlos Cabeza]

If you send money everytime the NRA solicits it you'd need a second job.................

 

[Greg L]

I threw it in the trash.

As usual it was filled with loaded questions specifically worded to try to generate enough outrage that you will want to "do something". And what do you know, there is a way to "do something" right here, just drop a check in the envelope and we'll "do something" so that you don't have to.

To me a "poll" of such a specific group of people (in this case gun owners who cared enough to join the NRA) is worthless. To me it is the same as conducting a "poll" of prisoners asking if they think that they should be let out of jail. The answers were known before the poll even started and will probably have as much attention paid to them as the wardens will to the prisoners requests to be let out, none unless it happens to be what they want to do anyway.

Greg

 

[FPrice]

KelBench400...

I am a strong supporter of the NRA, but I can also speak quite plainly about them.

Since this mailing was to NRA members, one should expect that the results would show an almost 100% concurrence with NRA opinions and pronouncements. In this sense it is not a scientific poll since the target audience is NRA members and not a sampling of the American public in general. The latter would be a more "legitimate" poll in gauging the feelings of the American public.

But on the positive side, if enough people answer this poll and the NRA can send the results to enough elected officials, then it can show how we as gun-owners feel and perhaps boost support of our freedoms.

IF you have some spare cash, then by all means fill out the poll and send some money. For all it's problems, the NRA is still the best and strongest national organization trying to protect our rights. But don't feel pressured to send money everytime they send you something. Otherwise you WILL go broke! I only send money when I can. But I also support other RKBA organizations on the national and local level.

I am sure that some NRA-bashers will join in shortly to condemn the NRA. I would only ask you to do some research, look at both sides of the issue, and come to your own conclusions about whether to support their efforts or not.

 

[shermacman]

If it is a poll it was written by the literary opposite of the Democrat National Committee in collaboration with CBS,NBC,ABC,Time,Newsweek. It is a fund raiser. I am an NRA Lifetime Member. I think that the NRA is one of the most important organizations on the planet but I do tire of their constant fund raising letters. But on the long list of things that boil my blood, this is not too upsetting...

 

[J Miller]

Greg L,

I have filled out numerous versions of this gun owners poll for the NRA.
I got tired of the loaded questions made up so I could only vote for their ideas and plans.
I have my own beliefs and don't agree with ALL of the NRA's. So I started crossing out their answers to their questions, and writing in my own answers.
I never heard anything from them one way or another.
On occasion I would send a bit of extra money. Like, when I could afford it. Otherwise I'd just return the poll and toss all the rest of the stuff in the trash.

 

[Peetmoss]

OOPS

I was going to fill out the poll and mail it back but I accidently used the envelope to jot down some IP addy's

 

[Standing Wolf]

I filled it out, wrote a check, and mailed them back with a stamp on the envelope to save the N.R.A. postage costs. I always send as much as I can as frequently as I can when I receive solicitations from the N.R.A. and G.O.A. They may be imperfect, but they're doing a far better job than other countries' civil rights organizations.