In the 15 or so years out of 45 that I stopped shooting regularly, "I still carried", I forgot what the NRA really did for the Country, aside from guns themselves. It is there to keep the Politicians Honest, at least as honest as you can keep a Politician.
They help us negotiate the freeway of Government policy's in a language that is as straight forward as possible. Without them the Regular Guy" might not be aware of what some of these people are really up to when they try and pass some pretty obscure legislation, that a lay person might not comprehend.
They lay it out and make it easy to understand for Americans who may not understand the "mumbo jumbo", and they pull us together with a common cause, to remain a free society, which fortunately or not, we must be ready to fight for occasionally or we lose that right.
I "get it" more now in my 60's than before, maybe it just was a different world when I grew up, but now more than ever, with the forces of misguided bureaucracy who have an agenda for our Country, the NRA is one of the more important clubs that you should want to be a member of. We need them, and they need more of us.
Not just shooters or gun enthusiasts, but anyone who doesn't want to see our rights erode. Just my 2 cents.