1934, 1968, and 1986 were all a long time ago.
So what you're saying is I should support an organization that to this day doesn't support the legal ownership of NFA weapons, that actively campaigned for their banning and restriction, and will do so again.
Get over it and get on with your life. I don't think the NRA is perfect either. i also think there is a lot to be said for supporting the organization.
I could say the same thing about gun rights in Illinois, California, or other states. You've lost, get over it and get on with your life.
But I don't.
While imperfect, they have helped a lot of people regain some of their lost 2A rights. Its not remotely close to 100%, but its a start.
The problem here is NRA worked to actively take away those rights as well.
And they have *never* corrected this egregiously wrong stance.
If the NRA started an NFA push, it would be an expensive distraction to the current push which is just to allow LACs to merely own firearms.
NRA should clean up their mess, starting with actually supporting the rights of people to do so in official statements. That costs nothing in monetary terms.
If you think the NRA has the capability to undo the onerous sections of the NFA, GCA, or FOPA, you are just plain wrong. No reason to beat yourself bloody over a currently unattainable goal.
They had the capacity to lobby effectively for their enactment. They've dug the hole; I'm merely asking them to start by admitting it was wrong and to fill it back in a piece at a time.
I think we all agree the NRA was fooled into believing the NFA was relatively benign and necessary. They were wrong, and we have all paid for that since. For those of you who may have forgotten, the original NFA included all handguns. It could have been much worse.
The thing is that they're still not supporting NFA weapons in ..2007. Not 1934 or 1968 or 1986. If they were 'fooled', then the time has come to admit it.
Support all lawful firearms ownership - or don't expect all lawful firearms owners to support them.
We need to focus on these two areas:
- mere possession. there are still places you cannot even have a firearm.
- carry. no good having one if it is locked up when you need it.
after those issues are well on the road to being dealt with, the auxiliary issues can be dealt with.
Changing a policy plank or admitting that they were wrong is step #1 to get a lot of owners back in the fold. It costs nothing. They don't have to be overzealous about it or spend every waking minute on it.
But I won't support an organization that does not support my right to legally own items that through their course of choice and actions.
Historically, the NRA acts to protect manufacturers before owners, owners of fudd guns before people with evil things, and supported 'reasonable gun control.' Yes, they've gotten 'better' in the last ten years or so, but the first step for the organization is to admit wrongdoing and pledge support for all lawful firearms owners in the United States - including the NFA people they worked so hard to disenfranchise.
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