Should I renew my NRA membership or choose another RKBA organization?

[manwithoutahome]

Since 1986, gee, why didn't you just do the payment plan for life-time member? It would have been paid off by now. You've spent about $425 and the LT is only around $700 or so (I got the disabled vet rate). When you are an LT, you have abit more "say" in what they do and they treat you abit better then just a yearly member. Also, you get to vote in the elections. The reason that I bring this up is due to you would have abit more power to wield if you did so.

But, I voted to keep with the NRA and join other groups. I am a member of the NRA (LT), JFPO (paying my LT membership), Gun Owners of America, an honorary member of the the Second Amendment Sisters (men can't hold office which I agree with), the Pink Pistols (international), Pink Pistols (Portland) and the Oregon Firearms Federation (OFF)(our grass roots organization). I know that it seems like allot and allot of money but the NRA costs $100 per year (four quarterly payments), JFPO (I pay $100 per year now since my NRA membership is paid off), GOA is $35 per year, OFF is $20 per year and I give around $30 to the SAS and PP each year. So, that's about $295 per year (if you are paying for LT memberships to the NRA and JFPO). This is 24.59 per month. To save our Rights, I think this is a very small price to pay (I also give donations to Kenn Blanchard (Blackmanwithagun.com ; US Shooting Team (for the olympics) and others that I think are helping the cause).

Does this make me a "great activist for our gun Rights"? Heck no. Giving money is the easy part. Getting involved is the hard part. I need to do more letters to my "guberment" in this state, I need to get my arse to Salem when a bad gun bill comes up to protest. I need to do more local spreading of the word about gun Rights. I need to use my computer and my printer to make pamphlets(sp) and go around the mall or someplace and put under wipers. There is allot more I should be doing.

So, giving money is the easy part. Voting is the easy part (here in Oregon, they make it too easy to vote, just punch the card and mail it back. I go to the actually office because they "compare" your signature and you know how that goes). Actually giving up your time (other then writing, sealing, mailing a check) is the hard part. Just something to think about.

M

 

[cosmos7]

Silveira v. Lockyer is a perfect current example of NRA bs. This case has a fair chance of being heard by SCOTUS, and the NRA filed a brief in support of sustaining the 9th's ruling that the 2nd is not an individual right.

The NRA has now flipflopped on the issue, as Silveira is gradually gathering momentum and support for a SCOTUS hearing. First they attempted to merge the case with one of their own, which is ill-prepared and has virtually no chance of winning. Finally after losing the motion to merge they came out in support of Silveira, but have now been trying to take credit in the press for the work done thus-far in the case.

 

[SC_shooter]

JerryN,

The NRA opposed CWP reforms in SC because they didn't initiate the bill. It was written by GrassRoots SC. They fought against the bill at every turn, as it when though the SC legislature. The CWP reforms were only passed due to the efforts of the membership of GrassRoots SC. A coalition of state-level grassroots organizations is now working to ensure that the AWB is not put back into law. The NRA seems to care less, except as it affects their fund-raising.

They give good marks to politicians that consistently vote for more gun control.

If you want to support them, it's your money. I think my money is better used for organizations whose only goal is a restoration of the Second Amendment. The NRA seems to have a political and legislative agenda that is often at odds with the Second Amendment.

Paul
ex-NRA life member
Member of GrassRoots GunRights SC
No compromise, No surrender

 

[Dan from MI]

I am an NRA member on the EPL plan. There are good and bad parts to the, and I've been PO'ed at them lately myself, specifically with them sending a video and charging money for it.

But they are the 800 pound gorilla.

I am also however a member of IMO a better group. Second Amendment Foundation(The national group brains behind Emerson and fighting Ohio's Affirmative Defense CCW law). I'm disapointed that I didn't see them mentioned here.

http://www.saf.org

 

[atek3]

http://www.nraila.org/media/misc/fables.htm#FABLE III:


The 1986 federal law prohibiting the manufacture and importation of "armor piercing ammunition" adopted standards NRA helped write. BOOO!!!

The truth is, NRA supports many gun laws, including federal and state laws that prohibit the possession of firearms by certain categories of people, such as convicted violent criminals, those prohibiting sales of firearms to juveniles, and those requiring instant criminal records checks on retail firearm purchasers. BOOO!!!!


atek3

 

[JerryN]

Nobody is talking blind obediance. Make your views known when the gorilla dumps on your floor. But don't get rid of our gorilla because the enemy has one as well and we need ours to fight theirs.

Which horrendous problems/mistakes comitted by the NRA were you referring to, by the way? Just curious.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

The NRA has now flipflopped on the issue, as Silveira is gradually gathering momentum and support for a SCOTUS hearing. First they attempted to merge the case with one of their own, which is ill-prepared and has virtually no chance of winning. Finally after losing the motion to merge they came out in support of Silveira, but have now been trying to take credit in the press for the work done thus-far in the case.

Cosmos, you are mixing up two separate cases in your criticism of the NRA. It is important that we stick to the known facts when discussing these things so that we aren't contributing to misinformation and confusion among our own.

On Silveira, the NRA filed an amicus brief supporting Attorney General Lockyer's contention that the California AW ban was legal. After the case was heard by the Ninth and it became apparent that the case was going to SCOTUS for review, NRA filed an amicus brief supporting it. To date, I haven't seen them make any effort to claim credit for the work done so far.

I believe you were thinking of the Washington DC lawsuit, where lawyers from the CATO Institute sued to remove the ban on firearms ownership based on Second Amendment grounds. NRA tried to merge the case with one that was much more complicated and had a more unfavorable judge and failed to do so. After failing in that, they proceeded to push Orrin Hatch to author a bill rescinding the ban in DC - good for DC residents; but bad news for getting a nice simple up/down 2nd Amendment case to SCOTUS.

 

[Shooter 2.5]

Stay with the NRA.

No other group does it better. They have more programs and they work on more levels of government than any other group.

 

[Country Boy]

NRA is a shield. Organizations like GOA are the swords.

 

[atek3]

I like the way you phraised that country boy

atek3