Wayne LaPierre is resigning.

[DeepSouth]

As a life member I support his decision, though years to late.

I do wish they would have announced it on Christmas morning.

 

[CoalTrain49]

I ended my membership with the NRA when my state went from one of the better states in the union on gun rights, to literally the most restrictive in the nation, in the space of the last 5 years.
And I didn't see one single effort from the NRA to object to or inform people of any of the multiple bills passed here in the last 5 years. Not a single commercial. Not one advertisement. Not one effort to combat the gross infringement of our rights as they were happening.

And now there are almost no centerfire semi auto rifles for sale here.

They've been MIA in WA for awhile, at least 5 years, which is about the time we started seeing our laws change. I purchased my last firearm about a month ago before the new laws went into effect. I used to buy and sell a few every year but that all changed. I have some I would like to sell now but I know I won't be able to ever replace them if I do.

I just feel sorry for anyone trying to buy a firearm in this state now. Nobody has more restrictions, not even CA. Soon we'll see no sales to WA in the online ads.

 

[ilbob]

I doubt we will ever know with any certainty just who is to blame for all of the bad things that have happened with the NRA the last decade or so. It has been a good old boys club for a handful of heavyweights for a long time and that needs to go. One of the problems with the NRA is that military and police personnel have an unusually high degree of control of the organization. While there's nothing wrong with people who are veterans or police officers in general, they tend to accept authority rather than questioning it.

Authority figures in general cannot be trusted, and should never be trusted without verification.

 

[nettlle]

With the lack of support Wayne LaPierre has been getting from gun owners lately, justified or not, I doubt the cream of the crop is going to step up to the plate.

 

[tactikel]

Good riddance. I stopped giving because of him. If they can return to the original idea, using political influence to pass gun friendly legislatio, I’m in back in.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

The NRA reminds me of my union. Once you are in all they want is more money, money, money..... And THEN, you are so far to the fringe you have no say.

We must be in the same union.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

The charter needs to be amended so regular Joe Sixpack members who have been members for five or more years consecutively have the same voting power as more well heeled members with Life or more memberships.

I'm not attacking Life Members or Benefactors with this. Regular members should have a mechanism to be able to vote, and this might urge annual members to keep up their memberships...Win-Win

It's definitely a pay to play operation.

 

[Ignition Override]

Usually an authentic revolution requires the palace to be invaded as troops occupy tv, radio stations, naval bases and airports.

Is a "wink" emoji required here?

 

[rhino465]

That crook is finally resigning. He is siting health reasons for his resignation. All I can say is GOOD RIDDANCE! Hopefully we won't get one of his cronies that is just as bad as his replacement.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/wayne-lapierre-announces-resignation-nra-chief

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Except that Titsie James will take credit for his demise.

That might be well-deserved credit. Who here thinks that LaPierre would have ever resigned from his lavish, corrupt position without pressure from the outside and in the magnitude she brought to bear? I seem to recall Oliver North taking on LaPierre and quickly being escorted out. Seems like other well recognized names (was it the guy from Midway...or Brownell's...I forget) left for similar reasons. Anyone who truly believes that LaPierre was corrupt and a detriment to the goals of the NRA owes Latetia James a thank you card-none of this would have happened without her. It's a simple case of doing the right thing for the wrong reasons.

 

[GravelRider]

If he is guilty of what they say he is, than good riddance. However, I would like to see how the trial plays out. Does anyone know if it will be publicized? Or will it be behind closed doors?

I just hope this doesn't weaken the NRA. I don't agree with all that they do (particularly taking credit for what local/regional gun rights organizations actually do, which I've seen first hand), but they are our biggest allies in DC.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

...Wonder if memberships will increase if many of us who left in disgust rejoin the fold?

I thought about that, too. It would definitely send a message that LaPierre was absolutely the problem at the NRA.

However, I'm a little surprised to read all of the naysayers here. For years, here at THR-and other sites, any mention of the NRA has turned into a LaPierre bashing contest. Now that he is gone, the celebtation isn't quite as vibrant as I imagined. There are still a lot of people who are still critical of/suspicious of the NRA as a whole. As if LaPierre was just some sort of stand in punching bag and never the real problem.

 

[Hunter 08]

The NRA will have to make a HUGE bout face turn around and become more along the lines of the FPC and GOA. They've torched a lot of bridges in the last decade, but they have been behind a lot of the major gun control stuff the last 90 years.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

...they are our biggest allies in DC.

I'm not sure that is the case anymore. I mean, yeah, they dumped a ton of money into Trump's 2016 campaign but very little into his 2020 campaign. (Maybe they saw the handwriting on the wall.) They have compromised on anti gun bills (who remembers the bump stock ban?). Meanwhile, GOA, SAF, and, I hate to give credit to FPC but FPC, have been fighting like it's the last day at the Alamo.

NRA has lost its mantle. Whether or not that is due solely to LaPierre remains to be seen. Let's watch what they do in 2024. Now is the time, and this couldn't have been better timed. This year is NRA's best opportunity to bounce back from this. For me, I can afford to roll the dice on $45 (price of a 1-yr membership) to cheer them on. If things remain the same, I'm only out a pizza dinner.

 

[tlf65]

I am happy to see Wayne leave but a bit apprehensive about who the replacement will be. Voting is not limited to life members, I believe five years of annual membership gives you voting rights. I've been an annual member since 1964 and have been able to vote for quite some time.

 

[nettlle]

I have been a member of the NRA for 58 years and it is not just because of my love of Wayne La Pierre. It's because I have always supported gun rights organizations. I belong to the GOA and I think it is a great organization but it isn't a patch to the NRA (yet). NRA hasn't lost it's mantle. It is losing it's base of dedicated gun right folks. Complaining without a solution is simply complaining and nothing more. When I read some of these anti NRA posts they seem to be scripture and verse from CNN and MSN. Certainly not from the dedicated gun rights folks. Mods please feel free to delete if I am out of line but I had to get this off of my chest.

 

[GravelRider]

I'm not sure that is the case anymore. I mean, yeah, they dumped a ton of money into Trump's 2016 campaign but very little into his 2020 campaign. (Maybe they saw the handwriting on the wall.) They have compromised on anti gun bills (who remembers the bump stock ban?). Meanwhile, GOA, SAF, and, I hate to give credit to FPC but FPC, have been fighting like it's the last day at the Alamo.

NRA has lost its mantle. Whether or not that is due solely to LaPierre remains to be seen. Let's watch what they do in 2024. Now is the time, and this couldn't have been better timed. This year is NRA's best opportunity to bounce back from this. For me, I can afford to roll the dice on $45 (price of a 1-yr membership) to cheer them on. If things remain the same, I'm only out a pizza dinner.

I definitely agree that other gun rights organizations are better, but none are bigger or are more well known. Ask any John or Jane on the street what GOA or SAF stands for, and they'll look at you blankly. Yet everyone knows what the NRA is and what they stand for. Full disclosure, I'm a life NRA member.

As far as trump goes in 2020... I'm glad the NRA didn't dump money into that losing horse. And I hope he doesn't run again...

 

[hoardingthemanual]

I’ve yet to join a gun rights organization. I’m a wee bit traditionalist; I would have liked to have joined the storied NRA, but WLP was there. Perhaps now is the time I cast my lot with other 2A supporters.

 

[dodo bird]

As an old white guy and many decade NRA member, I'd love to see someone head the NRA who isn't an old white guy.

I don’t care what color/sex he or she is. I want a Patriot not an affirmation action appointment.

 

[Monac]

The NRA will have to make a HUGE bout face turn around and become more along the lines of the FPC and GOA. They've torched a lot of bridges in the last decade, but they have been behind a lot of the major gun control stuff the last 90 years.

Huh? 90 years? More like 45. My understand is that the NRA did not become a hard line, absolutist anti-gun control organization until Harlon Carter took over in the late 1970's. Before that, it was more hunting and outdoors oriented, They actually helped write the Gun Control Act of 1968. I think Wayne LaPierre was Carter's protege/chosen successor, but I could be wrong.

 

[tmd16556]

I’m curious how big a golden parachute he needed. Only about two decades too late.

Now can we make WLP only refer to Winchester Large Pistol primers? Maybe LaPierre’s departure will free up more of those.

 

[Lo-Profile]

Good riddance.
Hopefully one of his cronies doesn't fill the spot.

 

[nettlle]

Huh? 90 years? More like 45. My understand is that the NRA did not become a hard line, absolutist anti-gun control organization until Harlon Carter took over in the late 1970's. Before that, it was more hunting and outdoors oriented, They actually helped write the Gun Control Act of 1968. I think Wayne LaPierre was Carter's protege/chosen successor, but I could be wrong.

The NRA started out as an organization to promote the shooting sports and the also CMP. Nothing more. No politics. With the 1968 gun laws the NRA got involved in the politics. Not the NRA's idea. The NRA did help write the Gun Control Act of 1968. Not because they wanted to assist in supporting the 1968 gun laws or any other gun law but because of their fear of of the alternative of not doing so. This part of the story is controversial and I'm not going into that but I feel the NRA did the best they could. The NRA is the NRA and not just Wayne La Pierre.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

...the NRA did not become a hard line, absolutist anti-gun control organization until Harlon Carter took over in the late 1970's...

The NRA was never a hard line, absolutist, anti-gun control organization. And that is the heart of the problem. GOA's tagline has always been "the only no compromise gun rights organization" (or words to that effect) and I think that is why they have been successful and why NRA has not.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

...would be interesting to see if he gets a "golden parachute" to leave the NRA...

...He's getting a golden parachute...

I’m curious how big a golden parachute he needed....

MrGunsNGear, over on Youtube, just released a video wherein he mentions a seventeen million dollar departure payout. He talks about it starting at about 7:25 in.

Breaking: Wayne Lapierre Resigns From The NRA 🇺🇸

Wayne Lapierre has lead the NRA for over 30 years and has cost the organization tens of millions of dollars resulting in millions of lost members but he's fi...

www.youtube.com