Where's the NRA on all this?

[Cee Zee]

They're hiding under a rock, that's where. It's nice to know my dues are being used to pay lobbyists to cave to the gun grabber lobby.

What needs to happen is that the members of the NRA need to explain to the leadership that we should never back down no matter how difficult the struggle. Because the alternative will be far worse. I've known that since I was 5 years old and I first heard about the NRA. Yes tragedies happen but a bigger tragedy would happen if we caved. And the NRA admitted to me on the phone that they have been taking time off to "let people bury their dead". I don't remember a clause in my membership for allowing the NRA leadership to make it look like they are having second thoughts and that is EXACTLY what happened as soon as it was apparent that the NRA was being silent on the issue. How stupid can they get? I hate this tragedy tremendously. It makes me sick. But we will have far, far worse situations if we surrender our gun rights because only criminals will have guns if we do. That guy broke a dozen gun laws to get the guns he used. Nothing short of a total ban of guns would ever change the situation in this country. And that would take decades just to implement and it would bring on a civil war because people just won't surrender their last line of defense against the oppression of the government. If we do we will be in the same boat the Jews were in just before WWII. It's insane to give up. Ask anyone in the UK where crime skyrocketed when they confiscated guns.

If you belong to the NRA you really should call them and tell them that no matter how harsh it seems it's the right thing to do to stand up for our rights. That's why we gave them our money. They made it possible for certain senators to think it was ok to cave too. Senators like Joe Manchin from WV and another senator from Virginia. No senators would appear on Meet The Press. Hey if the NRA isn't holding their feet to the fire you could see a lot of power grabbers want to take away the means to resist abusive power. I remember Arch Moore in WV. He was as corrupt as it gets. I'm sure he would have loved to have a constituency that was unarmed.

Call the NRA and tell them it is NOT ok to take a week off. They set back our cause a decade in a few days. If you want to know how read this news story:

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/12/17/nra-shuts-down-facebook-no-tweets-since-school-shooting/

 

[Emfuser]

Charlton Heston in his 1999 Keynote speech to the NRA:

"This cycle of tragedy-driven hatred must stop, because so much more connects us than that which divides us because tragedy has been, and will always be with us. Somewhere right now, evil people are planning evil things. All of us will do everything meaningful, everything we can do to prevent it, but each horrible act can't become an ax for opportunists to cleave the very Bill of Rights that binds us. America must stop this predictable pattern of reaction. when an isolated, terrible event occurs, our phones ring, demanding that the NRA explain the inexplicable. Why us? Because their story needs a villain. They want us to play the heavy in their drama of packaged grief. To provide riveting programming to run between commercials for cars and cat food.

The dirty secret of this day and age is that political gain and media ratings all to often bloom on fresh graves. I remember a better day, where no one dared politicize or profiteer on trauma. We kept a respectful distance then, as NRA has tried to do now. Simply being silent is so often the right thing to do. But today, carnage comes with a catchy title, splashy graphics, regular promos and a reactionary passage of legislation. Reporters perch like vultures on the balconies of hotels for a hundred miles around. Cameras jockey for shocking angles as news anchors race to drench their microphones with the tears of victims.

Injury, shock, grief and despair shouldn't be brought to you by sponsors. That's pornography. It trivializes the tragedy it abuses. It abuses vulnerable people, and maybe worst of all, it makes the unspeakable seem commonplace. And we're often cast as the villain. That is not our role in American society, and we will not be forced to play it."

Full text: http://www.varmintal.com/heston4.htm

 

[Sam1911]

Checkman posted this a little while ago:

Has anyone called the NRA? I did today. They're waiting for the children to be buried and then they're going to be on the scene. The NRA is planning strategy and urging all members to start contacting their reps and get ready to get busy. Why does it seem like I'm the only one to remember the atmosphere in the country after Colombine in 99? It was just as bad. The NRA waited for a few days and then moved into the political fray. I agree. Let the anti's do all their screaming and then get to work. The last few days would have only been a screeching session with the rabif anti's pointing their fingers at pro-gun people and shouting them down with the assistance of the so-called "hosts".

 

[wow6599]

Yeah, I've not been very pleased with them these past few days - but they are still our best ally in the fight.

 

[Sam1911]

I have to agree that adding one more voice to the shrill screaming is probably not the most effective plan. It is HARD to be patient, VERY hard. But without any question the wisest course of action would be for no one in the country to make any changes at all for at least 6 months or a year after an event like this to let the tide of emotion and grief ebb and make decisions of vast import with a clear head. There is no crisis. No impending further danger. Nothing must be done right this minute. The terrible moment has passed and there's little reason to believe another is in the offing.

Unfortunately, the by-far more popular way to do things is to launch screaming into a rage demanding your own agenda if a crisis or tragedy seems to suit your needs. "Never let a crisis go to waste" as they say. So instead of taking a respectful and quite logical pause to collect our thoughts, the antis scream to strike while the iron is hot -- while the public is still dazed and outraged.

Most fortunately, few of the changes they want to see can happen over night, or in a week, or even in a month. We can afford to let the flood of rage and emotion pass and then stand strong when it our enemies get their ploys worked up through the system.

With luck and good planning, we'll be able to meet that high water and turn it back.

 

[gondorian]

There isn't really any sense for them to get strategically unimportant people screaming at them and allowing that distaste creep over to more influential parties.

 

[mljdeckard]

I trust the NRA to do my talking for me. Placing an order with Midway and rounding up the next couple of dollars tomorrow.

 

[wow6599]

Have they even issued a statement though? Something reminding folks we are the 99.999% that are not the "evil ones", and maybe their condolences for the families. Start the discussion regarding mental health, or lack there of.......

 

[Atbat82]

They're smart to lay low. They know that no one in the media will run their message without butchering/spinning/manipulating it. They know no legislation will come up before the new year. They are giving the families time to grieve, giving the public time to take a deep breath, and giving the anti-gun crowd time to shout themselves horse.

Not many people outside our community are open to the RKBA argument right now. The pain from Newtown is too raw and the emotion too high. In a week or so, reason should come back and facts will carry almost as much weight as emotion. Right now facts carry very little.


Sent from my iPhone

 

[jason41987]

so heres a question i would love to know the answer from.... to those of you are more experienced in these matters... do you think legislation will come from this, if so, what do you think will happen?

 

[mljdeckard]

No. I still don't think it will make it out of committee.

 

[razorback2003]

I don't think the house will pass any law making it hard for people to own AR's and have NORMAL capacity mags.

The key will be to see if Boehner will keep his word and support us.

 

[Pronghorn19]

Im watching Piers Morgan now and its making me want to scream. If only good old Wayne was debating this fool. I cant wait until we as a collective group can flex our muscles through debate and spreading info just like the anti-gunners are doing now.

 

[CharlieBT]

Sam ... Thank you for passing that info along. As a life member a couple times over, I was concerned why NRA went dark off the social media feeds. I would have appreciated an email blast from HQ giving us a heads up on the strategy, but don't want to make this all about my little concerns. I appreciated learning this. Onward.

 

[jason41987]

someone actually has a petition on whitehouse.gov to repeal the second amendment... wow, some people are DUMB... i signed one to declare military style semi automatics as constitutionally accepted, and bans on them and magazines as unconstitutional

 

[DurangoKid]

The Patriots at Bunker Hill held their fire until the enemy was in range. Were they cowards? Hell no. The NRA is waiting until the enemy is in range. They know how to fight. Just stand by to support them.

 

[Cee Zee]

I understand not going on with the radical leftists and doing the cha cha cha about a horrible tragedy while they're trying to blame us. But not saying anything at all leads to them (the fascist left) having free reign to portray us not only as the scapegoats but also as finally having come to our senses. There are venues where they could have gotten their message out without being ripped to shreds. I think it was important to point out we were not backing down because anything that looks like we are was bound to be played up as exactly that. And it happened just that way. According to the MSM the NRA is shutting down completely and changing their minds about guns.

I know it would have been in bad taste to argue over this right after the tragedy. But a lot of people will buy the propaganda. That's why they go to the trouble of producing it. It works. One spokesman on one Fox News program for example (except Oreally of course) would have been evidence that we were not about to give up the fight. Heck we've been winning this battle big time because of the mass shootings. People know that one responsible person with a gun could have saved the lives of a lot of children. I just don't see running from our position in whatever form.

I think the Heston quote above said it all. We can't let ourselves be portrayed as the villain in this pornography passion play. We are the good guys. Let's act like it and not cower in fear from the forces of lunacy.Yes we can let them play the role of extremist by not going to war with them but with no spokesman at all or no announcements of suspending operations it looks like we are caving instead of giving respectful distance.

 

[Sam1911]

CZ, I understand what you're saying, and it is impossible to ever tell which way is the most beneficial in the long, long term. Either we come out slugging immediately, fighting tooth and nail at the risk of looking like opportunistic ghouls (as our enemies have clearly done), or we come out with a cautious statement or two which could look timid and wilting and which our enemies will contort into whatever twisted message they want to send...or we hold our fire, take a respectful and patient stance and wait to act when the time is most opportune.

No choice is without social risks, or without possible benefits. And you can't pick more than one path to take. The NRA is obviously calculating that option 3 will be the MOST beneficial in the long term. I guess we'll see.

 

[Guillermo]

it is a difficult situation for the NRA

if they come out they are "politicizing the tragedy"

if they wait they are "cowards not fighting for us"

as one that that sometimes allows myself to get caught up in the emotion brought by another, I appreciate them being more cautious.

I just hope that their message, when they come out, is something to the effect of

how many must lie dead and dying in "gun free" zones before we ban them?

 

[Godsgunman]

I think the NRA is doing what they should. Sometimes silence is the best tactic. Also I believe they are being far more respectful to the families who lost loved ones and giving them time to grieve. These liberal media nutjobs have absolutely no respect or tact and it can clearly be seen. All they are doing is jumping at the opportunity while emotion is still high, they know emotion is their only chance, once logic comes back into focus then they will fail. I believe the NRA is being very smart and strategic.

 

[481]

FWIW, I just hope that when the NRA does speak to this (I believe that they will when the time is correct), that they make a point of the 94 AWB being in place when another similar tragedy, Columbine, took place.

Punishing law-abiding gun owners with restrictive firearms legislation is not the answer.

 

[Wapato]

With their track history I think it's really unfair to and innacurate to say that the NRA has "backed down".

At most you could say that you think their tactics of being patient aren't wise.

However I'm inclined to think they're being wise about it.

First all what could they say at this point that they haven't said numerous times already?

And going on an interview to debate somebody? That's just tactically stupid right now. It's their show, even if you have a great point, there isn't anything keeping them from editing it out. They'll probalby have more people against you so you're standing alone looking crazy, because they are indeed looking for a bad guy in all this tragedy that isn't alredy dead. And they certainly can and will interupt you.

Instead I think it's wise to wait for people to calm down and for the rational parts of their brains to re-engage. Also it serves their interests to allow all the facts to come out.

 

[brnmw]

Out of respect I too believe the NRA is doing what they should at this point. The fight is down the road, not here and not right after the tragedy let the wounded heal a bit and let the dead be buried to rest in peace and be remembered. For the record I am an NRA member, and no I do not agree with everything they do and I am sure due to the size of the NRA may not have the little peoples best interest at heart from time to time, but they are the "Biggest" voice we have at the moment nationally. I also belong to my TSRA here in Texas to speak for me on a local level... I suggest for those of you to also lend support to those local voices if you have not already. We all have an uncertain future ahead, sometimes staying cool and collected is better than running through like a "Bull through a China Shop" for the lack of a better analogy.

Stay Strong... and "Cool Headed".

 

[Pilot]

They should have at least put something about grieving for the victims and their families on their website and indicated any political discussions were premature until a period of mourning has past.

Instead they give the MSM ammo to say the NRA is silent and sticking its head in the sand, insinuating fear and embarrasment from gun owners. The NRA leadership and PR people have failed miserably on this one.

 

[Black Wolf]

I called the NRA (and was on hold for 11 minutes) - the manly-man that answered the phone said it's "an ongoing investigation and they are remaining silent". No <deleted[/]>. What a BS bureaucratic answer. We're not asking them to determine the "cause" or "suspect" of the case - we're asking them to refute the BS liberal's media perception of guns in general; not specific to this case!

NRA - YOU'RE FIRED!