Why I didn't rejoin TSRA yesterday

[CentralTexas]

My membership has lapsed in the Texas State Rifle Association and i went to rejoin yesterday. Heller comes down today, many in the law enforcement community are coming together and now trying to restrict our right to legally carry a gun in the car etc., the open carry movement is gathering steam and what is the headline that covers the front page of the TSRA website???

"Proposed Dallas Spay-Neuter Law Threatens Hunting Dogs and Dog Ownership!"

Wow, maybe the SCOTUS ruling on Heller will say the Second is about the right to breed dogs since the Second only protects hunters....

 

[Robert Hairless]

One headline turned you further away from supporting your grassroots gun rights organization. You already had let your membership lapse, so the headline helped you justify your decision yesterday. Tomorrow or the next day you'll find other justifications. There always are ways to justifiy not carrying part of the burden.

The remaining members of TSRA will do it for you. Relatively few members of the NRA carry the national burden for the relatively great number of gun owners who have darned good reasons you betcha for not belonging.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Maybe you didn't notice that the Texas Legislature only meets every 2 years. Maybe you didn't notice that this year is NOT one of those.

Maybe you didn't read the TSRA Sportsman from yesterday showing all of the Legislative preparations being made for NEXT YEARS legislative term.

Maybe you didn't read the article written by Jim Dark explaining why TSRA was involved in this. Many TSRA members are hunters and this city ordinance could directly impact hunting.

NRA, TSRA, GOA, etc regularly stand up for hunters rights. Nowhere in there was the mention that the Second Amendment was only about hunting.

You know what? We're probably better off without you in the fight if you are that narrow minded.

I'll send them an extra $100 today.

 

[kingpin008]

Wow. Hooray for over-reacting. Yes, Heller came down today, but TSRA is a grassroots organization, and therefore focuses on local issues first. Not everyone is going to care about the proposed spay-neuter laws that would hard hunting dogs - but they do, because they're working on a small-scale first.

I suggest you re-adjust your perspective and re-up your membership. Local groups are a huge asset to the 2A fight, and by dropping your name from the list (especially over something so silly) you're not doing anyone a favor.

 

[bdickens]

Man, you need some perspective.

 

[Art Eatman]

I think that line of reasoning is irrational and immature, for whatever my own opinion might be worth.

About as logical as saying that since it's the Texas State Rifle Association, it should not be concerned about handguns and shotguns.

 

[csmkersh]

CentralTexas is in Austin and that itself explains a lot. Sigh.

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[MaterDei]

You really should reconsider. Heller was in the hands of the Supreme Court and there was NOTHING that the TSRA could have been doing to impact that case one way or another. The TSRA has been EXTREMELY successful and they are the best thing that Texas gun owners have going.

 

[TexasSkyhawk]

You know what? We're probably better off without you in the fight if you are that narrow minded.

I'll send them an extra $100 today.

Agreed.

Will do the same.

Jeff

 

[saltydog452]

There is such a thing a 'lag time'.

Your objection sounds kinda trivial to me. More like an excuse than a logical reason. I dunno, but thats the way is seems.

Nothing personal, but whatever trips your trigger, go for it.

salty

 

[Picard]

Well the you will just be another freeloader, with the TSRA continuing to do YOUR job for you.

The TSRA, just like the NRA, look at all infractions of freedom and fight them. They don't only look at the things the you view as important, although I am sure that they are fighting those issues as well, it just happened to not be on the headline.

 

[T J]

many in the law enforcement community are coming together and now trying to restrict our right to legally carry a gun in the car etc

I thought TSRA backed the legislation that passed in the last session that clarified and made it easier to legally carry a gun in a car.

 

[csmkersh]

They did, TJ. But that doesn't mean that some DAs and CLEOs are happy. Many will work against the law. Some will instruct their officers to arrest and let the court sort it out.


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[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

In response to this thread, originally I wrote:

Thank you and Amen Robert Hairless. I get sick and tired of the excuses that the leechers roll out.

Yeah, maybe they're a bit out of touch with the bigger issues, but that means you should get involved and CHANGE their priorities by electing a board member or running yourself perhaps, and/or writing them to let them know how you feel.

But I can see your side of it too, now, CT. PROVIDED you put your gun-group-dollar SOMEWHERE in substitute. Don't like TSRA? Fine, give that money you WOULD have given to the NRA or GOA. No sense in subsidizing a group which is out of touch with the issues you hold important, AS LONG AS you still do your part and share your burden to try and pull along the RKBA wagon, but giving a substitute donation. So it's justified if you do that. But, if you don't lift a finger (financial finger that is) to help ANY group with RKBA rights as their priority, THEN I would put you in the leecher category.

 

[Blackfork]

TSRA calendar

I'm currently shooting next years TSRA Calendar. For free so the organization won't spend any money on stock photos and will have more money for operations. Any particular gun you want photographed? When you rejoin, you will be on the calendar list.

Then you will be happy, happy, happy!

I'm an endowment member of the TSRA and send extra money- more than your annual membership, every time they ask. Plus I pay for a junior. Are you suggesting that others should follow your lead because of slack time in updating the website?

Nah, can't be.

 

[waterhouse]

I look forward to seeing the calendar Blackfork. Thanks for going above an beyond.

 

[TallPine]

When intact dogs are outlawed, only outlaws will have intact dogs

 

[CentralTexas]

Wow - speak of over reacting

Art etc., glad there has never been a group or organization you didn't join based upon a stance on an item or two.
Glad some folks sent in another $100 due to my post.
Leecher? I got something you can leech buddy, feel free to disclose how much you gave compared to what I gave to political parties, gun rights orgs and charity compared to you? Oh, and how much time have you volunteered for causes this past year? Right....

Well if grassroots means their priority is hunting dogs they should state we are a hunters rights organization as much as for Texas gun rights. I hate to see that's the case. The dog issue is a private/personal property issue and NOT something my membership dues should go to defend. SUVs and trucks are used for hunting and banned on some public lands, cheap clothing from China is used by hunters, etc. which can hurt the textile industry here where does the line end for TSRA? It seems pandering to a certain group of the hunting community. Usually the same folks who don't support my right to military type weapons because "Why do you need an AK-47 to hunt with?"
TSRA may be doing more, but the headline turned me off as to their priorities, so I never went further to see if they still have anything to do with preserving gun rights anymore.

I think I will skip rejoining, if todays TSRA is now made up of folks like the majority of ones that replied to this thread with the name calling and lack of willingness to inform or educate. There were a couple of replies that did go that route somewhat -and it was appreciated.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Clearly, something needs to be done about idgit backyard breeders and the massive stray overpopulation. But there's got to be a way to structure it to where it doesn't impede on the legitimate sportsman and dog breeder. Licensing for breeding, yes. Ban, no. I'm not sure what the proposed spay/neuter law law mandates, but it certainly has roots in a legitimate aim.

 

[TexasSkyhawk]

Leecher? I got something you can leech buddy, feel free to disclose how much you gave compared to what I gave to political parties, gun rights orgs and charity compared to you? Oh, and how much time have you volunteered for causes this past year? Right....

I'll take you up on that.

Just six months into this calendar year, and we've already contributed over $22K to pro-gun issues and candidates, including various pro-gun causes, charities, auctions.

That's separate from the flights I make for children with cancer to various treatment facilities--but some of that we can write off on our taxes. Same as our annual donations to Susan G. Komen Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and several veterans organization including my own VFW post.

I'm also a sucker for Girl Scout cookies, Little League baseball fundraisers, neighborhood garage sales, church bake sales, etc.

I made a buttload of money in the private sector and stock market after leaving government service. We have no debt, and that is by design and sacrifice. We have no children to "will" anything to, no next-of-kin, no nothing. It is my intent to die without so muich as a dime in my pockets--so we give freely to the causes and issues that are important to us.

So be careful with your self-righteous pomposity there, CentralTexas . . .

Jeff

 

[jedwi]

CentralTexas, I guess I can't connect with your objection. Heller was long ago locked up at SCOTUS. I don't see much any progun organization could have done for the past few months to change the ultimate decision. So, TSRA went to other issues and concerns. Seems to me the jist of the "dog" article is how it could impact Texas firearm hunters. I think this is a pretty good, justified use of my dues money and is inline with TSRA's Mission I statement. JMHO

NRA, GOA, TSRA

 

[alaskanativeson]

I think this line from our former compatriot says volumes:

the headline turned me off as to their priorities, so I never went further to see if they still have anything to do with preserving gun rights anymore.

The HEADLINE turned you off so you didn't read further?

That is remarkably short-sighted. Of course you have the right to do what you will, and if the TSRA doesn't do what you want them to you are free to choose to not participate. PremiumSauces said it well, if you're not going to belong to TSRA it would at least be good if you put your money into SOME organization that protects your rights to own guns. Another option would be for you to start one of your own, maybe the Central Texas Rifle Association. CTRA has a nice ring to it. (I'm not being sarcastic, TSRA started small, if you don't like what they're doing now we'd all welcome another grass roots gun rights organization and from what I've heard about the politics around the Austin area something from there would be gladly welcomed.)

I do understand you being upset about the responses you got in this thread but I also understand their attitude as well. As gun owners we are constantly under threat of our right to be armed by the timid portion of our country and/or their power hungry leaders. Having one of "our own" come out and say they are abandoning the cause because of something as trivial as a headline you didn't like is tantamount to desertion in some eyes. I don't say this is correct but I do understand it. I know the TSRA has done a lot for gun owners, for you to be upset about them leading off with a story that is also likely of interest to many of the gun-owners in Texas does indeed seem like an extreme over-reaction on your part.

To those who are saying things like "we'll be better off without you" I hvae to say, please consider taking the High Road. If you disagree with CT feel free to explain why. To throw things out that come across as "we don't want you anyway" is childish. Rise above name calling and schoolyard insults. Disagree with CT all you want, point out the error you see in his ways, but do it in a manner that is constructive, not divisive. A house divided against itself, and all that.

 

[csmkersh]

the headline turned me off as to their priorities, so I never went further to see if they still have anything to do with preserving gun rights anymore.

That is remarkably short-sighted.

No kidding. If he'd bothered to go down to the next article he'd have found a good piece on Texas' recently enacted "castle law."


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[T J]

TSRA is an affiliated organization with CMP (Civilian Marksmanship Program). Membership in TSRA meets the requirement by CMP for being a member of a CMP affiliated organization, which is one of the pre-requisites for purchases from CMP including rifles.

 

[TexasRifleman]

To those who are saying things like "we'll be better off without you" I hvae to say, please consider taking the High Road. If you disagree with CT feel free to explain why. To throw things out that come across as "we don't want you anyway" is childish. Rise above name calling and schoolyard insults. Disagree with CT all you want, point out the error you see in his ways, but do it in a manner that is constructive, not divisive. A house divided against itself, and all that.

It's not childish. This is a serious matter, and it takes people that can think clearly, sometimes on the fly.

Flying off the handle and making rash decisions like this don't help the 2A cause. You need to be able to take a step back and think rationally before speaking.

It seems from the original post that the house was already divided.