Your take on the NRA

In this thread NMLRA Pin the NRA was mentioned and I got the feeling that the writer was not happy with the NRA. I wonder how others feel about them. Here is my story from many years ago.

I joined the NRA when I returned from military service and started buying and shooting my own guns. I was an annual member from 1969 to the mid 80s. During that time I contributed to all of their request for money and also to the Illinois Legislative Association (I beleive it was called) which was a spin off of the NRA but on a state level.

Suddenly, I began receiving request for donations from various groups that had nothing to do with firearms or the legislation associated with them. They had my name because the NRA had given it to them even though the NRA denied doing this for over a year. I was annoyed at this because of the very sensitive nature of gun ownership in states like Illinois (Chicago area in particular) and having my name given to organizations that may differ from my views was done without my permission. After a year's worth of phone calls, I finally got the NRA to admit that for a period of several months, they sold their mailing lists to anybody who wanted it. I was quite ticked at them and let them know and never renewed my membership again.

That was 20 years ago and I wonder how the organization has changed in that time and if they are now respecting gun onwer's privacy and security these days? Do they lobby for gun owners in a way that is deemed correct by those gun owners?

I have a good number of centerfires/rimfires (mostly handguns) but only 2 BP sidelock firearms. This last Presidential election made me think about my ability to own firearms and how fragile it is.

So I am very much interested in knowing how the members of this forum view the NRA and all responses will be appreciated. Thank you.

 

:agree: After 10 years as a dues paying member I left both the NRA (and California) 15+ years ago over the 'Gray Davis-assault rifle' ban .. I do not- Did NOT even own one, but I saw it as the old 'handwriting on the wall' an did MY best to fight it....After several requests What help did I recieve from the NRA ??? A visit from the local rep. who basically told me to shut up and quit writing letters to newspapers, senators, the govenor, etc. as the NRA had "Other Concerns" (He never stated WHAT they were) at the time..... WHAT was I paying these spineless idiots for if not to protect the RIGHTS of ALL gun owners ?????.... SO I shut up, chickened out , buggered off and moved to Montana.... The NRA will NEVER see another PENNY of my money.. they are to P.C. and to c.y.a. for my tastes... :: :: :: ::

 

[olgriz]

I'm not a lifer, but I just renewed for several years. I get mad at them because almost every day I get asked for money. I give them money when I can, but I'm not a bottomless pit that they seem to think I am. I know they do good, and I know they need money to keep up the fight, but if they wouldn't send out so many letters asking for money they would save a huge bundle of postage. I've been a member for years and I'll stay a member. No body else is fighting for gun rights like the NRA even though there are others I don't think they are as effective. The Micheal Moore's and Soro's of the world are spending big bucks for their commie ideas of government and somebody has to fight them, and if not the NRA, who?

 

[Walker357]

I agree with Cowhand, they haven't sold my address and they are always asking for money. But they're the only game in town and I'll stick with them. :m2c:

 

[roundball]

I wish some of there tactics were better...but...you only have to listen to the news media crying to know that the NRA is effectively lobbying against gun control legislation...and I don't know of another single organization that does that on my behalf...ie: the NMLRA absolutely does not.

But I don't put NRA stickers on the windows of my car.

PS: But I've used bumper stickers all my life like:
"when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns"
"guns don't kill people, people kill people"
"criminals prefer unarmed victims"

I like the way the NRA has provided a summarized list of the voting records for various legislators right where I live, because I, like many, stay so busy making a living that I may not be as on top of my legislatures as I wish I was.

So I've been an annual member since the 70's...renewing for 5 years at a time the last couple times as it's cheaper...to me, it seems to be the only game in town that has any clout.

 

[Ohio Joe]

As big a pain in the rear as they are, we need to support the NRA... I think most of their funding comes from the firearm manufacturer's, and what total yearly dues members pay is small in comparison to what is collected as a whole from the firearm industry... I do not donate beyond annual membership. I throw the begging mail away, and hang up on the begging phone calls...

I would hope that we never have to worry about our right to keep firearms and use them responsibly... Think of how many companies would be effected if we had no firearms?

From the hunting socks you wear to the rifle you carry, and everything else in between that is related to shooting would be effected. That would be a huge loss of revenue for our government, and our peoples job market. I couldn't list all the areas that would be effected if we lost our right to keep and use firearms.

Still, we need a voice to be heard so as not to give the opposition free say of how we live our life's... That opposition is of course the anti gunner's...

 

[Gary]

I've been a NRA lifer since the '80s and have had them remove my name from the mailing list. It works. I think the NRA is a necessary evil. Necessary in that who else has enough weight to approach your congress critter? The NMLRA is certainly doesn't (and I belong to that too).

 

I don't know for a fact that they have or have not sold my name and address to anyone.
I have been a member to the NRA for 35 years and willl continue to belong as long as they keep fighting for gun owners,
The government is no longer, OF the people, BY the people,
For the people.
Lets say you have a whole block of cheese and another one of ham.
I stop by and tell you how good that ham and cheese tasted and you say back to me. why hell Woody have another sandwich it's right there help yourself.
I come by long enough and your cheese is soon gone.
Now lets say I come over and just take the cheese and ham I am a damn thief!!!
This is exactly what the government does to our right. They take them a little bit at a time and you don't notice it as bad or you gripe a little bit but nobody listens.
If they took them all at once there would be a riot!!!
I for one don't believe i have to by a state hunting lic. to carry a gun .This government told me I had to carry one of their assult weapons in a foreign country . Now why is they can tell me I am not allowed to own one here.
It is because they want control. They are afraid if you have them when they come for the rest of you weapons you will have a fighting chance as they will surely be carrying them. And mark my words they will take you guns.
I will stay a member being they are the only one in the ring still throwing punches,

Woody

 

[kentucky bucky]

The NRA ain't perfect, and they do beg for money like a starving dog in a butcher shop, but they definitely are the only truly influential group that is on OUR side. If they weren't effective, they wouldn't receive the wrath that they do from the looneytoon liberals. They also wouldn't be accused (deserved or not) of swaying an election or two in the greatest democracy on the planet. I ask you all one question...if not the NRA, then who? I'm no blind NRA fanatic, and I do support other gun friendly groups, but I also know who the "big dog on the porch" is. :m2c:

 

[Bob J]

I belong to the NRA. My wife and I have NRA stickers on the back of our vehicles. And we have NRA checks. Can't afford to send them money all the time, but the least I can do is renew annually and show my support for the ONLY organization with clout that ACTIVELY defends our 2nd Amendment.

 

[PaulN/KS]

Both the wife and I belong to the NRA.As an organization they have flaws but the FNRA is a good program and it helps a lot of local shooting sport programs.

 

[waksupi]

I'm a life member, have been for years.
I do wish the NRA wouldpush a case to the Supreme court level, that would stop all the anti-gun foolishness. I'm sure we would be victorious on the right side of things. If not, better to fight now, than later.
As far as all the money begging goes, your dues aren't being spent on this. This is jobbed out to contractors. The contractors pay for the mailing, and get a cut on any revenue generated. So don't feel embarrassed to toss them. I give to the ILA, and Whittington Center, and that is it.

 

[2172]

I joined as an annual member sometime in the 1950's...about '58, I think. I became a Life member in 1983. I support the ILA and the various political action campaigns...but I am not happy with the situation here in NC....the state rep has them endorse guys who are not our friends...there is a whole class of legislators here who vote for us on bills that'd pass without their help, and vote against us, or miss the vote, on ones where we do need them. A NC-only outfit, Grassroots,NC has done more for us in its few years than the NRA...and the NRA has tried to silence them. When the head of Grassroots said something about the local NRA rep "being in bed with the enemy"...she brought suit for slander....well,maybe "she" brought suit, because the attorney who filed all the papers was NRA staff....I think the NRA has become a highly politicized (internal politics) bureacracy....I still send money, but I'm not happy...Hank

 

[Keith]

As far as all the money begging goes, your dues aren't being spent on this. This is jobbed out to contractors. The contractors pay for the mailing, and get a cut on any revenue generated. So don't feel embarrassed to toss them. I give to the ILA, and Whittington Center, and that is it.

I didn't know that about the fund raising.
I was a member and got tired of the begging for money so I didn't renew. After being away for awhile I rejoined a couple of years ago. They aren't perfect, but no one else is half as effective. :imo:

 

[Ron LaClair]

The Anti gun people hate and fear the NRA. That's a good enough reason for me to be an NRA member.

Where do you think the gun owners in this Country would be today if not for the NRA? :hmm:

 

[Darkhorse]

My wife and I both have been life members since the 70's. At times they aggravate me. And once I really got ticked off. That was when they purchased the land for the Wittington center in Raton NM. At the time it seemed like a local interest project that only a few well heeled members would regularly use (still does seem that way). And a big waste of money. But, from what I see they still do the most for firearm owners in general and I will continue to support them.
As for the fundraising. It mostly goes in the trash unopened. Except for an ILA emergency.

 

[Deadeye]

I'm an Endowment life member and even though the NRA isn't perfect (are you) without them I doubt we'd even have guns of any type. Anyone who owns a gun should be a NRA member and send them whatever you can afford when asked. They are the only thing keeping the antis at bay.

 

[HardBall]

I'm a member of two "rights" organizations- The NRA and AMA (American Motorcyclist Assc). Of those, the NRA irritates me the LEAST. In fact, the only time I was really irritated with the NRA was with their handling of the afore mentioned assault weapons ban. To many people, it looked like the NRA was trying to allow people to own machine-guns.

I viewed the NRA's stance on that ban as a 'win the battle but loose the war' tactic- I felt gun owners got egg on their face because of the way the NRA handled their PR. It amazed me how many intelligent CONSERVATIVES (not liberals) I ran into that said "I don't see why people should be allowed to own machine-guns". To many people, who are not enthusiasts, even though they may own a gun; if it looks like a "military" style weapon, then it can ONLY be used to kill PEOPLE- and should be banned.

Anti-gun activists are certainly an enemy, but ignorant, uniformed voters are a bigger threat. I felt that the NRA, with respect to that issue, did a horrible job of getting their message across to the general populous.


All that being said... I'll stay a member of the NRA, even if they again mishandel something.

 

[musketman]

I get mad at them because almost every day I get asked for money. I give them money when I can, but I'm not a bottomless pit that they seem to think I am.

Does the money go to protecting our gun rights or to pay high-profile celebrities to endorse them?

I was a member for a year, just one year it took for them to tick me off...

 

[rayb]

RE: NRA Who is feared the most by the anti-gunners? Who is constantly reviled by the press and anti-gunners?

They aren't perfect, neither is NMLRA.

How much influence do you have as an individual with average income, way short of a millionaire?

If you want to fight them as an individual, you need BIG BUCKS, which is what counts in politics, as much as votes. See the George Soros thing. Big $$ talks, us little guys walk to work.

SO i support the organizations because i'm a million short of being a half millionaire. That's one way i have some influence on the political activity. Yes i can right letters, & etc. I continue to do so.

The organizations do have numbers of votes behind them, and th politicos respect that, to some extent.

Look at some of the analysis of the Ohio votes, some are claiming, and i'm sure the NRA is one of the loudest, that the gun owning & VOTING population may have made the difference in the last presidential race. I don't know if that's true or not, but is is possible.

I say let's join both, support them and anyone else who supports gun rights and ownership. Stay involved and let our opinions be known to those who have chosen to be elected to positions within the organizations. That is the American way.

In the immortal words of Pogo "We has met the enemy and they is us".. I sure hope the gun owners don't get to be like the defenders of Ft Mudge.....

rayb