Joining the NRA

[patrick70]

The NRA is our union,support them if you can.

[GlockMeister]

First off, many are offering to pay $10 of a 1 year membership making it so you only have to pay $25 bucks. Jim Scouten, of Shooting USA is paying $10 towards a 1 yr. membership if you sign up through Shooting USA's website. I suggest, just for this one year you as many as possible just go ahead and DO IT. As Chris said, it is the largest pro-gun organization on a "NATIONAL" level and in this election year people, we need it, so join if for just a year.

I joined the NRA for the first time about a year ago now, paid for a 3 year membership. I'm honestly fed up because it seems all I get is stuff in the mail asking for money. One thing that has me really bothered, this past late Nov. of '07 or maybe early Dec. of '07 they sent out a sweepstakes to win like 22 guns and a safe. I never heard who won, never saw any drawing and have checked the NRA-ILA website and have yet to find or ever see the winner posted. Now, about a month ago, I get another one (sweepstakes) in the mail. And as usual, with each, they ask for money, to "fight" the attack on our 2nd Amendment.

With as many gun owners in this country, why are we letting them win? You mean to tell me if every legal law abiding gun owner sent every single flipping politician a letter, they wouldn't get the hint? Think about it, first off, I guarantee it would flood the postal system. Then it would flood the House and the Senate. I guarantee, they'd all get the message. Why can't one person come up with a good, smartly written letter that we can all copy, and then each of us can sign and then mail it/them off to each and every politician. And mail it out on the same date at the same time.

Why are we not already doing this on an individual level? I've sent some, but I'm lucky if it gets to where it's going and gets read. Doing it the way I've suggested, will guarantee the snag it puts in the postal system and then how flooded the mail system at the Senate and the House gets, word will get out and they will have to get read. Notify the media, even though most are anti-gun.

We have to stop watching T.V. other then the outdoor channel and let these people know, if they won't or don't give pro-gun as much air time as they do anti-gun, then we'll boycott every station. If we don;t make some sort of stand, and we sit back and just watch and let it happen, we'll only have ourselves to blame!!!

Just like this gas price situation. They keep raising it, we piss and moan and then go get gas. WE NEED TO STOP BUYING IT AND SUFFER A LITTLE AND FIND OTHER MEANS UNTIL THEY GET THE MESSAGE ALSO!!!

I mean it people, if we don't act, AND ACT NOW, OUR GUN RIGHTS AND OUR GUNS, WILL EVENTUALLY BE GONE!!!!

Can someone write a smartly well written letter, covering the statistics and showing the truth, not to long, so we can all copy it, sign it and mail it on the same day? Will somebody do that? If I could and make sure to cover it all, I'd gladly do it. But I know there's someone out there, on here that can do a much better job of it...

If we do nothing, it's our own dam fault!

[publius]

You have to keep in mind that public perception means everything where keeping our 2nd amendment rights are concerned and fighting the people who are attacking the firearms industry. The left and their allies in the media have invested alot of effort in attempting to defame and discredit the NRA (and by inference it's membership) as anti-law enforcement (even though the NRA trains thousands of officers each year and has the support of the majority of rank and file policemen), hindering crime fighting efforts, impervious to the dangers confronting children's and "children's" lives, favoring "machineguns", etc., etc. They've even been likend to nazis. So it is a fine line that has to be walked while doing the best job possible countering anti-gun efforts. A scorched earth policy would be extremely counterproductive. Keep in mind that much of the public has no idea what's in the Constitution, and many don't care. UGH! It is imperative that NRA keep a respectable and professional public image to be juxtaposed against the rogue and evil organization the left has represented it to be. This is especially important insofar as our political allies in Washington (95% republican) are concerned. For if the left were successful in mischaracterizing the NRA it would be political suicide to support them, which of course is their main thrust. It also takes huge amounts of money for lobbying, legislative action, litigation, campaigning, and all the other things that NRA does on behalf of gunowners and the second amendment day in and day out. Pathetically, only a small percentage of gunowners are members. Just think of the clout we could have. The left's negative campaign has had some success.

Lately there have been some anti-gun groups started up who publically purport to be pro-gun, created in order to provide cover for leftist politicians such as Klinton and Obama. Probably the largest of these groups has just come out and endorsed Obama.

NRA-ILA :: Legislation

[Zen900]

Quote by Glockmeister:
"I joined the NRA for the first time about a year ago now, paid for a 3 year membership. I'm honestly fed up because it seems all I get is stuff in the mail asking for money"

Zen900 replies: If the junk mail bothers you then just pay the yearly dues and throw the junk mail in the trash unopened like I do.

[ghost_raven]

I bought a one-year membership about 3 weeks ago through a local gun shop. Still waiting for acknowledgment from the NRA.

As for what else one can do... well, write to your politicians for yourselves... repeatedly. Politicians don't even see the majority of the letters they get, but if enough are sent, they get hard to ignore or shrug off with a form letter. You can get all their contact info or e-mail them through Congress.org Home

[GlockMeister]

Originally Posted by Zen900

Quote by Glockmeister:
"I joined the NRA for the first time about a year ago now, paid for a 3 year membership. I'm honestly fed up because it seems all I get is stuff in the mail asking for money"

Zen900 replies: If the junk mail bothers you then just pay the yearly dues and throw the junk mail in the trash unopened like I do.

And Glock replies: 1 year, 2 year,3 year or life membership, you still get the same stuff. You can't tell me just because I paid a 3 year membership is why I get all the requests for donations/money. I mean that isn't what you meant is it? lol

And I don't dare just throw anything out anymore. Now-a-days, with identity theft and because of just plain snoops, I shred as much as possible anymore. Most everyones garbage goes to a sorting facility anymore, because of recycling. So I don't dare throw out anything without looking at it first.

[billy]

NRA is the biggest stick we've got.
i never even HEARD of those other organizations until a few years ago.
that tells me the NRA is the biggest/most powerful tool we have.
there could be a perfect group out there,
but if no one has ever heard of it and it doesnt have a large membership along with a LOT OF MONEY.
what good is it?

[publius]

A real good measure of how significant the NRA is, and how effective it is, is to take note of how viciously they are attacked by the left. Bill Klinton even credited the NRA with the republican take-over of Congress in Nov '93. As you recall the democ-rats had steam-rolled the so-called "Assault Weapons" ban into law in Aug or Sept of '93.

[HARDERTR]

I joined the NRA several times....got a free membership each time I bought a Taurus. I gave them my old addresses, so the "begging for money" never really bothered me. I think, at one time, I had 3 different memberships in the same year.

[CrazyIvan]

Originally Posted by Brother Bob

Well that just means that Pred, Rufus, and Crazy Ivan can't own guns anymore ........... Just kidding guys ....... You know Brother Bob would be bored to tears if it wasn't for you three hoots! LOL

Hey, I resemble that remark! OH! lol

I keep getting letters from the NRA wanting me to join.

I do like the idea of discounted Firarms Insurance, but other than that...from what I can see, they are going a bit soft.

In my opinion, the NRA will eventually become the NHA (National Hunters Association). They will only promote hunting, having guns used for hunting and loaded only when hunting.

Their budgetizing also seems a bit off the mark. As someone said here previously...they talk about not having enough money to take some issue to court, but then a week later, you get a letter outlining their discussions while they were at a paid luxury hotel in Aspen with free luncheons and rooms. (This is similar to seeing GYNORMOUS churches going up all over the place, but then seeing commercials on TV to "save the children." ...Gimme a break)

The GAO seems like a legitimate option at this point. I don't want to support the direction the NRA is headed. My monies, like their agenda, will change where it is going over time, and I will support who fights for what I believe is right at this point in time. Because an organization did good for me 20 years ago, that does not mean they are doing good for me now, and doesn't mean I will continue to sponsor them in the future.

If you decide not to join the NRA or to drop your NRA membership, first send them a letter as to why. Tell them why you don't want to sponsor them. Perhaps when membership declines because of their changed agenda, they will realize that they need to support the agenda of their sponsors, and not their head members and organizers. Don't just drop or pass by them though. That could be confused with lowered interest in firearm ownership. So, tell them you support the 2nd Amendment and firearm ownership...but you do not agree with their direction, so you will find a better organization to fight for what you believe is right.

[stalebiscuit]

while i support them, i dont support them with money

to willing to compromise, they are a great thing, but id rather show my support by taking that money and buying another gun

[Seabeescotty]

Still a member, and will continue to be a member, as they're the best we have to get our feelings across to those in DC. We'd be chopped liver without 'em.

[George Bruce]

The hour is later than many people think. The situation is worse than most can admit. We have no choice but to close ranks. This is no time to get in snit about junk mail. If you are not a member of the NRA, or the GOA, or both, as well as your state organizations, then you are siding with the enemy. If we are not willing to make a slight effort to protect our rights, then obviously our rights don't mean very much to us and we don't deserve to keep them. And we won't keep them.