Pro-gun ownership but not pro-NRA?

I think you are way off base and absolutely uninformed.

The NRA is a true grass roots organization. Their 4 million plus members like me pay dues that help fund the lobbying. Gun manufacturers, ranges, shooting clubs, ammo makers, etc also fund the NRA and the NRA-ILA to simply fight anti-gun laws and to put forth pro-gun laws.

Unlike many, many other lobbies, the NRA simply pushes for the Constitutional Rights of gun owners. The NRA does not push for laws that everyone must have a gun or other craziness like that.

I've read people on internet sites make comments like yours that the NRA didn't fight against a particular gun law. To address ANDROID's post, just because "you" didn't see anything about it, doesn't mean it didn't happen. Google is your friend: http://www.nramemberscouncils.com/calspec.shtml

The NRA fights an unrelenting battle in all 50 States and on the Federal level every day.

The NRA is also completely non-partisian. They stick to one issue and one issue only. They don't ask about abortion rights, or drug use, or the national debt. They ask politicians their views on gun rights. They document politicians' votes on gun rights. Then they rank them and assign letter grades. There are Republicans with F's and there are Democrats with A's. Their party affiliation means nothing. It's just that more Republicans support gun rights. It's just a fact.

I'm proud to be a member!

One thing that does drive me nuts is when gun owners with an interest in one type of firearm or style or shooting method cannot see that we are all part of the same group. Trap shooters and military collectors and long range rifle shooters and action pistol shooters and cowboy shooters and .22 plinkers and AR shooters and hunters need to stick together. I am amazed at the infighting.

The Gun Control Act of 1968 was 41 years ago. We've been fighting major gun control laws all this time. We will be fighting it for another 41+ years. It will never stop. The anti-gunners are like The Terminator. They will never stop.

I know people who will spend hundreds of dollars on a new gun but won't go to www.shootingusa.com and spend $25 to be a member of the NRA.

They say it's too much money.

They say they don't like all the junk mail. Then just throw it out with all the other junk mail you get but never complain about.

The American Rifleman magazine is hardly junk mail! Even my non NRA friends like the articles and pictures.

Deanimator said:

This has EVERY hallmark of the dismal intellectual caliber of AHSA "thought".

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At the risk of stepping into it, this is exactly what it sounds like to me too, which is why I asked the OP what organization DOES represent him, if any.

He's ignored that question too I notice.

I see that lobo9er has contributed to that conversation, stating he likes GOA. GOA is a good group too, lots of agreement from me with the things they say.
I've heard the comparison that the NRA is the 800 pound gorilla in the room and Larry Pratt and GOA are the 90 pound pit bull. Put them both on a fight and there is doom coming.

So it IS possible to have the discussion of alternatives to the NRA, and it is possible to be effective outside the NRA.

Sure do want to hear the OP weigh in on that question: Since NRA doesn't represent his beliefs, who does?

It really does sound like an AHSA pamphlet so far.

Sounds more like a troll who couldn't back anything up with substance. Oh well.......

That's okay though since this topic is thoroughly tired. We go the rounds on this about once a year sometimes more frequently when a certain AHSA supporter rears his head. He gets um, educated every time. Here's some links for the OP when he returns to view the corpse of his thread.

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=420269&highlight=AHSA

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=419569&highlight=AHSA

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=406162&highlight=AHSA

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=405427&highlight=AHSA

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=404179&highlight=AHSA

http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=459165&highlight=AHSA

Is it Great Pumpkin season ALREADY?!

They say they don't like all the junk mail. Then just throw it out with all the other junk mail you get but never complain about.

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Yeah, I hear lots of complaints about junk mail. I think it's mythical junk mail. I get my monthly copy of America's First Freedom and, once in a great while, a questionnaire or something from the ILA asking for a donation. I fill out and return the survey type stuff, send donations when I can, it's no big deal. Certainly not the horrible onslaught of junk mail I hear about so often. The last item I received was a $400.00 'check' to be applied to the price of a Life Membership. Hardly junk mail.

I get a few. Credit card offers, insurance offers, etc. I THINK, these offers don't take ANY money out of the NRA's pocket at all. Rather, these merchants are PAYING the NRA for access to a very good, very loyal demographic. The NRA makes money off of these affiliations. MORE MONEY TO WORK WITH.

I am in favor of them generating revenue by creative means. As others have mentioned, you can opt out, and all you have to do otherwise is chuch it with the rest of the junk mail.

I hear larry pratt on various radios shows and he represents GOA in away that it is tough for even "Anti's" to dislike him or GOA.

I am an NRA member because it will be required at a range I am a local member. I hate their freak$#% phone calls constantly badgering me for money. A week after I had become a newly member they were bugging me about a 3 year membership than, a life time member. I finally had to get rough with them and told them that I would no longer reapply for membership if this continued. I have blocked all phone calls from them.

They say they don't like all the junk mail. Then just throw it out with all the other junk mail you get but never complain about.

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If you don't want ANY junk mail simply fill out the form at the Post Office. Good grief, it isn't that hard to do. And not wanting junk mail is kind of a lousy reason not to support our lobby. You can bet you life that the antis are supporting theirs.

I'm not American, so with regards to being a NRA member or not being a member, I don't have a dog in this fight.

When someone's says "i support responsible gun ownership", whether they realise it or not, they're employing one of the favourite buzzwords of the anti-gun lobby, because if you don't agree with what they want, you're not responsible.

The only thing between you and being able to lawfully own firearms is a firearms lobby which has the ability to destroy a politicians career at the ballot box. You need a lobby which can say to an individual politician, if you vote for this, we will vote for the other fellow next election and you'll be on the dole queue.

How do I know this, because I've seen it first hand, I'm Australian.

I remember being at a back-room meeting with a group of pollies in Parliament House, Melbourne some years ago. One of those present was a left-wing anti, who tried to upset what was to be a simple information meeting. I pointed out to him that he held his seat by 613 votes, and according to information released by Victoria Police, there were something like 1,800 firearms licences on issue in his electorate. I explained to all present that this meant he didn't get to decide if he was to remain a member of Parliament after the next election, his constituents didn't, even his party didn't. The fellow who makes that decision is sitting right there, the bloke I pointed to was the Victorian State President of the Sporting Shooter's Association of Australia (SSAA). You better believe they got the message.

I'm sure if I was American, the NRA would do things I didn't agree with, I know SSAA often does things I disagree with, that's the nature of the beast.

However, any American who wants to continue to own firearms for sporting, recreational or defensive reasons and who isn't a member of the NRA, is in my humble opinion, a bloody fool.

You have the privilege of owning a weapon due in large part to the NRA and the Second Amendment. As well as the NRA members who contribute to the "cause."

Thank an NRA member and the Constitution.

I love these threads. They provide an opportunity to educate. This should be on every page of the thread...

www.nramemberservices.org/faq.asp

"Q: How can I reduce the amount of mail I receive from the NRA?

A: Simply email us at [email protected] or dial 800-NRA-3888 and request to be placed on the "Do Not Promote" list. This will significantly reduce the amount of mail you receive without affecting important mailings, magazine service, or your membership renewal."

I'm an NRA member and I get very few mailings from them aside from American Rifleman. I've never received a phone call from them soliciting donations. I'm quite pleased with my memberships with both the NRA and GOA.

*shrug*

There are well over 80 million gun owners in the U.S.

Approximately 4 million NRA members are carrying the rest of you on our backs.


'Nuff said!

Join!

I hate their freak$#% phone calls constantly badgering me for money.

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And again. If you read what they send you when you join it is explained to you how to opt out of the majority of these things.

But of course it's their fault that you didn't read the instructions.

This one absolutely amazes me.

From the NRA membership FAQ, sent with every membership and on their website, like JohnBT posted above:

Q: How can I reduce the amount of mail I receive from the NRA?
A: Simply email us at [email protected] or dial 800-NRA-3888 and request to be placed on the "Do Not Promote" list. This will significantly reduce the amount of mail you receive without affecting important mailings, magazine service, or your membership renewal.

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I've been an NRA member for close to 20 years and I get maybe one or 2 phone calls a year, and those are from ILA who I have given permission to contact me.

I get a few mailings too, nearly all from ILA which, again, I asked for by sending them money and participating in their activities.

From NRA itself I get 3 or 4 things a year.

There were alternatives, though.

Oh, do tell.

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Armedbear, are you serious? You have honestly never heard of another single 2nd or rtkbo organization or are you being intentionally obtuse?

I would be interested to hear if there are any other members here who support responsible gun ownership but are turned off by the NRA.

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I am not turned off and I am a member. However I do not agree with them 100% of the time. I think their membership drives can be a little over the top, but I think they do far more good than harm.

There are also other organizations that you could donate to if you want to support RKBA and not the NRA..
Appleseed
CMP
NSSF This is a trade association
A bunch of hunting organizations They tend to be Pro-RKBA except for AHSA The AHSA is a front group for several anti-RKBA groups so they can peel away hunters from pro-RKBA groups.
GOA
Pink Pistols
JPFO
There are also a bunch of state organizations that are pro-RKBA:
http://www.gunownersca.com/
http://www.crpa.org/
http://www.calgunsfoundation.org/
http://forum.pafoa.org/
http://www.vcdl.org/static/index.html
There are many more, too many to list. I would check with your local area for groups if you do not like the national organizations.

rino451 said:

Armedbear, are you serious? You have honestly never heard of another single 2nd or rtkbo organization or are you being intentionally obtuse?

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I've never heard of another one with any meaningful influence in DC, but YMMV.

1) I am not interested in getting their spam, and 2) I don't want them spending money sending me spam; doing so is wasting their money preaching to the choir

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They wouldn't be sending the spam, if it wasn't profitable. There are also ways to have yourself removed from the fundraising mailing list.

I also have a very low tolerance of the phone calls and junk mail. VERY low. So low I won't even keep a phone in the house. But you can always give money without revealing a viable address or phone number.

Flintknapper said:

Approximately 4 million NRA members are carrying the rest of you on our backs.

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Well, you're carrying Wayne's salary on your backs at least.

In the meantime, answer the question that was posed in the second post of this thread:
"Please define "responsible gun ownership" and how you feel that the NRA does not."

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So did the OP ever answer this question?

No? Why not?

Quote:
In the meantime, answer the question that was posed in the second post of this thread:
"Please define "responsible gun ownership" and how you feel that the NRA does not."
So did the OP ever answer this question?

No? Why not?

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Because he had no leg to stand on, wasn't convinced of his own beliefs and just wanted to troll to start something. (basically, he got his butt kicked)