NRA Membership

[TexasRifleman]

What I resent is this characterization that people like me are riding your coattails.

The reality is that if you are NOT a member of any pro Second Amendment group then you ARE riding on the coattails of others.

If not NRA then GOA, SAF, pick any of them.

If you're not a member of any of them, you're a freeloader.

If you ARE a member of one of the others, then maybe a post to RH saying that not being a member of NRA doesn't make you a freeloader since there are other groups.

As a fan of "reasoned discussion" (your term) the argument that NRA is not the only group would much more reasoned than the post you made.

So, you won't tell us why not the NRA but how about this question:

What pro 2A national organization DO you support if any?

If the answer is none, well that tells a lot just on it's own wouldn't you say?

 

[Sapanther]

I am not/ Will not join the NRA for one simple reason. Any orginization that calls me unpatriotic for not being a member obviously doesn't WANT me as a member. Calling someone a freeloader doesn't make them one. You can call me a giraffe but my legs are a bit too short for it to be true.

The fact of the matter is, you can do more good on your own than sending 10 bucks a year to some group that will label you with as many adjetives as they can if you don't follow the line 100% of the way. Take for example, the Heller brief mentioned, and remember one little fact. It wasn't the NRA that got Heller to SCOTUS. It was one small group of people working for their own rights that got it there.

Do NOT try to use verbaly coerce me in to joining any orginization. I will only snap at the .org and at you.


ETA: Oh and happy first post to me.

 

[Fburgtx]

"They are none of your concern." Perhaps if you gave your reason, we'd show a little more sympathy. Frankly, it is my concern. I'm spending my hard-earned money to help protect YOUR rights.

Based on your sig, I'm guessing you were/are in the Air Force??? If so, I appreciate your service. If the US was in desperate need of recruits for a war, a draft was in place, and I refused to go for reasons that were "none of your concern", wouldn't you be angry?? If you are a "conscientious objector" when it comes to joining the NRA, just say so!

Did you send any e-mails/letters to your local reps last year?? Any letters to the editor?? If you won't join the NRA, give us some idea of what you've done to help the Second amendment other than participating in an internet forum.

 

[Airman193SOS]

"They are none of your concern." Perhaps if you gave your reason, we'd show a little more sympathy. Frankly, it is my concern. I'm spending my hard-earned money to help protect YOUR rights.

No, you're spending it out of self-interest. If you buy a gun, do you tell me that you bought it for me? No? Same same. If I do something of value for myself, must I tell you that you must as well because you also benefit from it? This is akin to union proselytizing, and about as distasteful.

Based on your sig, I'm guessing you were/are in the Air Force??? If so, I appreciate your service. If the US was in desperate need of recruits for a war, a draft was in place, and I refused to go for reasons that were "none of your concern", wouldn't you be angry?? If you are a "conscientious objector" when it comes to joining the NRA, just say so!

Why would I be mad? Nobody compelled me to join, I did so of my own free will. What motivates people to join up is, in fact, "none of my concern". And why should I express my reasons to people who are keen upon attacking others? That will just give you a specific reason to get irrationally angry.

Boy, this is a real wake-up call. For a group of people that believe that "need" need not be justified, you're asking me for justification on the pettiest of pretenses? I'm disappointed, that's what I am.

Did you send any e-mails/letters to your local reps last year?? Any letters to the editor?? If you won't join the NRA, give us some idea of what you've done to help the Second amendment other than participating in an internet forum.

Yes, yes, and yes. Thank you for approving of me, I guess.

What a shame this thread is. Name calling and aspersions abound. Why couldn't it have been about why people should join, rather than name-calling and coercion by guilt? You're being your own worst enemy, and I'm sorry to see that.

 

[Fburgtx]

Self-interest?? No.

I joined the NRA so that some day my kids and grand-kids will be able to have the same rights I have now. I did it so YOUR kids and grand-kids will have the same rights. I DID NOT spend my hard earned money on an NRA life membership for the cap or the stickers or the jacket. I could just have easily spent that money on a new AR a couple of CZ pistols.

When politicians want to know whether or not they should vote for/against a law affecting old folks, the membership numbers of the AARP are on their mind. The same goes for gun rights and the NRA. If the NRA had 40 million members instead of 4 million, we wouldn't be dealing with much of the bad legislation that we're seeing. Politicians wouldn't even waste their time with it.

If pointing out something so obvious is somehow trying to "guilt" you into something, then I don't know what else to say...

 

[WayneConrad]

Want to add:

This is not a one-front war.

You can join the NRA. And another organization. And another. And another.

You can even join organizations with overlapping goals. Even organizations with somewhat conflicting goals. Even if they sometimes fight.

Especially consider joining both local and national organizations. The membership cards won't burst into flames when they come into contact with each other in your wallet.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Self Interest?

How about Enlightened Self Interest?

I believe it is in my own best interest for this country to remain free.

I believe it is in my own best interest for my grandchildren and their grandchildren to live in a free country, with their basic civil rights intact.

I believe it is in my own best interest for every man, woman, and child in this country to be properly armed and trained in the use of arms.

I believe it is in my own best interest for families to hunt together, to shoot together, for schools to have shooting teams.

I believe it is in my best interest for women of all sizes and ages to be able to defend themselves. I believe the same for men.

I am just your fundamentally selfish jerk who wants EVERYONE to be armed and capable of taking care of himself.

It is, after all, in my best interest.

I am the NRA.

And will be for the duration.

 

[mljdeckard]

If every gun owner in America joined the NRA, they would have the resources to set gun control back to pre-miller.

I will remind all service members, that they join for free. And I will also remind service members that they get 15% off from Brownell's online. Brownell's has an option to donate cash to the NRA on theor online order form. I donated the difference of the discount to the NRA.

You know what? I WANT the NRA to use every sneaky method they can think of to generate revenue, whether it be aggressive retention tactics, front-loaded insurance offers, or shameless sponsors. The more money they have to fight with, the more they will be able to do to oppose those who wish to take my guns away. It's only junkmail.

 

[guntotinguy]

Being new here,also a recent member of the NRA (my wife and I both) and also we own 4 AK's too!We joined (the NRA) because its a 'solid voice' for many on the 2nd amendment rights and other issues,but also its a 'known voice' (per public access).


just my .02,good to meet you all!

 

[Robert Hairless]

Airman193SOS:

So much for taking the high road. I have my reasons, which are none of your concern, that I don't join the NRA. Your assertions are reprehensible.

Signed,

Freeloader

Of course you have your reasons, and I bet they are darned good reasons too. I've never met a freeloader who didn't have really, really good reasons for being one. The highest toned freeloaders are those who freeload out of some principle or other. Lower in the pecking order are those who freeload because of a grievance. You're a truly distinguished freeloader because you combine both reasons: you're a freeloader because you want to be persuaded, enticed, lured, and perhaps even seduced to join and instead you've seen my opinion that people like you are freeloaders. So I've both transgressed your principle that I have some obligation to stroke your ego and created a grievance by insulting you. I am the reason why you do not belong to the NRA. It's all my fault. Now I must live forever after with the guilt of being responsible for you not rejoining the NRA. My heart will ache forever. Have pity on me.

I suppose you've realized that that I'm laughing at you while I type this message. You joined this thread with the dual aims of identifying yourself as a freeloader and complaining that it's "reprehensible" for anyone to identify you as a freeloader. I don't understand the sense in joining a thread to make a fool of yourself while arguing--badly--that you don't like being thought a fool, but you're so impassioned about it all that I do think it's funny.

I agree with you, though, that your reasons for your odd behavior are not anyone else's business. But I must inform you that my reasons for considering you a freeloader and contemptible are overwhelming and incontrovertible. So my reasons demolish all of your principles, grievances, and other sad rationalization. Of course you understand that my reasons are not any of your business.

What I resent is this characterization that people like me are riding your coattails. Nothing could be further from the truth. I guess by your rationale all Texans that own guns are nutballs, and since I asserted it it simply must be true.

Such accusations are counterproductive and holier-than-thou, and have no place in a reasoned discussion.

For that matter, had Mr. Hairless not made such a condescending statement, I would never have posted anything in this thread. Isn't it enough to say that you think that everybody should join the NRA? That's what I came here for, to be convinced to re-join. Instead, I face the scorn of people who should know better than to scorn anyone who even remotely supports them.

The High Road, indeed.

I'm not sure whether a duck resents being called a "duck" but how else to name a creature that looks like one, waddles like one, quacks like one, and emits the pungent aroma of one? I can't bring myself to call such an animal a "lion" even if its little duck brain suffers delusions of superiority, virtue, and pride. It's a duck just as you are a freeloader.

I don't understand why you resent being called a "freeloader" when you identify yourself as one, but you are indeed riding on my coattails and those of every other NRA member because you do not carry your share of the burden for protecting your own ability to own firearms. We carry that burden for you without any help from you. You don't care. You even had the gall to discuss opening a gun shop in Pennsylvania while everyone else funds the activities that attempt to protect those activities. You are a freeloader who has the thought of becoming a professional freeloader.

As for your claim "That's what I came here for, to be convinced to re-join," do you really believe that's why you joined this thread? Are you sure you really want to maintain that you expected people here to write you the same explanations you can find on the NRA web site, on numerous other web sites, in various publications, and in a great many other message threads in this forum from the time of its beginning? You know the word "reprehensible" but you can't get widely available information and you expect people to believe that you entered this thread on an innocent quest for enlightenment. Do you believe your own nonsense?

Earlier in this thread someone did express honest concerns and I addressed them directly and at great length. There was an honest man, not a duck pretending to be a lion. You didn't join this thread for honest reasons. You joined it to quack at people who are carrying you.

Go talk to the duck and stop pecking at people who do the work from which you benefit.

 

[JKimball]

the freeloaders--or, if you prefer, some of the "highly principled gun owners who have excellent reasons for not sullying their hands or souls with the NRA."

If the NRA had 40 million members instead of 4 million

I think membership probably would be closer to 40 million if there were no reason for gun owners to feel like they were sullying their hands or their souls with the NRA.

Like Airman193SOS, I'm still a freeloader, trying to convince myself to join the NRA. The first time I got a letter from the NRA "inviting" (read "DEMANDING") me to join, it made my blood boil. I was just a teenager, but I was disgusted with the tone of Wayne's letter and his lack of respect towards me. Why anybody would think that the best way to get gun owners to sign on to something is by pushing them around or trying to scare them into giving money is beyond me. We tend to be a group that doesn't respond well to that. How about a little reasoning and good will, and not the irrational, emotion and hysteria that is so common amongst the gun control crowd? His multi-page letters can be summed up in one little line, "Give me your money now, or you will lose your guns, you little *bleep*!"

Having said that, let me give my thoughts in answer to the OP's question:

What can I say to convince them the benefits of NRA membership?

There are a couple things that I've learned about the NRA that may help persuade me to join in spite of the lousy letters:
1. They aren't just involved with lobbying, but they do a lot to actually promote shooting sports in general. I think that is worthwhile and should be emphasized more. From what I understand, that was their original reason for being organized.
2. I was glad to learn about the distinction between the NRA and the ILA and their sources of funding as Robert Hairless pointed out. I would see all the "benefits" that I really didn't care about - hats, magazines, etc. and wonder how much of my annual membership dollars would actually be left to fight the fight on Capitol Hill. At least now I know that none of it was going there in the first place.

Robert Hairless,

I appreciate what you've said, but I think you were wrong about at least one thing:

I haven't discriminated against anyone in decades...

I think your first post made it pretty clear that you discriminate against gun owners that aren't members of the NRA:

Those two close friends of yours aren't "big gun guys" like you. They are freeloaders who depend upon everyone else to pay the way for them to own firearms and shoot. .... I stopped having either sympathy or concern for freeloading gun owners a long time ago.

Not saying you don't have a right to discriminate, but you must admit it is discrimination.

Wow, and regarding your latest post to Airman, I applaud you, you did Wayne proud.

 

[Pa.Bill]

Well....................
Reading all the above, I feel, not everyone should be a member of the NRA.
Another personal choice in life.

~BEST~

 

[TexasRifleman]

I think membership probably would be closer to 40 million if there were no reason for gun owners to feel like they were sullying their hands or their souls with the NRA.

Ahh, another from the "high moral ground" eh?

So we can assume by your comment here that you are indeed a member and regular contributor to another national pro 2A group like SAF?

I mean, since you're not a freeloader and it's just the NRA you disagree with you are still contributing to the ongoing fights right?

If you are, then you are in a position where you can stand up and say that though you disagree with the NRA you believe in the fight, and we can debate NRA vs WHOEVER as gentlemen. If not, then the "freeloader" term still stands.

I noticed in his ramblings Airman refused to answer that very direct question, will you?

 

[Bowfishrp]

I am the NRA!

There is NOTHING that I can do as a citizen of this great country other than VOTE, pray, and teach my children how to shoot and respect weapons. Why would I not join the NRA if they can help protect my gun rights and the rights for my kids? SOMEONE has to fight obamama and all those liberal communists!

Armed Citizen is the best page in the whole magazine!

 

[JKimball]

I noticed in his ramblings Airman refused to answer that very direct question, will you?

TexasRifleman,

Reread my post. I already acknowledged I'm a freeloader, at least, according to your and Robert's definition. And if you reread this thread, you will see which group is looking down their noses at which. Why would I want to join a group that treats me like I'm a worthless piece of dog do-do if I'm not giving them my money? You and Robert aren't helping the cause here.

 

[NGIB]

While I don't agree with everything the NRA says and does, I joined as we gun owners MUST have a voice that can be heard. Personally I was upset that the NRA failed to back HB 915 here in Georgia that would have went a long way towards fixing our goofy carry laws. They chose instead to push HB 89 which only addressed parking lots. Even Wayne L. came here to show support.

So yeah, I'm a bit miffed at what they did recently in my home state; however, I'm smart enough to know that they have the strongest voice in America for gun owners. I also belong to georgiacarry.org and I also frequently contact my local representatives. If we don't get involved and stay involved, our rights will continue to erode.

Bottom line: NRA does indeed piss me off at times but they do more good than harm...

 

[JKimball]

There is NOTHING that I can do as a citizen of this great country other than VOTE, pray, and teach my children how to shoot and respect weapons.

This is the kind of attitude that the NRA can encourage with their propaganda. There are in fact other things that you can do.

Relying on the NRA to protect your gun rights is like relying on the police to protect you. That's what they are there for, that's what you pay them for, and that's what they're good at, but having them there shouldn't be an excuse to neglect your personal responsibility to take action.

 

[TexasRifleman]

Why would I want to join a group that treats me like I'm a worthless piece of dog do-do if I'm not giving them my money? You and Robert aren't helping the cause here.

If you don't help ANY group already I don't see what damage can be done by calling you out on it.

If you're happy to do nothing, there's little anyone can say to change that.

RH is defending NRA specifically, I'm just asking you to help ANY organization of your choosing but even that is too much to ask apparently.

So if that's not meeting just about anyone's definition of freeloader I am not sure what would.

You've got a good excuse against NRA, fine. So you're going to say now that SAF and GOA have also offended you somehow and your morals wont allow you to contribute to them either?

You do know what that sounds like right?

Relying on the NRA to protect your gun rights is like relying on the police to protect you

OK fine then. What have YOU done that DIRECTLY impacts the Second Amendment fight?

 

[JKimball]

I don't see what damage can be done by calling you out on it.

OK, lets be honest, you didn't call me out on it, I called myself out on it. And this is a thread in activism about how to encourage people to join the NRA, so I'm saying don't try to use guilt trips and name calling to get people to join. There are plenty of good reasons without going there, and when Wayne or you or RH say that I'm a 2nd class gun owning citizen, or worse, because I'm not giving a few dollars to this or that organization you should know that you are in fact doing damage to your own cause, whether you see it or not.

I'll PM you about the remainder of your questions, as I believe to answer them here would be veering off topic, and that goes against the purpose of the Activism forum.

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

If you want your gun rights, but are not doing anything to actively keep them, you are a freeloader. And that doesn't have anything to do with any official organization.

So I ask, NRA, GOA, and all that totally aside, those of you who refuse to join one of those organizations, what exactly are you doing politically to keep your gun rights? How many letters to congress-critters did you write?


And since when are your personal feelings and emotions more important that keeping our rights??

 

[graybeard321]

Have your friends go to the NRA site and go check out the state legislation and click on PA and have them check out all the good things the NRA has down for them. If they still refuss to join, find someone else to shoot with.

 

[mljdeckard]

It is like having a team of 100 people in a fight. The opposition to this team is very formidable. But the team divides itself. 10 of them are in the front, constantly fighting back those who wish to take guns away from the other 90. But the other 90 still stay in the back, saying things like, "I don't like how you fight. You are pressuring me. I'm busy with other things. You're doing the fighting so apparently I don't have to. You are asking too much of me. I think there are other teams that fight better." But at the same time, the 90 are very much enjoying the protection that the ten who are fighting provide, believing that this protection will always be there, and that the ten who are fighting will win every time.

If the ten are doing an ok job as-is, HOW MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE WOULD THEY BE IF THE OTHER 90 DID THEIR SHARE?

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Great analogy mljdeckard. Also, people who aren't in the fight really have no right to critique how that fight is being wager. If those other 90s joined, then they would have a large say in changing the way things are done.

If you don't like the NRA, why not join and try to influence them to do things in a way you see as better? Change comes from within. There are 80 million+ gun owners, and only 4 million are in the NRA. If just 5 million more of that remaining 76 million joined, their voice inside the NRA would over rule that of the current 4 million.


Simply put; don't like the way the NRA does things? Come on in and try your hand at the wheel. But you can't drive from outside.

 

[Airman193SOS]

See, THAT is the kind of argument I expected to find here. Dammit, I spend every waking moment (which my wife can attest to) arguing about guns, to the point that she, a gun-control advocate and an ardent Democrat, agrees with me. She attributes this to the fact that I argue from reason and not emotion. I don't make it "us vs. them", I let the argument stand on its own merits and use my influence to cause change. It's slow, sure, but it's one of those things that creates converts for life.

Ah, screw it. I didn't want to get into this, because insults usually come my way, but so be it. Here are the reasons why I let my NRA membership lapse (quoted from a PM that I sent to Titus, a fine man who offered to pay for my membership):

1) I don't care for the apocalyptic discourse that they engage in. I can get past that, were it not for...

2) They tried to derail DC v. Heller for reasons that baffle me. That's what cost them my money.

3) I don't feel that they are the best organization for protecting my rights, merely the biggest.

4) I get this name-calling nonsense all the time, and since the members are also representatives of the organization they belong to it reflects very poorly upon said organization.

You can argue my "freeloader" status all you want to (incidentally, my signing of my post earlier as "Freeloader" was sarcastic, which was entirely ignored and was taken as fact), because I'm done here. If I do opt to join the NRA again, it will be in spite of this thread, rather than because of it.

 

[mljdeckard]

Still basking in the protection they provide.