NRA Membership

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Lawmakers listen to groups. The bigger, the more they listen. The NRA is a group. They bigger they are, the more lawmakers will listen.

Airman, you're still putting your own indignation over the bargaining power of a bigger NRA. You would rather hold onto your spite towards the NRA than swallow it and just help out even if you were wronged. You say you argue out of reason and not emotion. Yet you are acting emotionally by withholding your support from the fight in favor of standing alone and offended.


If it were me, I would support the guy who has the best chance of beating my enemies, even if I am personally offended by that guy. The guy in question is the NRA, and the enemies are the gun grabbers. Isn't helping defeat the lobbying power of the Brady's and other gun grabbers more important that your own indignation?
 
JKimball:

Robert Hairless,

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

Originally Posted by Robert Hairless
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:

Originally Posted by Robert Hairless
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.

Are you intentionally twisting the word "discrimination" or is it that you just don't know what the word means in this context or how to use it properly? In other words, are you a manipulative person or merely ignorant?

My low opinion of freeloaders is not discrimination. It is a low opinion of freeloaders. I haven't withheld anything from them because they refuse to carry their own weight. In fact I am among the 5% of gun owners who carry the other 95%--including you and the Airman. And that's the problem: I have no choice. If I and other NRA members don't carry you two, and others like you, we will be steamrollered by anti-gun forces along with you.

So is your refusal to carry your share of the burden for protecting your Second Amendment rights discrimination against those of us who do it for you or only your decision to let other people carry you?

And are you discriminating against me because I reject your position or are you discriminating against gun owners because you steadfastly refuse to support your own Second Amendment rights effectively out of some "principle" or "grievance" of your own?

The obvious solution that should make all of us happy is to see if there is some way we can focus our money, time, and energy on protecting our own rights while you, Airman, and others like you are left to your own devices. My current thinking is to suggest that all NRA/ILA lobbying and political action be clearly designated so that it affects only NRA members. Then you, Airman, and others like you can hold your heads high and say, with justifiable pride, that you have refused to benefit from the NRA or its members and we can applaud your independence. Don't you agree?

As a start, may I suggest that you, Airman, and every other CWP holder who is not an NRA member but has taken a required training course from an NRA certified instructor turn in your permits immediately. Take a bold stand for your principles. Tell your state that you will not comply with such a requirement even if it means you can't legally carry a concealed weapon.
 
From what others here mentioned about the renewal request, well I can tell you from experience that the NRA is the least bothersome of groups when it comes to renewing. I dropped my membership in the late '90s for several years, and I don't recall getting much stuff from them after a couple of unreplied to mailings. Now if you want groups that don't get the hint until you send them nasty grams try the NRCC and NRSC (National Rep. Congressional and Senatorial Comittess resp.)

But taurusowner makes a great point about the lobbying effects that the NRA provides. If the NRA wasn't effective at what it does, then the mainstream media wouldn't bash them like they do, and the U.N. wouldn't make an issue about their classification as a NGO (non-gov't org). Their are several things that each of us can do to the same effect, but large groups get attention. That is the reason I belong to the Heritage Foundation and the NRA (just got my Life-Member card in the mail yesterday!).

So if your friends don't wish to join then ask them this: What are you willing to do for our cause? I heard Mark Levin ask a guy that on his Wednesday program. The guy was complaining about McCain getting the nomination,etc. SO Levin barked at him about what he's done for conservatism (write letters, call offices, attend events, suport different groups) and the guy hadn't done squat. SO ask your friends who are on the fence about joining the NRA or other like-minded orgs and ask what they've done. But, I'm sure you already know the answer.

BTW: here's the link to my blog page with the letters I sent to McCain and the GOP. Feel free to borrow my ideas and GET INVOLVED!

http://web.mac.com/marine2531/Site/Blog/Blog.html
 
There are an estimated 80 million gun owners in the United States.

About 4 million of them are members of the NRA. That's about 5% of the gun owners in this country.

So 4 million gun owners give basic support to the NRA's ongoing services and actions that attempt to protect the Second Amendment rights of all 80 million gun owners. That's 5% of the gun owners in this country who carry the other 95%.

If my arithmetic is correct, each NRA member carries part of the burden for himself/herself and for 19 other gun owners.

Here in this thread I see that some of those 19 other gun owners not only want me to carry them but get really angry when I say they are freeloaders.

The solution is simple: find someone nicer to carry you, someone who appreciates the privilege and honor of it. I don't.

There are so many really nice NRA members who will carry you without asking you to get off and walk on your own two feet. Find one of them and jump on his or her back in addition to the 19 he or she is already carrying. Or trade off with someone who will take your place on my back without being nasty, spiteful, and ungrateful about it.
 
Robert,

Thanks for all you do for the cause. I really should join the NRA.

You should know though, that the attitude you have shown here, which is pretty much a direct reflection of LaPierre's propaganda, does drive gun owners from the NRA, and may in fact be a significant part of the reason that the NRA is only 5% of gun owners.

I'll send you a PM to address the off topic issues.
 
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Robert Hairless:
Thank you for making the distinction between the NRA and the NRA-ILA.
I regularly make contributions to the ILA. I like heavy weight lobbists on my side working the congress and making big time threats.
I am not a member of the NRA.
It's that simple.

AFS
 
TexasRifleman:

I am not a supporter of fearmongers or greed.

So I have to ask, did you actually read the book?

Hey, play fair guy. Next thing you'll be asking if people understand what they read and evaluate it intelligently. If your tests keep escalating they will reach dizzying heights. The man read the Amazon ad, which should be enough for anyone.

JKimball sent me a private message to demonstrate that he is a great supporter of our Second Amendment rights:

Would it interest you to know that if I were paid for the time I spend promoting RKBA and reimbursed for the cost of ammunition to introduce people to shooting I would have enough money to pay for a lifetime NRA membership every year, and probably more than one?

Hotcha. JKimball shoots a lot, takes people shooting, and spends his money on ammunition so he carries his weight in the fight for Second Amendment rights. He has thoughts that he should be paid for his shooting time. What's the payscale nowadays for people who go to the range and shoot with others?

If you know, I'd also be interested in the payscale for breathing. I have been doing that all my life, and if I can't get paid for doing it I'd at least like to get a humanitarian award or two.

We are surrounded by the fiercest fighters for Second Amendment rights in this country. There's a guy who is persuading his wife that it's okay for him to shoot, another guy who shoots a lot of ammunition, and a guy who knows that the NRA is a scam because a book said so.

With people like that in the forefront of this battle, people like Ted Kennedy, Chuck Schumer, and Carolyn McCarthy don't stand a chance. In fact I'd put Airman, JKimball, and Cornman in the same league as Carolyn McCarthy any day.

Heavy hitters here. Real sharp too.
 
Robert Hairless said:
JKimball sent me a private message
It is a neat feature. You should learn how to use it.

So do you think you are fighting on the front lines for the RKBA cause when you go around beating on individual activists because they aren't paying Wayne's salary?
 
What Robert Hairless said. In spades.

I have my own shooting range on 60 acres. I invite many people to come over and shoot any time they want. I also have many over to hunt. The only requirement is that they are members of the NRA. The only exception to this policy is for new shooters. However, they will be exposed to NRA proaganda.
 
Count me back in the "paying 5%." I just signed up on the NRA Web site last night, after a long time away. As a disabled veteran, I thought I'd go for the Distinguished Life Membership, with the EPL plan.
We can all be as "pro-2A" as we want, but without some visible entity actually doing something to fend off the gun-grabbers, it's all in vain. For me, that entity is the NRA, as the umbrella for all the affiliated local and state organizations. They're the "megaphone" that we all speak through.
bullhorn.gif " . . .SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED."

You, too, can say "I'm the NRA." :cool:
 
I upgraded to Life Member recently though I really couldn't afford it. I believe it important enough that I will even cut back on shooting to make it work if i have too! I have yet to hear a cogent argument against joining the NRA and prior to reading this post just guilt-tripped my friend to re-upping! :)
 
JKimball:

It is a neat feature. You should learn how to use it.

So do you think you are fighting on the front lines for the RKBA cause when you go around beating on individual activists because they aren't paying Wayne's salary?

But aren't you discriminating against everyone else when you send me private messages? And of course you discriminate against me when you sent private messages to me without my invitation or consent. Shame on you for practicing such widespread discrimination. I choose not to tolerate your discrimination by accepting your private messages. Silly boy.

You have an unnatural obsession with Wayne LaPierre. You're evidently much more focused on him than on anything useful, such as our right to keep and bear arms. From your constant reference to Wayne LaPierre by his first name only I suspect that either you must know him personally or there's an anger in you that focuses on him so intensely that he has taken on some unhealthy significance for you. If it's the result of a thwarted passion try sending him flowers or candy for his birthday, but please stop troubling me with your unhealthy obsession. I don't know the man and couldn't intervene for you even if I wanted to. Either ask him for a date and deal with his response or get over it and find a new love.

But you have no right to comment on whether Wayne LaPierre earns his salary or on anything else about the NRA because you don't pay for any of it. Get the point. You have no say in how I spend my money. People who live on handouts and free lunches are ungrateful and laughable when they complain about the quality of what they get for free. If you don't like it, either shut up or stop taking it. Pay your own way in life. Get a job and do the work. Stop being a bum.

That's a small part of my own irritation with freeloaders. You don't pay your own way but you whine and complain and dig and poke at the people who carry you. You're obviously unhappy with the way the NRA and its members are serving you. So find someone else to lug your dead weight around in a manner more suited to the style of life you desire. If you don't like diving in my dumpster, look for another dumpster. At least stop being so noisy about it.

You're distracting the people who carry you and trying to discourage others from helping bear your burden. That's another reason why I'm irritated by freeloaders such as you. You're not awfully bright about how you do it. Your goal should be to get as many other people as possible to help carry you. Instead of actively discouraging people from joining the NRA you should be encouraging as many people as possible to become members. That way you get more and more responsible people to take up your slack. Instead you try to drive them away. You can't even understand that the fewer of us there to carrr you, the closer you come to losing your ability to own guns and shoot them.

It's in your own interest as a freeloader to stop hurting the people who carry you. Without us you might have to confront the need to carry yourself and recognize at last that you can't do it by yourself. The anti gun forces are not going to be impressed when you say "But I shot a lot of ammunition yesterday. A whole lot. And I took some people shooting too. And shot enough to pay for an NRA Life Membership." They are smarter than you are, and not nearly as nice as I am.

As for my driving away potential NRA members by my attitude .... Leapin' lizards, Sandy, the mechanism is really deranged. You can't really believe that I'm talking about a social club or a tea dance here, or that I'm trying to recruit you or anyone else into a fraternity. I am expressing my thoughts, beliefs, and feelings about about destructive and self-destructive behavior with respect to Second Amendment rights.

This thread is in a way one of the funniest I've ever seen on any gun forum because my negative comments have been about a kind of person, not about anyone in particular. I hadn't singled out you, the Airman guy whose wife thinks now thinks it's okay for him to shoot because he's so logical, or the Cornman who read an ad for a book, or anyone else. But there's no shortage of volunteers for inclusion in that group of people for whom I have great contempt. You're coming out of the woodwork demanding to be recognized so that you can rail at me for holding you in contempt. You're all trying to justify your contemptibility with your quirky little principles and grievances, as if they mattered to me in the least. They don't. I have no interest in Wayne LaPierre other than that he does an effective job of what I need done to protect and further my Second Amendment rights, and that's why I belong to and support the NRA. They work, and they work better for me than you do with your peculiar attempts at sophistry. They matter to me. You don't.

It's up to you to change your behavior or live with its consequences. I'm well aware that I don't have the personality to plead with you or anyone else to do what's right and in your own interest as well as mine, and I'm far too old and unmotivated to change myself to please you. If I knew how to please you, I risk becoming you. There isn't any you in me. And that, I suspect, is what you find most irritating and unsettling.

In any confrontation in which something vital is at stake, the kinds of people I'd want around me are people like me, TexasRifleman, and some others here. No matter how much ammunition you shoot I don't want you next to me or--horrors!--behind me where I can't see what you're doing at all times. You don't think right. Go help the other side.

I am the NRA. So are others here. You aren't. Go away and stop whining that we shouldn't be either. We're not like you.
 
I was a member of the NRA in the 80s and early 90s and quit because of what I felt was the unreasonable stance of Mr. LaPierre and the NRA with their 'give them an inch and they'll take a mile, the sky is falling attitude' and if we don't take action NOW gun ownership as we know it is over. I guess both of our opinions were somewhat born out during AWB; we didn't lose all of our rights but it was a dark period for our freedoms as Americans.

I don't know if it is purely a matter of with age comes wisdom or that I have seen more threats to our freedoms recently during an administration I never would thought would have done so, but I have re-joined the NRA.

I know that I have opened the door for receiving constant requests for donations and the pressure of feeling that simply being a member is not doing enough to support the cause. Even when I left the NRA, and through to today, I have been a personal advocate for gun rights and have taken every opportunity that presented itself to discuss gun ownership, freedom, and the right we all have to protect ourselves from harm with people in support of 2A, those without opinion, and with antis.

I know that I am opening myself to get flamed here but with regards to Airman and BH (who has written some of the most succinct and thoughtful emails on the subject I have ever seen) I can best give my thoughts this way:

In 2003 I was active duty military; E-9, USN, EOD (bomb disposal). When Natilie Maines of the Dixie Chicks made her statement about being embarrassed that George Bush was from Texas and the group was demonized I was preparing to go to Iraq. Many of my friends and co-workers destroyed their Dixie Chicks CDs and vowed never to listen to them again, radio stations across the country pulled them from their playlists and the group was ostracized by many of their fans. I did not agree with what was said especially since the country was at war and there was a good chance that our enemies would use the statement as a propaganda tool against our country.

It was my feeling that even though I disagreed with their words, they were doing nothing more than using their First Amendment rights; something that many good Americans had fought and died for. It must be remembered that even though the FA gives us the right to say what we feel, with that right comes responsibility and the Dixie Chicks paid through their pocket books for what was said. I stood, and still stand, by their right to say it.

If Airman doesn't want to say why he doesn't want to join the NRA, that is his business and HIS business alone. If you are discussing gun rights with an anti is the first move you make to attack his stance as completely unreasonable and attempt to belittle what he believes in, or is it to try and determine WHY he feels that way and attempt, with the use of logic to show why he should feel otherwise?


I move that it is the antis who first say that OUR stance is completely unreasonable and belittle what we believe, and that attacking Arrman in the manner most have done here, many have stooped to the logical level of our opponents. I would like to think that most of us are above that. THR, remember?

Just my thoughts. I have donned my Kevlar and proximity gear; standing by for incoming.
 
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Robert, I think you have misunderstood me.

I apologize if anybody has taken my comments as an attempt to discourage people from joining the NRA. That is not my intent. I think if you look back at my posts you will see that I was making suggestions about how to reach more people more effectively. I haven't been trying to bad-mouth the NRA. That's probably why I keep referring to Wayne LaPierre. He is really the only contact I've had with the NRA, and I recognize that although I'm not real impressed with him, I know the NRA is made up of people I respect. Although I must admit Robert is making me second guess myself there by parroting Wayne's attitude and techniques to the T.

But you do make a good point that I should butt out. I'm not a member and I have distracted too much from this thread as it is.
 
I'm a recently upgraded life member!! I'm so proud of that fact, I can't sit still!! I've been wanting this since I was 12 years old! That's a little over 40 years ago. This is great!! I can't be all the places Wayne LaPierre can be and I can't say as gracefully and tactfully what he can say. I can say,,,,,, that I like having him as my mouthpiece. Let 'er rip Wayne!!!!!!!!! You're doing a fine job!!!!!
I will also say that IMHO, what they are saying has been right on and the antis have been beaten at their game and now they are doing an end run and going for our ammo. I want and need the NRA watching my back and letting me know what is going on!! I want the NRA influencing Gun and Hunter Safety education!! If the NRA hadn't been doing that, I would have never survived my career as a Game Warden. When you are in the field daily with hundreds of guns constantly around you, you really appreciate the NRA and everything it does for its' members and the freeloaders. Yes, the freeloaders get benefits without having to pay for them.
I like the fact that as a member of the NRA, I have a voice and it is heard through Wayne LaPierre, Chris Cox, and all their associates.I like the job they are doing for me.
I like the fact that with my miniscule yearly membership fees, I have $1,000.00 worth of insurance on my guns.
I like the fact that I can go to the Friends of the NRA banquets and get a list and get to meet all the corporate sponsors of my area. That list of sponsors saves me so much time when it comes time for me to make a purchase and I know that my purchases will help keep a fellow gun owner and enthusiast in business and not be funding some antis' efforts against me and my familys' liberties.
I like the fact that now and when I am dead and buried, that the NRA has fought for and held on to mine and my familys' liberties.
You speaking against MY NRA???? Back off Buster!!! You really don't want to go there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I am not a NRA member for a couple of reasons. I dont agree with some of there polices. I don't think they pay enough attention to CA were i live. And some of the Bad stigma around the NRA has kept me at bay.

So i did the sensible thing i joined an organization that better suited my tastes. Which i have proudly displayed in my sig from the day i joined. Also i am active in calling the governor and such when the times require it. I dont believe every one needs to join the NRA in fact i hope all gun owners dont join it. I believe that if every gun owner join different ones and spread out there that would be more of a good effect. As others have said the NRA is not a pro everything gun related, but other organizations will and do cover what the NRA misses.

Having said that i have also taken for free around 12 on my friends shooting, for the first time in there lives! (thats most of my friends right now and about half are girls) I get a big kick out of doing this. And have decided that i want teach more people how to shoot and to become a better teacher. I am going to get a NRA instructor cert (pistol)so that i will have access to teach more people and to do a better job of it. Of course this means i will be a NRA member, i wont lose any sleep over it but i would not recommend NRA as a first choice to supporting the 2nd.


ps yes i know that you do not "have" to be a NRA member to get the NRA cert. but if i have the cert it seems odd not getting the membership. I am weird like that.
 
I don't think they pay enough attention to CA were i live.

http://www.stopsanfranban.com/News/Read.aspx?ID=10468

You mean like last month when the California State Court of Appeals overturned the San Fran handgun ban?

In 2005 when NRA filed an injunction to halt the ban in the first place?

There's no telling how much money NRA pissed off over this San Francisco train wreck and that's not enough?
NRA spent 3 years and Lord knows how much money out there over this one issue.

What exactly would make you feel the love?
 
Yes they fought on that issue but there have been many in the past they skip over.

Also you dont think that California Rifle And Pistol Association had nothing to do with it?


On some issues NRA and California Rifle And Pistol Association join together to fight. WHICH IS GREAT! I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS But there are some issues were California Rifle And Pistol Association is fighting it with out the help of the NRA. Also the California Rifle And Pistol Association sends me a book ever month about whats happening in CA and how best to be active in the out come.




I get this from the California Rifle And Pistol Association

full-time salaried legislative advocate (lobbyist) in Sacramento, the CRPA fights adverse firearms legislation and advances laws that will protect your rights.

Counsel for Litigation and Local Affairs files appropriate litigation against the state or cities that pass unconstitutional or illegal ill-conceived gun control laws, monitors local legislative efforts, and mobilizes CRPA's resources to oppose those efforts as necessary.

The CRPA's monthly publication, The Firing Line, keeps its members abreast of current legislative and shooting news, as well as offering a public forum so members can express their views in print.

a copy of Know Your California Gun Laws and
It's a Matter of Safety and Frequently Asked Questions Booklet
 
Also you dont think that California Rifle And Pistol Association had nothing to do with it?


That's not the point. The point is that one issue took massive amounts of money to fight, from all involved.

I'd be willing to bet that as far as state issues go that one cost more than any other state issue NRA has been involved in other than the New Orleans mess.

I can't think of a single state/city fight where NRA has spent MORE money or time than the San Fran ban.

So though you may not feel like NRA does enough in California, fact is they probably do more with their resources out there than in any other state.
 
Taken from CRPA website they explain it better

Doesn't NRA do all this?
No, not alone, while the NRA is active in California, almost every pro-gun effort in the state is a joint project between CRPA and NRA. And CRPA accomplishes many state and local projects beyond the NRA's efforts. The major difference is... while CRPA is committed to lobby and work on state and local litigation laws and legislation, the NRA is focusing on federal and national litigation laws and legislation. Together we have a tried and proven check and balance system. But, it takes both the CRPA and NRA to be the watch dogs and mutually make the right things happen. Take the advice of Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice-President of NRA and join CRPA today!


Hay i have listened to the NRA on what to join. btw i just found that out and think its funny. But no your wrong the CRPA does ALOT more for me in CA which has some of the worst laws. Not to mention i like there ethics better.


plus they have done this

Legislative Victories:

Bill - AB9 (Cardoza, D-Merced)
Title - Gun Safe Tax Credit
Purpose - Would have given a tax credit to gun safe buyers, but also would have registered owners of firearms by
creating a list of those using the gun safe tax credit.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was defeated.

Bill - AB17 (Jackson, D-Santa Barbara)
Title - Repeal of State Control of Firearms Laws
Purpose - To repeal state preemption over local firearm laws so that county and city governments could each enact
their own separate and different firearm laws.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was defeated.

Bill - AB22(Lowenthal, D-LongBeach
Title - Ban on Home Based Firearms Dealers
Purpose - To do away with home based firearms dealers by making it illegal for local governments to issue them
business licenses.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill causing it to become stalled until it died on file.

Bill - AB35 (Shelly, D-San Francisco/SB52 (Scott, D-Altadena)
Title - Handgun Registration and Owner Licensing
Purpose - To require handgun buyers to register all currently owned unregistered handguns and to re-register
those already registered, to pay an annual handgun registration fee for each, and to require buyers to first obtain
a license. This was all proposed under the guise of "safety." Had these bills passed in this form, there no doubt
would have been follow up legislation to extend them to all handgun owners, and possibly to all owners of rifles and
shotguns, as well.
CRPA Action - Opposed both bills resulting in them being cut back to just revising California's already existing safety
testing program, and increasing and expanding the fees being charged. In the revised form, the bills passed on a bare
minimum vote and were signed by the Governor.

Bill - AB273 (Scott, D- Altadena)
Title - Licensing of Handguns Buyers
Purpose - To require a state issue license to buy a handgun and the registration of all handguns already owned.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was defeated.

Bill - AB566 (Koretz, D-West Hollywood)
Title - "Assault Weapon" Buy Back
Purpose - To use taxpayer money to establish and fund a state "assault weapon" buyback program.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was defeated
__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bill – AB602, AB992 (Koretz, D-West Hollywood)/ (Ridley-Thomas, D-Los Angeles)
Title – Ammo Tax
Purpose – To change ammunition buyers a “fee” to pay for the expenses of gun shot victims. The “fee” would be ten cents per round or per individual primer component.
CRPA Action – Opposed both bills until they were defeated.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bill - AB1010 (Cardenas, D-Sylmar)
Title - Ban on Raffling Firearms
Purpose - To prohibit the raffle or free drawing of any firearm, firearm part, ammunition or ammunition component
at sportsmen's fund-raising dinners or other activities.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was defeated.

Bill - AB1097 (Romero, D-Los Angeles)
Title - Gun Show Restrictions
Purpose - To place so many restrictions on gun shows that it would be virtually impossible for them to continue to operate.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was re-written to include only reasonable and acceptable new requirements
for gun shows.

Bill - AB1204 (Villaraigosa, D-Los Angeles)
Title - Increased Bans on Firearms Possession
Purpose - To make it illegal for any person to possess a firearm who has been convicted of almost any misdemeanor
within the last ten years.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was dropped by its author.

Bill - AB1219 (Frommer, D-Los Angeles)
Title - Mandatory "Smart Gun" Technology
Purpose - To mandate that all handgun manufacturers selling handguns in California equip them with currently
non-existent "Smartgun" technology that would allow only the owner or designated user of a handgun to fire it.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill causing it to become stalled until it died on file.

Bill - AB1607 (Shelley, D-San Francisco)
Title - Licensing of Handgun Buyers
Purpose - To require a state issued license to buy a handgun and the registration of all handguns already owned.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was dropped by the author.

Bill - AB1717 (Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys)
Title - Ballistic Testing
Purpose - To require costly and time consuming ballistic fingerprinting and record keeping of all handguns sold.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was amended to require only a study of ballistic finger printing technology.

Bill - AB2068 (Steinberg, D-Sacramento)
Title - Child Mental Health
Purpose - Among other things, to allow the questioning of children by school officials about the presence of firearms
in their homes and neighborhoods.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until the firearms questioning provision was removed.

Bill - AB2222 - (Koretz, D-West Hollywood)
Title - Ban on .50 Caliber Centerfire Rifles and Prohibition on Specified Rifle Ammunition
Purpose - To ban .50 caliber centerfire rifle and to prohibit .50 and smaller caliber ammunition that can penetrate armor.
The term "armor" was not defined for purposes of the bill, thus allowing an interpretation that could ban most hunting and
competition ammunition regardless of caliber.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was defeated.
Bill – AB2858 (Ridley-Thomas, D-Los Angeles)
Title – Ammunition Tax
Purpose – To tax (charge a “fee”) ammunition purchases at a rate of 10% and handgun purchases at a rate of 5%. The money thus raised would pay for medical treatment of uninsured persons having firearms related injuries and to support a huge bureaucracy to administer the program.
CRPA Action – Opposed the bill until it was defeated.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bill – SB35 (Scott, D-Altadena)
Title – Ballistic Identification
Purpose – To mandate that "ballistic identifier" information be stored digitally for all firearms sold by dealers on and after January 1, 2005. Because of government studies showing such a system to be impractical as proposed, the bill is in the process of being amended.
CRPA Action – Opposed the bill until it was defeated. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Bill - SB510 (Scott, D-Altadena)
Title - Loaded Chamber Indicators
Purpose - To reguire that all semiautomatic firearms have loaded chamber indicators that allegedly would prevent
accidental discharge injuries.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it became stalled and was later rewritten to focus on airport secuity. Neutral
as amended.

Bill - SB950 (Brulte, R-Rancho Cucamonga)
Title - Illegal Firearms Possession
Purpose - To establish a computerized list of perosns lawfully prohibitied from possessing a firear, and to allow
recently prohibited persons to sell or transfer theri firearms to another person instead of having them confiscated
and dewtroyed without compensation by law enforecment.
CRPA Action - Supported the bill until it was passed and signed into law.

Bill – SB1140 (Scott, D-Altadena)
Title – Firearms Storage
Purpose – To revise the "criminal storage" of firearm laws. To apply to both loaded and unloaded firearms and in debate parental consent as a legal defense.
CRPA Action – Opposed the bill until it was vetoed by the Governor.

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Bill – SB1152 (Scott, D-Altadena)
Title – Ammunition Buyer Registration
Purpose – To require buyers of handguns ammunition to register at the time of purchase and to provide a thumbprint or hunting license number in the retailers registration book.
CRPA Action – Opposed the bill until it was vetoed by the Governor.

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Bill - SB1212 (Perata, D-Alameda)
Title - Product Liability: Firearms
Purpose - To allow product liability lawsuits against the manufacturers of firearms and ammunition for injuries
resulting from the criminal and careless use of their non-defective products.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was dropped by its author.
Bill - SB1496 (Solis, D-El Monte)
Title - To establish a state sponsored firearms "buyback" program and an advertising campaign against the ownership
of firearms.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was defeated.

Bill – SB 1733 (Speier, D- Hillsborough)
Title – Gun Show Ban
Purpose – To ban gun shows at the Cow Palace in San Mateo County (Daly City).
CRPA Action – Opposed the bill until it was defeated.

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Bill - SCA12 (Perata, D-Alameda)
Title - Ammunition and Reloading Component Tax
Purpose - To pay for the operation of hispital emergency rooms and trauma cneters by taxing ammunition at a rate
of 5 cents per loaded round and 5 cents per individual reloading component.
CRPA Action - Opposed the bill until it was dropped by the author.

Litigation Victories:

Lawsuit - Harrot v. Kings County
Issue - Which firearms does the California Department of Justice refer to under the 1991 Amendments to the 1989
"Assault Weapon" Control Act?
Ruling - The ruling handed down on June 28, 2001 states that the DOJ must give notice of specifically what firearms
are AK or AR "series" guns. Eliminates confusion over AK and AR "series" guns.
CRPA Involvement - Filed an amicus brief in the case.

Lawsuit - McGee v. LAPD
Issue - Illegal firearms property seizures by the Los Angeles Police Department.
Ruling - LA City ordered to change policies and LAPD ordered to pay attorney's fees to CRPA and NRA.
CRPA Involvement - Filed suit in conjunction with the NRA.

Lawsuit - CRPA v. Compton
Issue - City of Compton's failure to produce documents relating to the issuance of concealed weapons permits
requested by CRPA through a Public Records Act Request.
Ruling - City ordered to pay attorney's fees and to produce the requested documents.
CRPA Involvement - Filed suit.

Lawsuit - CRPA v. Santa Barbara County
Issue - Santa Barbara County's failure to produce documents relating to the issuance of concealed weapons
permits requested by CRPA through a Public Records Act Request.
Ruling - County ordered to pay attorney's fees and to produce the requested documents.
CRPA Involvement: Filed Suit

Lawsuit - CRPA v. San Francisco
Issue - Legality of local "assault weapon" ordinance.
Ruling - City repealed the ordinance.
CRPA Involvement: Lead plaintiff

Issues: Preemption of local "AW" ordinance by state laws.

Status: Won. Challenge to the City and County of San Francisco's municipal "assault weapon" ordinances as preempted by state "assault weapon" law. Ordinance repealed in response to suit!

CITY OF LOS ANGELES

Issues: Preemption of local LA "AW" ordinance by state laws.

Status: Won. Challenge to the City of Los Angeles municipal "assault weapon" law as preempted by the state "assault weapon" law. Ordinance repealed in response to suit! Attorney's fees reimbursement motion filed December 22, 2003. Case is stayed by stipulation pending an opinion in an unrelated Cal Supreme Court decision on the fee recovery issue. In December 2004, the California Supreme Court reached its decisions in two cases addressing the "catalyst theory" for recovering attorneys' fees. The Court upheld the catalyst theory in California, although it has been rejected in federal courts. As a practical matter, this means that when an ordinance is challenged, if the city repeals the ordinance rather than litigate the matter, attorneys' fees are recoverable. Our motion to collect fees now goes back to the trial court where we can rely on the new California Supreme Court's decision to support our position.

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CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

Issues: Challenge to local ban on .50 caliber firearms.

Status: Contra Costa County passed fifty caliber ban ordinance effective May 6, 2004. Preliminary Injunction motion filed by June, 2004. Hearing set by court for November 4, 2004. Ordinance became effective May 6th. Judge Vaughn Walker assigned (good news). Status of case uncertain in light of AB 50 taking effect 1/1/05. County appears to be repealing the ordinance. Case may be modified to challenge L. A. or S. F. ordinances, which are similar to Contra Costa County ordinance. Contra Costa repealed its ordinance rather than litigate this matter once the state passed AB 50, the statewide ban on possession on .50 caliber BMG firearms. Although the state law is significantly narrower than this county ordinance was, the County no doubt saw the passage of AB 50 as an opportunity to withdraw from this contentions fight.

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MODESTO SCHOOL BOARD

Issues:propriety of closing down a gun range on school campus.

Status: School district failed to comply with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) before voting to demolish gun range on campus. Prevailed on appeal! Judgment entered February 4, 2004. The school must now reimburse fees since ACE prevailed. Fee reimbursement motion filed August 16, 2004. Litigating fee request.

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CONEJO VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Issues: School district violated plaintiff's First Amendment, Fourth Amendment, Fifth Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment rights, and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Status: Plaintiff, diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome, was suspended for five days and transferred to another school after stating during class: "my dad has a gun." Disciplined for this "threat." Mediation completed on June 29, 2004, case settled favorably.

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SAN JUAN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

Issues: First Amendment Issue

Status: Sporting Clubs T-shirt banned from High School because of dress code prohibiting any depiction of weapons. Defendants' response pending. School District modified dress code in response to our demand.


_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Election Victories:

The defeat of David Roberti in the L.A. City 2nd Council District primary election was a great win for self-defense
civil rights. Roberti, the father of California's 1989 "assault weapon" law, was the odds on favorite to make it into
the run-off. As in the Feuer race.
CRPA Involvement - CRPA worked with NRA to get out the votes that beat Roberti in this election. Moderate
candidate Tom LaBonge went on to defeat leftist Beth Garfield!

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The defeat of Mike Feuer in his race for the City Attorney 's Office in Los Angeles.
CRPA Involvement - CRPA worked with NRA to mount an aggressive get out the vote program which included
mailing absentee voter registration forms to members of both organizations eligible to vote in the City of Los Angeles.

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CRPA members and grassroots activists achieved some remarkable results at the local level in California this past election day. In races where CRPA selected a candidate; CRPA worked with grassroots gun-owners and CRPA members locally. CRPA selected candidates were elected in 60% of local races.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

In Richmond, CRPA members and the grassroots activists of West Contra Costa were successful in their goal of defeating Andrés Soto in his bid for a seat on the Richmond City Council. An intense campaign helped inform Richmond area voters of the atrocious record of this freedom-hating individual. Soto has been focused on restricting law-abiding gun-owners for nearly a decade and has worked in close coordination with the gun ban lobby. For years they've attempted, unsuccessfully, to ban gun shows from the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds. Most recently, this individual pushed the County Supervisors to ban the sale of .50 caliber rifles and ammunition throughout Contra Costa County. With 5 Richmond City Council positions open, Soto finished 6th.

Local Government Victories:

LONG BEACH .50 CAL BAN

Defeated at second reading! Defeating the Long Beach .50 caliber ban proposal was an extraordinary success. Though the City Council passed the ordinance with a few votes to spare, the City decided against the ordinance on the second reading (we were informed that this is the first time this has ever been done in Long Beach) to avoid litigation.

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"ASSAULT WEAPON" ORDINANCE REPEALS

Initially there were nine municipal "assault weapons" ordinances. As a result of our campaign for repeal, there are now no municipalities with "assault ordinances" remaining on the books.

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"SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIAL" ORDINANCE REPEALS

Initially there were 56 municipal "SNS" ordinances. As a result of our campaign for repeal, there are now only nine municipalities with "SNS" ordinances remaining on the books. None are being enforced. Los Angeles and San Francisco have already indicated they are repealing theirs. Once that is done, the rest will follow.

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Again, what exactly is your point? No one says NRA did it alone.

What I said was your state and all the crazy crap your legislators cook up takes more resources from NRA than any other state.

It's always a massive fight in California, and still an area where real progress is made, yet you state that NRA doesn't do ENOUGH for you in California and so you're not willing to join?

That's just ridiculous. Your state gets more NRA money for local fights than anyone else, in addition to all the fighting at the Federal level.

You may have other reasons for not wanting to join the NRA but you cannot in all honesty claim it's because NRA doesn't do enough at the State/Local level in California.
 
and

TRIGGER LOCK ORDINANCE REPEALS

Initially there were 34 municipal "trigger lock" ordinances. As a result of our campaign for repeal, there are now only 13 municipalities with "trigger lock" ordinances remaining on the books. None are being enforced.

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Legislative Victory - "Saturday Night Special" Handgun Ban Ordinances Repealed.
Where - Alameda, Albany, Baldwin Park, Bell Gardens, Belmont, Berkeley, Beverly Hills, Compton, Daly City,
El Cerrito, Fremont, Half Moon Bay, Hayward, Huntington Park, Inglewood, Montebellow, Monterey Park, Norwalk,
Pco Rivera, Piedmont, Pinole, Pleasanton, Pomona, Richmond Rohnert Park, Sacramento, San Carlos, San Mateo,
San Pablo, San Rafael, Tiburon, Walnut, Walnut Creek, West Covina, West Hollywood, Los Angeles County,
Sacramento (December 12, 2000), Marin County, San Mateo, San Anseimo and Union City have all either repealed
or are repealing and de-publishing their ordinances.

Compulsory Storage or Trigger Lock Mandates Defeated or Repealed
Where - San Carlos, San Rafael, Layfayette, Fremont, National City, San Mateo, and Marin County, San Anselmo,
Oceanside, Beverly Hills.

One Gun a Month Ordinance Defeated
Where - West Hollywood

Waiting Period Extension Defeated
Where - Santa Monica

Background Check Provisions Repealed
Where - Santa Monica

Local Assault Weapon Bans Repealed.
Where - Stockton, Berkeley, Santa Monica, Pleasanton and several other cities.

FFL Dealer Banishment Ordinances Defeated or Repealed
Where - Glendale, and many cities in Orange and Fresno Counties

Hunting Bans/Discharge Prohibitions Defeated or Repealed
Where - Lake County and American City

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CRPA's Listing of Past Achievements:



Jan 2004: CRPA launches statewide public service gun safety campaign.
Dec 2003: CRPA helps defeat a Long Beach proposal that would have banned the sale of .50 caliber firearms
in the city.

Aug 2003: In response to a CRPA pre-litigation demand for repeal of its trigger lock ordinance, Contra Costa
County repeals its ordinance rather than face a CRPA lawsuit.

Jan 2003: CRPA Lawsuit Forces San Francisco To Repeal Its "Assault Weapon" Ban

Apr 2002: CRPA Condemns Kaiser Permanente Campaign Against Gun Ownership

Apr 2002: CRPA Launches Project To Assist Local Pro Self-Defense Candidates

Oct 2001: CRPA Re-Launches Controversial Billboard Campaign "Society is safer when criminals don't know
who's armed."

1995: CRPA Launches Controversial Billboard Campaign "Society is safer when criminals don't know who's armed."

1991: CRPA conducts a poll of police officers and sheriffs throughout California, conclusively establishing that
law enforcement does not endorse gun control as a crime control measure.
 
Again, you're talking nonsense because you know you have no leg to stand on. I'm sure the CRPA is a very good organization.

No one says there are not state organizations that are as important. Hell my signature has ads for the Texas State Rifle Association all over it.

You asserted however that the NRA doesn't do enough for your state, and the fact is they do more out there than for any other state, even though they generally only fight at the Federal level.

NRA has gone above and beyond for California and you say you won't join because it's not enough.

That is outrageous frankly, and naive of you to think that only state and local fights matter.
 
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