NRA

[Cactus Jack Arizona]

Most of you have read my posts on "pro-NRA" threads. I have been adamantly against the NRA for a variety of reasons. Later, while doing more research on the NRA I have found that I was misled on some of the info I was given. I'm still researching other info that had misled me.

Before my research began, I spent my time and effort trying to convey to my parents why I was anti-NRA and why they too should ignore them as well. After about three months, my parents informed me that they had both joined the NRA. Shaking my head, rolling my eyes, and with an "awe geesh" (in the style of Archie Bunker), they continued to explain why they joined.

After it was all said and done, several months later, I found that fate is not without a sense of irony. I received in my mailbox, a few days ago, a letter from the NRA stating that I was now a member. (Go ahead, laugh. Get it out of your system.) That's right, my parents paid for me to have a membership in the NRA. So, there it is. I am a NRA member.

Now, some may ask why I don't just cancel my membership. Like Mr. Miyagi said, "Please, hurt old man feeling".

 

[OARNGESI]

was all this to say you joined the nra because your parents got you a membership? or did i miss something?

 

[Sav .250]

Good thing your parents know a good thing when they see it............

 

[JohnBT]

And the lesson is? Do your research first, before forming an opinion.

 

[kudzu]

Please do not give up on the NRA!

The NRA has been rightly criticized for positions it has taken and candidates it has suppported. It seems to have become a self-serving bureaucracy and those in power have structured it and positioned themselves so that changing it will be difficult, at best. There is plenty of fault to be found with the organization.

In spite of that, I still support the NRA and encourage others to do so. If sometimes misguided, it is still the most powerful voice on our side. Our gun rights would be much more compromised today, perhaps non-existent, were it not for the NRA's efforts during the decades it was the only voice on our side.

So, please support the NRA and try to nudge it in the right direction. At least, do not work against it.

 

[Waywatcher]

The thing that annoys me is the constant Chicken Little-ing in their magazines. Every month, gun rights are on the verge of total disaster and there's no hope unless we act now. It's like the boy who cried wolf, I never know when there is a legitimate threat.

 

[jcwit]

Ah Yes, mayhap now you will realize that wisdom comes with age.

Now folks, why do we need to swing this into yet another "bash the NRA" thread.

 

[Smokey Joe]

NRA is the 800# gorilla...

that the anti's love to hate. As long as the NRA occupies that position, we pro-2A's need to support the NRA.

Sure, it is too big to be agile. Sure, it does some things we don't like. But it's the one Congressmen and Senators listen to, even if they are anti. It's the one with the most members, therefore the most voters, therefore the one with the Big Stick in Washington.

We need to try as much as we can to keep the NRA on course. Meanwhile, let's keep our criticism as much to ourselves and to the NRA directly, as we can. It's good to look united; it's bad to look divided. It's worse yet to BE divided, when we (us pro-2A'ers) have pretty much a common goal--the advancement of responsible firearms use, and the reduction of restrictions to that use.

You want to join some other shooters' group--fine, join that too: All the better. But don't bash the NRA while you do.

 

[AlexanderA]

I still can't get over the fact that the NRA threw machine gun owners under the bus in 1986. I say that even though I'm a life member.

 

[BIGGBAY90]

I bet you don't live in nyc---

 

[Midwest]

I still can't get over the fact that the NRA threw machine gun owners under the bus in 1986. I say that even though I'm a life member.

Some have maintained that the NRA threw NJ gun owners under the bus as well. Some have said they turned their backs on NJ altogether. And I'm not so sure that the NRA did such a good job protecting our rights when the 1968 GCA was proposed either. Others have said the 1968 GCA would have been much worse if it haven't been for the NRA.

Still for what its worth, they are the biggest gun rights lobby out there..for better or worse. There are other organizations out there like Gun Owners Of America and Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership.

I think the NRA's philosophy for a long time was 'Join the NRA and protect your right to hunt'. That wasn't what the second amendment stands for, it wasn't about ensuring a right to hunt deer or 'sport' shooting. That is where some have said that the organization is out of touch.

I'm neutral when it comes to the NRA, its good to have a National Gun Rights organization. But I wish they were more in touch with some things...

 

[jcwit]

I still can't get over the fact that the NRA threw machine gun owners under the bus in 1986. I say that even though I'm a life member.

What was in the orginal bill that ended up being changed because of NRA actions?

 

[jcwit]

If the NRA and shooting sports and organizations depended only on the hunters it would really be a sorry state of affairs. The NRA saw this coming and changed.

 

[Ryanxia]

Kudzu said it all.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I still can't get over the fact that the NRA threw machine gun owners under the bus in 1986. I say that even though I'm a life member.

They thought they could get that part overturned but wanted the FOPA to pass, which it did. They tried to get 922o overturned (Farmer v. Higgins 907 F.2d 1041 (11th Cir. 1990) (You might recognize the name of the Plaintiff-Apellee lawyer in Farmer - Stephen Halbrook
So I don't know if the NRA "threw machine gun owners the bus" is entirely accurate. Senator Hughes threw machine gun owners under the bus. He thought it might be enough to stop the FOPA but was wrong.

The NRA is evolving constantly. They are now much more favorable towards black rifles, concealed carry, and other genres. It's with the new members that these changes are coming about. Remember how Zumbo got hammered for his anti-AR stance, and changed his mind? There are a lot of Fudds in the NRA but they are getting old and now it's the gen X and Y guys and gals that are starting to put the NRA in line with more modern views.
Heck, in 40 years maybe your grandkids will be calling you a Fudd who only cares about AR-15s and AK-47s and their tiny 30rd mags, who doesn't give a hoot about their phased plasma rifles.

 

[Rob G]

It's like the boy who cried wolf, I never know when there is a legitimate threat.

Easy Answer. There's always a legitimate threat. The anti-gunners in congress will pass legislation further curtailing our second amendment rights the second we stop being vigilant about them. I don't believe the sky is falling. But I do believe that we will lose this fight if we back off.

 

[AlexanderA]

They thought they could get that part overturned but wanted the FOPA to pass, which it did.

The NRA had been pushing for the FOPA for a long time. When the Hughes Amendment "poison pill" was added at the last minute, the NRA was so heavily invested in the underlying bill that they felt they couldn't pull their support. If they had, Reagan would have vetoed it and the bill would have died. Not pulling their support was a major tactical mistake, because it would have been a lot easier to get a clean FOPA later than to get the Hughes Amendment overturned later. The root cause of this, in my view, is that the NRA had, and still has, a lot of institutional inertia.

 

[JohnBT]

"Others have said the 1968 GCA would have been much worse if it haven't been for the NRA."

The ones who know what happened.

You don't really believe that the NRA got to vote those laws into existence, do you? You don't really believe the NRA could have stopped the passage of all gun restrictions once Kennedy and the others were murdered, do you? There was a major fight from JFK's death in '63 until the law was passed in '68. I was a teenager living just outside D.C. and followed the story for years.


Read the history. Not the sound bite history, not the bumper sticker history, the real history.

John

 

[Double Vision]

The NRA is the first line of defense in protecting OUR gun rights.

You may not agree with every position they take, but there is no other organization that has the clout to defend the 2nd Amendment.

 

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

Any one can complain,but REALLY, who has done more for 2A?

 

[BIGGBAY90]

Try telling that to nyc reisdent and other strict citys--nra--where

 

[pbearperry]

Without the NRA,we would all be taking knife fighting lessons.

 

[trex1310]

Ah Yes, mayhap now you will realize that wisdom comes with age.

Now folks, why do we need to swing this into yet another "bash the NRA" thread.

I must have missed something. This seems to me to be a pro NRA
thread, very pro. If you can find your glasses, read kudzu's post.
That post describes the current NRA to a tee. Eventually, we can vote
the current leadership out and perhaps, just perhaps change the NRA's
stance and tactics on some things. I encourage those on this forum
to take advantage of the $300 life membership if you can.

 

[BIGGBAY90]

Without the NRA,we would all be taking knife fighting lessons.

some states do already--- but

i think we need someone (in politics,power,money) to speak for the people and i guess the nra found a way to gather people to join and to donate money to gain some gun rights for some (most)states which is good----"""member speaking"""pro nra

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

I am amazed this thread isn't locked yet. We have sensitive people who over react (in my opinion) when their pet ox is gored.....