It is all too typical to blame someone else for our failures.
The current situation in Virginia is not the NRA’s fault. It is a huge failure on the part of gun owners to support pro-gun candidates by not getting out to vote. Now with the clear and present danger of restrictive gun laws being passed in Virginia WLP and the NRA are still being blamed for what gun owners in Virginia have failed to do for many years.
While members on THR continue to cheer the demise of the NRA even as the events in Virginia unfolds. The simple and harsh truth is gun owners in Virginia have got the Government they deserve when they stayed home on Election Day.
you're right. it's not the NRA's fault.
we're not blaming WLP and the NRA for Democrats getting elected. and we are not cheering the demise of the NRA.
What we are saying specifically is that
-the NRA initial non-response ("send more money!") was embarrassing and ineffective
-because of WLP personal behavior, he is no longer an effective spokesman for 2A cause
-because of WLP personal behavior, the NRA name has been tarnished, to the extend their involvement may cause more harm than good
-they should have worked with the VCDL, lending expertise and experience and money
-instead they chose to split resources by organizing a separate event, effectively dividing us, demonstrating where their priorities lie
-the NRA needs new leadership before it's demise becomes permanent
just read their webpage. nothing on nra.org about VA. and the NRA-ILA page has an article saying first weeks of January are critical! but only talks about what they did on the 13th, not about what we're doing on the 20th. that's in the past. how critical was it? what effect did they have? happy to be educated if i've missed something, but no effect at all as far as i can tell.
but VCDL is about to show the world what average Joes can do with a shoe string budget. if they're successful (and northam building fences surrounding the capital yesterday seems to indicate they're already having an effect), it should force the NRA to realize they either get off their butts or fade to irrelevance