Why don't more gun owners join the NRA?

[Jason_W]

I only just joined because it was a requisite for a membership to a range I wanted to join.

My issue has always been that with the exception of gun ownership, I'm not that right leaning. I'll vote in favor of gay marriage, legal weed, and legal abortion every time.

I've felt that giving monetary support to the NRA is giving money to modern conservatism as a whole, which I view as being as much a freedom crusher as modern liberalism. A differently flavored turd sandwich is still a turd sandwich.

 

[Axis II]

Or better state advocacy groups to handle that themselves.

Or, move to another state.

I think you need to be careful in what you wish for. Ask the people of CA, MA, NY, CT, NJ, MD, HI and other states if they want state control over fed control.
The fed laws seem cut and dried where every state has their own "twist". In 99% of the cases, I prefer the feds keep their noses out of it but when it comes to our gun rights, I'll take fed control over state control.

When I said that the Cleveland Ohio saying you couldn't carry anything but 38spl and 9mm and mag capacity limits if you were a private police, armed guard, armored truck, anything came to mind. the state of Ohio put a squash on that real quick. I don't get too much in the political stuff but what I was taught in law classes in college was city nor state can infringe on a fed law and so on.

 

[larryh1108]

I agree, ohi. I was supporting what you said.

 

[AlexanderA]

The HUGE problem, as others have already alluded to is that the Second Amendment has become such a political issue, which it should NOT be. Democrats/"liberals" have elected to become so anti-2A that the NRA has no choice other than to be a voice/proponent of the Republican party. Which alienates many folks. In my case, the Republican party is so out of touch with reality that I find myself more likely to believe in the cause of the Democratic party, which, by the way, also lacks a firm grasp of reality, more or less. In the end, I support republican candidates because they tend not to be so rabidly anti-2A, and the most important political issue to me is the Second Amendment. For most folks, this is not case, and the NRA alienates virtually all Democrates and probably most moderates as well. Until the right to keep and bear arms is no longer a political issue, it is a "no win" situation for the NRA.

Sadly, all of this is true. But I'm old enough to remember a time when there were plenty of pro-gun Democratic congressmen, including John Dingell of Michigan, who was on the NRA board of directors. Polarization has brought with it a host of litmus tests, on both sides of the aisle. For example, Democratic candidates have to be pro-abortion and anti-gun, or else they risk losing funding from the DNC, Emily's List, and other donors with deep pockets. Ordinary voters are so turned off by this that they drop out of the process, or vote in unpredictable ways (witness the 2016 election). I think the NRA should go out of its way to support pro-gun Democratic candidates, to show that (a) it's a single-issue organization, concerned with gun rights and only with gun rights, (b) it's not a branch of the Republican party, and (c) it's willing to undercut the funding monopoly (on the Democratic side) of the Bloombergs and the Emily's Lists.

 

[AlexanderA]

the purpose of the democratic party as stated when they are pressed is to flood the country with 3rd worlders to where the native European people are a small majority and they will always be in power. they are almost there now. after 15 years they will be there. you can look at south America a mish mash of people where 1/2% of people got all the money and power

The immigration issue may be important, but it is not directly relevant to gun rights. The NRA should stay out of anything not directly having to do with guns. By spreading itself too thin, it's diminishing its power.

 

[stonecutter2]

1st Amendment Freedom of speech. 2nd Amendment, the RIGHT to keep and bear firearms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.

"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

but what I was taught in law classes in college was city nor state can infringe on a fed law and so on.

Yes but it has already been proven that states go against what the Feds say and for all intents and purposes "get away with it".

Which is why every state "should" have a strong local pro 2A advocacy group. Suppose tomorrow the Feds said no guns at all and you lived in a very gun friendly state, would you be glad that you did or not?


Because of how broad and corrupt the Fed govt is is why I think things should be left to states. Granted, in a certain few states it can be just as corrupt, for most it is not.

 

[stonecutter2]

For those who do not like all the mailing from the NRA, get off your dear rear end and call the 800 number on the back of your card and have them put a stop to it, they Will.

Seems more like just a reason to belly ache about the NRA!

They do not make it obvious you can even opt out of this. Anywhere.

 

[larryh1108]

Suppose tomorrow the Feds said no guns at all and you lived in a very gun friendly state, would you be glad that you did or not?

You ever live in NY or MA or CA?
One midnight bill in NY and CT and poof... gun rights eviscerated.
MA AG decides she doesn't like "assault rifles" and poof, she does her thing.
Yeah, if the Feds ever decide to take away our rights then we all go down. I think it's far more unlikely for it to happen on a national level than a state level. We've seen that already. That's why the NRA needs to be strong and get stronger... to prevent that from ever happening.

 

[herrwalther]

I think the NRA inadvertently scares away younger gun owners. You always see Wayne Lapierre or Chris Cox in suits being very blatant in the "us vs them" mindset. If you aren't a member, even if you are a gun owner, you are just as bad as Obama himself. That can put off the younger gun owners crowd. Much like the VFW or American Legion don't attract the younger Iraq and Afghan veterans.

Disclaimer: I am a NRA member so this "scary old guy" view doesn't reflect me. But I have heard some of my age group peers express these views of the NRA.

 

[salt&battery]

The immigration issue may be important, but it is not directly relevant to gun rights. The NRA should stay out of anything not directly having to do with guns. By spreading itself too thin, it's diminishing its power.

I think it has everything to do with gun right 90% of immigrants vote Democrat even the orientals which really suprises me. not saying the NRA should get into the immigration issue it should not. but I am saying it will have the biggest affect on gun rights

 

[Good Ol' Boy]

You ever live in NY or MA or CA?
One midnight bill in NY and CT and poof... gun rights eviscerated.
MA AG decides she doesn't like "assault rifles" and poof, she does her thing.
Yeah, if the Feds ever decide to take away our rights then we all go down. I think it's far more unlikely for it to happen on a national level than a state level. We've seen that already. That's why the NRA needs to be strong and get stronger... to prevent that from ever happening.

That's why I mentioned "a few certain places". If the Feds shut things down states will still do as they please, as has been proven.

Which is why I mentioned a strong local state advocacy group. States are already doing what they want. Get involved on a more local level.

You're relying on a blanket approach when it's already proven to be ineffective. The original ideals for this country were limited Fed involvement in our affairs. If you think the Feds really care about protecting our constitutional rights you are misguided.


Get involved on a local level and you'll see things change. Granted, there are some states that are probably beyond help. And that is why we have the ability to move about, go somewhere else. Yes I think our constitutional rights should be observed by all states, but I don't trust nor do I think it's realistic that the Feds will protect that right. At least with states we have a chance.

 

[Robert]

Politics, wildly off topic posts and more than one person in need of an infraction. Yeah we are done with this round of why I hate the NRA.