NRA Executive VP Wayne LaPierre asked for it.

[ArmedMainer]

The NRA couldn't even send ONE GUY to speak at the 2nd amendment march, but yet they had a booth parked there begging for money. They might as well have pissed in our faces. -Mike

A 800 lb gorilla would have sent one speaker........or at least done SOMETHING.

 

[rattletrap1970]

Nugent is a tool. An appearance fee? For something he "cares" so much about? What a jerk off.

 

[MassMark]

Nugent is a tool. An appearance fee? For something he "cares" so much about? What a jerk off.

Yeah, it was something else. It's hard to describe the feeling you get when you ride literally all night over the failed rear shocks of a tour bus - only to get off of it in the beautiful sunshine and see: largely no one. Then to hear that Ted Nugent (who at one time was pushing for and taking credit for this march) not even bother to show up because they could not come up with an appearance fee. Then to see the National Rifle Association set up their tent - well away from the event, off on their own - whoring for memberships. Pathetic. To top it off, Skip Coryell is out 10's of thousands of dollars - his own money.He bankrupted himself promoting an ideal and was abandoned by the people and organizations who are supposed to be at the forefront of those ideals...Interesting....Sad.....

Some of you hold the National Rifle Association with such high regard - this sense of omnipotence, that it's really amazing. I say screw them - it's time to shake things up from within and put these people on notice that the 2nd Amendment cannot be clouded by profit margins, ivory tower building, fat-cat salaries, membership whoring, butt-buddy festivals with members of the opposition, obstructionist bullshit, or pushing cheap Chinese crap on their fellow Americans...The problem is, few of you will stand up and push. You won't even take the day off work, or miss your kids soccer game to go to a march in DC. Excuses. You know what they say about them....

 

[Windsor Locks Gunner]

It's kind of sad how many clubs require NRA membership to belong. I belong to the East Windsor Sportsmans Club in Ct. Out club also requires it. In a democratic society we have choices on how we run our government. In NRA only clubs our choices are restricted. Members do not have a choice. Members in NRA only clubs should have a choice. We should have a choice to join any major Pro Gun Organization of our choosing. Twenty years ago, NRA was the only major Pro Gun lobby... Now there are others. Others willing to pick up the ball and run where NRA dropped it because it was not in their financial interest first. NRA is now big Business with running their organization and making it profitable first and members interests and concerns second. It seems to me that, NRA doesn't fight to win. They fight to come back and fight another day. It keeps their organization in business. If NRA wins all the battles, there would be no need for NRA. NRA has benn caught sleeping with the enemy.
Windsor Locks Gunner (Rodzilla)
Life member GOA and NRA

 

[Rico]

I thought that many clubs require NRA membership because if they have 100% membership they get a substational range liability insurance discount and eligibility to recieve range development grants.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I thought that many clubs require NRA membership because if they have 100% membership they get a substational range liability insurance discount and eligibility to recieve range development grants.

That's the excuse they use!!

I do understand that at one time NRA did require 100% membership for clubs to benefit.

I have more recently been told the following:

- 100% NRA is no longer required.
- That there are cheaper insurance plans out there than NRA's offerings and these alternatives offer better coverage as well.

I have no direct knowledge of the above, but the info was told to me by the president of a very large club I belong to when I asked him about NRA vs. other insurance plans (asking for the other small club I belong to).

 

[MAShooter]

I thought that many clubs require NRA membership because if they have 100% membership they get a substational range liability insurance discount and eligibility to recieve range development grants.

This (though not sure how much of a discount it actually is). This is why the clubs I belong to require it, even of the non-shooting members (such as those into archery).

Like someone else said... dividided we fall. That simple. Give me another organization that has the clout of the NRA, I'll concsider it. Name any other special interest group that Congress is afraid of (SA or anything else) like they are of the NRA?

 

[Rob Boudrie]

o I ask all the NRA members who like to complain, do you vote for board members? If you want to change the NRA get involved and change it from the inside.

The nature of the NRA election system is such that people do not get elected to the board unless the current administration decides they should win. If you're not a nominating committee candidate, you have virtually no chance of getting a seat on the board.

 

[Martlet]

The nature of the NRA election system is such that people do not get elected to the board unless the current administration decides they should win. If you're not a nominating committee candidate, you have virtually no chance of getting a seat on the board.

How so?

 

[Dziner]

I think we are all just looking for at least a nod from NRA and mr. Wayne Lapierre. I don't claim to know the 2A environments of neighboring states or states across the country, but here in the thick of it, where independence was BORN, we are the most attacked with regards to our 2A rights (my opinion). I realize we all have to do our parts and VOTE for the political officials that we feel aligned with, but most of these officials are spineless at best as they shoot for the popular vote, but "dangling a carrot" in front of us claiming "we know you have it tough and we will help make it better" and then turn around and Sh** on us when they are in office because "more pressing" issues are upon them. I don't blame NRA for MA being a PIA to deal with in regards to 2A, CCW permitting, etc., but with that much clout I would like to see them at least try to form a dark cloud over some of our elected officials heads to let them know that they are the "ominous" being that will rain hell on them if they trample their citizens beliefs to simply gain office cred. However, when you think about it, NRA is another "elected official" that makes the promises of helping fight for our rights, but we never feel their presence on the state level like we do with GOAL. Now that may be the arrangement between GOAL and NRA, but I have no idea. All I know is, for all the money we kick in to NRA and all the BS we deal with in MA, I would love to see NRA make it a point to be present and fight along side us on the state level like GOAL so that we don't feel like they are abandoning us and sitting in Washington sipping tea with the Obama party.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I have no direct knowledge of the above, but the info was told to me by the president of a very large club I belong to when I asked him about NRA vs. other insurance plans (asking for the other small club I belong to).

I was involved in insurance selection for a gun club. The reason I did not go with the NRA insurance was the exclusions -

- Suits brought by club members - not covered
- Hunting incidents - not covered
- Incidents involving firearms in motor vehicles - not covered

The first one was the biggie, as I was not willing to "bet the club" that every member (and, by extension, their family if they had spousal or jr memberships as well) would be able to resist the temptation of free money if they got hurt on club property.

 

[kingfisher]

Thanks, everyone, for the great conversation on this topic!

People do realize that GOAL is the official Massachusetts state affiliate of the NRA, right? One could claim that the NRA might not be doing enough in MA, but saying GOAL is doing great things for MA while the NRA is not doing any good things in MA is rather illogical.

No, I had no idea.

They are only the 800 pound gorilla because we want them to be. If more people paid attention we could make some other group like GOA or 2nd Amendment Foundation more powerful.

I would like to think that if enough people became involved that other 2A organizations could become just as powerful as the NRA is now and that they could all work together or at least get along for the common good, but maybe I'm dreaming.

If every American understood the importance of the Bill of Rights, we'd be much better off, and that's one of the reasons I was drawn to JPFO and their promotion of Bill of Rights Day.

Interesting topic. I am a member of NRA and will continue to be. I don't like everything they do, but the are very important especially on the national level. The more members NRA has, the more clout every gun owner has in Washington. That being said, it was interesting to hear Wayne LaPierre on Guntalk last week. If you haven't heard it, I suggest you download the podcast from Guntalk.com. Tom Gresham was around for the last member take over of NRA and he thinks it could happen again. So I ask all the NRA members who like to complain, do you vote for board members? If you want to change the NRA get involved and change it from the inside. Letters are good, but I'd rather see you send that letter as a voting member.

I don't know anything about this, but I'm very interested in finding out more.

 

[Chuck Would]

I started to read this whole thread, got disgusted and just dicided to post an answer.

IF you're not a Member of the NRA and GOAL, you suck! Period. I'm a Patron Life Member of the NRA and a Sustaining Member of GOAL. I kick them both a few bucks when I can.

For the price of a couple boxes of ammo a year to be a member, you whine.

From what I've read here most of you spend that on beer or Xbox games.

I keep hearing about how everyone wants to move out of MA to someplace with better laws. Who the hell do you think has been keeping those laws better in other states? Now, I agree that the NRA doesn't seem to have done too much here in MA but this state has so many stupid sheeple that if Teddy was running today he'd still be re-elected. And I'm betting the Kennedy family would have had his body to the taxidermy man so he could sit in "his" seat.

You want to own firearms? You want to shoot? You want to Carry? But you complain about sending them a few bucks a year to help us out on a national level.

I'm beginning to think that some gun owners are as dumb as the folks who used to vote for Ted.

 

[kingfisher]

I started to read this whole thread, got disgusted and just dicided to post an answer.

IF you're not a Member of the NRA and GOAL, you suck! Period.

Thanks for doing your homework and for being so understanding.

Maybe you should join NES too. Your comments would carry more weight.

 

[Windsor Locks Gunner]

I remember my last ballot from the NRA... There were about 40+- officers on the ballot? I belive we could only vote for 37? Who were the other three? The 3 stooges? So much for NRA democacy...

 

[swampy]

Great letter. Does the NRA still have a contest for the best pro 2A letter? If so you should send it for consideration...maybe it'll be a wake up call to a different set of eyes.

My only beef with your theory is that the NRA has left a bit of the pitbull litigation to other groups but still supplies support financially and with their vast knowledge base and clout. The Second Amendment Foundation is quite busy and yet still small enough to get the ball rolling without too much overhead. The NRA seems to always lend their name on SAF filed court actions. They have a good track record and don't seem opposed to stepping on toes that the NRA avoids.

For a few weeks, I’ve been getting renewal emails from Wayne LaPierre and finally this came today:



I wanted to give him an honest response, so I sent this:



Not that I expect much, but I’ll let you know if I get a response.

 

[ChevyGuy91]

I started to read this whole thread, got disgusted and just dicided to post an answer.

IF you're not a Member of the NRA and GOAL, you suck! Period. I'm a Patron Life Member of the NRA and a Sustaining Member of GOAL. I kick them both a few bucks when I can.

For the price of a couple boxes of ammo a year to be a member, you whine.

From what I've read here most of you spend that on beer or Xbox games.

I keep hearing about how everyone wants to move out of MA to someplace with better laws. Who the hell do you think has been keeping those laws better in other states? Now, I agree that the NRA doesn't seem to have done too much here in MA but this state has so many stupid sheeple that if Teddy was running today he'd still be re-elected. And I'm betting the Kennedy family would have had his body to the taxidermy man so he could sit in "his" seat.

You want to own firearms? You want to shoot? You want to Carry? But you complain about sending them a few bucks a year to help us out on a national level.

I'm beginning to think that some gun owners are as dumb as the folks who used to vote for Ted.

Hey man, it is good to hear from you. I have not seen you since the 2A march in DC, that was an awesome day wasn't it? You remember, I was the big guy with the beard and green coat covered in patches.