Why aren't you an NRA Member?

[ChargingCharlie]

I see more and more posts here lately where people say "The NRA isn't my thing." or "The NRA doesn't do shit for people in MA" or some other reason for them not being a member. Those of you that are not members simply just don't get it. The NRA is the largest organization on our side and having a huge number of members alone will make a big difference for us. The NRA is pretty strong, as it is, with just over 4 million members. What do you think it would say to the feds if more gun owners would get off their asses and join and we could get that to 10-20 million members. If you don't feel that their heart is exactly where you want it then still join and work to change that...Join for the firearm insurance or any of the other discounts members get...Join so you can go to the kickass NRA Annual Meeting which is like the Mecca of guns and meet 70,000 people that have similar interests...just join and get those numbers up so the rest of the country knows that a larger majority of gun owners DO give a shit about their rights. In fact, join every group you can...NRA, GOAL, & SAF are among the most important. And, if you don't, then please don't bitch about your rights being trampled on here. Just my 2¢...carry on.

 

[jarhead66]

this

 

[Boghog1]

IMHO the NRA has lost focus of what it was meant for, they have screwed the pooch too many times in the past few years in an effort to keep themselves in business. I would rather give my money to GOAL, PGNH or any other local group over a group that is looking out for its own best interest

see this thread for details
http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/121919-New-Hampshire-Bill-filed-HB536

 

[GM-GUY]

I am a recent Life Member and have been a member as far back as 1980 (let it lapse while in the USAF) - here is my take:
Like everything else, the further you get down the road from the origination, you start to drift. imo, it was much better in the 1980's standpoint wise, but got their clock cleaned legislatively. It appears to me that they hired a bunch of beaurcrats, X-pols and similar. They seem to get more done in congress but it's not what we would all like. When you hire a bunch of no deal too small - no payoff too big folks, you get politics.

The NH Constitutional Carry and other stuff I have read about other states does bother me - but I do support GOAL, just re-upped for 3yrs, and donate to those that help us, less so to organizations.

 

[Climbnsink]

Ohh can I help pay for the indoor shooting range at HQ too? Bunch of sellout fudds. All advocacy organizations eventually fail, NRA failed a long time ago.

 

[sig2009]

Because I rather give my money to SAS (Second Ammendment Society). They seem to be more involved with state issues. The NRA does nothing here in New Jersey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JRyan]

I'm a member, not entirely pleased with them either but at the same time they have their plus side and do act as a vocal and visible plus for us to a lot of folks who would not know many of the smaller groups exist.

 

[highlander]

I was an NRA member for 5 years or s. I quit because every other day junk mail on this crisis or a phone call looking for money to fight "X" and got fed up with the constant " The sky is falling,the sky is falling". The postal cost alone was more than I spent for the membership. And I agree with the rest in the NRA has pretty much dropped MA like a bad habit.

 

[AppleSeeds]

Seems like a lot of complaining about their involvement in state issues. I, personally, look at them as an organization mostly charged with dealing with things on a national level. State issues, IMHO, are better handled by local organizations (perhaps with support of the National Organization where it makes sense to conserve resources) that can spend the time, understand the political landscape, and be more effective. One should belong to both a national and a state organization.

With recent events and proposals in Congress (at the national level), it seems to me losing a national voice would be a great loss. Further, when they back a lawsuit in any given State and a victory is had, it strengthens everyone even if not directly. I know there are questions about certain cases and when the NRA decided to back them but still.

If this sounds like a ringing endorsement, don't take it that way, but the NRA does have its place and it's not that much to be a member from a cost perspective. Finally, with regards to junk mail. 1) Call 2) Ask to be put on the do-not-solicit list and you'll never get anything (it may take a month for the mail to stop but it will).

 

[Rockrivr1]

I'm a member and will continue to be a member for the fact that they are a thorn in the national Gov't side. In that respect I support them and hope they continue to be that thorn. My problem with them is that instead of telling us the facts and updating us on where things actually stand, they've turned into sabre rattlers and fear mongerers to their members who seem to keep coming to us over and over again for donations. If I see one more email from Wayne saying we are losing, I may just start blocking them. I know we are in a battle to keep our rights, but from my view it looks like we are winning and pushing the antis back. That's give me some hope, until I get the next message fro Wayne saying we are losing to the Brady campaign.

Also, it seems like they waste an aweful lot of our dues and donations on these mailings telling us we are losing and that they need more donations. Geez, stop sending me 5 letters a month telling me you need more money and they'd save more then I would be able to donate anyway. Also, they are very cunning on thier advertisments on savings if you get a two year membership at a time. Sure, you sign up for two year, but after the first they send you a letter saying it's time to renew. They know it's not time for renewal yet since you paid for two years, but I bet they send it out anyway thinking most people won't realize it. They've done this to me twice. When I send them my credit card receipt showing I paid for two years, I get an apology and a not saying they've corrected their records. I bet more then 50% of people just pay again not realizing the mistake. They've done this to me twice now.

But I still sign up and will throw an extra donation to them when I can. I just think they have lost track of what their actual purpose is.

 

[fbirdquik6]

NRA sucks. Support Goal.

 

[JoeS4]

Even if you don't 100% love the NRA, it's dumb IMHO to not be a member as a gun-owner.

Whether you like it or not, the NRA *IS* the 800 pound gorilla in the room of the firearm lobby in Washington. They arguably have more sway with senators, reps, etc than every other firearm org put together.

NRA membership should be priority #1. Membership in your state's foremost org #2 (GOAL in the case of MA). Then whatever other orgs you want to/can afford to join...SAF, etc.

 

[mark056]

Well...I think that there is some validity in the criticism of the NRA, but if there isn't one voice for gun owners, then we stand to lose because of the old "divide and conquer" strategies that our enemies will use against us. Any group as large as the NRA is going to have a divergent membership on some specific points, but there has to be a consensus on the general point which is the continued sanctity of the 2A (apparently the 4A doesn't mean too much in Indiana these days).

I think there is a new class of gun owners, largely white, urban, somewhat affluent, and under 35 who were introduced to shooting as adults, did not grow up in gun culture, have no interest in traditional civilian firearms (bolt guns, double barreled shotguns, revolvers) have never hunted nor will likely hunt, and in general have no real interest in such outdoor activity as camping or hiking. My sensing is that this group tends to look at people who have these interests as Fudds, failing to remember of course, that it is the sportsmen (and women) of this country who have been the traditional backbone of the NRA for decades. Although the NRA has reached out to women in recent years, perhaps it should also reach out to this group as well.

The NRA picks and chooses its battles very carefully. It's true that it has written off a significant portion of the Northeast, but I can understand that. Perhaps if more conservatives and Republicans in general, had been elected in the last general election here in Massachusetts (and in New Hampshire you keep electing a Democrat as governor), there might have been a renewed interest in our struggles here. I think it is important too, to remember how the NRA supports a whole host of shooting activities and competitions as well as education and training. It is more than a political organization, plus factor in all the Gun Clubs that are NRA affiliated. I think it is important to understand that the NRA is a "one-stop shop" for shooters and the "one size fits all" approach is going to have its shortcomings.

Still, all in all, despite its faults, it has considerable clout in the halls of congress and continues to be in the cross hairs of our most dedicated and determined enemies. When you knock the NRA, you are putting yourself in the same boat as the Bradys and Michael Moores of this world, like it or not.

Mark L.

 

[CLMN]

I was an NRA member for 5 years or s. I quit because every other day junk mail on this crisis or a phone call looking for money to fight "X" and got fed up with the constant " The sky is falling,the sky is falling". The postal cost alone was more than I spent for the membership. And I agree with the rest in the NRA has pretty much dropped MA like a bad habit.

This... except that in my case, I was a member for 30+ years.

CLMN

 

[mark056]

BULL SHIT!!!! The NRA stuck its nose into New Hampshire, when it wasn't needed. Then started to have amendments (that we didn't want)filed to bills that working thier way through the legislature, with out any problems. Now the legislature has problems with thses bills.

This has happen by reports we are receiving in: PA, FL, and TX. So let's cut the bull shit.

What NRA has done puts the NRA "in the same boat as the Bradys and Michael Moores of this world"

We want "Constitutional Carry"!!!!!

So what do you propose we replace the NRA with? A dozen little splinter groups each with its own agenda? I have an open mind despite your virulent tirade this morning? (OMG they might take away your guns in Shirley Mass )

Seriously...you react, but what do YOU propose? Are you suggesting that we have no national organization? What if the NRA went away? How do we solve the problem JW?

Mark L.

 

[Boghog1]

The NRA picks and chooses its battles very carefully. It's true that it has written off a significant portion of the Northeast, but I can understand that. They need to focus on those states they have given up on, you are asking people not to give up on the NRA. why shouldn't we? We are just following the example they put before us.Perhaps if more conservatives and Republicans in general, had been elected in the last general election here in Massachusetts (and in New Hampshire you keep electing a Democrat as governor)As much as I would prefer a real conservative in office I would take a democratic lynch over a Republican Romney, there might have been a renewed interest in our struggles here. I think it is important too, to remember how the NRA supports a whole host of shooting activities and competitions as well as education and training. It is more than a political organization, plus factor in all the Gun Clubs that are NRA affiliated. I think it is important to understand that the NRA is a "one-stop shop" for shooters and the "one size fits all" approach is going to have its shortcomings.
Mark L.

See above in blue

 

[Jude Thaddeus]

BULL SHIT!!!! The NRA stuck its nose into New Hampshire, when it wasn't needed. Then started to have amendments (that we didn't want)filed to bills that working thier way through the legislature, with out any problems. Now the legislature has problems with thses bills.

This has happen by reports we are receiving in: PA, FL, and TX. So let's cut the bull shit.

What NRA has done puts the NRA "in the same boat as the Bradys and Michael Moores of this world"

We want "Constitutional Carry"!!!!!

Amen. I could see if what they did in NH was an isolated incident, but it wasn't. They messed up a almost perfect thing in many states in the name of "fear mongering". In NH, HB330 was poised to give us CC after veto overturn. Now It looks like the bill will die in committee, and I fear that CC will never be brought up again. This is unexceptable in my eyes and by the posts here and on others, a lot of people feel the same way.

 

[Cardinal Ximinez]

I'm a member, but I do believe the NRA is very self-serving and tactically focused. They claim to focus on 2A issues exclusively, which means they can cut deals on other Constitutional issues. For example, they cut a deal on the Disclose Act because they got a carve out. Well, how is weakening our 1A rights helpful to our 2A rights? It's not, and if they were playing chess instead of checkers, they'd know it. But let's also not ignore the fact that the carve out was good business for the NRA since other pro-2A groups would suffer.

The NRA does some good, there's some real bad too.

 

[mark056]

BogHog1: Romney wasn't a conservative and he was not Pro-2A, his pandering to gun owners as candidate Romney nation-wide was/is a sham, so what is your point?

I don't know about New Hampshire (although Southern New Hampshire is becoming the new Northern Massachusetts) but how do you think the NRA or any other group can turn things around for us in Mass (please don't say you don't give a rat's ass or that you don't care) I'm asking you straight up Bog and JW too. How do we turn the tide?

I was really pumped the last general election, it looked like the GOP might have a chance in Mass which would helped us gun-law wise, but then the results came in and it was business as usual.

Remember, it's not the virulent anti-gun people that we need to win the hearts and minds of, they are literally our sworn enemy. It's that vast group of people in the middle.

So how do we fix it?

Mark L.

 

[Pilgrim]

Who pisses off the Brady Bunch and other gun grabbers the most?

Don't want junk mail from them? Call them. I did and never get any.

Stop your pissing and moaning and join as many pro gun groups as you can. We need them all.

 

[willbdavis]

I am a member. I will continue to be a member for the foreseeable future. Like many, I am unhappy with some of the things the NRA is doing, or not doing. But this has always been the case. No organization is perfect, including the NRA. And, yes, I hate the never ending money grubbing. I went to the NRA convention last year in Charlotte. It was a lot of fun. It was very clear how much influence the NRA has on the national stage.

The NRA continues to provide value in the legislative arena at the national level. Yes, they may be too eager to "compromise." In my opinion that is a mind set left over from the pre-Heller, pre-McDonald era. We need to let them know it is time to get with the program.

Other stuff: The NRA provides training resources and also liability insurance for gun clubs. Politicians respond the NRA. They recognize their (our) power. This is more important than perhaps you can imagine. Lastly, the NRA serves as a lightening rod for all the gun-grabbers. I think this helps the other organizations fly under the radar so they can actually get things done.

But don't pigeon-hole me as an NRA apologist. I am very unhappy with what they just did in New Hampshire via GO-NH. So I don't hesitate to let them know my feelings. Also, I support the other organizations that are fighting the good fight, like SAF, etc.

It is important that we gun owners stick together, no matter how much we squabble from time to time. the grabbers would like nothing better than to see us divided.

The biggest problem I see isn't the NRA. It is our fellow gun owners! I can't tell you how many gun owners I talk to who think some level of gun control is a good idea!

 

[xtry51]

My wife and I are both lifetime members. That said I think they've really lost their way.

They do squat to get laws currently on the books removed. They seem entrenched on preventing new laws, rather than getting up back to where we were before 1934.

They also are sticking their noses into NH because they're afraid a state will pass a law that tells the feds to go fly a kite and show that states are going to do what the NRA has failed to do in reigning in federal power. You can read their bullshit responses to NH uprising that's going on HERE

Also troubling, H.B. 330 in its current form additionally purports to protect, as a matter of New Hampshire law, the carrying of firearms by various categories of persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.

This is a perfect example of NRA becoming part of the problem. Rather than championing efforts of states to flex their muscle and take our rights and give them back to the people they are worrying about violating federal law. Here's a newsflash: Many of us don't give a rats ass what the fed's want. We want our 2A back, the whole f*cking thing.

States are trying to erode the gun control power that the Fed SHOULDN'T HAVE IN THE FIRST PLACE and the NRA is trying to stop them. Complete bullshit.

 

[Jude Thaddeus]

Mark L., many of us on this forum DO care about what happens in all the states because, if liberty killing crap happens there, "When are we next?". I agree that we as gun owners need to "win the hearts" of the middle group. However, a lot of them don't care because it doesn't affect them or their way of life.

 

[wacky_doug]

Argh. This thread comes up again every few months.

I'm a member, not terribly satisfied. Read Ricochet if you want to understand the evolution of the org.

If you have limited funds, support GOAL and Comm2A first, then pick you national org after that. (if you're in MA)

 

[DukeNukem]

Im broke.

 

[xtry51]

BogHog1: Romney wasn't a conservative and he was not Pro-2A, his pandering to gun owners as candidate Romney nation-wide was/is a sham, so what is your point?

I don't know about New Hampshire (although Southern New Hampshire is becoming the new Northern Massachusetts) but how do you think the NRA or any other group can turn things around for us in Mass (please don't say you don't give a rat's ass or that you don't care) I'm asking you straight up Bog and JW too. How do we turn the tide?

I was really pumped the last general election, it looked like the GOP might have a chance in Mass which would helped us gun-law wise, but then the results came in and it was business as usual.

Remember, it's not the virulent anti-gun people that we need to win the hearts and minds of, they are literally our sworn enemy. It's that vast group of people in the middle.

So how do we fix it?

Mark L.

It should be clear at this point that you can't. So either move or become the cradle of liberty again.

I'm not sure how many more decades of this BS you guys in MA need to deal with before you wake up. What you've been trying is not working and never will work with the freedom hating people that keep getting re-elected.

You guys can't even buy most of the firearms that are made in your own state!!!

 

[Keystone]

I let my membership lapse, I really need to renew it. I dropped it because of the constant junk mail they sent me, even after I had myself added to the "Do Not Solicit" list. I don't like being informed that MY MEMBERSHIP IS ABOUT TO EXPIRE 4 months after I renewed it.

I feel that some of the newer groups are more focused, and more effective at creating positive change. The NRA has also basically gone passive with regards to Massachusetts.

That said, the NRA does provide insurance for a lot of gun clubs, here, which is extremely important. Additionally, they are so big, and so noisy, that they pull a lot of attention away from the smaller groups, which can't be discounted.

I was about to renew my membership just now, but I don't know my member ID off the top of my head. I'll do it when I get home. I think I even have a discount code from my most recent firearms purchase...

 

[mark056]

It is quite obvious that you are a NRA Schill, or better still an NRA WHORE.

YOU! lost focus of what is going on, You cannot answer or start to ask why we are pissed off.

We were not dealing with any splinter groups, HERE in NEW HAMPSHIRE.

Just like any other cultist, you change the focus of the discussion, Who said any thing here about Shirley, Ma. We are talking about events that transpired in NEW HAMPSHIRE.

The NRA needs to stay on the national level. Remember, The Tail does not wag the dog. As such NRA has no business placing its agenda above the states. The NRA will not direct its agenda over the citizens of NEW HAMPSHIRE. The local area sets the agenda for its area, not the national level. Hey, This sounds like NRA has become just like the BIG UNIONS.

JW,

My reference to Shirley was joke about another thread.

It is unfortunate that you have decided to attack personally a fellow defender of the 2A who shares your love of firearms and our unalienable right to bear and keep them. Divide and conquer...score 1 for the Brady Bunch.

Well like yourself I wore a uniform, but it wasn't a police uniform it was an Army uniform for more than twenty years. I thought I was helping to protect the Constitution of the United States but I guess I really am a whore...good to know coming from a retired LEO who essentially did the same thing as well, but in a different venue (I seem to remember that most Police Oaths include that part about supporting the Constitution). I'm not sure exactly what a cultist is. I was never a Branch Davidian or a Moonie but now I guess the NRA is a cult...good to know. (Folks this is a good reason not to display your NRA decal on your vehicle. I wonder how many times JW stopped a car based on the "cult" sticker ?)

When I was referring to splinter groups, I was referring IN GENERAL to all the other pro-gun organizations out there. I wasn't referring to New Hampshire.

NRA=Unions, now that is a stretch...

This has really turned really ugly really fast, with anger and ad hominem attacks. I guess all the anti-gun folks who peruse our site are having a good chuckle with their morning coffee.

JW; You still avoided my question: What would you do to solve the problem? No answer, I guess...just be angry and call people names.

This whore is signing off now...too much anger for me !

Mark L.

 

[Admin]

Well that was fun.