NRA Membeship

[handejector]

You are a proud member of the 10% and I can respect your experiences that brought you to that point.

I'm a proud member of that 10%.

I first joined around 64 or 65 as a young teenager- can't remember. My first renewal I went to a 3 year deal. I think that expired while I was in the Army.
When I came back to "the world", I think I stayed out a year or two. Times were tough, I was selling guns off, doing the readjustment blues, and the recession of 73 hit.
In 73 or 74 I was back in.
By Dec, 78, I had paid off a Life membership on the installment plan. A few years ago I kicked up to Endowment.

Yes, I'm proud to be in the 10% that carries the fight for the 90%.

Individual efforts like contacting your reps in Congress and local gov with letters and email is great.
Supporting other orgs is great.
Being a good person is marvelous.
BUT, if you don't help the LARGEST, STRONGEST, MOST FEARED and EFFECTIVE gun lobby in DC get larger, stronger, and more effective, you just don't get it.

 

[BlueOvalBandit]

Yet you still post under the title nra membership? Why would you post and show your negative views on this topic if you are not a member? I wish this great site would require every one to be a member of the NRA before they could post on here.

What makes you think I'm not a member? I just upped my annual to life. Like I said, since when does a little logo mean anything?

 

[handejector]

What makes you think I'm not a member? I just upped my annual to life. Like I said, since when does a little logo mean anything?

It means we show who we are, what we believe, and the causes we support.
Why would you not show it here?
Why would you not be encouraging others to join?
There are threads all over this board campaigning for NRA growth and solidarity.
Maybe showing it would help in those efforts.
Answering this question took time I could have been canpaigning.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Sorry bud, and everyone else... My gun rights come from the 2nd amendment, not the NRA. There has been some insinuations that if it were not for the NRA, we would not have guns now or that only NRA members should be allowed to own guns. I don't believe that at all.

My or anyone else's choice to support or not support the NRA should not be held over the heads of those who choose to not support the NRA.

I don't appreciate some of the things being said here. I just stated my opinion and stance. I joined this forum to learn more about S&W, not be insulted because I am not an NRA member. I am not trying to convince or persuade anyone else to not join if they want. You have your convictions and that is fine with me. I choose to support other organizations like:

Sacfla Home
Gun Owners of America

I agree that our gun rights don't come from the NRA...but there is little doubt that without the NRA, the Second Amendment would have been gutted a long time ago.

Yes, there are many pro-gun organizations out there...but those organizations don't have the membership, and consequent strength, that the NRA has.

 

[ancient-one]

The NRA does not represent me. They say they are pro-gun and I say I am pro-gun. Thats about all that we overlap.

The NRA has about 4 million members compared to the nearly 50 million gun owners in the US. The NRA officially represents about 10% of gun owners.

Why doesn't the NRA represent more than 10%? Lots of folks are put off by their hysterical fear-mongering, like George H Bush.

Perhaps if the NRA returned to their orignal focus of marksmanship and safety they would represent more than 10% of US gun owners. If they want to represent all gun owners they better put on their thinking caps and get to it.

I would guess that your opinion of the NRA would be welcomed by Obama and Biden much more than it is around here.

 

[redlevel]

It means we show who we are, what we believe, and the causes we support.

To that end, I have been wearing my NRA cap just about all the time in public. Admittedly, I don't expect to get too many negative responses here in South Georgia.

 

[BlueOvalBandit]

It means we show who we are, what we believe, and the causes we support.
Why would you not show it here?
Why would you not be encouraging others to join?
There are threads all over this board campaigning for NRA growth and solidarity.
Maybe showing it would help in those efforts.
Answering this question took time I could have been canpaigning.

Personally I just don't like to just because I like to be viewed as just another person, I don't like to be treated or viewed any differently, regardless of memberships to a group, that's just me. I do absolutely encourage people to join A group that fights for the 2nd amendment by explaining the importance. I don't belittle them if they choose GOA over NRA.

I added another method the Ladder13's thread to take advantage of the $300 life membership promo without needing a sponsor.

Great news from Tom about the NRA Life Membership discount! "The special discount for the NRA Life Membership is now working. Special toll-free number just for friends of Tom Gresham. No waiting on hold. No need to give my life member number. $300 for a life membership. Just call 1-888-678-7894.

*I'm not affiliated with Gun Talk, it's on their FB page, and there is no waiting just as they said.

 

[rwsmith]

I would like to be a member

I would like to be an NRA member, but I can't afford it right now. I'm reviving my hobby after a long lay off and I'm having to buy my gun stuff in very small dribs and drabs. IF I catch up on supplies that I need I may join. It would be great if one could be an honorary 'member' without the dues just to show support.

 

[sierra255]

What is the big deal if a forum member does not display a NRA membership? The fact that they are a S&W Forum member and gun owner is more important to me. Yes, I wish everyone here on the forum were NRA members, but there have been some political stances taken by the NRA that I do not agree with. In fact I considered dropping them, but, realized I need them to help me fight the fight against the idiots in Washington DC and around the country. So I stayed...............

One can always turn around and ask why don't forum members have a contributor level designator on their posting. I don't, so does that mean I don't support this forum? I plan on changing that in 2013, but I respect those who do not donate just as much as those who do. I have my perfered charity and my money goes there at this time. The one and only thing Rodney King ever said that makes sense was "can't we all just get along".........My opinion, yours may vary..

 

[davegarage]

I display mine

I believe the NRA is guided by passionate people with a sole task. Sometimes that collides with the heart of the nation. I too do not agree with every stance that the NRA takes, but the broader opinion of individual self protection rights must be our American right.

Our forefathers fought with the weapons they owned to secure our freedom. I would hope that the heart of our society remembers this fact.

 

[MKT]

I would like to be an NRA member, but I can't afford it right now. I'm reviving my hobby after a long lay off and I'm having to buy my gun stuff in very small dribs and drabs. IF I catch up on supplies that I need I may join. It would be great if one could be an honorary 'member' without the dues just to show support.

rwsmith,

Tell you what, PM me your name, address and other particulars and I will gift you an Associate Membership to get you rolling.

 

[Black_Sheep]

I'm another former NRA member that let my membership lapse due to a personal difference of opinion with NRA leadership. I recently rejoined the NRA because I recognize the importance of standing with fellow law abiding American gun owners so that our voices will be heard. I have convinced friends and family members to join as well.

 

[10ring]

From time to time I have let my membership lapse, mostly when I get tired of all the junk mail and endless email ads. I wish they would put that money into something more meaningful then trying to sell me a cap or life insurance. Sometimes I get annoyed at some position they take, too. I went to three year memberships to try and stay with the program better, and have now been consistent for quite awhile.

These are tough times, politically and it seems a lot of people and groups are now piling on the NRA. I am going to find a sponsor for that $300 life member deal and also send some $ to the ILA branch.

If you think the NRA is too conservative or too liberal, I understand and respect your feelings. But I hope those who have chosen not to support the NRA will reconsider...it is pretty much the only organized voice we have.

 

[straightshooter1]

I admit that I don't understand a number of the posts here from those who don't want to join the NRA.

I first joined as a teenager, and IIRC, I had to get another member to sign the form and sponsor me. I let my membership lapse during my Army days, then rejoined as a young police officer.

Let it lapse again in Law School (I was too poor to even pay attention ), but rejoined again when I got out. I upped it to Life many years ago.

Complaints about the "junk" mail? You can stop the junk mail on their site or by calling them. Not hard at all.

Supporting another organization? Great, but, really, does anyone really listen to anything they say? Some of them are truly the ones who were spreading silly rumors and trying to engender fear (I suspect simply to increase their numbers and reduce the NRAs).

But, don't join if you don't want to, we'll carry you. But, please, spare us the hyperbole.

Bob

 

[1bdvet]

It's more important then ever to join and support them, since everybody in Washington wants to take away our rights to bear arms.

 

[kennyb]

What makes you think I'm not a member? I just upped my annual to life. Like I said, since when does a little logo mean anything?

the "little logo"means nothing to you....i'm certainly glad you and nip are in the minority

 

[JackDaRiffer]

Anybody wanna sponsor me?

 

[kennyb]

From time to time I have let my membership lapse, mostly when I get tired of all the junk mail and endless email ads. I wish they would put that money into something more meaningful then trying to sell me a cap or life insurance. Sometimes I get annoyed at some position they take, too. I went to three year memberships to try and stay with the program better, and have now been consistent for quite awhile.

These are tough times, politically and it seems a lot of people and groups are now piling on the NRA. I am going to find a sponsor for that $300 life member deal and also send some $ to the ILA branch.

If you think the NRA is too conservative or too liberal, I understand and respect your feelings. But I hope those who have chosen not to support the NRA will reconsider...it is pretty much the only organized voice we have.

speaking of NRA insurance...this past sept.NRA bought me a M36 to replace the one that was stolen from me...it's FREE as a member with a FREE upgrade just for asking...a lot of NRA members are unaware of this FREE insurance...like you said sir,"it is pretty much the only organized vote we have"