Should I join the NRA?

[Simmer down]

My earlier post of my opinion of the NRA included references and was removed due to copyright restrictions.

In summary, the NRA has strayed from its original intent of safety and marksmanship and got into the fear business and election influencing. That's why I'm no longer a member. I dropped out during their jack-booted thug campaign. GH Bush dropped his life-member status at the same time.

Because the NRA has allowed their presence to represent pro this or anti that that have also allowed themselves to represent not all gun owners but a sub-section of gun owners.

 

[Joe Kent]

Simmer down, with all respect, the NRA still does do safety and marksmanship , and thanks to two former congressmen by the names of John Dingall of Mich. and my friend and near neighbor Harold Volkmer of Missouri,we NRA members have continued the fight for everyone's second amendment rights. Those very two gentlemen were and are otherwise very much on the Liberal side{democrats} but still enjoyed full NRA support and for that matter,friendship, with much of the membership. The NRA is most certainly single issue and for that reason continues to tick off anti-gun politicians no matter what flavor and that is why this very conservative republican always contributed to Harold's re-election committee. As I said earlier,If we do not hang together,we will all hang seperately.

 

[dmar]

I may not agree with every decision the NRA ever made but I do believe the NRA has the clout to fight for our gun rights.

Dan

+1. I don't agree with everything they do. But I do agree to support them, and any other group that is fighting to protect our rights, and not just our our 2nd Amendment rights...

I also agree that every gun owner should belong to the NRA. If you want to join another pro 2nd Amendment group, that's great, but the NRA is the most effective group, and should be primary in our support. I also take this one step further, and say we need to actively encourage family members, friends, and even non gun owners to join. Anyone that believes in our civil rights should support this group.

I don't get too hung up on some of the 'political' peccadilloes that happen from time to time with the NRA. You have to break some eggs to make an omelet. These guys know what they are doing, and not everyone will be happy with every decision that is made, this is what happens in any organization. You sometimes need to sacrifice some of your individual wants/needs/feelings in order to support the greater cause; protecting our rights. This is why its called the NRA, not the DMAR. Just the way I see things.

 

[Inspector-Callahan]

NRA

In summary, the NRA has strayed from its original intent of safety and marksmanship and got into the fear business and election influencing. That's why I'm no longer a member. I dropped out during their jack-booted thug campaign.

With all due respect SimmerDown, which would you feel is more important and which to you feel is more under attack? I think that anyone with the least amount of awareness would agree that you right to OWN a gun is under intense attack and your marksmanship won't matter one iota if you lose the right to own a gun. That is the bottom line. The NRA does support marksmanship programs but I support their leaning on the politial front because the climate NOW is much different than it was when the NRA was founded.

The 4M members of the NRA show (very evidently I might add) politicians that there is a huge number of unified citizens that believe very strongly in the right to keep and bear arms. Without this political influence, politicians would not vote in our interests and we would have lost our rights long ago.

The NRA is certainly not perfect, but their influence (that of its voting membership) is the only reason we have the second amendment rights we enjoy today. I believe this strongly and believe that if all 90 million gun owners in this country were NRA members, we would see pro-gun change happen overnight.

IC

 

[Inspector-Callahan]

NRA (contd)

The NRA used to stand for civilian marksmanship and safety. Now they are mouthpieces for the republicans. Nothing like having "2nd amend" equal "republican gun owner only". As a liberal gun owner the NRA tells me in all so many ways, we don't represent your kind of gunowner.

I would also like to briefly comment on this statement as well. I think your view of cause and effect may be distorted here. I do not view the NRA as a Republican mouthpiece, RATHER, GOP candidates may more frequently support pro-gun legislation. It's not the other way around. If the blue party started magically being pro-gun, then the NRA would be supporting that. In other words, I don't see how party is really relevent. It's how a political representative feels about a constitutionally protected RIGHT and the protection of that right as well as the viability of that candidate to get elected and affect change.

IC

 

[ancient-one]

If protecting your 2nd Amendment rights, which the NRA has done well for many years, is not enough for you to join, IMHO your ability to own firearms is not very important to you.

 

[Lew Archer]

Aside from the "defending your 2nd Amendment rights" rhetoric, what does membership offer?

Now, I certainly don't want the King of England coming and pushing me around, but what other benefits does membership provide?

What benefits? Why, the ability to immediately alienate your Liberal friends!

And, if you want them to stay away, become a Life Member...as an added benefit, rest assured you will never be invited to Woody Allen's house for dinner.

 

[Moonman]

Folks need to join now more than ever, if they're not already members.

 

[DCWilson]

Yeah, you should join. I should have joined years before I did a couple of years back. I made up for it by going to lifer status last year.

 

[Dave from Pa]

Reasons to join ,the NRA still represents the day to day individual regardless of what some may think. NRA leads the way in firearms safety,governing competitive shooting,range development,historical preservation of firearms,keeping active politically with the list growing every day.Members receive accidental death benefits.When my brother died in a hunting related accident the carrier paid the 10,000 dollars afforded to life members.Someone may get upset because they never received the hat they were promised or receive too many mailings,but they are the best game in town. With the tragedy that just occurred we will need them more than ever I fear.

 

[Rangerpat]

I have been an NRA member since 1974 and a Life Member since 1993 because I own guns and hunt and I want future generations of Americans to be able to do so also. We are blessed in this country with many areas to hunt for wild game, the NRA helps to keep public lands open for shooting sports and hunting.

 

[11B Lifer]

I would recommend considering how to take advantage of the NRA programs--qualification, competition, safety, instructor certification-applicable to 4H, Wounded Warriors, hunter education etc. I started my membership in the 60's while shooting small bore competition, even met my wife during a match in the 70's. I belong to not only the NRA, but GOA, and 2nd Amendment Foundation as well. My wife (4H Advisor for the county at the time) sponsored the first 4H shooting program at Fort Leonard Wood-She was able to do this because of the NRA.

 

[bk43]

Because the NRA has allowed their presence to represent pro this or anti that that have also allowed themselves to represent not all gun owners but a sub-section of gun owners.

Boy, that's a new one! The most common criticism of the NRA is that they only focus on the 2nd Ammendment issue and don't consider other things.

To the OP...yes you shold join. They're not perfect but they're the best game in town and need all of our support.

Bob

 

[Gutpile Charlie]

Unless you just landed from Mars, I really can't imagine someone asking that question.

It is the least any gun owner, shooter, hunter or collector can do to help protect us from those that would destroy the 2nd Amendment.

I don't always agree with them. In fact, many times I don't think they are doing enough, .....but.....it's one of the few games in town and certainly is the one that carries the most weight.

There is absolutely no excuse for not joining the NRA.

 

[ace22]

Aside from the "defending your 2nd Amendment rights" rhetoric, what does membership offer?

Now, I certainly don't want the King of England coming and pushing me around, but what other benefits does membership provide?

no doubt your question has been answered 50 times by now and i will add to it!

should you join the nra?YES!!!

 

[PALADIN85020]

The answer is YES.

 

[thomp45acp]

If your for the 2nd then at the very least you should be an NRA member.

 

[handejector]

My earlier post of my opinion of the NRA included references and was removed due to copyright restrictions.

In summary, the NRA has strayed from its original intent of safety and marksmanship and got into the fear business and election influencing. That's why I'm no longer a member. I dropped out during their jack-booted thug campaign. GH Bush dropped his life-member status at the same time.

Because the NRA has allowed their presence to represent pro this or anti that that have also allowed themselves to represent not all gun owners but a sub-section of gun owners.

Drivel.
Firemen tell me to fear fire. Cops tell me to fear crime. Are they in the fear business?
Granted, the NRA does use fearful rhetoric when describing the threats to 2A rights. If the threat is real, SHOULD we be afraid?

They won't need to teach marksmanship and safety if no one owns guns.

If the NRA is protecting GUN rights, they are protecting gun rights for anyone and everyone by default.
Asking an org to have millions of members in total agreement on every issue is ludicrous- humans aren't made that way. If everyone who cannot be in total agreement on every issue and every method leaves the NRA, we are lost.
1st cliche- "Divide and conquer".

So, what ARE you doing to protect your rights?
2nd cliche- "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem".

Gun rights causes reflect the nature and dynamics of all endeavors in life- the few ALWAYS carry the many.

 

[beerdog]

YES,what are you waiting for.I do take issue sometimes when they refuse to way in on other issues,but they clearly state that they are a 1 issue organization.The 2nd amendment is the single most important right we have as citizens of the USA.I am a life member and you should be to.

 

[MikeRizz]

Any gunowner who is not a member is riding on the backs of those who are. If it were not for the NRA the 2nd Amendment would have been repealed 20 years ago.

Agreed. Well worth the $35 per year fee.