I believe you're reading between the lines with your own interpretation,
but you're not reading what posters wrote.
Your Thoughts on the NRA Today?
- Thread starter JeffKnox
- Start date
- Status
I believe you're reading between the lines with your own interpretation,
but you're not reading what posters wrote.
There's very good reason for past NRA members are currently skeptical, mainly the result of past leaderships' skimming ways.
Life Member here for many years, nothing from me until a reduced number of BOD's installed absent past directors that clearly understand their responsibilities leading the NRA and prove it for awhile.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
We live in an age where Selena Gomez has 500 million followers on Instagram. And yes - they vote. The creaky old NRA with 4 million members and enormous overhead in staff and mailing costs has become a paper tiger.
I've been an on/off member for 50 years, mostly on but completely off the last 4 years.
I'll bet the average age of the membership has been climbing steadily as we age and no new members join. I interact with younger shooters every week at the range. I don't know a single one who is an NRA member.
Its time for the NRA to rethink, revamp, or retire from the field.
I've been an on/off member for 50 years, mostly on but completely off the last 4 years.
I'll bet the average age of the membership has been climbing steadily as we age and no new members join. I interact with younger shooters every week at the range. I don't know a single one who is an NRA member.
Its time for the NRA to rethink, revamp, or retire from the field.
Last edited:
Jeff, Allow me to say thank you for making this effort to listen to views of members here. After reading the various comments, I trust you know the views expressed are not a finger pointed at you. To the contrary, we are saying thank you for caring enough to ask our opinions. Healing starts by expressing what is hurting us. Thanks for listening. You have started that Healing.
Grayfox
US Veteran
Mr. Knox, reading through this thread it should be obvious that the members here feel that the NRA has betrayed us by compromising and lining your own pockets. Regaining our trust will be extremely difficult and will require serious action.
WLP may be gone, but many of the board members who allowed his actions to happen are still there. Many are just as culpable as he was. Members here have almost universally commented that the board is far too big and only have their own self interests at heart. A major house cleaning is in order. Frankly, I doubt it will happen as the current board would never allow it.
Here's my proposal, since the NRA loves spending money on mailing letters to its members, how about you mail each member a ballot with questions as to if they want the board reduced in size as well as other topics as referred to in this thread. Let the members decide and set the goals and direction for the future. That would be a good start in regaining our trust.
However, failure to do so would signal that nothing is going to change and its gonna just be business as usual for the NRA.
Frankly Sir, we need to see some real change before we'll trust you again. Have you got the balls for it?
WLP may be gone, but many of the board members who allowed his actions to happen are still there. Many are just as culpable as he was. Members here have almost universally commented that the board is far too big and only have their own self interests at heart. A major house cleaning is in order. Frankly, I doubt it will happen as the current board would never allow it.
Here's my proposal, since the NRA loves spending money on mailing letters to its members, how about you mail each member a ballot with questions as to if they want the board reduced in size as well as other topics as referred to in this thread. Let the members decide and set the goals and direction for the future. That would be a good start in regaining our trust.
However, failure to do so would signal that nothing is going to change and its gonna just be business as usual for the NRA.
Frankly Sir, we need to see some real change before we'll trust you again. Have you got the balls for it?
I've been a Benefactor life for more years than I can remember. I started questioning some of the NRA's compromises way back when your old man was doing battle with them. I still gave them $$ but haven't in the last few years because I didn't think Wayne needed another new suit. I still think there needs to be a little house cleaning and I plan on waiting to see how things are being handled before I send anymore of my pension money to them.
They need to regain some credibility with me and the rest of the membership and that may take some time and honest rhetoric.
They need to regain some credibility with me and the rest of the membership and that may take some time and honest rhetoric.
1. Are you a current or past NRA member? Current
2. Have you rejoined or are you financially contributing to the NRA now, or planning to do so in the near future? yes financially contribute.
5. What internal issues (in priority order) do you think the NRA Board most urgently needs to address?
The NRA needs to be financially more responsible and transparent with donations and expenditures .
Unless there is some compelling legal reason, get out of New York NOW. This should have been done long ago. Any money spent defending the NRA against its state of incorporation is wasted. It does not support the mission of the organization. I continue to support the NRA because there is no perfect organization and it has been effective in the past. It needs to regain its political power and cannot do that while spending money to defend itself against self inflicted infractions.
2. Have you rejoined or are you financially contributing to the NRA now, or planning to do so in the near future? yes financially contribute.
5. What internal issues (in priority order) do you think the NRA Board most urgently needs to address?
The NRA needs to be financially more responsible and transparent with donations and expenditures .
Unless there is some compelling legal reason, get out of New York NOW. This should have been done long ago. Any money spent defending the NRA against its state of incorporation is wasted. It does not support the mission of the organization. I continue to support the NRA because there is no perfect organization and it has been effective in the past. It needs to regain its political power and cannot do that while spending money to defend itself against self inflicted infractions.
Are you an NRA member
I am and have been a member for several decades. I also am a "Golden Eagle". I will continue to contribute to all supporters of the 2nd amendment.
I am and have been a member for several decades. I also am a "Golden Eagle". I will continue to contribute to all supporters of the 2nd amendment.
revolver4954
Member
1. Life member of NRA and TSRA.
2.Have contributed $$ in the past but not for several years.
3. N/A
4. Will see how the NRA.2 actually evolves. Encouraged by the new EVP/CEO and reformist Board members.
5. Believe the Board is way too large to be effective in providing oversight to management.
DWL
2.Have contributed $$ in the past but not for several years.
3. N/A
4. Will see how the NRA.2 actually evolves. Encouraged by the new EVP/CEO and reformist Board members.
5. Believe the Board is way too large to be effective in providing oversight to management.
DWL
NRA
I was a life member till they lost be back in the 90s or so. I did make donations for a while, and ever sprung for a 5-year membership while they said they were resurrecting my life membership. Never happened, so I guess I am no longer a member. Not going to spring for a new life membership at my age-I am the same age as our president; however, I can walk, chew gum and mumble all at the same time.
I was a life member till they lost be back in the 90s or so. I did make donations for a while, and ever sprung for a 5-year membership while they said they were resurrecting my life membership. Never happened, so I guess I am no longer a member. Not going to spring for a new life membership at my age-I am the same age as our president; however, I can walk, chew gum and mumble all at the same time.
- Joined
- May 11, 2024
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 3
I'm a long-time (over 40 years) PAST member of the NRA.
I now financially support GOA and FPC. $100 per year to each.
I'm done with the NRA. They overspent donor funds for too many years, and refused to listen to the people who supported them. They refused to initiate lawsuits against CLEAR Second Amendment violations. They did nothing for YEARS but fund the extravagant lifestyles of a few.
As far as I'm concerned the NRA is defunct.
I now financially support GOA and FPC. $100 per year to each.
I'm done with the NRA. They overspent donor funds for too many years, and refused to listen to the people who supported them. They refused to initiate lawsuits against CLEAR Second Amendment violations. They did nothing for YEARS but fund the extravagant lifestyles of a few.
As far as I'm concerned the NRA is defunct.
Last edited by a moderator:
lawandorder
Member
Life member for years .
Have donated a bit when I could.
Turned off the tap after learned donations were supporting the lavish lifestyle of a certain individual.
Quote the raven never more.
He did a tremendous amount of damage to a great organization.
It will take a long time to recover the reputation and trust if it ever can
be.
Have donated a bit when I could.
Turned off the tap after learned donations were supporting the lavish lifestyle of a certain individual.
Quote the raven never more.
He did a tremendous amount of damage to a great organization.
It will take a long time to recover the reputation and trust if it ever can
be.
My wife andI are Benefactor membersfor a long time. Now and for years we've been most disappointed. What's the membership? Wheredid our clout go?
Sure membership is down and we all know why.
Hope things change for the better, but I'm not convinced.
Sure membership is down and we all know why.
Hope things change for the better, but I'm not convinced.
rmbrad
Member
1). I have been a life member for 40 years and an Endowment Life member for 10 years.
2). My contributions have been as an NRA instructor, and NRA/USAShooting appointed Olympic Pistol Coach but not direct monetary contributions to the NRA.
3). NA.
4). I was made aware of some of the things that Wonderful Wayne was doing around the time that USA Shooting took over being the Governing board for Olympic shooting from the NRA in 1994. I hoped that as the word got out things would get better, they didn't. That is when I started answering every call from the NRA with: " Not one red cent more until Wonderful Wayne is gone". Even though he is now history, I will not contribute to the NRA until they start showing me they are doing things to right the ship. My money is going to Gun Owners of America.
5). The first thing that the NRA needs to do is a forensic audit done by an outside source. The results of this audit needs to be made public to the members. I know that there were some underhanded dealings with the outside supplies that Wonderful Wayne negotiated. These contracts need to be evaluated by an outside source and the findings made public to the members. Any of the members of the board of directors that had knowledge of or participated in these deals needs to be removed. The Board of Directors needs to be reduced to 25 members and maybe have some term limits. on the Executive members. Back when I was teaching NRA classes and Coaching pistol, dealing with the NRA employees was like dealing with Washington bureaucrats. The attitude needs to be changed. And now to pick a nit. Why are all of the "Free gifts" that are used to get people to join or upgrade they membership all made in China? I have several knives and a ranch coat that are made in China. You would think that the NRA could find some "Made in the USA" products for these "Free Gifts".
6). The NRA is going to have to do some work to win back the trust of the members. There is going to have to be some public bloodletting involved. Wonderful Wayne didn't do the things he did without anyone else knowing what was happening and letting it continue for years. You have a lot of work to do and I wish you good luck.
2). My contributions have been as an NRA instructor, and NRA/USAShooting appointed Olympic Pistol Coach but not direct monetary contributions to the NRA.
3). NA.
4). I was made aware of some of the things that Wonderful Wayne was doing around the time that USA Shooting took over being the Governing board for Olympic shooting from the NRA in 1994. I hoped that as the word got out things would get better, they didn't. That is when I started answering every call from the NRA with: " Not one red cent more until Wonderful Wayne is gone". Even though he is now history, I will not contribute to the NRA until they start showing me they are doing things to right the ship. My money is going to Gun Owners of America.
5). The first thing that the NRA needs to do is a forensic audit done by an outside source. The results of this audit needs to be made public to the members. I know that there were some underhanded dealings with the outside supplies that Wonderful Wayne negotiated. These contracts need to be evaluated by an outside source and the findings made public to the members. Any of the members of the board of directors that had knowledge of or participated in these deals needs to be removed. The Board of Directors needs to be reduced to 25 members and maybe have some term limits. on the Executive members. Back when I was teaching NRA classes and Coaching pistol, dealing with the NRA employees was like dealing with Washington bureaucrats. The attitude needs to be changed. And now to pick a nit. Why are all of the "Free gifts" that are used to get people to join or upgrade they membership all made in China? I have several knives and a ranch coat that are made in China. You would think that the NRA could find some "Made in the USA" products for these "Free Gifts".
6). The NRA is going to have to do some work to win back the trust of the members. There is going to have to be some public bloodletting involved. Wonderful Wayne didn't do the things he did without anyone else knowing what was happening and letting it continue for years. You have a lot of work to do and I wish you good luck.
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2005
- Messages
- 9,300
- Reaction score
- 11,551
Certainly among the best posts here; good job.
Jeff, you asked us to be brutally honest, and many have been so. And let me state that I appreciate you willing to at least listen.
In my previous post, I was brutally honest. I need to share one more thing that tended to cause me some concern.
During the past five or so years, I was somewhat shocked over the amount of money paid to several of the board members under the category of "consulting fees"...amounts of which were sometimes two or three times what the annual salary of an average person would be. Exempli gratia, two hundred fifty thousand dollars, four hundred thousand dollars, six hundred thousand dollars. Granted, consultants and lobbyists do cost money, but I think this is just one other thing that shook the trust of some members.
In my previous post, I was brutally honest. I need to share one more thing that tended to cause me some concern.
During the past five or so years, I was somewhat shocked over the amount of money paid to several of the board members under the category of "consulting fees"...amounts of which were sometimes two or three times what the annual salary of an average person would be. Exempli gratia, two hundred fifty thousand dollars, four hundred thousand dollars, six hundred thousand dollars. Granted, consultants and lobbyists do cost money, but I think this is just one other thing that shook the trust of some members.
Last edited:
Father was a lifelong member, I was a member for 30 years. No longer a member.
It is abundantly clear that the fight for 2A rights is through the courts. I came across Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and have a $10/mo ongoing contribution for several years now. They are doing the work that the NRA should've been doing. It's shocking the contrast between what they do and what NRA does for 2A. I feel so betrayed by the NRA.
The NRA is a marketing machine with the primary purpose of sucking money from me. FPC is no-frills and takes the fight right to those who would see us disarmed.
It is abundantly clear that the fight for 2A rights is through the courts. I came across Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and have a $10/mo ongoing contribution for several years now. They are doing the work that the NRA should've been doing. It's shocking the contrast between what they do and what NRA does for 2A. I feel so betrayed by the NRA.
The NRA is a marketing machine with the primary purpose of sucking money from me. FPC is no-frills and takes the fight right to those who would see us disarmed.
- Status
