NRA or GOA?

[Grayfox54]

While I fully support being a member of other 2nd Amendment organizations and strongly encourage it, don't abandon the NRA. They still have clout and name recognition and those count in this fight. I still pay my dues, but don't give NRA one single cent extra. Hopefully, they will come through this a much better organization.  But the key is LaPierre  must step down for any real change to happen. I'm still hopeful. 

I strongly encourage every member of this board to join other pro 2nd groups as well. Especially the Tennessee Firearms Association which is on the front lines right here in our state and doing a great job. 

 

[Blitzen]

I’m a member of the NRA and FPC. No plans to let my NRA membership lapse. Hopefully they are getting their house in order because a strong NRA is needed more now than ever. I joined FPC because they are very active in litigation. 

[Morgan88]

I recently reupped for another 5 year membership at the NRA.  In conversation with them the person on the line said "be aware the AG of New York has currently a lawsuit to dissolve the NRA"   I said I understand.  I assumed she was telling me no refunds.

Morgan88

[Links2k]

I couldn’t make a long term commitment because I haven’t been happy with the NRA for a while, but I just renewed for another year.  

[JunkiCosmonaut]

56 minutes ago, Links2k said:

I couldn’t make a long term commitment because I haven’t been happy with the NRA for a while, but I just renewed for another year.  

I too have a shaky commitment to giving money to the NRA because i haven't been fully satisfied with them over the past couple of years, but I give the minimum amount to the NRA typically. 

[hipower]

On 11/28/2020 at 5:22 PM, ACfixer said:

^^^^ Yeah, stuff like that building is annoying I agree, and yes it's time for Wayne to go, it was time five years ago.

NRA Benefactor Lifer here... the turmoil is annoying as is their incessant begging, but they are still the big dog on the block. I'm a GOA - CRPA - and VCDL supporter too from time to time, but I just can't but feel without the NRA we are screwed.

Been an NRA Life Member for about 10 years I think. I keep getting the mailings on upgrading to Benefactor Status. could you explain just what it is? Perhaps, I'm just dense, most likely; but I don't get it.

[ACfixer]

1 hour ago, hipower said:

Been an NRA Life Member for about 10 years I think. I keep getting the mailings on upgrading to Benefactor Status. could you explain just what it is? Perhaps, I'm just dense, most likely; but I don't get it.

Yeah no problem. It's like now you're a life member right? So when you pay to upgrade to Endowment life it earns you an upgrade to them begging you to become a Patron life member. When you do upgrade to Patron, then and only then will they anoint you with mailings begging you to pay to become a Benefactor! Finally, you get get to the grand poobah of life memberships... you will be then invited to the Golden Circle of Patriotic Sainthood. I'm not sure if there's and end to it... 

So to summarize, each time they get you to send another $250-500 they will give you a new title, a new sticker, and a new Chinese duffel bag should you choose to accept it.

[hipower]

2 hours ago, ACfixer said:

Yeah no problem. It's like now you're a life member right? So when you pay to upgrade to Endowment life it earns you an upgrade to them begging you to become a Patron life member. When you do upgrade to Patron, then and only then will they anoint you with mailings begging you to pay to become a Benefactor! Finally, you get get to the grand poobah of life memberships... you will be then invited to the Golden Circle of Patriotic Sainthood. I'm not sure if there's and end to it... 

So to summarize, each time they get you to send another $250-500 they will give you a new title, a new sticker, and a new Chinese duffel bag should you choose to accept it.

Yep...that's about what I thought of it as well. Never could find any incentive for me to shell out more.

[ACfixer]

16 minutes ago, hipower said:

Yep...that's about what I thought of it as well. Never could find any incentive for me to shell out more.

Well... to support the NRA. You never did it for the duffel bag in the first place right? Those can be had for $19 on Amazon. I usually accept the "gift" and give it to someone a little tighter on money at the range or send it so someone on a gun forum. I'm wearing my NRA hat right now and after all the years it's probably the only thing I've worn or even used.

I just feel we need, depending on our circumstances of course, to throw some dog food to the biggest dog fighting for us. For all their faults, they dwarf any other efforts out there. I don't know if I will ever "upgrade" again, I don't really need to buy a ticket for entry into the next round... had about enough of that. What I've done over the last couple years is buy gift memberships into the NRA for younger folks coming up. It gets the magazine out there and into garages and on coffee tables, and many shooting clubs require NRA membership for their insurance so it can be helpful that way. Most of all it gets word of the anti-gun efforts into the next generation and I pray enough of them hear and carry on.

What really chaps me, are the folks that contribute nothing. No time, no money, no anything. It's their right, but many died for it and many more have paid for it to be even to the point of what we have right now. Diluted as it may be, the 2nd still exists I think at least partly thanks to our efforts and the efforts of those before us.

You're a life member here and there, you've done way more than most and anything else is just icing.

[Oh Shoot]

Re NRA:

I'm Endowment Member, and for couple years now everything they send me in pre-paid envelopes, I send back with "no more $$ from me till Wayne leaves" and the like.

And like someone else said in thread, after a couple of calls where I said same on phone, haven't had any more calls for about 6 months now anyway.

Here's a guy who has made quite a difference so far, seem:

https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2019/1011/NRA-troubles-A-hunter-targets-the-world-s-most-powerful-gun-lobby

- OS

Edited January 9, 2021 by Oh Shoot

[hipower]

2 hours ago, ACfixer said:

Well... to support the NRA. You never did it for the duffel bag in the first place right? Those can be had for $19 on Amazon. I usually accept the "gift" and give it to someone a little tighter on money at the range or send it so someone on a gun forum. I'm wearing my NRA hat right now and after all the years it's probably the only thing I've worn or even used.

I just feel we need, depending on our circumstances of course, to throw some dog food to the biggest dog fighting for us. For all their faults, they dwarf any other efforts out there. I don't know if I will ever "upgrade" again, I don't really need to buy a ticket for entry into the next round... had about enough of that. What I've done over the last couple years is buy gift memberships into the NRA for younger folks coming up. It gets the magazine out there and into garages and on coffee tables, and many shooting clubs require NRA membership for their insurance so it can be helpful that way. Most of all it gets word of the anti-gun efforts into the next generation and I pray enough of them hear and carry on.

What really chaps me, are the folks that contribute nothing. No time, no money, no anything. It's their right, but many died for it and many more have paid for it to be even to the point of what we have right now. Diluted as it may be, the 2nd still exists I think at least partly thanks to our efforts and the efforts of those before us.

You're a life member here and there, you've done way more than most and anything else is just icing.

My thanks to you, ACfixer. Let me explain just a bit. I have been an NRA member since the very early 80's. Always yearly until I could afford the Life fees. Did it a full price, not during one of the specials(though at times I wish I had). My rationale for no further money to the NRA is explained in several other threads. Mostly those to do with Wayne LePierre. His shennigans and exhorbitant lifestyle, not to mention his suit collection. When his reign is over, and a new leadership installed, I, and others, will possibly give more.

As far as the incentives to join or renew, I learned very early in my membership, those items were...1 cheap junk just to entice you to give money, and 2, and most repugnant to me, the great majority of it was made in China. Even the multitude of NRA caps I have. I think I have one that wasn't, and it's a prized possession. Not because of the source of manufacture, but because it belonged to my late father-in-law.

Until then, the TFA, GOA, 2AF, and others get my small donations.

And though it may be late, welcome to the greatest gun forum I know of.

[GlockSpock]

For what it’s worth, just renewed GOA membership.

 NRA? Eh. Maybe. What have they done recently of benefit?

[GlockSpock]

I have a feeling the NRA would brag about winning the right for us to keep single shot .22lr rifles as long as they were registered via the NFA after everything else was outright banned from civilian ownership.

[ACfixer]

I get it guys, I just feel without them we'll see the erosion of the 2nd even quicker. I have no beefs with anyone that decides to go GOA or any other gun rights org, as long as we are doing something. I'm a GOA member along with a few other, I send them more than I do the NRA these days.

We all know about Wayne's suits and travel expenses etc... He's pretty much like the TV preacher asking Jesus for a Lear Jet through your donations. But that doesn't mean the message is necessarily bad right? Let's not forget who it is trying to make him look even worse than he is, we have a true enemy on the left.

Yes the "gifts" are repugnant Chicom garbage. I buy USA everything whenever humanly possible.

Edited January 9, 2021 by ACfixer

[McGarrett]

This might be slightly off topic but I searched the forums and didn’t come up with anything. does anyone have any suggestions for firearms insurance coverage, I was using the free $2500 coverage that NRA was including with membership but they cut that out a few years ago and I didn’t renew my membership after that. I have continually lost faith in the NRA.

i notice they offer $5000 coverage for $62.50 per year but is there anything else better out there through someone reputable. That price seems good and I’m not totally against renewing my NRA membership for a year but wanted to see what you guys say.

[Chucktshoes]

19 minutes ago, McGarrett said:

This might be slightly off topic but I searched the forums and didn’t come up with anything. does anyone have any suggestions for firearms insurance coverage, I was using the free $2500 coverage that NRA was including with membership but they cut that out a few years ago and I didn’t renew my membership after that. I have continually lost faith in the NRA.

i notice they offer $5000 coverage for $62.50 per year but is there anything else better out there through someone reputable. That price seems good and I’m not totally against renewing my NRA membership for a year but wanted to see what you guys say.

The best thing to do would be to contact your agent and add a rider to your homeowners/renters insurance policy. 

[gregintenn]

On 1/8/2021 at 6:11 PM, Oh Shoot said:

Re NRA:

I'm Endowment Member, and for couple years now everything they send me in pre-paid envelopes, I send back with "no more $$ from me till Wayne leaves" and the like.

And like someone else said in thread, after a couple of calls where I said same on phone, haven't had any more calls for about 6 months now anyway.

Here's a guy who has made quite a difference so far, seem:

https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2019/1011/NRA-troubles-A-hunter-targets-the-world-s-most-powerful-gun-lobby

- OS

That's what I would tell them when they called begging for money. Call back when LaPierre is gone. You'd think if enough of us did that, someone would see the writing on the wall. I guess not. It seems they've just stopped calling.

[gregintenn]

8 hours ago, McGarrett said:

This might be slightly off topic but I searched the forums and didn’t come up with anything. does anyone have any suggestions for firearms insurance coverage, I was using the free $2500 coverage that NRA was including with membership but they cut that out a few years ago and I didn’t renew my membership after that. I have continually lost faith in the NRA.

i notice they offer $5000 coverage for $62.50 per year but is there anything else better out there through someone reputable. That price seems good and I’m not totally against renewing my NRA membership for a year but wanted to see what you guys say.

Buy a quality gun safe.

[McGarrett]

2 hours ago, gregintenn said:

Buy a quality gun safe.

Got that covered already 

[Darrell]

I read an article this morning that says a big donor from Nashville is suing to remove $64M from the NRA's bankruptcy actions. This guy donating $100,000, then found out that WLP spent hundreds of thousands on luxury vacations and high-end suits. 

I'm a long-time life member, with some of those meaningless add-ons, and I value the political efforts of the NRA. BUT.... I've had it with the internal politics of the organization.  It's long past time for WLP to go. I remember when he made the infamous "jackbooted thugs" remark that caused George Bush to resign, and didn't care for it then. But the NRA has long been the big-boy on the block when it comes to lobbying for our gun rights. 

One of things that bothers me most is that the NRA has not addressed all these allegations and problems in their monthly magazines. Oh, they've sung the praises of Wayne, but I think they owe the members a detailed explanation. I don't think we'll get that before a change in management, and probably not at all.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/16/nra-donor-bankruptcy-dave-dellaquila-wayne-lapierre

Edited January 18, 2021 by Darrell

[Glenn]

I have been a nra member for over 40 years. Many years I made a deal with them. No more begging for money and I will stay a member. If I get calls or junk mail I will quit. So far we both have stuck with it. I used to send them extra occasionally but no longer. I joined saf and now send them the extra. Guess I wii join G O A also. We need the help.

[Worriedman]

NRA used to, as long as Darren LaSorte was their State Lobbyist, actively work Tennessee for our good, After Jimmie Naifeh picked up his new flame who was antigun, he took a different tact and demanded LaSorte be removed from Tennessee, we got long legs and cute and giggly after that for a while till 2010, when Chris Cox got ticked at Maggart and sent LaSorte back for a bit, then we got a registered Democrat from Virginia who donated to Northam...

The new lobbyist was hired out of Bill Lee's staff, and says he is willing to work with us this year, but I would like to know when he became a member of the NRA?  If in fact he does decide to seek to support the 2nd Amendment by telling the truth about who does and does not support us in the legislature I will be his best friend.

I am a Life and Benefactor NRA Member, have been a  life member for longer than a lot of the legislators have been alive.

GOA works with TFA, 2nd Amendment Foundation are great folks and work with us as well.

[NwoSlave]

Who are the SAF?

Edit: nvm i was on mobile and didnt realize there were three pages. 

Edited March 12, 2021 by NwoSlave
Vl

[Jeb48]

SAF - Second Amendment Foundation

[ClaireChapman]

I have also been a member of the NRA until the last year. I left right before all the mess started. I was also thinking about joining GOA, as I was thinking just like you, that GOA also has some "clout". Someone actually recommended me to join both of them, so I could actually take benefit from both of them. I do not really think it is the right thing to be done, so I have been looking for some other similar organization that would be non-profit. I have browsed this list nonprofitlists.com for a while, and I have found a lot of similar organizations.

Edited July 18, 2021 by ClaireChapman