Should I join the NRA?

[G27]

I want to be proactive in our fight for our rights, should I join the NRA? What else should I consider in an effort to defend our constitutional rights?

I'd like to hear both pros and cons of any actions you can think of...

[Mike.357]

Joining the NRA is a no brainer. In spite of any faults they may have they also wield the biggest sword, err gun as far as pro gun rights lobbying.

Join today and stop letting the other NRA members stand up for your right to own firearms. Stand up for yourself.

Love them or hate them, we are better off supporting them.

Edited June 4, 2008 by Mike.357

[The Rabbi]

Check my sig line for your answer.

[Guest Len]

No organization is perfect, including the NRA. However, in my personal opinion (I'm a Life Member of NRA) the benefits outweigh the drawbacks of membership. I do not always agree with the politics or strategies of the NRA, but they (we) are a loud, vocal, well-respected voice on capitol hill and in state houses around the country. NRA's commitment to training, education, safety and charitable work is also to be highly commended.

If you want to get involved locally, I would suggest taking a look at Tennessee Firearms Association (http://www.tfaonline.org/). TFA has local chapters around the state and does lobbying in Nashville. The organization is in the middle of a re-birth and the future of TFA looks brighter than the past.

If NRA is too moderate for your politics, you might check out Gun Owners of America. If NRA is too extreme for your politics, you might check out American Hunters and Shooters Association, although they are more related to gun control organizations than many (including me) find comfortable.

Getting involved is a good thing, with rewards both personal and global. Good luck.

[xd shooter]

& if you don't want the junk mail, just throw it away or contact the NRA. Don,t cancel a membership for it!

[G27]

Haha, ok, that's what I needed to hear.

And The Rabbi - your sig-file made me laugh pretty good. Touché.

[saintsfanbrian]

If you really want to be a life member but can't come up with the $750 all at once they have an Easy Pay program where you pay $25 a quarter. In 7 and a half years you will be a life member. About the time my daughter turns 7. They keep sending me packets saying that if I "upgrade" and pay off my life member ship I can get this gift or that one. I say no thanks, I will keep sending it in quarterly.

[memphismason]

Welcome aboard. Now start letting everyone else know how easy it is to support the second Amendment.

[Guest Abominable_Hillbilly]

I'm a member of the NRA because I had to become one to join a local shooting range.

Anyone considering the NRA should take a look at The Second Amendment Foundation, Gun Owners of America, and Virginia Citizens Defense League. Then take a look at some quotes from John McCain regarding "assault" weapons, gun shows, private sales of firearms, and the Second Amendment generally.

[The Rabbi]

I'm a member of the NRA because I had to become one to join a local shooting range.

Anyone considering the NRA should take a look at The Second Amendment Foundation, Gun Owners of America, and Virginia Citizens Defense League. Then take a look at some quotes from John McCain regarding "assault" weapons, gun shows, private sales of firearms, and the Second Amendment generally.

What legislation has the Second Amendment Foundation, GOA, and VCDL helped to pass or craft? What pieces of legislation have they been directly responsible for either passing or having withdrawn or defeating?

I'll add JPFO in there as well.

[Guest Abominable_Hillbilly]

What legislation has the Second Amendment Foundation, GOA, and VCDL helped to pass or craft? What pieces of legislation have they been directly responsible for either passing or having withdrawn or defeating?

I'll add JPFO in there as well.

Well, they certainly weren't responsible for the NICS registration scheme, the Hughes Amendment to the Firearms Owners "Protection" Act, or any of the other rank capitulations the NRA has handed to the anti's.

SAF spear-headed the Katrina lawsuits, to which the NRA eventually signed on.

You can argue all you want that the NRA has done this or that and that the other organizations have done precious little. All you're arguing is that the NRA is tremendously wealthier and that the fields are full of bleating sheep.

[I_Like_Pie]

are they still doing the $300 lifetime referral membership?

[The Rabbi]

Sorry but if I join an organization or give money I want to have some assurance that the money will have a positive effect and not be used to blow someone else's horn.

The orgs you mentioned (and I'll throw JPFO in there too) like to do two things: scare monger among gun owners ("they'll be going door to door for your guns! Send us money now!") and bash the NRA. There might be some value in some of the positions they stake out and some of the information they disseminate. But the return on investment is nowhere near what the NRA provides.

[Guest bkelm18]

Well, they certainly weren't responsible for the NICS registration scheme, the Hughes Amendment to the Firearms Owners "Protection" Act, or any of the other rank capitulations the NRA has handed to the anti's.

SAF spear-headed the Katrina lawsuits, to which the NRA eventually signed on.

You can argue all you want that the NRA has done this or that and that the other organizations have done precious little. All you're arguing is that the NRA is tremendously wealthier and that the fields are full of bleating sheep.

I find it amusing when people say the NRA caters to the antis. So tell me, if the NRA was completely and staunchly "pro-gun" and refused to give ANY ground at all, would would they get done in Washington? I'd say absolutely nothing. You have to give a little to take a little. Unfortunately, people can't seem to understand that.

[Guest db99wj]

I find it amusing when people say the NRA caters to the antis. So tell me, if the NRA was completely and staunchly "pro-gun" and refused to give ANY ground at all, would would they get done in Washington? I'd say absolutely nothing. You have to give a little to take a little. Unfortunately, people can't seem to understand that.

Excellent point. You buy a car, you buy a house, you buy a commercial property, you sign a lease, you have any coming together of two sides in anything where a decision, transaction, whatever has to be made, their is negotiation. You give and take, on both sides, if not, both parties walk away and just wasted a lot of time and effort.

Edited June 3, 2008 by db99wj

[Guest nraforlife]

YES !!

[Guest Abominable_Hillbilly]

I find it amusing when people say the NRA caters to the antis. So tell me, if the NRA was completely and staunchly "pro-gun" and refused to give ANY ground at all, would would they get done in Washington? I'd say absolutely nothing. You have to give a little to take a little. Unfortunately, people can't seem to understand that.

Cater to the anti's? Ah, I don't know about that. I think the NRA is a business that doesn't really act out of conviction.

At some point, yes, you don't give any ground at all. The Hughes Amendment has never been addressed by the NRA except by token speech, and even that was hushed-up pretty quick. Likewise, compliance with NICS requirements to destroy identifying information hasn't been championed enough.

The NRA needs to more. Now. That's my point.

Excellent point. You buy a car, you buy a house, you buy a commercial property, you sign a lease, you have any coming together of two sides, and their is negotiation. You give and take, on both sides, if not, both parties walk away and just wasted a lot of time and effort.

How much are you willing to give up? I've pretty much reached the end of my rope.

The NRA endorses McCain. McCain wants to regulate private sales and assault weapons. Where do you people stand on these issues?

[Guest bkelm18]

Excellent point. You buy a car, you buy a house, you buy a commercial property, you sign a lease, you have any coming together of two sides, and their is negotiation. You give and take, on both sides, if not, both parties walk away and just wasted a lot of time and effort.

Exactly my point. There has to be a negotiation. It takes baby steps. Maybe 2 steps forward with one step back. If the NRA busted into Washington saying give us back all of our freedoms and repeal all gun control laws for nothing in return, they'd get laughed at and nothing would come of it and we'd have even more gun control coming down the pipeline. As much as I hate it and hate to say it, this ain't Burger King, we can't simply "have it our way".

[Guest bkelm18]

The NRA endorses McCain. McCain wants to regulate private sales and assault weapons. Where do you people stand on these issues?

Who would you rather they endorse? An unelectable candidate? They have to endorse an electable candidate to have their foot in the door in the future and McCain is the best bet going. Again it goes back to my previous statement, McCain may not be the best guy for gun owners, but between him and Obama... well that's an obvious choice if I had to choose.

[Guest db99wj]

How much are you willing to give up? I've pretty much reached the end of my rope.

The NRA endorses McCain. McCain wants to regulate private sales and assault weapons. Where do you people stand on these issues?

It pisses me off too, I don't like it, but I look at the reality of the situation, as bkelm18 said,

the NRA busted into Washington saying give us back all of our freedoms and repeal all gun control laws for nothing in return, they'd get laughed at and nothing would come of it and we'd have even more gun control coming down the pipeline.

You can "tell" them what you want and that it is our way or the highway, and they are going to give you a map to that highway.

On, Mccain, I am going to vote and I am sure as hell not voting for the alternative to Mccain.

[Guest Abominable_Hillbilly]

Who would you rather they endorse? An unelectable candidate? They have to endorse an electable candidate to have their foot in the door in the future and McCain is the best bet going. Again it goes back to my previous statement, McCain may not be the best guy for gun owners, but between him and Obama... well that's an obvious choice if I had to choose.

You're agreeing that McCain is not a friend of the Second Amendment. You're also asserting that Obama is much less of a friend. I agree with you on both counts.

It's crunch time. I'll not vote for McCain, and I'll not give the NRA a blanket endorsement. I wish more people felt like I did. Maybe we wouldn't be forced into so many decisions that are basically an expression of desperation.

EDIT: in the interest of full disclosure, I'll concede that my idealism is affected by the fact that we're in Tennessee. Does anyone seriously doubt McCain won't take this state?

[Guest bkelm18]

You're agreeing that McCain is not a friend of the Second Amendment. You're also asserting that Obama is much less of a friend. I agree with you on both counts.

It's crunch time. I'll not vote for McCain, and I'll not give the NRA a blanket endorsement. I wish more people felt like I did. Maybe we wouldn't be forced into so many decisions that are basically an expression of desperation.

I'm not giving the NRA a blanket endorsement, I'm just saying that their good has outweighed their bad. I understand you don't agree, and that's fine. These are just the reasons that I am a member of the NRA and we can agree to disagree.

EDIT: in the interest of full disclosure, I'll concede that my idealism is affected by the fact that we're in Tennessee. Does anyone seriously doubt McCain won't take this state?

This election is going to be such a sh*tty crapshoot, nothing will surprise me. Obama could pull a martian out of his ass and still wouldn't be surprised.

Edited June 3, 2008 by bkelm18

[Guest Abominable_Hillbilly]

Obama could pull a martian out of his ass and still wouldn't be surprised.

Yeap. It's amazing what you can get used to. lol

[The Rabbi]

I'm sorry BKelm. If Obama pulls a martian out of his ass I'm going to vote for him.

But not before.

[Guest bkelm18]

I'm sorry BKelm. If Obama pulls a martian out of his ass I'm going to vote for him.

But not before.

Haha, I might have to agree with you on that one.