After seeing no resistance in California with the SB23 last year, I have decided not to renew my membership this year. I wrote the NRA stating that they need to organize a huge rally in Sacremento.The only reply I recieved was that it is a good idea and we are looking into it.Its almost like they fed California to the wolves. I live in Georgia and would have traveled to California to protest had their been an organized protest.

On another post tonight someone said some people are upset Charlton Heston did not have an AR15 in the other hand with the muzzleloader. I'm one of these people. The muzzleloader was the battle rifle then, but is not an effective deterent to tyranny today.I believe the NRA has no guts and is to political.I also feel they would be willing to compromise some of our freedom and have.

I refuse to send my money to a organization that does not fight for modern firearms and is scared to protest.  If the NRA changes for the better maybe in the future I will donate money again. I will judge them on a yearly basis.

Is there a no compromise pro gun rights organization? What about the Gun Owners of America? I know the NRA does some good, but they don't fight hard enough.The NRA leaders in each state should call members in that state where there is some anti-gun legislation in the works and organize regular protests. Giving money is not everything. I feel it is as important to be seen and heard.

NO SLACK!

I will keep my NRA membership current, I will vote "for" the bylaws amendment, and I will vote for the directors that I feel will fight the hardest for gunowners.  At the same time I am a member of GOA, I believe that they take a no compromise approach to gun issues and I whole heartedly support this approach.  On the state level I rely on neither, I rely on the Arkansas Rifle and Pistol Assoc. to keep me current on issues in state, and fight to advance gun owner's agenda.  That's my take on the issue.

Call me an A$$hole but I'll keep the sticker on my truck but I'm not renewing my membership until they straighten up and fight harder for the military collector, Semi-auto crowd!!!
Remember, Constitutionally we are allowed to own everyhting that the military has...


BISHOP

I too have problems with the NRA, they spend too much money trying to get money, and aren't active enough. However without them, you would be lucky to have a muzzleloader. I still support them and GOA, who are more representative of me. [smoke]

I coninue to keep my NRA membership current however I also lost alot of confidence in them during the whole California situation. I recently joined GOA and IMHO I wish the GOA had the cash backing and political power that the NRA has .... I think they would be more productive in their mission as compaired to the NRA.   -- Les

If the nra doesnt stand up for us who will (you).Are you going to take the time to go to washington every day.I find it much easier to renew my memebership every year.We have the anti gunners who are spending alot of money to promote their cause.The nra is one of the best lobbyist around they keep me informed about gun bills in my state and give me letters to send to my gongressman to urge him to vote no,keep me informed about who is on our side.Even klinton has blamed the nra for anti gun legislation defeats in our branches of govt.In california its an up hill battle with democraps controlling all branches of govt.But the nra is still fighting.

                    A Proud NRA Member.

When the NRA proposes and/or supports a less onerous bill when a bad bill is otherwise certain to pass, it is not compromise. It is simple logic. GOA, on the other hand, steadfastly demands no legislation. Without a counter proposal, the legislation passes in its original, more restrictive form.

Surely by now you have learned that sometimes in life you have to pick the lesser of two evils? Some is better than none. A 25% tax is better than a 50% tax. Bad gun law is better than worse gun law. The game played in Washington is politics. GOA has fine principles, but no political savy. "No compromise" will get you no guns, and right quick too.

Oh yeah, and I'm against the bylaw changes too. In large part because Neal Knox is for them...

I will stay current but there is a good point about “I sent them $25 and they spend $10 of it on mailings trying to get me to send more money”

ar15Robert, you do have a point about the NRA sending information on new legislation in the works. If the Republicans were all staunch pro gun like the Libertarian or Constitution Party we would not have to continue to write our congressmen on how to vote for gun laws. Maybe the NRA should start trying to distance themselves from Republicans and back only the Libertarians and Constitution Party members where possible. I guess I should write the NRA and share my feelings with them before I cut them loose. I know the NRA has done a lot of good for use, but I feel they are letting us Sport Utility Rifle Owners down.

NO SLACK!

I think I may write or email them also. Would I have your guys consent to send these statements in so they can have a "real" world view of what we have to deal with?

Attaboy Matt,
With a few more protests like this we can all turn in our guns. Good luck with your one man revolt and enjoy the savings!

The influence of the "gun lobby" is measured in Congress by how many members the NRA has. I will remain a member for as long as this remains true, and IMHO anyone who doesn't keep their NRA membership is doing the gun rights cause a disservice.

roberts, you have my permission. My reluctance to renew my membership has nothing to do with money, but with principle. It seems that the NRA avoids discussions on military style rifles and many supports hunters and pistols. If Charlton Heston had any stones he would hold up an AR, FAL, or SAR also. It would be like if there was an NRA organization 200 hundred years ago and the president held up a wheellock or longbow. I'm glad to at least see AR manufacturers in the American Rifleman. I'm just thinking about switching over to the GOA. I guess I'm more upset with the Republicans than anyone else.  We would not need the NRA nearly as much if the Republicans would not have not been selling us out over the past three decades. If we have to convince Republicans on a regular basis not to vote for anti gun legislation then I say they don't deserve my vote. I think I have convinced myself not to drop the NRA quite yet.

NO SLACK!

Matt you are right about having to remind our elected officials but remember they have yo know who put them there and who they are serving.

I also think they abandoned us here in CA. I'm an NRA member, and will continue to be a member, but I think the CRPA is doing a much better job here. Of course, that's the main focus of CRPA.

What I don't understand is why these groups are not organizing protests. There seems to be a major lack of grassroots efforts. If HCI can do it, why can't we?

I too feel that the NRA is getting to political but maybe they have to and as ar15robrt said whos going to fight washington a couple of people from AR15.com?

Would everyone on this site renew their NRA membership, or send them the equivalent as a donation, we'd be doing us ALL a favor.
Let's not rag on the NRA to each other.  Send in your renewal or donation with a MAJOR RAG to the NRA!!!
Tell 'em you're sending them money to save the Kalifornicans or somthing.  Tell 'em to lower the Life Membership cost for a couple of years.  Tell 'em to quit asking for money and wasting the valuable time, paper, and postage.  Tell 'em to make good use of your donation.
In fact, let's all send in the money and the paperwork and a copy of our complaints with it...

we need to hang in there with the nra as they do still work for us. thier money making campaigns can get annoying, but it is necessary. i hope they read these sites to get a "feeling" for general opinion. what bothers me the most, is when i`m in a shop and the salesman asks a guy buying a case of 556 if he`s in and the reply is "well no not really" happens too often!

As a life member, I quit sending them money about 10 years ago when they were begging for money to build their new palacial headquarters. At the same time, Congress was passing more and more gun laws.
One only has to look at where we are today, after 35 years of compromising with anti-gun politicians, to see where the NRA is taking us.

I know we'd be worse off today if it wasn't for the NRA but in my view, all they've done is slow down the march to the concentration camps.

You can't send the NRA money every year, sit back and say, "There, my 2nd amendment rights are safe for another year".  It ain't gonna happen.

Everyone needs to put their time and money into local/state gun groups to fight for our gun rights. I think we'd see more results.

The anti-gunners are content to keep chipping away at the wall (2nd amendment) we think the NRA is protecting. Well, guess what?
The wall is about gone. It's time for everyone of us to pull some serious guard duty. The NRA has failed.

Don't blame the NRA for new gun legislation passing, blame the tens of millions of guns owners in this country who aren't members of the NRA. You can see that before the presidential election, the NRA was at 2.5 million members. Then the NRA rose to 4 million at election time. The NRA and it's members passing the word of our second amendment rights were a direct influence in why Al Gore isn't president today.
The NRA with only 4 million members can pass the word and fight for our rights, but they cannot tell the yuppies in California or the politicians what to think about guns.
Now with the election over amd Bush in the White House, you will probably see many NRA members think the fight is over and not renew their membership.
The ones to blame for gun laws like in California are the people of California who voted gun hating politicians in. That may not been you, but maybe your friendly next door neighbor.

[green]Getting pissed and letting the NRA leadership know it is fine. It would seem to me that this is a time to make some progress so now is not the time to give up. The NRA is the best vehicle for resistance at the moment. If you don't help then all the talk about standing together is just that, TALK. Someone has to carry the banner.[/green]

[flag]

I will support them until a bigger kid moves on the block.

I dropped my NRA membership 10 years ago because I really got tired of the constant demands for more money. I was under the impression that my membership dues covered all of the needs that the NRA had.

I got really pissed also at the tone of the literature from their Legal Defense Group. While I agree that we need someone, or an organisation, to promote our cause, the presentation by the NRA was, and still is,  Gestapo-like, at best. They never failed to imply that if you didn't send them more money then you were no better than the people, or groups, that they were lobbying against.

Personally, I refuse to be held hostage by anybody, or anyone, including the NRA!

Until the time that the NRA tones down the rhetoric, I will take care of my own business.

President Bush (of Desert Storm fame) revoked his Lifetime Membership with the NRA for exactly the same reason, I seem to recall...

And, I have really never thought that much of Charlton Heston to start with...

I will keep my life membership. If they push for new control laws in my state i will push and organise as much as I possibly can myself. God helps those that help themselves.
I don't intend to wait for anyone to do work for me.
Get out there and do your part is my moto

"I dropped my NRA membership 10 years ago because I really got tired of the constant demands for more money. I was under the impression that my membership dues covered all of the needs that the NRA had.

I got really pissed also at the tone of the literature from their Legal Defense Group. While I agree that we need someone, or an organisation, to promote our cause, the presentation by the NRA was, and still is, Gestapo-like, at best. They never failed to imply that if you didn't send them more money then you were no better than the people, or groups, that they were lobbying against"

I dropped my membership once for the above reasons also. Just got tired of being threatened about losing my guns if I didn't give more money. Then, when I began shooting hi-power matches, I needed to join again. BUt this time, I phoned in the membership, requesting "reduced mailings" or no membership at all. This is an option most people don't know about. So far, it's working.

X_Ring..."I dropped my membership once for the above reasons also. Just got tired of being threatened about losing my guns if I didn't give more money. Then, when I began shooting hi-power matches, I needed to join again. BUt this time, I phoned in the membership, requesting "reduced mailings" or no membership at all. This is an option most people don't know about. So far, it's working"


Thanks...I didn't know that you could do that. I might reconsider my membership with that info, but I would prefer someone else as a spokesperson for the NRA...Maybe Dick Butkis? Rocky and Bullwinkle?

All kidding aside, we probably do need some large lobbying group (or maybe a dozen of them!), even with the Republicans back in office.

Again thanks for the info!

In the black has hit the nail on the head. With about 50 times as many non-NRA gun owners out there, us members are paying to fight for the rights for all. Heck I know people that have more money invested in guns than they do all their other earthly posessions, but are basically too cheap to spend the $35 per year. Heck the magazine is worth half that. Sure gun owners of America is a great organization BUT as we all know there is strength in numbers. If it wasnt for the NRA you WOULD NOT be able to own a handgun ANYWHERE in this country today. I too get tired of the requests for money, but give if you can and if you cant at least cough up the $35 per year. My gun shop asks every person that buys a gun if they are a member and has the literature to sign you up right there. Sure they are not perfect, but who is?

Life member here.  Not planning on dumping it anytime soon.  I do not believe it is legal for the NRA to use memberbership dues for politics, hence they have the ILA for this purpose.  I try to give them $20 a month.  Where is everyone else?  Yes, NRA, being the leviathan it is, is very slow to respond to local threats.  Your state gun organizations are better at handling state and local issues.  This is where most of the true grassroots activities occur.

My problem with all the complaints about the solicitations is that most gun owners are cheap SOBs.  I know many people who have guns, and most do vote correctly, yet they don't contribute a dime or write letters while the battles are being waged in the legislative houses.  Most don't belong to gun organizations.  Heck, some of them even voted for Hillary, Gore, and Schumer!  With all the gun owners in America, we ought to be able to make gun control a non topic for discussion, but its obvious it isn't due to lack of support from a majority of gun owners themselves.

We peach to the choir every day on this and other gun boards, but lets face the truth.  Most of our countrymen are not sypathetic to us and those that are vote based on other priorities rather than solely to let "Johnnie" keep his semiauto if it doesn't affect them. Just look at most of your relatives and co-workers and you see the typical apathetic and intellectually lazy American.  So the NRA can't take the hardline approach, at least not publicly.  I don't like this approach either but given the fact most of our countrymen are easily turned off when we talk about no restrictions on Class III, what else can be done?  It surely isn't going to help pro-gun pols get elected in urban/suburban areas.

Here in NY, most pro-gun politician in the cities or suburbs get savaged for their beliefs.  Seems more people care about their free lunch than their freedom in these areas, so a pro-gun politician will not do well.  

Endeth my rant.

Hey guys, are you unhappy with the way the NRA does things? Well quitting them is not going to make them change. They will change ONLY  when enough of us vote for change.

I am not happy with their preformance either. But I stay in and vote for the current admendments and for hardliners. THAT is the only way things will turn around.

Has anyone else noted the difference in the bio's of the people nominated by the Nomination Committee and Neal Knox? The N.C.'s people all sound like politicians, i.e. "served on this committee and that committee for this club and that club". Knox's people say " I testified before Congress" and "helped gather petitions and overturned" this law or that. These people are in-the-trench fighters, it seems to me. We need more of them running things. We need your help to do that.  

Nothing like a little whine in the morning, afternoon, and night.[>q][>q][>q][>q]

Yes the NRA asks for money but from those who haven't joined the life and above membership club.  Remember, owning a firearm is for life!  As I remember those letters asking for more came  on a quarterly basis, like CRPA.  

Want to see some real VUCKING  HARASSMENT?  Join the RNC (DNC is just as bad).  I gave big bucks in December during the election, and now for Jan and Feb I have received 4 letters asking for more.  This is living [}:(].  They will never leave me alone.

As a comparison, NRA life is $500, and the local RNC has a special, for $10,000 you join the elite and get to meet Congresscritters and Senators.  What a BFD that would be!!!!!

Quit your whining and anti-up either a yearly or life membership, for any organization, NRA, GOA, JPFO, SAS, TRT...

Not a single reply has yet to state "I have repeatedly contacted...and asked that more be done for..."  Email, snail mail, call and ask that we have rallies.  It can't look any worse than an MMM rally.

This is what we should think about before dropping membership:

President Clinton stated that the NRA was a major factor in costing Gore the election. Would you be worried if Gore was president now?

The NRA is the one of the strongest lobbying groups in America today. Politics counts and they are the best at it.

They are the one who has the state reps., congressman, and senators worried that if they dont uphold the 2nd ammendment their seat may go to someone else.

I dont agree with everything the NRA does or says. Does anyone agree with everything anyone says?

They are the best we have so I think we should stick with them.

Life Member
Walking

I also get heartburn over the way NRA does things, but unfortunately they are about all we have.  If you're unhappy with their methods, write, e-mail or call them!  Remember "We Are the NRA".  As far as their constant requests for $$$, just pay what you feel led to do and ignore the rest.  The NRA will only be as strong (or weak) as their membership!

I'm an NRA life member who is disappointed in the NRA's turn towards "moderation" (more like capitulation, if you ask me).

The current NRA leadership seems more concerned with "mainstreaming" the NRA's image and inflating the total NRA membership numbers, than with the anti-rights positions being taken by more and more politicians nationwide, with the NRA's blessings.

I have been supporting the Neal Knox "faction" in the past few elections; I also support the new (Director) election reform amendments.

I've stopped sending the NRA any more $'s, instead I bought a life membership with the GOA.

I encourage all NRA memebrs to hang in there long enought to attain voting status (life member or 5 years as an annual member) and voice their opinions through the Director election process.

I'ts your NRA, take it back.

I thought about quiting but Im still a member . I would rather have a bunch of a$$holes on my side them no one.

red man

I belong to the NRA for two main reasons.

[list]
[*]The politicians only care about votes. The more NRA members there are the more potential votes there are for that politician.[/*]

[*]The anti's are always complaining about the power of the NRA.[/*]
[/list]

I'm not happy with some of the policies of the NRA but I think it's important for for every gun owner to be a member. Join as many other organizations that you feel represent you but keep the NRA numbers up.

Ever wonder what 50 million NRA members might be able to accomplish?

I will keep my membership, I send them 10 or 20 bucks every couple of months. Just think if every member sent them just $5.00 a month do you think anyone could stand a fighting chance to oppose us? As for me being a Ca resident I will keep sending cash for what I beleive in.

The amount of interest in "campaign finance reform" ought to tip you off that the NRA is doing its job.  I think both NRA and GOA have a role to play.  GOA goes in and takes the hard line while the NRA runs interference and takes the heat from the media and groups like VPC and HCI.  You hardly ever hear GOA mentioned in a gun-control news report, just the NRA.  That's good for us.  We have two organizations fighting the good fight.  

I, too, have been pissed off at the NRA.  Things like Project Exile are not good alternatives to gun control.  They just promote tyranny of a different kind.  I think the NRA has a goal with that--to make gun law enforcement so expensive (federal prosecutions cost 10x as much as state cases) that the federal gov. has to knuckle under or face a serious cash flow crisis.

Our judicial system is incredibly corrupt.  Probably past the point where reform could even take place.  The NRA is working within the rotten system.  

I wrote them with our posts and concerns and this is what they wrote back, enjoy:



  Thanks for sharing these posts, some of which seem to be 100% supportive of
  NRA's efforts, some of which seem to support some but not all of our efforts,
  and some that seem concerned about NRA's efforts, but don't seem to have all of
  the facts as to what we do or why we do what we do.  This is not a surprising
  collection of posts, as it would be shocking to find an organization as large as
  NRA (4.3 million members and growing) that has all of its supporters completely
  satisfied with what it does.  By and large, however, we do feel that the
  majority of NRA members are happy with what we do and how we do it.

  But there are some matters that do bear addressing.  First, NRA has been more
  active in California than probably any other state.  One of the messages
  complaining about what we did or did not do comes from a gentleman who lives in
  Georgia, so it is not surprising he is not fully aware of what we have done and
  continue to do on the other side of the country.  But rest assured that NRA has
  been very active in California, and our Association remains very active.  Prior
  to the passage of SB 23, we sent out several state-wide mailings urging members
  to get involved in opposing the passage of the legislation.  Although we were
  not successful in defeating the legislation, we have not given up, and are
  currently involved in  legal challenges to SB 23, as well as other onerous laws.
  Anyone with Internet access can go to NRAILA.org to see an update of what we
  are doing in California from a legal perspective.

  As for our overall efforts, NRA has been very active on the legislative and
  legal fronts.  Over the past several Congresses, NRA has promoted and supported
  numerous pro-gun reforms, including: a drive to pass legislation establishing
  national reciprocity of Right to Carry permits; worked to eliminate gross abuses
  and misuse of funds paid into the Pitman-Robertson Act by sportsmen; promoted
  language to prohibit reckless lawsuits against the gun industry; and have tried
  to repeal a number of federal gun laws, including the Brady Act and the ban on
  so-called assault weapons.  These just highlight some of our proactive efforts.
  While we haven't succeed in every instance, thanks to the gains gun owners have
  made in recent elections, especially with the election of George W. Bush as the
  43rd U.S. President, we are hopeful that we will be able to continue to take
  advantage of any and all opportunities that may arise to strengthen our rights.


 

  Additionally, gun owners have made substantial gains at the state level for
  several years.  We have worked with state legislatures and governors to enact
  strong Right to Carry laws in more than a dozen states.  Our efforts have
  brought the total for states that enable law-abiding citizens to carry a firearm
  for self-defense to 32.  We have also worked to enact numerous state firearms
  preemption laws-which set uniform gun laws throughout the state and prevent
  local governments from passing their own restrictions.  Further, issues such as
  range protection and tougher sentences for repeat violent offenders have made
  their way through the legislative process in a number of states.  Finally,
  thanks to our work, 23 states have passed laws prohibiting reckless lawsuits
  against firearms manufacturers by localities within these states.  

  Finally, on the legal front, thanks in large part to NRA's assistance in those
  federal lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the Brady Act, the U.S.
  Supreme Court ruled that the background check provision of the Brady Act was
  unconstitutional because it commandeers state officials to implement federal
  law.  Also, a United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas
  recently dismissed an indictment against a defendant based on the opinion that
  the federal law he was accused of violating represented an unconstitutional
  exercise of congressional power that violated his individual rights protected
  under the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  This decision has been
  appealed by the federal government, and NRA has filed a Friend of the Court
  Brief in support of the judge's ruling.  Again, anyone with Internet access can
  find information and updates on this court case.  Because courts often move
  cautiously in cases of great importance, however, it may be some time before the
  effects of this decision are made clear.  Rest assured that NRA will be
  following it closely, and we will continue to report any further developments.

  As you can see, NRA remains ready and willing to move forward in the defense of
  our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.  But we need our members' help.  While we hope
  to continue to promote our pro-gun reforms, it is important to remember that not
  all state legislatures are friendly to law-abiding gun owners, and the margins
  in the U.S. Congress are razor thin.  One of the most important things we can do
  to ensure success is to remain vigilant, and that means we must work together,
  especially when communicating our concerns to our elected officials, and working
  to elect lawmakers that will support the Second Amendment.

  In that vein, we strongly encourage all NRA members to become a part of the
  NRA-ILA Grassroots Network-ILA's base of volunteers working at the local, state,
  and federal levels to defend our Second Amendment rights.  All NRA-ILA
  Volunteers receive: up-to-the-minute legislative alerts and analyses; crime and
  safety studies and statistics; NRA-ILA's weekly FAX Alert and monthly political
  newsletter, "Freedom's Voice"; and direct access to ILA Staff and resources via
  our toll free Volunteer Hotline (1-800-392-8683).

  If anybody has any questions concerning our volunteer program, or legislative
  activities happening right now in the U.S. Congress or their state, please do
  not hesitate to contact our offices directly at 1-800-392-8683. Any member with
  Internet access can also find a Volunteer Information Form on our website
  (http://www.nraila.org), under the section called Grassroots.  If they fill it
  out, we will get them more involved with our legislative and political
  activities.

  Please feel free to share this response with anyone you feel may be interested.

  Sincerely,

  Anthony Roulette
  Manager of Member Services

I am an annual NRA member and don't mind paying the $25/year (thru my local range) to renew because that money goes primarily to the magazine and their safety/education programs.

I will not give any money to the ILA for lobbying since I can (and do) write my own legislators.  I also refuse to give to the PVF because the NRA prefers to back an incumbent who is moderate on gun-control over a challenger who is strongly pro-gun, which helps keep their percentage of endorsed candidates who win above 90%.  Instead, I give campaign contributions directly to the candidates - of any party - who I believe will fight hardest to protect the RKBA.

As for the elections, I haven't decided who to vote for yet, and IMO both bylaw amendments make sense so I will be voting for them.

For all those of you complaining about the NRA mailing you renewal notices and other fundraising mailings, there is a simple solution.....

[b] BECOME A LIFE MEMBER. [/b]

And for those of you complaning the NRA didn't go spend money in Kali or Michigan or whatever place YOU happened to think is most important, answer this question.....

Are YOU made of money??? Do you ever have to CHOOSE where to spend $$$ - either to replace the washing machine, or to buy new tires for your car???

Well, so does the NRA. There's only so much money in the world.

Actually, if instead of cancelling your memberships, you became life members a few years ago, the NRA might have been where you wanted them, to fight the battle you wanted fought.

Instead, like a petulant little child, you are taking your toys ($$$) and going home.

On a state level, the NRA is usually only as effective as its state association.  There is really only so much that they can do without local grass roots support. You can not sit in California and expect a guardian angle to swoop down and bail your tail out for a $35.00 annual retainer.  Not with the throw weight the enemy has in that state.

I am speaking as a former officer of what was one of the most effective NRA state associations.  I will also tell you that the NRA state associations are generally populated by tweeds, plaids, bench resters, and assorted old farts, none of whom really seem to "get it" about gun rights as we on this board understand them.  Being a GOA-JFPO oriented leader in an NRA state association was constantly a matter of watching your six. Thank God we got critical pro-gun legislation passed before we were overcome and the status quo was re-established.

How many of you radicals are state association members as well as NRA members?

Regarding the solicitations and mailings, do you really think they would be sending them out if they were not getting an ROI?  They spend a certain amount to get a certain amount more. The margin must be worth it.  Too bad they have to spend it, but if they did not, they wouldn't get the money they need to buy the votes we need.  I throw a lot of it away, and every so often I send some money.

If they had two or three times the money, they could buy more congressmen and senators and we would get more perfect legislation.  For the time being, we have the best gun laws that the NRA can afford.

[b]Here's my .02

Gun owners have been waiting 8 years for a friendly administration. We got it(or pretty close anyway). This is OUR time. This is the time when we need to make the MOST headway. I personally don't think that dropping your support of the NRA could result in anything positive.

I know many people have a gripe about where their precious money is being spent by the NRA, and to that question, I refer you to the post above this one(garandman).

With a favorable administration in office, the time is NOW to show America that gun owners concerns don't ebb and flow with the moment. It's time to show America that we are MORE in support of our rights than ever before.

Joining Second Amendment groups during a hostile administration is simply a survival tactic. We never expected to cover new ground under Clinton, just salvage what rights of ours remained. Now that we have a friendlier administration, we have the rare opportunity to make some GAINS. Dropping out of the support loop will NEVER allow that to happen.

I have not given up, and I have not lost hope for my rights. The last thing I will ever have to say to myself, during the next democRAT administration is "Boy, I sure wish I tried to support my rights better when I actually had a chance, now I guess it's back to crossing my fingers and hoping for the best."

The glass is half full, not half empty. Jump on board, support organizations that NOW have the ability to actually make progress. If not now, then when?[/b]

[url]www.nra.org[/url][img]members.aol.com/_ht_a/bishop042/2ndamdt.gif[/img]

Well said, Garandman !!
There you have it, guys, so quit your bitchin'.
Shit or get off the pot !!

Ever hear the expression "cut your nose off to spite your face"?

Or maybe he felt a little guilty about selling us out right before he left office...

Matt; I live in GA also, and would have traveled if it were going to be BIG enough.The NRA is not perfect, but one of thee few games in town.  Another I like is Gun Owners of America, and JFPGO (the Jewish) group.  We can't stop those who support us -- no matter how much we wish they would take a more hardcore stance.

For all of those complaining about the "NRA wasting money by repeatedly asking for money".  You don't know what you are talking about.  Talk to anybody running a political org that exists on donations solicited through the mail.

Nobody survives by mailing one membership dues piece.  Every year, as new members join, lots of members fail to renew.  It doesn't matter if it's the NRA, Sierra Club, Green Peace or Citizen's Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.  Each organization will mail multiple requests for money, knowing that the average supporter will respond to a couple of them and that a continued financial support over a period of the year cause far more people to renew their membership than just one annual membership solicitation.

Direct mail is a pain in the ass, most folks hate it, but the reality is that it works and no one has offered a better solution yet.  Until someone can actually demonstrate how political groups like NRA and others can raise money more effectively in another fashion, than this will continue.

Direct mail costs a lot of money to raise money, and if anybody out there has a better means of raising money, I'd suggest you get in the business of fundraising, because you will be a very rich individual.