Correct Me If I'm Wrong

[Longwalkhome]

There is some truth to this statement. Followed by a large BUT:

The political situation in Wash / Oregon isn't a valid reason for the NRA to abandon dues paying members in those states.

If the NRA had to prioritize their spending, they chose to absent the battlefield on some pretty weighty issues for Wash. gun owners.

And, if they have to spend so carefully on real pro-gun activism, a large part of that is because of (already stated) mismanagement and corruption.

There is irony in the fact that the NRA remains a huge lightning rod for the anti-gun people who erroneously think it's still a serious foe.

Corruption and embezzlement are a chronic problem for non-profit organizations. There are crooks who like to infiltrate such groups for the sole purpose of enriching themselves. Often, they are accepted with open arms because it can be hard to find individuals to fill leadership positions. But the NRA has expanded this to quite possibly an unprecedented level.

It seems folks want to blame the NRA for all the west coast libs voting in gun controls. NRA isn't to blame for what's happened, its every registered Democrat that deserves the blame.

When our last governor got a million from bloomenthal to push gun control every thinking Democrat should have left the party and became an INDEPENDENT. Nobody had to join the repubs, being an independent makes both parties work for your vote.

Every Democrat here is to blame for what the democrats do, by voting for them you give them power over us.

It's the truth and everyone knows it. Doesn't matter how you vote on the gun issues if you keep voting for the gun grabbers. NRA can't fix stupid.

 

[Yarome]

Sad folks blame the NRA for the liberals voting for gun controls. It isn't the NRAs fault Oregon and Washington politics is so full of liberals that vote for gun controls. Truth is and it's a truth that once you accept it you are morally bound, it's the liberals that are the problem and not the NRA.

I think you may be missing the point.

No one is blaming the NRA for the laws being passed. The contention is that they are doing little to nothing to fight back against those illegal infringements. Happily taking in peoples money but not using it for the purpose in which it is intended.... protecting/defending our rights.

 

[Longwalkhome]

I think you may be missing the point.

No one is blaming the NRA for the laws being passed. The contention is that they are doing little to nothing to fight back against those illegal infringements. Happily taking in peoples money but not using it for the purpose in which it is intended.... protecting/defending our rights.

Point is that the NRA can't fix stupid voters. Folks give the NRA money and think the NRA should win every time. Yet too many of the same folks that give the NRA money are also Democrat voters.

I have had just too good of a day to argue, good afternoon.

 

[JustSomeGuy]

Lifetime member since, I'm guessing sometime in the mid 70's. Constantly getting mail from them begging for more money. I send every donation card back in a sealed envelope along with a letter outlining why there will be no further donations until they get their house in order. Every letter contains my contact information, but they've not once bothered to contact me other than to send out more solicitations for funds.
It's all about stuffing their pockets now.

 

[wired]

Lifetime NRA member. They remind me every month with their magazine I haven't actually read in years.

They dont do much working with the courts. Thats true. Its not their M.O. They are still feared in Washington DC and my impression is theyre kind of like Hoovers FBI keeping secret files employing them when necessary to keep representatives in line. Just my impression. A few years ago when Trump was about to jump on the Assault Weapon banning bandwagon they stepped in to remind him he ran as a Republican and be backed down. That could have gone way different. Theyre one of the tools in the toolbox. No every tool does everything.

 

[Yarome]

Point is that the NRA can't fix stupid voters. Folks give the NRA money and think the NRA should win every time. Yet too many of the same folks that give the NRA money are also Democrat voters.

I have had just too good of a day to argue, good afternoon.

You're absolutely right. They can't "fix stupid voters"... and I don't think anyone expects them to. It's completely beyond their control.

We do expect them to help lobby/inform voters and challenge those infringement laws though. That's where they have been asleep at the wheel and why so many are disgruntled with the organization. In large part... they've lost the plot.

 

[Mikej]

Few things punch my buttons like that self-dealing, grifting lowlife that is Wayne LaPierre. Tens of millions of members' hard-earned dollars that could have been spent defending gun owners' rights instead went to junkets around the world, Beverly Hills boutiques, exclusive club membership dues, private jets, private yachts, "living expenses", and now legal expenses to a law firm representing the NRA that loses over and over again in court, to the tune of $1,400 an hour. I hope when all this shakes out and the dust settles that worthless s#!t stain is rewarded with a lengthy prison sentence, along with any of the sycophantic handmaidens on the Board of Directors that enabled him.

OK, I tried not to hold back this time.

Just so ya' know, I'm not being sarcastic of your attitude in any way. Had I been giving them money for as many years as you probably have, I'd be saying the same. My rants are mostly about our elite elected's here in WA/OR. I've been been forced to pay them for the 36 years I've been here.

 

[Yarome]

My rants are mostly about our elite elected's here in WA/OR. I've been been forced to pay them for the 36 years I've been here.

That's really the double whammy, isn't it. We are footing the bill for all this lunacy. Officials willfully passing laws they know to be unconstitutional... simply for political clout... and we're stuck with funding both sides of the argument to combat the illegal infringements.

Not just a "screw you" from our elected officials, but a "double screw you!"... and laughing all the way to the bank to cash their inflated paychecks.

 

[CLRTR999]

Just so ya' know, I'm not being sarcastic of your attitude in any way. Had I been giving them money for as many years as you probably have, I'd be saying the same. My rants are mostly about our elite elected's here in WA/OR. I've been been forced to pay them for the 36 years I've been here.

No offense taken. I've seen enough of your posts to realize your response was good-natured and meant to be taken in a humorous fashion, and I tried to respond likewise.

I haven't given a dime to the NRA in over a decade. I realized quite some time ago that the SAF was doing a hell of a lot more in the fight for 2A protections, plus being based here in WA they were much more dialed in on local issues than anything I ever saw from the NRA. And yes the elected political elite are worthy of all the criticism, derision, and contempt being directed at them. Plenty of scorn to go around in that arena.

 

[CLRTR999]

Lifetime member since, I'm guessing sometime in the mid 70's. Constantly getting mail from them begging for more money. I send every donation card back in a sealed envelope along with a letter outlining why there will be no further donations until they get their house in order. Every letter contains my contact information, but they've not once bothered to contact me other than to send out more solicitations for funds.
It's all about stuffing their pockets now.

If you call them and tell them to remove you from all forms of solicitation, eventually all the mailings and phone calls will stop. You have to be persistent though and it may take three or four attempts before the haranguing stops completely. I did this and though it took several attempts I have not received any mailings or phone calls from the NRA in years.

 

[Stomper]

You're absolutely right. They can't "fix stupid voters"... and I don't think anyone expects them to. It's completely beyond their control.

We do expect them to help lobby/inform voters and challenge those infringement laws though. That's where they have been asleep at the wheel and why so many are disgruntled with the organization. In large part... they've lost the plot.

They aren't asleep at the wheel, they're "feeding at the trough" like so many other grifters. WLP's over the top lavish lifestyle, and all the "friends" of WLP getting those top dollar "contracting deals" for PR, legal, gigs, etc… which also happen to funnel money back the pockets of WLP.

 

[Longwalkhome]

You're absolutely right. They can't "fix stupid voters"... and I don't think anyone expects them to. It's completely beyond their control.

We do expect them to help lobby/inform voters and challenge those infringement laws though. That's where they have been asleep at the wheel and why so many are disgruntled with the organization. In large part... they've lost the plot.

Yet so many stay with the Democrat party while the Democrat party destroys our gun rights. Blaming the NRA for the democrats success is like blaming the spoon for people being fat.

Until the democrats decide to switch to being independent voters we will get more gun laws. Only when the Democrat party loses its base, it's core support will we get some sanity.

For some reason democrats are willing to watch the entire country crash as the democrats destroy America and not say a word.

 

[Mikej]

For some reason democrats are willing to watch the entire country crash as the democrats destroy America and not say a word.

It's a war of attrition. I may be off, but to me they are not dissimilar to what the Nazis were trying to do. Make the perfect society. No matter how many people need to suffer/die. THEY believe that the perfect society can be constructed, if they just stay with it until the old guard pass on. Just like what I know of the Nazi's, indoctrination starts early. Only the Nazi's killed those that didn't measure up. That's exactly what schools are doing now. And when does school start now? What age? I hear at 4 YO people are sending the kids for someone else to raise?

 

[Spitpatch]

My greatest beef with the NRA (right now) is that LaPierre never issued a message to the membership detailing facts of his troubles and changes to be made (and I asked for such a message).
I've been with the NRA (not a life member) long enough to remember the Civil War involving Neal Knox (and that Civil War is WHY I'm not a life member).

Those that say the NRA "does nothing" (while those are now able to carry concealed and benefit from the Heller decision and other changes) are simply ignoring battles won and battles ongoing.

But If you think GOA, (et al) does more politically, the truth is, their financial and political resources dictate they can't. Sure, they're more vociferous. Sure they stamp their feet and make statements and operate under premises that are often absolute and prove to be unrealistic. Their greatest value (and they have great value) is to spur the NRA to do better with what they have. And they could damn sure do better. I would never discourage anyone from contributing to all such outfits.

...and the facts remain that the NRA is the most powerful political lobbying organization that has ever existed in the history of the world and the oldest Civil Rights organization in the United States. (Yes, your right to own and carry firearms is a Civil Right no less than your right to vote, ride in the front of the bus, sit at a lunch counter and profess your faith.)

And I thank God they are on our side in the fight for the right that protects all others.

 

[Longwalkhome]

I recall an election where Bill Clinton said the democrats lost the election due to the NRA.

bill clinton says election was lost due to NRA - Bing

Pametno pretraživanje u tražilici Bing olakÅ¡ava brzo pretraživanje onog Å¡to tražite i nagraÄuje vas.

www.bing.com

Ever since then there has been a drive to get rid of the NRA, this thread is part of the drive. Build hate and resentment in the members. People are easy to manipulate.

 

[Spitpatch]

I recall an election where Bill Clinton said the democrats lost the election due to the NRA.

bill clinton says election was lost due to NRA - Bing

Pametno pretraživanje u tražilici Bing olakÅ¡ava brzo pretraživanje onog Å¡to tražite i nagraÄuje vas.

www.bing.com

Ever since then there has been a drive to get rid of the NRA, this thread is part of the drive. Build hate and resentment in the members. People are easy to manipulate.

Real power is easily and swiftly recognized by the enemies of those who have it.

 

[GrayGoose]

I was a member for decades up until several years ago when I let my membership lapse due to my disgust with WLP's swindling tactics and his lavish salary. NRA drones kept calling me and mailing fearmongering crap trying to get me to renew my lapsed membership, and all that came to a halt after I mentioned WLP's overpaid salary+benefits and that I will no longer support NRA until he is no longer at the helm. I haven't heard from them since and it's been several years. Unfortunately he's still the thug in control. Oh, and I don't miss the magazine one bit.

 

[Longwalkhome]

NRA is part of the fight for our gun rights, like them or not they are on our side. Once yall get rid of the NRA then who is the next organization to fall?

Better to have friends in the fight but frankly it's hypocrisy to be a Democrat and a member of the NRA.

 

[Yarome]

I recall an election where Bill Clinton said the democrats lost the election due to the NRA.

bill clinton says election was lost due to NRA - Bing

Pametno pretraživanje u tražilici Bing olakÅ¡ava brzo pretraživanje onog Å¡to tražite i nagraÄuje vas.

www.bing.com

Ever since then there has been a drive to get rid of the NRA, this thread is part of the drive. Build hate and resentment in the members. People are easy to manipulate.

There is no doubt they where a force to be reckoned with and have done a great deal of good in the past, but the fight is increasing in scale and ongoing.

I guess I look at it like a favorite restaurant. You've been going there for decades but suddenly the prices have gone up, the portions are small and the food sucks. Do you keep going there because... "well... up until 2 or 3 years ago it was always good."(?)

If the NRA isn't delivering on it's mandate... it's time to move your $'s elsewhere and a lot of these smaller grassroots organizations are absolute attack dogs with very limited resources.

Just look at yesterdays GOA (and several other grassroots orgs) filing in the fishery case. They have nothing to do with the fisheries, but went all in to put an end to chevron deference... which does impact gun owners. They see the bigger picture and have the willingness to act.

I don't think folks are trying to destroy the NRA or see them as the enemy, but they are sending a very clear message with their wallets. "Get back on track or else!" You can't blame folks for wanting to put their hard earned money where it will have the most impact.

 

[ma96782]

LOL.....

Not even the ACLU has a stellar record at/nor the inclination.....with protecting ALL of the rights of Americans. Yet, many people belong to the organization and give to it.

OMG!?!?!? Is it ONLY in the name?

Rrrrrrright.........#BLM.

Don't you say it, just don't.

What? "All Lives Matter."





Aloha, Mark