Nra - good o bad?

[dario541]

To start with, I and all male members of my family are members of the National Rifle Association (NRA). I have always felt that they were protecting Second Amendment Rights. I know how the Media continually bashes them using the Liberal "cuss" words: the "Gun Lobby". I have always admired the NRA and thought that it was the main fighter against the rapidly encroaching "infringement" of our gun Rights.
However, on this forum and on Gun Broker.Com's forum, a number of gun owners criticize the NRA all the time. The NRA is accused of "being in bed with Shumer and Feinstein". I have read that they are actually in cahoots with anti-gunners and the Government in their rabid anti-gun activities.
Well, how about it? What is your opinion? NRA - Friend or foe? Or, are there better pro-gun groups?

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[gunnoob75]

NRA got too complacent, I believe. Now just another political party.

 

[Stomper]

What Joe said!


BTW- a REALLY, REALLY good barometer (for me) is if the pundit-lefty's are against something, then I'm most likely (but not always) going to be all for it, and the more adament they speak up against something, the MORE likely I'll be for it (but not always)... conversly the the more they are FOR something, its likely I'll be against it (but not always)... its like being an alien in BIZZARRO WORLD sometimes!!

 

[RallySoob]

dido, I'm with Joe. Theres lots of literature out there on the real pros and cons of the NRA. I've read them before, wish I had the link... They definately like money

 

[Chee-to]

are there better pro-gun groups?

Try the GOA, "Gun Owners of America"

http://gunowners.org/

 

[The Quiet Man]

I have been an NRA member since the late 1960's and a life member since 1974. I am convinced that the NRA is the only reason we still have our firearms. Do I always like what they do? No. Do I think they have changed over the years? Yes, but then so has the threat from the libs to disarm us. I don't believe any organization is capable of doing what they have and are doing to keep the gun grabbers at bay.

 

[dario541]

Sorry about my title. I meant it to be "NRA Good or Bad?". This model A computer has the ability to make me look dumb (gotta blame something!).
I think that generally the NRA is very effective but there may be some "viruses" in their program. Eternal vigilance is the word.
How about Jews For the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (I'm not sure if I got that right. JFPO, I think).
Gunowners of America (GOA) are good.
I think that we should join and support ALL pro-gun organizations.

 

[Joe Link]

I agree with everyone in this thread to some extent. I think the NRA is fairly soft now days and some of the stuff they do makes it seem like they don't have our best interests in mind (and I can't honestly tell you whether they do or not). However, I do know they're the largest gun lobby in DC and that they have done great things for us. I'm a life member. I'm also a life member of GOA, and I think they compliment the NRA quite nicely. With one playing the political game (NRA) and one never compromising (GOA) it's kinda like good cop/bad cop in that they can play off each other. I've also heard good things about JPFO. Like dario said, I think we should join as many as we can afford.

 

[swoop]

IMO there is more good than bad about them, sorry to say but that's all you can expect from an organization of that size anymore. It's like voting for the lesser of the two evil's every 4 yrs. When is the last time you really liked everything your side was about?

 

[RockKrawler]

Here is another group that has done good things for firearms owners.


http://www.jpfo.org/

RK

 

[Gunner3456]

Try the GOA, "Gun Owners of America"

http://gunowners.org/

I think this is the one now. The NRA has gone soft.

 

[motoman98]

Now as a member of NWFA, I like to think local as well as national. Here's to Belleview, WA
Staunch supporters of our Second Ammendment

www.saf.org
The Second Ammendment Foundation

www.ccrkba.org)
Citizens Commitee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is another really first class organization

I think of the NRA as the umbrella organization, and the others, GOA, CCRKBA, SAF, JPFO as very good offshoots.
Join one, or all, but JOIN.

 

[4Freedom]

Can anyone name some of the bad things the NRA has done? Sorry, I am newer to the gun world and don't know all their history. As far as I could tell, during the election and recently I have only seen good things and vigilance coming from the NRA. I am a member, and from what I have read it seems they have done a lot to protect gun rights and gun ownership in USA. However, I am not an expert so , since the thread has a question are they good or bad and some people have beef with them, I like to hear some of the complaints of things they have done that are contrary to the well-being of gun rights.

One thing that does bug me is all the spam mail they send me trying to sell me wine, sweepstakes, etc etc. But , I just brush it off lightly, thinking they got to finance their venture somehow. I don't find anything wrong contributing to a political party who promotes an agenda that is beneficial to our well-being. In that respect, I don't see anything wrong with boosting the NRA to a high level. Of course, if they are selling out or making concessions to their solid pro-2A ideologies I cannot support that.

 

[Trlsmn]

I support the NRA because I have to be a member to comply with the rules of my gun club. I voluntarily give money to OFF because they are in line with my zero compromise stand that I now take with anti-gunners. I have been meaning to do my home work on GOA and possibly support them also.

Anyone have any good recommendations for the Washington state equivalent of OFF worth supporting?

 

[rsmccsman]

All gunowners should join the NRA and other pro gun groups too, things would be much worse without them. For example when I first started shooting there were no shall issue states. CHL's for states that did issue them were discretionary. You had to have a good reason by the standard of whatever politician or bureaucrat was in charge. In other words if you didn't carry large sums of money late at night through bad neighborhoods and have a lot of political juice you weren't getting one. Now over half the states issue them. I see this as progress. National reciprocity for CHLs just barely didn't pass on this issue. Remember Brady and 10 round limits on magazines why do you think that law expired. The NRA helped throw out of office many of those who voted for it. Think this would happen with no NRA. I haven't seen one of these opinions that lists a specific beef, just some generality about not doing enough. If they are not doing enough join and get involved in the political process and do more.

 

[RickB56]

I belong but am beginning to think the only thing the NRA is good at is raising money for itself.

 

[sillyrabbit]

IF...... and I say again IF............ The NRA isn't doing much good or isn't on our side or to soft, or on the anti-gunners side etc. etc. etc......... then answer me this one question: How is it that every Senator and/or Congressman/Woman FEARS the "rath" of the NRA? Why is it that ex-Pres. Clinton once told a reporter that one of the biggest mistakes he and the Dems made (to lose control of the house and Senate under his administration) was fighting and taking on the NRA"?

Are they (NRA) perfect? **** No! Who or which one of is? Do they always do what each and every one of us wants? NO! Are they softer than some of us would like? Sure! Sometimes. But to make comments like "they are on the side of the anti-gunners" and other absolutely preposterous statements is ludicrous and shows our ignorance!

GOA is a great org.! (I belong) are they perfect? are you kidding? The Jewish organization is great as well, but perfect? I doubt it! Second Amendment Org. (I donate) and all the other xyz org.s ..... the very best and "the answer" to our gun rights? I only wish!

Any organization is only as good as the people that support them and participate within them, same as the NRA!

Is the NRA money hungry? OF COURSE! What else is going to make the difference in fighting the far left liberal anti-gunners? On the other hand, we have something like what? 4 million NRA members and what? over 80 MILLION gun owners? Imagine what the NRA could do if ALL gun owners supported them as members! (or any organization doing our bidding, protecting our rights, fighting our fights for that matter!)

Let me ask this: Are ALL of the members in this forum or members of Northwest Firearms members of the NRA? or another supporting organization? I know the gents that started this thread are (as I am), how about the rest? Until we are.... all of us are....... we should maybe think twice about condemning those that are doing our bidding and standing up for our rights and fighting our fights!

Just my $.02 worth and probably all it's worth.

 

[Frog]

I belong but am beginning to think the only thing the NRA is good at is raising money for itself.

I've belonged to, left, and then re-joined the NRA a couple of times over the last 20 years. I think they have done some good things, but I hate that they are constantly asking for more money!

Almost everyday (not exaggerating!) my mailbox has something in it from the NRA wanting me to send them more money.

Then there is all the gimmicks they have begun to hawk. Everything from insurance to wine!

Today was no exception. My membership is paid up till March of 2010. I got my notice to send them $35.00 to renew my membership! I have to wonder how many 'old-timers' they have as members, that send them yearly membership dues, every 6 months!!

They just seem so 'under-handed' and 'slimmy' to believe they are really working in my best interest.

 

[dario541]

One thing to keep in mind is that the number one enemy of gun owners, the US Government, has an unlimited budget (our tax dollars at work!) to fight us (and the NRA). So I suppose that it takes a lot of money for the NRA to stand up to them.

 

[TINCANBANDIT]

The NRA is us, the members get to vote who runs the show.....

If it were not for the NRA we wouldn't be talking about saving our rights, we would be talking about trying to get them back (assumuning free speech was still allowed).
Most of the critics (that I have seen) of the NRA do not vote, write their Congressmen or get involved, they just want to sit on their asses and complain, you see these kinds in every group.

A better poll question should be: How many letters, emails, phone calls have you made to your Representatives?

BTW let's not call the antigun folks liberals, the are hoplophobic leftists!