Until I got on internet forums, the only NRA bashing I ever heard came from the anti-gun, anti-hunting types.
My father was NRA member, certified Hunter Safety & rifle & pistol instructor. All his hunting buddies, friends & relatives were NRA members. In those days, NRA member was one of the basics of being "good people".
It wasn't until the gun control push that became the GCA 68 that the NRA got involved in politics. For decades, they had kept an eye on things, and told members, without the strident calls for money and sky if falling rhetoric.
And while looking back on it, you can see that the first BIG Federal restrictions happened in 34, compared to the general ownership and use of the public, the NFA 34 only covered a tiny fraction, and while somewhat alarming, wasn't "really all that bad". Unless, of course, YOUR PERSONAL gun was on their banned list.
Well, in 68, the sky fell, or at least a big enough chunk of it, to make people in the NRA realize that #1) the NRA was potentially in a position to do something, and #2), nobody else was, and somebody needed to DO something!
Primarily due to necessity, things grew from there.
Anyone here remember what the gun banners were going after, hot and heavy, BEFORE they discovered "assault weapons"???
HANDGUNS! They were "all" nothing but bad, easily concealable murder implements. "Saturday Night Special" was the rallying cry.
The major complaints I do hear about the NRA are not valid slams against the organization, but are at best arguments disagreeing with policy and focus priorities, things which rightly are the responsibility of the
elected management's choices.
Do you bash the USA because you disagree with decisions of the President or Congress?? I don't. I put the blame on the people responsible. Why don't they? Instead tis "the NRA this, the NRA that.." and that's from people ostensibly on our side!
Perhaps it is just the times, but everyone seems to instantly jump to extremist positions. It is common to hear everyone with a gun in their hands described as a "gunower" and anyone who steps off city pavement with a gun as a "hunter". Especially when they take polls...
Today, it seem that gun rights discussions START at the level of hysteria, and go up from there, and not without reason.
I realize this is the choir, but does anyone seriously think "NRA = Murderers" is not a hysterical reaction?
Ok, lots of people on our side have not done the best possible for us. Some of them certainly could have phrased things better for public consumption. I've heard Ruger vilified for his (usually misquoted) 10 rounds line.
Remember Bill Ruger when the federal AWB was being crafted: "No honest man needs more than ten rounds in his magazine."
True he did say it. But what is usually left out is the background context. Taken into account you might as well thank Ruger for 10 rounds, rather than curse him, because everyone knew a mag limit was coming, there was no stopping it (politically), and the number being aimed for was 5 for rifle and 6 for handgun (so they could cover revolvers too).
Ruger gave them a number they could latch on to, which stood a chance of being accepted, where 15, 20 or more would have been immediately tossed out, and one that also didn't harm his business.
It was an attempt to make the best of a bad situation, and while you can disagree all you want, it is totally unfair to imply that Ruger did it maliciously.
If you hunt game, then you are a hunter. To me, this qualifies you to be taken seriously in political matters the same way being an actor does.
