Has the NRA done this to you?

The facts are:

NO other organization comes close to the amount of wins in court the NRA has. They have been in existence since the 1800's.

The 2nd Amendment foundation AND the NRA joined forces on a couple of legal battles.

All these other groups looking to unseat the NRA just play into the hands of the libs who want to take our guns. Quite simply, united we stand...divided we fall. The anti gunners love it, promote it, advertise it, and hype the really extreme groups vying to unseat the NRA.

Paying for the talent is just the cost of doing business. I don't know about you, but I sure don't want "The Big Lebowski" hanging out in Washington lobbying for us.

And make no mistake. Lobbying to protect our rights, especially in this climate, IS a full time job. For many people, in fifty states.

The NRA also does a lot more than fight for our rights in all fifty states and Nationally, it sponsors competitions, training, outdoor events and a host of other things.

The NRA isn't forcing anyone to contribute. But it sure does work hard to get contributions and to fight for our rights.

Being able to attend the NRA convention every year is worth the price of yearly dues in and of itself. The didn't have it this year though because of covid.
 
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Aguila Blanca said:
Remember, the NRA opposed Heller.
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Of course they did. Given the makeup of the Supreme Court at the time, it was madness to take a case like that to the top. Heller was won 5 to 4. In other words, after over 200 years, ONE person got to decide what the 2A was all about. If we had lost that case it would have been a disaster beyond measure.

Tim
 
TimRB said:
Aguila Blanca said:
Remember, the NRA opposed Heller.
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Of course they did. Given the makeup of the Supreme Court at the time, it was madness to take a case like that to the top. Heller was won 5 to 4. In other words, after over 200 years, ONE person got to decide what the 2A was all about. If we had lost that case it would have been a disaster beyond measure.
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It wasn't "madness," it was a calculated risk. I understand that the NRA assessed the risk differently than did the SAF and didn't wish to participate, but that didn't stop them from riding the bandwagon after the victory. I'm also not prepared to acknowledge that a loss in Heller would have been a disaster "beyond measure." It certainly wouldn't have been good, but the "no guns allowed here" states could hardly have gotten any more anti-gun than they already were, and the states that already recognized the RKBA probably wouldn't have changed much, either.

But ... although it was a 5-4 decision, it was five in support of the Second Amendment. What was the alternative? To leave a huge chunk of the populace disenfranchised of their constitutional right until such time that the NRA decided the odds were better at the SCOTUS level?
 
But ... although it was a 5-4 decision, it was five in support of the Second Amendment.
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I don't think it was about the Second Amendment as much as about the individual vs. collective interpretation of our rights.

the court did very clearly come down on our side of that interpretation, going so far at to state we have an individual right, independent of militia service.

This was the exact opposite of the other side's argument, which was, essentially that the right was dependent on militia service and absent that they could regulate anything they felt like, up to and including a bad on an entire class of firearms.

A ruling against us would not have changed the 2nd Amendment in any fashion, it would only have changed the argument about what it was said to mean.

A matter of language, I suppose, but words do seem to matter, sometimes...
 
I find it kind of ironic that your little saying is "simple as ABC....Always be Carrying."

Well, without the NRA you won't be carrying anything other than a slingshot....maybe.

Seems to me that some folks just look for an excuse.

The NRA has a big headquarters near DC. It is not cheap. The so called "whining and dining" some people complain about is the cost of doing business.

New York, that's right, NEW YORK, is suing the NRA accusing them of mismanagement of funds. Really?

This is real. NEW YORK will do ANYTHING to put the NRA out of business. The NRA has beaten NEW YORK down and so many legal fights its incredible. So many, in fact, that the NRA has to maintain an office in New York to keep up the fight.

Do you really believe that NEW YORK is suing the NRA because it believes they are "bad actors" by mismanaging money? Fact is, the NRA is SO good at it, New York can't beat them. So now they are tryiing this to put them out of business.

And the thought is a simple one. Make the members believe the NRA is somehow abusing its members and then put them out of business.

When your gun rights are gone, you have only yourself to blame. Line up with the other tin foil hat democrats and put the NRA out of business.

Yeah, that's a good plan for gun rights.
 
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NRA is not the only game in town. I refuse to give my money to those corrupt AH's who had continually badger me for donations even after signing up for membership, donating a 50 here & a 50 there, and buying their overpriced swag. Hell they still tried to get money from me after stopped my renewal. Calling at least a few times a month. I have since blocked their number.

GOA is for me...and yes, I am a member.
 
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As far as the NRA, you are 100% correct, they HAVE done a lot fighting off BS laws, defending gun rights, etc. in NY and around the nation in the past. But it doesn't justify what the Administration has recently done with $$ management, which is just plain wrong. Times have changed. Research the facts prior to defending them.

I was SO proud to send in my lifetime membership dues a few years ago... it was the most patriotic thing I felt I could do next to voting. So to find out what the NRA leadership did with that money instead of using it for its intended purpose... it makes my blood boil.

I had been an on and off again NRA member since 18, always wanted to become a lifetime member. All the men folk in my family have been loyal NRA members going back several generations. I didn't have the money for a Lifetime membership until after I got divorced... and as a single Dad raising a kid full time, not receiving any Child Support from a dead beat member of the bovine family, that money was hard earned and spread thin, trust me. At the time I couldn't think of anything that would make me happier than to support the biggest, BEST and oldest organization fighting to preserve our Constitutional rights.

What a disappointment! :mad:

As far as NY suing the NRA, of course its politically motivated... we obviously know that. :rolleyes:

The point is, the NRA Administration put themselves in the crosshairs... they gave NY the ammunition to use against them in court. Had they been 100% above board with the $$$, NY wouldn't be able to allege what they have. And if the NRA is put out of buisness, it's not NY's fault, but the fault of the NRA leadership... THEY own this hot mess as they mismanaged and abused funds! THEY did this to us and themselves, not NY. We always knew NY had an anti 2nd amendment agenda, that's a given. We have a right to be upset if not irate, as we expected better from our own side, the NRA. We expected our side to be the good guys, the ones with a moral compass.

This is WHY so many of us are upset. We expected better from WLP and his crew. We thought they actually believed in and defended the 2nd Amendment, but essentially they were just in it to line their own pockets with membership dues and contributions, living lifestyles of the rich and famous. Meanwhile they keep begging for MORE donations and wasting postage. It is truly sickening. Power corrupts.
 
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Like a lot of organizations that once did a lot of good, they got fat and corrupt, limiting their messages to preaching to the choir rather than actually reaching out to expand their base. They thrived off conflict, ginning up hysteria to raise more funds for their salaries and benefits, rather than actually advancing our cause (I would argue that, over the last 20 years they actually have worked against 2A causes, in the net). Meanwhile the SAF has been moving the ball steadily up the field.

Collapsing under their own weight is probably the best that could have happened. Hopefully a better organization will emerge from the rubble.
 
I just don't get all the tin foil hat anti NRA conspiracy theorists.

In ANY big organization there is bound to be a few bad apples, but that is not a reason to toss out the baby with the bath water.

Recently, NEW YORK went against the Federal Government and declared that gun stores WILL close.

Not, please consider closing, Not, please consider limiting your sales.....but. CLOSE BECAUSE WE SAID SO.

Who stood up to New York, who had the clout and muscle to muster a law suit against New York to keep the Gun Stores open? Yes, it was the NRA. Alone in the belly of the beast fighting.

It is like Davy Crockett at the Alamo, only in court and on the streets. Who was standing by the NRA in New York? WHO? No one. That's who.

NRA lost that fight because it was a liberal New York judge that ruled Gun Stores are not necessary during a national emergency. That's right.....not necessary during a national emergency. Let that sink in.

Ironically, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and a few other states tried to do the same thing. BUT, after seeing the NRA take New York to court, they backed down and let the gun stores open.

So New York set loose its rabid dogs of the main stream media to gin up claims of mismanagement and how the NRA takes advantage of its members.

Now they are suing the NRA for allegedly mismanaging its funds on frivolous law suits against New York. They are.....get this.....seriously......no tin foil hat stuff here.......abusing their membership?????!!!!!! REALLY?

You know, if it wasn't for guys like Wayne laPierre, your gun rights would have been decimated years ago. If wining and dining some politicians on the golf course gets us a win in court....so be it. That is how things are done in Washington.

These smaller gun groups that bad mouth NRA and claim this that and the other are merely pawns in the effort to divide and disarm.

NRA isn't just sitting around in Gucci loafers and drinking martinis. They are active in ALL fifty states and working behind the scenes constantly to secure our 2nd Amendment rights. I'm not making this up, you can simply go to the NRA/IRA website and check each state and see what litigation is going on.

If you join, the NRA will send a lot of material to help raise monies. They are currently holding a big raffle giving away guns and a new Truck. If you want to buy some raffle tickets and help, so be it. If not, some black suited thug isn't going to rappel from a helicopter and shoot your dog. Can you say the same if folks like in New York get their way?

Support as you can.
 
The NRA has been hobbled for most of the year, yet gun sales have gone through the roof. They had no impact on the Presidential election, and I'm not hearing anything from them in Georgia.

People don't pay dues for what an organization has done in the past.
 
I bet WLP is loving the fall of the WH to the left. He's probably rubbing his hands together getting ready to count the incoming money after a few Ads. are made about what the left is going to do to the RKBA and how only the You/the NRA can stop them.
 
"The NRA has been hobbled for most of the year, yet gun sales have gone through the roof. They had no impact on the Presidential election, and I'm not hearing anything from them in Georgia.

People don't pay dues for what an organization has done in the past."

[... Personal attack deleted by staff ...]

It was sad that the NRA could only support President Trumps' reelection bid to the tune of 16 MILLION dollars. That is roughly half of what it spent to get him elected. Every dime well spent I might add.

The non stop legal action being brought forth by New York doesn't help. 2.5 million the NRA had to spend to settle a bogus insurance accusation by New York.

As for WLP. That guy has single-handedly done more to secure our 2 amendment rights than you, me, or anyone else on this forum.

He had to pay back 300,000 dollars that New York said he spent on private trips rather than official NRA business. REALLY??????

That charge is so bogus as to be totally laughable. I'm not a shill for WLP, but even if some pleasure got mixed in with some busines.....SO WHAT??? Anyone who works for a big corporation does this ALL THE TIME.

You have a meeting to go to in Colorado, and your daughter is getting married around the same time in Kansas. So you go down to the corporate travel office and book a flight to Colorado via Kansas so you can do both meetings. SO WHAT?????

The real irony is that WLP didn't even come close to spending the total number he is allocated every year for travel, even WITH the alleged side trips.

[... Off-topic political rant deleted by staff ...]

NRA also fired its long time full time lobbyer, Chris Cox, and is going through some other top personnel changes. GOOD. I'm all for it. A little cleaning up now and then is good. But to sit and say the organization is ineffective, a rip off, abuses its members, is just....well.....delusional.

Just to be clear, WLP earns about 900.000 a year in straight salary. The CEO of GOODWILL makes 2.3 million a year. CEO of United Way 1.2 million, the CEO of the RED CROSS is a cool 1.03 million.

WLP is a BARGAIN for the work he does!!!!! And make no mistake about it, a lot of travel is a huge part of the job. Coast to coast, everywhere.

You know, it isn't like the NRA is just fighting unjust legislation in every state, it does a lot of FUN stuff as well. All the long range shooting matches, the kids programs, supporting the boy scouts, and the annual convention every year is worth the price of membership alone.

If you have never been to an NRA convention, you are missing something awesome. It is so much fun. I saw Charlie Daniels perform there twice, Hank Williams Jr., Ted Nugent usually shows up to add a little mayhem to the Dangerzone. AND, it is by far, the SAFEST place to be in the entire world during that time. The libs hate it when gun owners get together and protect themselves.

My wife and I were fortunate to have front row Mezzanine seats to see Pres Trump and VP Pence in Dallas.

As for my state of Georgia? Which is the center of the universe for keeping the Congress Conservative. NRA has reached out to over a million people via live town halls to get out the vote.

If you checked, you would know this. I wouldn't have to tell you. NRA is solidly behind our candidates and putting its money where its mouth is. The LIBS hate the NRA because we ARE a voting block. The libs LOVE in-fighting division and seeing us slash our own throats over NOTHING.

Keep your eye are the prize. All else is diversion. This too shall pass.

BTW, one of the best things NRA has done for Georgia gun owners is get 32 states to recognize our Concealed Carry Permits. I can't quite drive from coast to coast, but I assure you, I will never go to CA, WA, or OR. It is kind
kind of strange that Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire recognize my CCP, but since NY, NJ, CT and Mass DON"T, I can't legally drive through those states and carry, to get to Maine. Go figure.

Anyway, I'm done with the thread now, so you all don't have to worry unless someone else comes up with something totally out of left field.
 
You raised some good points, and that was an informative post. Thank you.

The fact remains that this site is full of both gun rights supporters and complaints about WLP and the NRA.

I hope you don't leave this thread entirely, you made a robust defense of the NRA.
 
Been in credit card processing for 20+ yrs. Call your credit card company and tell them you did not authorize this charge, and you want your money back. (Some credit card companies/banks allow you to do this online.) What helps is that you did not sign a receipt. You should get your $ back in about 10 days. Best part.... the NRA (or any business) will be charged a $25 chargeback fee for this "mistake".
 
Been in credit card processing for 20+ yrs. Call your credit card company and tell them you did not authorize this charge, and you want your money back. (Some credit card companies/banks allow you to do this online.) What helps is that you did not sign a receipt. You should get your $ back in about 10 days. Best part.... the NRA (or any business) will be charged a $25 chargeback fee for this "mistake".
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This is why I pay for everything via credit card. I only use my debit card for ATM withdrawals, and I write maybe two checks per year. If you keep your balance at zero and you closely monitor your statements online it's pretty easy to deal with fraud.
 
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