Why is NRA M.I.A. on Ninth Circuit Ruling?

KeepAndBearArms.com -- I just went to the NRA-ILA and affiliated official websites to see what they had to say about the Ninth Circuit ruling. Not a word.

[Screenshots, time stamped from earlier today: MyNRA, NRA-ILA Main Page, NRA-ILA News Page, NRAHQ.] The Ninth filed their decision on December 5th. This is being written on the 8th.

Everyone else interested in the decision jumped on it--especially the anti-defense crowd, who are crowing to anyone who will listen that the end game has been won. The Brady campaign tells us the "Founding Fathers...would be cheering." The Violence Policy Center is claiming this "drives a stake" into the heart of the individual rights argument.

So our opponents have had no problem preparing their responses in a timely manner. And it's not like the other news stories the NRA websites are reporting on are more significant. Furthermore, NRA's state affiliate, the California Rifle and Pistol Association, is similarly silent on their website's press release page, even though their members live in the Ninth Circuit's jurisdiction.

Why is NRA management, with highly compensated executives and paid staff, M.I.A. (missing in action) on this most important recent development, especially when so many of their contributing members are adversely affected by this ruling? If they come up with an official statement tomorrow, why will it have taken them over four days to issue a position?

When will NRA finally initiate and fund a Second Amendment lawsuit and pursue it to the Supreme Court? The ink hadn't dried on McCain-Feingold and EVP Wayne LaPierre was pledging a First Amendment lawsuit. Why hasn't he shown the same leadership when it comes to the Second?

NRA management continually tells us that they are the leaders in the fight to preserve the Second Amendment--especially when asking for more money. If so, why is the Cato Institute spearheading the suit against the Washington DC handgun ban? Fox News reported this action on December 2. Why doesn't NRA-ILA consider this story even worth mentioning or linking to on their site? How can you lead if you don't even sound in?

And it's not like they haven't had ample opportunities. They have been M.I.A. on filing a Second Amendment action for over thirty years. Why wasn't the Gun Control Act of 1968 challenged on such grounds? Or the Brady Bill? Or the "assault weapons" ban? Or the Lautenberg Amendment?

I believe we deserve to know our legal prospects, definitively, and without further delay. The Ninth Circuit ruling now stands in direct conflict with the findings of the Fifth Circuit in Emerson, and the stated position of the Attorney General of the United States. This cannot go unresolved. And who has a better chance to initiate a resolution than those who claim to be our leaders?

Surely, with over 20,000 gun laws, regulations, edicts and outright bans, numerous meritorious cases could be found. Continued refusal to hear such challenges by the high court would show the American people unequivocally that the government has no intention of honoring our unalienable Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. And with an estimated intake of $150 to $200 million per year, a membership of around four million, and one of the most aggressive and persistent fund raising machines ever created, NRA management can hardly argue they don't have the money. After all, does CATO take in anywhere near that?

The time is past due for Mr. LaPierre and Mr. Cox to file a Second Amendment lawsuit. It's time to either lead or stop pretending that they do. As there will, no doubt, be apologists attempting to dismiss this as "NRA bashing," let me go on record as saying I desperately hope I am proven wrong and that NRA takes up this challenge. Please, NRA -- make me eat my words.

If they won't, then those of us who do not take in hundreds of millions of dollars must shoulder the burden. KeepAndBearArms.com and Citizens of America have set the groundwork for a Second Amendment lawsuit as the next phase of our Ashcroft Petition project, and are in the process of identifying attorneys to review our proposal. A poll that we conducted resulted in over $130,000 in virtual pledges to support such an action.

All costs have been borne by COA and KABA through modest member and supporter donations, and untold hundreds of hours of volunteer time have been donated by myself, Angel Shamaya and Brian Puckett, not to mention the thousands of hours donated by volunteers who took it upon themselves to support the Petition by recruiting signatures. As we have reported, Mr. Ashcroft has ignored our pleas, and his continued deliberate indifference gives us no choice but to either give up or take legal action. Which is it to be?

It's not unreasonable to expect that a professionally staffed organization with massive resources like NRA would be the leader in the legal struggle to have our rights recognized, especially since members who pay NRA management's salaries are in danger of having their lives destroyed if caught violating citizen disarmament edicts.

According to the Ninth Circuit, these NRA members and other citizens will not even have standing to defend themselves on Second Amendment grounds. The time for real leadership has never been more critical.

If NRA management takes timely action on this front, I urge you to applaud them and support their legal efforts. If you're a member, I urge you to demand that they show true leadership and take legal action now -- without delay. If they won't, then please reconsider what you expect from leaders and support those who will.

Actually, this is interesting. What we need to do is find a really conservative state, and draft up a law sharply restricting the ownership of "assault printing presses" and "high-capacity radio broadcast facilities" without extensive licensing, impose 15-day waiting periods on newspaper editorials...

And cite this ruling as the reason. After all, if "the right of the people" in the 2nd Amendment refers only to the state, then that same construction should be taken with the 1st Amendment.

Watch the liberal press and purveyors of filth scream bloody murder.

BTW, this ruling also knocks the 14th Amendment into a cocked hat, too.

The NRA-ILA is probably too busy actually analyzing the decision and preparing an amicus brief for the Supreme Court appeal to do a stupid PR response.

What you said (better stated than my comments would have been.) The NRA isn't perfect, but it's the big dog and I must support it if I expect any serious impact on this Ninth Circuit "ruling." As we know, the 9th circuit is the most often reversed by the Surpreme Court.

I have every confidence the NRA is working on an analysis and response as we speak. Being first from the starting blocks doesn't assure a win at the finsh line. I'm going to be patient and keep sending my dollars to the NRA., which is exactly what all those gun-owners should be doing who don't already have an NRA membership. Then they should proceed to send money to the NRA every month. How strong we would be if EVERY gunowner would become an NRA member! Think about it.

While the NRA is not the best gun rights organization, they still have the most influence in the legislatures and courts. I would bet that they are carefully considering this case for a full fledged push to have the Supreme Court declare in no uncertain terms that the 2nd Amendment is and individual right and that as such, any law affecting it must be given special scrutiny and all laws barring law abiding citizens from exercizing those rights and infringing on those rights are unconstitutional.

The liberals cringe and the media quakes at 4 1/2 milliom members. Just think if Charlton Heston had 80 MILLION voices behind him!

They would think that God himself just gave them a direct order.

The NRA has been MIA about a lot of things for a long time. Check out the GOA site, and various publications which have already carried GOA head Larry Pratt's reaction to the decision. It shouldn't be too hard to figure out where to send your money.

You'll love the nifty little packs of pre-addressed postcards they send out whenever there's relevant federal legislation pending -- very efficient, you just sign'em, add handwritten notes for added effect if you like, pop the stamps on, and off they go. Great e-mail alert system too. Great newsletter too -- I recently made a lot of headway with someone who didn't understand what's wrong with registration by giving them a copy of a GOA article about Condi Rice's dad and the neighborhood militia he was part of, to fend off the good ol' white boys in Alabama.

GOA gets it, NRA doesn't.

You'll love the nifty little packs of pre-addressed postcards they send out whenever there's relevant federal legislation pending -- very efficient, you just sign'em, add handwritten notes for added effect if you like, pop the stamps on, and off they go.

And politicians feel very safe in ignoring these preprinted and preaddressed mass mailings. They treat them as the product of a very small group of people who can be safely ignored. They also ignore emails.

You want to make an impression--write your congresscritter and HAND-ADDRESS the envelope. That tells them you took the time to find out who they were and how to snail-mail them.

I really don't know what the rush is here. NRA posted articles the minute the Court issued it's ruling. They are at the various NRA web sites for all to see. NRAWINNINGTEAM.com. MYNRA.com etc.

As for NRA official position? I suspect Christmas may have something to do with it. These things take time. Chris Cox will not let this slide by. Patience is in order...

--KABA, GOA and JFPO--great organizations, well meaning--and without one iota of political influence. The three combined couldn't get one vote in congress other than maybe Ron Paul.

The NRA has sufficient legal and political sense to pick the correct fight, knowing full well that the wrong case means the end of the Second Amendment.

"I think I am going to join another 2nd Amendment group that aggressively supports our right to keep and bear arms."

Are you part of a well regulated militia? If not, then you don't have a right to keep and bear arms under the 2nd Amendment.

The liberals cringe and the media quakes at 4 1/2 milliom members. Just think if Charlton Heston had 80 MILLION voices behind him! They would think that God himself just gave them a direct order.

Yessir, you've got that exactly right! If each current NRA member recruited one new member the power of the NRA would be downright scary to those idiot anti-gun "people" out there.

We need to stop expecting perfection from the NRA and close ranks to swing the biggest stick we can manage.

I know they generally ignore e-mails and faxes, but the rest I think their junior staff just counts. I do always add handwritten comments, but I rather doubt anyone reads them (certainly not the actual congresscritter), and I don't think anyone reads original letters either (though perhaps they get 2 tick marks in the counting process, to just one for a pre-print).

I suspect the ability to deliver huge volumes of pre-prints helps persuade the congresscritters to return the phone calls of the senior people in the organization that generates them. After all, I'm sure it's not lost on the congresscritters that GOA uses the same mailing list to solicit campaign contributions for right-thinking, right-voting candidates, and also to distribute its detailed recommendations on how to vote.

Don't look now or say anything to the anti-gun crowd, but this ruling by the Ninth Circus is the best thing that ever happened to gun owners. The reason you haven't heard much from the NRA is that they're having a non-stop party. Why?

Finally we get this issue into the Supreme Court with a ruling from the respected 5th Circuit and all the facts on our side. That's from the absolute legal end. The gun control crowd will soon realize they don't really want this in the Supreme Court for a ruling on the merits.

From a political standpoint, do you really think the Supremes--even most of the liberal Supremes--aren't going to take a look at the massive political problem they and the country would face if they banned private ownership? "Ok, everybody, all you 100 million gunowners, march to the courthouse and turn in your valuable firearms."

We win this in a walk is my prediction. And the issue will be dead.

I know they generally ignore e-mails and faxes, but the rest I think their junior staff just counts.

They count original letters--and they assume that if ONE guy in his district was PO'd enough to write a letter, then there's 20 more who aren't PO'd enough to do so, but are PO'd enough to vote.

They do throw the preprints out without reading them.

I have a friend whose wife works in a Congressional office. They dump out whole bags of mail every day during the final run-up to the election.

I suspect the ability to deliver huge volumes of pre-prints helps persuade the congresscritters to return the phone calls of the senior people in the organization that generates them.

No, it doesn't. It says that the organization got taken for a ride by overpriced and underskilled "political consultants." It actually causes congresscritters to be less likely to pay attention to them, because it says "AMATEUR!"

"...NRA-ILA is probably too busy actually analyzing the decision and preparing an amicus brief for the Supreme Court appeal...

You are very right. This is exactly what is happening.

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