The NRA also endorsed Kanjorski in PA, who is a total sleezeball. Despite the fact that Lou Barletta, his opponent, has received their highest rating, and has been leading in the polls. Of course, the main local paper dutifully reported the NRA’s endorsement of Kanjorski, while neglecting to mention Barletta’s rating in that article. That could have a real impact on the race. I can understand the NRA needing to play politics here and there, but to endorse a candidate who’s opponent has received your group’s highest rating??? It doesn’t make any sense at all. There was also a caller on Hannity’s show today who was upset because they had endorsed a democrat in her pro-gun district as well.
Good for you. Did you line out the whys to them as clearly as you did here? It would be interesting to hear the response if you care to share.
I am on principle dropping my NRA membership also, and it is paid up several years ahead.
In Texas we are infected with Chet Edwards, a chronic do-nothing-but-vote-badly Dem Congressman who was on the short list for Obama’s VP, and a Pelosi lover, and a master of making a few strategic fake conservative votes here and there when his handlers give him permission.
Chet is now running ads about how the NRA endorsed him over the Republican, Bill Flores, who is of course FAR more favorable toward “guns” (meaning orthodox Americanism including the inalienable right to oppose despotic government and to self defense by the use of arms, something Chet knows nothing about).
How DARE the NRA provide aid and comfort to the enemy when at best they cannot even tell the difference between the views of the candidates on guns. The NRA took 5 years worth of my pre-paid dues money and support and spent it fighting my team in order to keep the wrong man in power, one who is on the evil socialist team that is hell-bent on destroying these USA.
(And at worse Chet’s record over the years shows that he is anti-gun if they had the sense to look back a little.)
NRA, you as an organization have become disgusting with your wrong politics. I still love the individual members of the NRA, but my personal role is now going to be waking them up by canceling my membership. Hopefully some actual orthodox Americans will soon take back control of the NRA.
You are being pinged because you may no longer be a NRA member. In case you did not indicate so in your post, would you be kind enough to post the primary reason you have parted ways - the straw that broke the camel’s back ?
This is too small a sampling to be absolutely indicative, but perhaps there is a general trend to be seen here.
I can’t understand what has happened to Wayne LaPierre. He really was a pit bull when he became the Exec VP at the NRA. He was vicious against Bill Clinton, and also was extremely critical of Bush I after the Ruby Ridge episode (if memory serves). The NRA issued bumper stickers that simply said “Vote Freedom First” (which I still have on my jeep). LaPierre had a clear understanding of what was at stake and seemed overall uncompromising. The NRA has accomplished so much and did so without compromising. I was very proud to be an NRA member; I wouldn’t give them a plug nickel now.
I’m a 20 year Life Member and I understand where you’re coming from.
Although I wouldn’t cancel my membership, I haven’t sent them a dime in over 10 years for the very same reasons that you stated.
The best group out there to join is the Jews For the Preservation of Firearm Ownership (JPFO). Next best is Second AMendment Foundation. Next is Gun Owners of America. Just my opinion, they are all better than the NRA.
Proud to have given money to all three of these groups, and none (never will either) to the NRA.
I became an NRA life member while at Knox in 80 while attending AOBC, first time I could afford it, I think it was $300 back then and I paid $25 a month till it was paid off. Much later while at Leavenworth, I met a young Chris Cox at a Gun show at KCI Expo Center. While discussing some (anti) gun magazine importation legislation Senator John Ashcroft was sponsoring at the time, I quickly discovered that he a pompous horses ass, who knew it all, and told you so. He really looked out of place, as well as out of touch with the regular folks at a Missouri gun Show.
I am not ready to towel yet and I am currently a Benefactor member. However, I did past over the opportunity the other day to become a member of the “Presidents Counsel”, mostly due the fact that I recently found out Wayne LaPierre salary is over 1 Million a year...
This is one of the biggest problems I have with SINGLE ISSUE organizations: Many of them are BLIND to the big picture.
In the case of the NRA, what the hell good will it do to keep our guns if THAT’S the last freedom tyrants like Harry Reid and his pals come to take. After another 50 years of government school indoctrination, a majority of the adults then will have been so thoroughly brainwashed that they’ll turn them in voluntarily, killing any chance to restore America, the IDEA.
And the saddest thing about that is that they won’t even comprehend what they’ve just pissed away.
“When an opponent declares, ‘I will not come over to your side,’ I calmly say, ‘Your child belongs to us already... What are you? You will pass on. Your descendants, however, now stand in the new camp. In a short time they will know nothing else but this new community’.”
Adolph Hitler Speech November 1933
Sad that the original aims of the NRA's founding organization got lost in marketing, fancy facilities and a willingness to cut deals to perpetuate its own hierarchy. I used to think that well-heeled Fudds who equated 2A with the privilege of buying duck stamps were the NRA's biggest problem, but it appears that beltway-itis was the more virulent disease.
Might I stick my cyberneck out and suggest you consider the Second Amendment Foundation? Alan Gottlieb is doing tremendous work. Also the various arms collector organizations are worth supporting after investigation, of course.
However, what has taken you so long?
The NRA has been giving money to Democrats for years and years, that's nothing new. It has also supported Dems who switched parties and challenged incumbent Republicans (with better voting records) in the Republican primary.
I dropped my membership in the '90s after being bombarded with pleas for money to help unseat the "anti-gunners" in Congress, which list included some of my favorites.
Let's face it: if the NRA didn't have a few Dems to complain about, their fundraising campaigns would lack the dazzle and spark and memberships would fall off. They do have expenses to meet just like a regular business: payrolls, travel, rent, postage (lots of postage, you bet!) and materials. Life members are expected to carry the load, whether they like it or not.
ANY democrat who has voted for an anit-gun speaker should NEVER get an NRA endorsement.
I think the NRA should re-evaluate their policy on who they endorse. The board of directors should get rid of Chris Cox, head of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action. Cox is weakening support for the NRA, hurting the cause, and will eventually hurt all of the other shooting sports that the NRA funds and supports.
I realize that the NRA is a one issue group, that's fine. So why do they support our enemies on that one issue?
These other pro-gun groups do very good work, but do they put their lobbyists in every state capitol building in the nation? Can they instill the same level of fear in a politician as when an NRA lobbyist says, "The NRA will support your opponent because of your anti-gun record?" I don't think any other group could come close.
The left wants to divide and conquer us. With the help of Chris Cox and NRA members who quit, they are succeeding.
From an NRA Life Member, 20 year volunteer for my local Friends of the NRA, and officer in my state's NRA affiliated association.
We too left a while back.
We are 100 percent conservative, not liberals who support the second amendment
Although I certainly understand your sentiment, it should be pointed out that all gun owners owe the NRA a major debt of gratitude. Just a few years ago it would have been unimaginable for gun owners to survive two years of complete Democrat control of the federal government without any major anti-gun bills being passed. The fact that some pro-gun legislation made it through under a filibuster-proof, ultra-liberal Dem majority is evidence of the NRA’s total dominance of the political debate on this topic. Although I too would like to see the NRA take a more principled conservative stand with their endorsements, they have earned my trust about how best to defend our firearm rights.