Should I Join the NRA?

[LAGC]

I'm really torn on this, because I think the NRA does a lot of good in regards to promoting the Second Amendment and arguing for incorporation of it to the states and localities via the Fourteenth Amendment and what not, as their current push is. And the fact that they really reached out to pro-gun Democrats during this last election cycle speaks in their favor as well.

I'm already a big contributor to the ACLU, but I feel like I should be doing more as the ACLU neglects the Second Amendment in its otherwise stellar fight to preserve and uphold the Bill of Rights. My main reservation though is that while the ACLU doesn't actively campaign against the Second Amendment and for gun control (just tries to remain neutral on the issue) the NRA has and does support Republican candidates who are outright hostile to the rest of the Bill of Rights. I'm thinking of the scumbags who drafted the PATRIOT Act and support government eavesdropping without warrants and what not. I just hate to think I'm undermining what the left hand is doing by giving money to a group that supports so many Republican candidates. I also don't like their "enforce the laws on the books" mantra, as it only reinforces the shitty 1934 NFA and 1968 GCA and argues for the status quo.

Perhaps donating to just the NRA-ILA (legislative action wing) would be more appropriate, without joining the NRA proper?

[murielm99]

1. I've wondered the same thing.

Maybe we should see if there are any NRA members here, and what benefits they think they have as members.

Michael Moore is an NRA member

[jazzhound]

65. Michael Moore's connection to the NRA is bizarre in the

extreme, and entirely destroys his credibility IMO. His mockumentary "Bowling for Columbine" represents the most insidious form of propaganda. While he never lies outright, he leads viewers (esp. those predisposed to favoring gun "control") to the incorrect conclusions with sly editing, omission and juxtaposition.

Here's Dave Kopel's scene-by-scene disembowelment of Moore's "masterpiece":

http://www.davekopel.com/NRO/2003/Bowling-Truths.htm

[ZombieHorde]

2. I don't know very much about the NRA, but you could use the membership money to donate to

gun friendly Democratic candidates.

[Rhiannon12866]

3. I belonged to the NRA in my youth, but I would not join them today.

When I was in high school, I shot competitively, was on a couple of teams, and NRA membership was required to compete. I didn't think much about it at the time, but I was a card carrying member, as were all my teammates. However, the organization today is not my NRA. When I saw Wayne LaPierre arguing with the Police Chief of Miami about how cops on the street feel about legalizing assault weapons or Charlton Heston inciting crowds in Denver in the wake of the Columbine shootings, I realized that these are no longer my kind of folks, Michael Moore excepted. :-(

[Jackson1999]

20. Well hold on....

The Heston stuff was totally not what Michael Moore presented it as.

[Rhiannon12866]

29. Perhaps,

But I didn't see Heston as a kindred spirit to us. :-(

[PavePusher]

34. Wow. So a person who advocated every Civil Right in existance...

is not a kindred spirit with you?

I suggest that your spirit my be small and undernourished.

[Rhiannon12866]

39. Thanks for the PA...

Charleton Heston may have begun as a moderate Democrat, an early supporter of civil rights and presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson, among others. But in his later years he left the Democratic Party to become a conservative Republican and, as head of the NRA, took the movement to support the second amendment to the extreme, where it remains today under LaPierre and the RW. I only remember him from his later years. :-(

[eqfan592]

30. You are correct.

See my post 18. For those interested, I can dig up the link to where I found that info. Otherwise, there it is.

[MichaelHarris]

4. I also was

a member when I was young. There is no chance in the world I would give/donate to anything they supported now.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

5. I joined the NRA a few years ago. For the same reason that I joined ACLU

because I care about ALL of my civil liberties. All I can tell you is that after a year of reading their extreme, right wing vitriol, I concluded that joining the NRA to help preserve my second amendment rights was like donating to free republic to protect my 1st amendment rights.

The only good that I can see that came out of the whole experience is that the NRA spent more than my membership amount sending me shit asking me for more money.

[pipoman]

6. The NRA-ILA

supports candidates who have proven themselves to be pro-2nd Amendment through their actions and to a lesser extent through their statements, regardless of their party affiliation, which is more than can be said for the ACLU IMHO. I believe that the ACLU is inappropriately weak on the 2nd due to loyalty to politics at the expense of civil rights.

[HillbillyBob]

7. There is a liberal /dem gun organization

http://www.theliberalgunclub.com/


The mission of The Liberal Gun Club is to provide a voice for gun-owning liberals and moderates in the national conversation on gun rights, gun legislation, firearms safety, and shooting sports.

We serve as a national forum for all people, irrespective of their personal political beliefs, to discuss firearms ownership, firearms use, and the enjoyment of firearms-related activities free from the destructive elements of political extremism that dominate this subject on the national scale.

We also actively develop and foster a variety of programs for the purpose of firearms training and firearms safety education, for both gun owners and non-gun owners,

Frankly the NRA has gone off the deep end. I have an uncle who is up there in the hierarchy and a freind that worked in the marketing department..who have both quit ..and they were pretty right wing too.

[Jackson1999]

21. I looked into them, but....

Look at some of their positions and comments in the forums. More often than not they just seem to exist for bashing the NRA for everything, yet they give anti-gun orgs the benefit of the doubt if they disagree with the NRA.

[Taitertots]

26. Is this a joke or what?

"We will not support any proposed legislation which restricts the ability of Americans to acquire, keep, bear, and use firearms for sporting purposes, self defense, or the defense of our civil liberties, excepting wherein the legislation will have a demonstrable and effective impact on gun crime"
Any meaning from the beginning is totally erased with the enormous exceptions. That statement can easily be used to support any extreme restriction on firearms.

They should say "We will support any proposed legislation which restricts the ability of Americans to acquire, keep, bear, and use firearms for sporting purposes, self defense, or the defense of our civil liberties, if we feel the legislation will have a demonstrable and effective impact on gun crime"".

[Jackson1999]

27. Don't know if it is still there....

But they used to have on their site support for bans on mags over 10 rounds and support for up to 30 day waiting periods. The guy behind it has also posted against allowing concealed carry on campuses, and about 90% of guns in Mexico coming from the US.

Actually, he sounds like I did about 10 years ago--support any gun law that did not impact my personal shooting activities. I could still go shoot trap with my shotty, so restrictions on everything else were okay. Like me, I imagine he will eventually come around after he digs into the issues. For now it is pretty much AHSA/Brady party line.

[PavePusher]

35. They are an apologist group...

for anti-firearms rights organisations.

[safeinOhio]

8. If you look at some of the very crazy right wingers that they

support and back with your dues you'll get Palin and Bachman elected and kiss all of your other rights good bye.

[Euromutt]

9. As a member of the NRA (and the ACLU), all I can say is "meh"

I like to liken the NRA to the Boy Scouts of America; at a grassroots level, they impart useful skills, and there are certain perks to being a member (annual membership comes with $1,000 insurance on your firearms and firearm accessories), but the national leadership consists largely of a bunch of right-wing conservative fuckheads. And that's not going to change anytime soon; after a series of attempted coups in the 1970s and 1980s, the position of the Executive VP/CEO (i.e. LaPierre) has been made to be extremely resistant to any attempted ouster.

Sure, they're the 400-pound gorilla of gun rights organizations, and in the long term, it can't hurt for the rank and file to be more exposed to the idea that liberal Democrats are not, by definition, anti-RKBA, but even so, being a member requires a certain amount of nose-holding, and a damn sight more than being a member of the ACLU does. Buy or borrow a copy of Richard Feldman's book Ricochet and read it; it'll give you a pretty decent idea of what's rotten about the NRA. After reading that, it comes down to a cost/benefit analysis of personal ethics.

I would describe myself as a "reluctant member," and if it weren't for the fact that the NRA was giving out 5-year memberships at a discount during the 2008 presidential campaign, I don't think I'd have bothered. There are definitely advantages to being a member, but if you're looking to fight from within the belly of the beast, you're likely at best to achieve limited results over an extended period of time.

It's your choice. The most substantial thing I can tell you is that, as a liberal Democrat who is a member, I wouldn't hold it against you if you opted not to join. Frankly, the AHSA seems to be getting more serious about actually being pro-RKBA (as opposed to "take everything except my deer and duck guns"), and more getting more members who are interested primarily in securing the right to keep and bear arms suitable for defensive purposes might help guide them in the right direction.

[Tim01]

12. AHSA??? Are you serious?

Most gun owners would call that a pro gun control organization. And last I heard they had about 150 members.
I know they would be in favor of banning half of the guns I own.

[eqfan592]

23. You have good reason to think such things...

...but Euromutt is correct in that there have been some encouraging signs as of late that they are becoming a much stronger pro-RKBA organization now than they have been in the past. I wouldn't say that I trust them yet, but the head of Amendment II Democrats (http://a2dems.net/), an organization I do trust and support and recommend more folks support, has stated that they are on the right track.

If you do check out Amendment II Democrats, click the link on the front page to their facebook page, which is updated regularly.

[Tim01]

10. The NRA is only a pro-2nd amendment organization. The most important one.

They do not concern themselves with anything except what they exist for, gun rights. They will back any candidate who supports the cause of gun rights. And they are very very good at what they do.

Like them or not, they are the biggest and by far the most effective 2nd amendment rights organization.

[Euromutt]

31. Not entirely true, unfortunately

While I'd love to salve my conscience by telling myself the NRA is just about gun rights, and that the only reason it supports Republican candidates is because they're generally more pro-RKBA than Democrats, the fact is that the NRA does sponsor the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (http://www.cpac.org/).

[eqfan592]

32. *barf*

That's a big slam on the NRA, that's for sure. They seriously need new leadership.

[PavePusher]

36. Well, let's get the Democratic party apparatus...

to remove the gun-control items from it's platform and actions, and we'd wrap up the next few elections with a big flaming crimson bow.

[MichaelHarris]

43. blindness

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

11. NRA-ILA... you can't go wrong there. n/t

[dmallind]

13. Only you can answer, but I never have

Their token Dem endorsements (usually in races where the outcome is in no doubt at all) do not hide the fact that their politics are deeply right wing as a group. The benefits do not outweigh the harm. YMMV.

[eqfan592]

15. If the dems that they support are pro RKBA...

...then they are only "token" endorsements by the virtue of the anti RKBA stand that most Democrats hold. I'm not a huge fan of the NRA either, but they do hold true to supporting anybody who is pro RKBA, no matter what party affiliation, as well as for not supporting those who are against the RKBA, no mater party affiliation.

Unless you can point to an anti RKBA dem that they've supported, or a brok RKBA dem that they've failed to support, I don't believe your point has merit.

[dmallind]

16. How about a pro RKBA Dem running against a pro RKBA Rep?

Did any of them ever get the nod? The Dems are tokens because they tend to be either shoo-ins or no hopers. I have never seen an NRA nod go to a Dem in a competitive race where RKBA stances are even remotely equal. There is always some BS rationalization of why the Rep is more pure or more trustworthy.

[eqfan592]

19. Do you have an example of this you can point to? (nt)

[X_Digger]

22. Actually, yes, they have..

One of the Virginia districts, iirc, they endorsed the Dem with an A rating over the repugnican with a B rating.

One more criteria they use is that if two candidates have the same NRA-ILA rating, they'll usually stick with the incumbent (regardless of party affiliation) due to the fact that the incumbent is likely in a better position to take legislative action.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

24. They rate both of them and let the chips fall where they may.

[PavePusher]

37. Huh. Does the name Gillibrand ring any bells?

As in "sell out firearms owners immediately after taking office"?

[Ihaterush]

14. I would never become a member

There are two reasons I would never become a member. The first reason being that they are jerks (mostly carleston Heston). Like already stated before he held pro gun rallies I Littleton right after columbine and in flint right after another shooting involving first graders. The other reason I would not join is because there are some really nutty people how are in the NRA.

[eqfan592]

18. Sorry, but I think you have your facts mixed up.

The NRA did not hold any rallies in Littleton after Columbine. They did have an annual meeting a short time after in Denver, which was scheduled for some time previous, and they canceled everything but the annual members voting meeting, which could not be canceled because state law in NY (where their HQ is) states that not-for-profits MUST hold one annually.

Also, he did not hold a rally in Flint right after the Mt. Morris shooting. It was 8 months later, during the presidential race. During the same time Heston was there, Al Gore, GW Bush, and Michael Moore was there.

I bring up Moore because I'm assuming you got your impressions from Bowling for Columbine. Moore did a good job at "Fox Newsing" certain things in that film, as he's done in other films. I'm not saying he's totally full of shit, but his tactics do more harm than good at times to the causes he's promoting, IMHO.

[Jackson1999]

17. Naw,

Every time I get close...almost believing that they are a single issue org that is blind to parties, they do something stupid like honoring Sarah Palin with a custom rifle that tells me where their real allegiance is.

Was that really necessary?

[PavePusher]

38. Did she support firearms rights...

through a very tough/nasty election campaign?

Gosh, look at that, she did.

Had Obama and/or Biden taken a similar stance, that rifle would have had their names on it.

[Jackson1999]

40. Give me a break

So a failed Vice Presidential nominee gave lip service to firearms rights during a failed campaign, and she gets NRA honors. Harry Reid has done more for gun owners than Sarah Palin ever has.

I just saw this as a move by the NRA to reach out to their more right wing base.

[spin]

25. If you have an interest in the technical aspect of firearms ...

or the history of firearms, their American Rifleman Magazine is an excellent read. For example, their latest issue has a good article on the Winchester Model 70 rifle.

They often have worthwhile articles on hunting equipment and ammo and cover news of shooting events.

[aikoaiko]

28. I joined last year after much consideration....

Of course they are the biggest defender of the right to keep and bear arms in the country (albeit imperfectly as you noted).

Its true that the NRA is dominated by right-wingers, but that is the fault of Democrats who turned on the right to keep and bear arms issue. We gave them the high ground on this issue and its been a struggle to get it back ever since. But the tide has already turned and you see that in pro-gun rights stances of many Democratic politicians these days.

Ultimately, I was convinced to join when I observed that the NRA supports Democratic candidates when they are indeed better on the right to keep and bear arms than other candidates. Some people say that they only support a Democrat when the Democrat is assured victory. This is untrue. Some of them lose. More over, the causal relation may be the other way around -- pro-gun Democratics often win because of their positions on the right to keep and bear arms.

My biggest problem is the use of hyperbole or exaggeration to attack the candidate the NRA does not support. The Obama-McCain election cycle was a good example. The NRA came up with 10 anti-gun stances by Obama. They all had a kernel of truth, but many of them were dated references or extrapolations/interpretations/worse case scenarios from what was actually said. There was a more honest way to present Obama's anti-gun history.

The NRA applies pressure to the politicians, but ultimately it is the voters that politicians worry about more. Voters like me.

So I joined. And in another 3 1/2 years I'll be able to vote on board members where change can be implemented.

[Cobalt-60]

33. the national REPUBLICAN association ? no

I was a member once.
They thumped the tub for Republicans and whined endlessly for more money.
But that's not the most important reason NOT to join.
They constantly try to keep fear of confiscation high, that keeps the cash coming.
How long do you think it will take the fascists they support to get their membership lists?
Any NRA member is just about guaranteed to have a firearm.
When Republicans try to confiscate everyone's arms but their own they'll start with the NRA members.
Save your money for some less Republican organization.

[Callisto32]

50. You've got some serious "fear of the other" issues to deal with...

[Francis Marion]

41. Civil Rights organizations deserve support

NRA works to bolster our Second Amendment, and the allies of the Second Amendment. They gravitate toward their allies, as does any organization, in their work. What puzzles me is why so many Democrat legislators don't reliably support our gun rights. NRA/Democrat rancor is a function of legislative history, nothing more or less.

If Democrat legislators reliably affirmed gun rights, they'd find the NRA interested in working to keep them in office.

I think of the NRA as a civil rights organization, and am proud to be a member because I'm proud of the Bill of Rights. They're also one of our oldest competitive shooting organizations, and I participate in this.

They are not the only RKBA affirming organization, though.

There is the Congress of Racial Equality, which does some important work to draft amicus briefs in legal defense of our gun rights, steadfastly affirming our gun rights under Chairman Roy Innis:
http://www.core-online.org/index.htm


Also, Jews for the Preservation of Firearms,
http://www.jpfo.org/
Politics aside, they staunchly support the intent of the Second Amendment.

It's certainly possible to elect Democrats who support individual gun rights- wouldn't that be the preferred solution? It would win the allegiance of the NRA, and siphon NRA resources away from gun rights-affirming Republicans. Not to mention doing our Bill of Rights a good turn. So, the electorate is part of problem, too, by not requiring our legislators to protect the entire Bill of Rights.

[gorfle]

42. Absolutely.

The NRA is the single, most powerful, most feared second amendment advocacy group in the country, bar none.

The are single-issue, and they will endorse and support candidates from any political party so long as they support the second amendment.

Yes, it is sadly true that there are more Republican elected officials who support the second amendment than Democrat, and consequently the NRA supports more Republican elected officials than Democrats. But this is not the fault of the NRA, this is the fault of those candidates who have chosen their position on the second amendment.

The ACLU is a great organization, and I support them also, but they have a very clear disdain for the second amendment. Even after Heller confirmed the second amendment as an individual right the ACLU's support for it was still not there. I suspect this is because they do not wish to alienate their liberal funding base and sadly, as I mentioned above, the second amendment is mostly neglected by liberals.

The bottom line is this: if you wish to see the most powerful firearm-rights lobby continue to be one of the most feared and effective lobbies in the US Congress, then yes, you should join the NRA. In so doing you will be supporting all pro-firearm elected officials, regardless of party affiliation.

[SkiBum88]

44. Donate

I simply suggest you donate to help the NRA-ILA fight to restore the RTKBA.

[Naked_Ape]

45. Liberal gun nut here says "NO"...

I just sent my ACLU "thanks for renewing..." letter back in the NRA envelope. "Thanks for the postage!"

The NRA supports and encourages conservative Republican legislators and fosters the concept of a 'wedge issue' where there really is none. Talk to your representatives, make your voice heard, but as a Democrat.

[PavePusher]

46. Make sure your Democrat supports the Second Amendment..

wholly and without reservation, and they will get a top rating from the NRA.

But you knew that already...

[jazzhound]

52. I did just the opposite.

I sent copies of my checks to the NRA and California Rifle and Pistol Association to the ACLU in the postage-provided envelope they sent me with a note indicating that I'd be happy to pay membership once they support all civil rights.

You might see philosophical inconsistency in my minimum support for the NRA while refusing to support the ACLU with a minimum donation. You would be wrong.

While the NRA engages in some activities which I don't approve of, the ACLU engages in hypocrisy. Big difference.

[S_B_Jackson]

47. I've been pondering the same question....

actually joining my state Rifle Association, not the National association. My decision is keyed mostly to a desire to pick up at a significantly discounted price an M1 Garand from the Civilian Marksmanship Program. A quality rifle will cost about $500, provided I'm a member of a participating club...the easiest club that to join (and also least expensive) is the State Rifle Assn.

[onehandle]

48. Did you ever join the National Republican Advocates? nt

[SteveM]

49. Or he could have gone over to your side: Brady GOPers.

[Glassunion]

53. Yes, because...

The enemy of your enemy's enemy, is indeed the enemy of your enemy. But only if that enemy is an enemy of their enemy that you are also an enemy of.

[jazzhound]

64. Ummm.......will somebody pour me a drink? n/t

[jazzhound]

51. I joined the NRA and California Rifle and Pistol Association

this week, and the dishonorable and pathetic efforts to conceal the fact that gun crime has been on the decline in our nation for years from people in this discussion forum like you factored into my decision in a big way. In your particular case, I'm referring to the constant stream of content-free postings reporting incidents involving gun violence.

After roughly a year and a half of unemployment, I got the phone call I've been waiting for a couple of weeks ago ---- a job offer, which of course I accepted. One of the first things I did was send in a check to Amnesty International. By virtue of the fact that I donated the maximum legal amount to President Obama's campaign, as well as a large amount to the DNC, I'm on the mailing list of a number of liberal causes. Of course I also get shelled with solicitations from Democratic politicians and causes. The other day it felt really good to be able to drop a couple of bucks into the collection box of a local homeless shelter on my way into the grocery store. It's been depressing walking past these guys taking the collections for so long with just a sympathetic nod. As my bank account recovers, I look forward to donating to wildlife/habitat protection causes -- including one of my favorites: The Peregrine Fund.

But getting back to the issue at hand, I sent the minimum membership dues to the NRA with a note explaining that but for the political support they're giving to GOP causes I would have given more. So count me among those who support the NRA while holding my nose. I also sent two separate checks to the California Rifle and Pistol Association -- one for membership, with a little extra $$, and one to support their CCW reform fund. As it turns out, three cashiers checks fit perfectly on a 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of paper. I made a digital copy of the three checks to fit an 8 1/2 X 11.

I also sent a respectful note to the ACLU in their postage-paid envelope explaining that I would be happy to donate to their fine organization at the point in time when they support all civil rights -- and I enclosed copies of the checks I mailed to the NRA and CRPA.

To the large number of solicitation letters I received (and saved) from Democratic candidates and causes, I sent a form letter explaining that I couldn't provide financial support to any person/organization that actively engages in self-sabotage. My letter covered the basic points made on a regular basis by RKBA advocates on this forum, and again, copies of the checks to the NRA and CRPA.

But for the dishonesty from the pro-"control" members of this forum that I've witnessed over the past few months, I doubt that I would have been motivated to join these two firearm organizations. Given my belief that the Democratic Party has yet to "bottom out" (substance abuse analogy) on the issue of gun right/gun "control" I feel that my minimum donation to the NRA, and somewhat larger donations to the CRPA represents what is known in recovery circles as "tough love".

[PavePusher]

54. Wow! Not just food for thought...

That was a frikken' banquet.

[jazzhound]

55. Thank you very much PP. n/t

[Bold Lib]

61. Congratulations on getting employed again. I'm still waiting on my

phone call. . . Oh, and thanks for taking the time to give such a thoughtful post.

[jazzhound]

63. Thanks so much BL, and you are welcome.

My job is not in my industry of choice, but it provides a solid foundation for my studies and pursuit of work in my desired field. Best of all.........it's only 10 minutes (no freeway) from my pad. Feeling much gratitude lately.

Best of luck to you, and best wishes. I'm a codependent motherf*cker and I worry an awful lot about my friends. Wish it wasn't the case, but it is what it is............

[LAGC]

57. I'm still waiting to see who they endorse in the Nevada Senate race.

If they "show their true colors" and endorse Angle, all bets are off.

[jazzhound]

58. Are you certain that endorsing Angle would be a reflection

of their "true colors"?

Reid has an A rating from the NRA, and in the case of a "tie" they have a history of going with the incumbent, do they not?

Someone with more knowledge on this subject will be along in a bit I imagine............

[LAGC]

59. Well, that's why I'm waiting to see.

Reid should be the natural choice, for all he's done for the cause over the past few years. But if they DO choose Angle over him, just because she has flashier rhetoric when it comes to the topic of RKBA (or worse: they expect a Republican-controlled Senate after November, so they just want to "hedge their bets"), that to me would expose them as partisan shills for the Republican Party and lose all credibility in my eyes.

With as close as this Nevada race is, the NRA's endorsement could very well make or break it either way. So I'm really interested to see where they stand when push comes to shove.

[jazzhound]

62. Fair points, all.

If the NRA endorses Angle, it will be a deal-breaker for me. I'll immediately send them notice that my first annual membership payment will be my last.

I can certainly understand your skepticism, given the NRA's recent support of Putz & Schmuck.

[spin]

56. The NRA "proper" does a lot of good for the shooting sports.

I personally pay my membership dues to the NRA and rarely contribute money to the NRA-ILA or NRA-PVF. The fund raising activities of the political wings of the NRA have often pissed me off. All too often their propaganda is overboard.

I do support the activities of the NRA proper. You can view their programs at:
http://www.nra.org/programs.aspx

NRA, ILA and the NRA Political Victory Fund

The Institute receives some funding from NRA member dues, but its main source of revenue is derived from member contributions designated for legislative activity--ILA is not associated with any firearms or ammunition manufacturers.

***snip***

The fund-raising that sustains NRA`s legislative activities is conducted by ILA. Federal and many state election laws dictate that funds used to assist candidates for office must be raised separately, and that is the task of NRA`s political action committee--the NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF). Neither NRA member dues nor contributions to ILA can be used directly for the election or defeat of candidates.

Because of these clearly defined parameters, and because only a small fraction of ILA`s operating budget comes from regular NRA membership dues, both ILA and NRA-PVF must continuously raise the funds needed to sustain NRA`s legislative and political activities. The resources expended in these arenas come from the generous contributions of NRA members--above and beyond their regular dues.

While NRA doesn`t expect every member to contribute to every fund-raising mailing, the mailers do double as legislative alerts, providing important information that empowers members to take specific actions: calling lawmakers, writing letters or completing and returning postcards. Sending solicitations periodically allows NRA to keep its members informed on the issues and threats gun owners face, while attempting to accommodate individual member budgets.

Raising the tens of millions of dollars needed every year to defend Second Amendment rights is no small task. But, in order for NRA to meet the challenges gun owners face head on in the legislative and political arenas, it is a necessity.
http://www.nraila.org/Issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?id=186&issue=011

You just have to remember that the NRA is a single issue organization and they support candidates that are pro-RKBA and totally ignore their position on other issues.

I can understand why you feel torn. Before you donate, you might visit the sites for the NRA and the NRA-ILA and NRA-PVF. Reading about their positions will help you form your decision.

NRA:
http://home.nra.org/#/home

NRA-ILA:
http://www.nraila.org/

NRA-PVF
http://www.nrapvf.org/Default.aspx

[krispos42]

60. If I was in your shoes, I wouldn't unless I had to

Some gun clubs require you to be an NRA member or whatever to become a member of the club. Since club membership offers benefits, such as access to shooting events and the military-surplus arms of the Civilian Marksmanship Program, I would only join the NRA if I had to.

[Paladin]

66. Google "NRA Comic Book".......

....take a good, hard look at what turns up, then ask yourself why you would want to be part of a group that spews such right-wing filth.....

[PavePusher]

71. While they may have exagerated somewhat...

there was nothing in there based on complete fiction.

What parts do you particularly have issues with?

[Euromutt]

72. You mean the one they DIDN'T PUBLISH?

I'm willing to believe that the NRA commission the making of that pamphlet, not least because I've seen that particular artist's work in NRA publications, but the bottom line is, for whatever reason, the organization opted not to publish the pamphlet. Maybe they thought it went too far; who can say?

What's interesting is that quite a few results that pop up on Google are you telling people to Google for that pamphlet. Yet, you seem never to mention that the putative NRA pamphlet was never published. Are you wilfully obscuring that fact, or did your confirmation bias cause you to overlook it?

[jazzhound]

67. Never mind google.........keep hanging out here in the

Guns Forum and witness all of the hypocritical Left Wing filth that is hurled at gun owners. Then ask yourself if you're willing to allow these people to undermine Democratic agenda by pushing votes to the GOP via ill-constructed gun "control" and hatred.

[PavePusher]

68. While they may have exagerated somewhat...

there was nothing in there based on complete fiction.

What parts do you particularly have issues with?

[jazzhound]

69. Believe that you meant to respond to #66, PavePusher NT

[PavePusher]

70. Aaaargh! Stupid weak coffee.... Sorry 'bout that. n/t

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

73. Yes, you should.