What's with the NRA?

[bottlemaker]

5 cents on the dollar goes to their supposed purpose.

What's your plan to help in the fight for our 2 Amendments right beside *****ing about the NRA .I may not be happy with them but they are the only game in town so I support them in every way I can. As for their constant letters for money I give them what I can when I can than the letters go in the trash can .
At least they are doing something about defending our right the first thing out of the mouth of GUN CONTROL FREAKS is when there's a gun incident is about the NRA gun lobby and how they are going to take it down you can tell from this
who they fear not Joe blow that for sure. If your worry about your gun right you
need to continue to support them no matter how annoying their mailing is .
The old bottlemaker

 

[Joq867]

I agree and appreciate everything the NRA does for gun owners, but I was a member many years ago and will never join again because of all the junk mail. JMHO.

 

[hornadylnl]

There's a word for charities that run 80+% administrative costs. It's called Fraud.

 

[spec4]

The NRA exists in those states too, so what is your point? The NRA supported the NFA, portions of the GCA of 68, and failed to deal with the Hughes Amendment at the time.

To the original point of the post, GOA does the same thing asking you to reup immediately. Yeah the NRA has the most influence blah blah blah, but if they did suddenly disappear, another group would fill the vacuum.

If this whole thingis about prinicipal, then then NRA hasn't measured up and has taken actions and spoken words against such principal. If this is about your sporting activity or some lame notion of having a gun for self defense, that is fine but don't pretend like the Constitution has anything to do with those things.

The NRA is made of individuals, but you would never hear a higher up in another firearms orgianization suggest that machine guns should be illegal, or suggesting magazines should be limited to 5 rounds, or opposing a bill which prohibits firearm records from falling under the preview of the PATRIOT act.

Individual members have done great things obviously as range operators and safety instructors, but that all would have been accomplished by those same people under a more principled organization.


That kind of thinking worked out real well with the United States supporting the mujahideen in Afghanistan didn't it?

As far as being the group that the media always refers to, you are wrong. GOA has been on the front page of NYT and the director Larry Pratt, has been all over the new circuit. The NRA may be number one, but one so what? Myspace was number one 7 years ago and look at the situation now. Just because you are on top doesn't make you good and doesn't mean you can't be replaced with something better overnight.

My point is that I was responding to a post claiming 2A covers all of us. I have observed socialist states coming up with anti 2A laws. I never said the NRA was a magic genie who could erase all the anti 2A crap. If you don't like them, fine. As for me, they will continue to get my $35 a year.

 

[jcwit]

I agree and appreciate everything the NRA does for gun owners, but I was a member many years ago and will never join again because of all the junk mail. JMHO.

And you are unable to call a free 800 number to stop all the mailings?

I fail to see your logic. Unbelievable.

All the bitxxing is nothing more than a cop out.

 

[LarryC]

5 cents on the dollar goes to their supposed purpose.

I totally disagree, I guess you and I disagree with what is their "supposed purpose". I feel sure many of the "salaries" go to hard working personnel that do handle the NRA matches, research laws, recruit new members - etc. Certainly all the media (including the Forbes reports) are slanted heavily against the NRA (and us as members).

If you compare the salaries quoted against ANY CEO of like sized "business operations", you will find the salaries are a pittance of what they could receive!

How much of the "Salaries" are for the top lawyers that assist in many firearm related cases (and that are won). Certainly that is not "lobbying" costs, but is far more relevant to our retaining our rights. Try hiring a decent lawyer and see what it costs you to fight a case!

Their purpose - in my humble opinion - is to defend our rights, educate firearm owners (and the public), encourage new firearms owners. They keep us informed of liberal attacks against our laws.

And the biggest purpose is to maintain a "community" of firearm owners, believers in the 2nd Amendment. As a "community" we have a voting bloc that is regarded with fear by the liberals. Keeping us informed of the "grades" earned by politicians is valuable to me, as it is one of the main thing I use to vote for or against them.

I do get some mail from the NRA, doesn't bother me a bit, doesn't cost me anything to toss that which I am not interested in and read the rest!

If you feel that your money should be spent on ammo, guns and meals out rather than defending our firearm rights - hope that you retain the right to buy the guns and ammo.

 

[atvdave]

Started reading this thread from the start and was somewhat surprised when I saw some of the replies that were putting down the NRA. Reminds me of some little kid in the corner jumping up and down yelling "LOOK AT ME!", "LOOK AT ME!". Trying to draw attention away from the OP. If your getting too much email from the NRA, I'm sure there's an unsubscribe button at the bottom of the email. Usually is anyways. I've been an NRA member for a very long time. Pay by the year. Some years I donate extra, most years I don't. If you don't want to belong, so be it. It doesn't have to become a pissing contest.
This all boils down to one thing, the Second Amendment! If it wasn't for the Second Amendment we wouldn't be having these discussions.
If you don't belong to the NRA, that's your prerogative. They are the biggest organization fighting for our Second Amendment rights.

Best post yet... and spot on.


I get very little junk mail and no e-mails from the NRA. The junk mail I usually open and glance at as I like to know what their up to and then 95% of the time it goes right in the trash. I get more junk mail from other places like CC companies vs. the NRA by a 100:1 ratio.

I did learn one thing though.... I never knew that the NRA was a Charity?

 

[hornadylnl]

Best post yet... and spot on.


I get very little junk mail and no e-mails from the NRA. The junk mail I usually open and glance at as I like to know what their up to and then 95% of the time it goes right in the trash. I get more junk mail from other places like CC companies vs. the NRA by a 100:1 ratio.

I did learn one thing though.... I never knew that the NRA was a Charity?

Didn't say it was a charity. Just comparing frivelous admin costs.

 

[jcwit]

All this whining over mailings that are easily stopped with a FREE phone call or easily tossed into the trash.

Even if you dislike the mailings it gave jobs to U.S. citizens printing the mailings, and that is a good thing.

 

[TomN]

Yeah I don't understand all the whining about the junk mails. Is it causing people distress? Does the added weight carrying it from the mailbox to your table cause too much muscle strain? Is the effort of tossing it in the trash cause emotional distress? It's like you're offended that MAIL is actually being put in your MAILBOX! Seriously, just toss the crap out or spend 10 minutes to call the NRA and ask to be taken off their mailing list. And to those that disagree with the NRA concerning the way they use their money, you ARE doing other things to support our gun rights Right? Besides whining on a gun forum I mean. You're members of the GOA, or JPFO or some other group. Or you're a member of your local grassroots organization working to make others aware of the TRUTH about gun ownership? Because if there is any time that we need to fight it's now.

 

[Jordan]

I am a life member. I rarely receive snail mail from them. I get about 5 emails a week but am confident if I ever loose the ability to hit the delete key more than 5 times in a row, after reading the subject line, I can simply unsubscribe my email address.

I knew going in the reputation for junk mail any organization of size tends to come with. Until I start getting nightly phone calls (ex. FOP) I am not inconvenienced.

 

[MisterChester]

Tell that to the folks in the socialist states of CA, CO, IL, NJ,NY,CT,MD,etc.

Has the NRA been successful in these states? No. That is what I believe is the NRA's fundamental problem, they focus too much on the federal level and could care less about individual states with unconstitutional gun laws. They say they'll care but their track record in these states is terrible. Not totally their fault but they have an image problem.

 

[SERparacord]

Has the NRA been successful in these states? No. That is what I believe is the NRA's fundamental problem, they focus too much on the federal level and could care less about individual states with unconstitutional gun laws. They say they'll care but their track record in these states is terrible. Not totally their fault but they have an image problem.

If they really cared about States there would be Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground Laws.

 

[Beemer]

I called and asked them to only send my magazine and renewal notices, problem solved.

 

[charley59]

How much stuff do you get from the NRA? I am a regular dues paying member, and I get A LOT of e-mail and mail solicitations from the NRA. My son, age 23, and a Lifetime Member, gets almost nothing. Thanks to the link from jcwit, I will contact them and have myself removed from the junk mail list.

 

[JB357Mag]

Yeah I don't understand all the whining about the junk mails. Is it causing people distress? Does the added weight carrying it from the mailbox to your table cause too much muscle strain? Is the effort of tossing it in the trash cause emotional distress? It's like you're offended that MAIL is actually being put in your MAILBOX! Seriously, just toss the crap out or spend 10 minutes to call the NRA and ask to be taken off their mailing list. And to those that disagree with the NRA concerning the way they use their money, you ARE doing other things to support our gun rights Right? Besides whining on a gun forum I mean. You're members of the GOA, or JPFO or some other group. Or you're a member of your local grassroots organization working to make others aware of the TRUTH about gun ownership? Because if there is any time that we need to fight it's now.

Its VERY annoying to donate money to a cause and have them turn right around 2 weeks later and ask for more.

What part of that don't you get?

I don't think they will be getting any more of my money.

The nra is ungrateful for what I have given them, that's how I see it.

Jimmy

 

[revance]

They wouldn't spend time and money on it if it didn't work.

 

[BugI02]

There is also the concern about how much of the money we already give them is wasted on the cost of appeals for more money. I hit my limit prior to the last election when they or their lackeys were calling my house at dinnertime as much as five times per night from spoofed numbers that came up with no mention of who they were on the caller ID. I know it was the NRA because I backtracked the numbers through such sites as 1800Whocallsme. Since I am a member I didnt know whether to be upset they didnt sift their database to prevent preaching to the choir, or relieved that they didnt share their database if they were using a third party to make the calls. Either way I found it VERY annoying and think they should police their behavior and/or the behavior of their subcontractors. Of course I never answered any of the calls because dinner time is family time.

 

[jcwit]

There is also the concern about how much of the money we already give them is wasted on the cost of appeals for more money.

One more time the mailings are done by a marketing company with a portion of the take going to the NRA. This is done at no cost to the NRA, it a win win for both parties.

I realize this is hard to comprehend, but hey, it is what it is.

 

[Pinchaser]

Ever since I joined a few months ago Im getting constantly
asked for more money.

Its getting quit ridicules, I even had to spam them because of the constant emails.

I get letters every other week for something with a money request.

They need to spend more time and money on our cause instead of constantly hitting up current members for more cash. Heck I got a letter 2 weeks
after I joined for more cash. Give it a rest!

Jimmy

Instead of posting here, contact the NRA and tell them. Give them ONE chance to take you off the attack list. If they don't, never give them another dime. If you still continue to get mail from them, and you get a solicitation with a postage-paid, return envelope, put as much in it as you can (old paper, newspaper, etc.) and also put a sticky note with your name and membership number inside. Tell them that's what they will get each time you get a mailing. I did that in about 2003 and have never heard from them since. The poster above has a marginal knowledge of marketing efforts. Yes, a fulfillment house does the work and yes, they use suppression lists that both they and the NRA can provide. If you put forth a little effort, directed at the NRA, they will quit bothering you. It just takes some work.