The National Rifle Association (NRA) has suffered from its own internal struggles as of late, as well as the optics, if not the actual facts, of its previous actions. Many of these issues have been due to recent events, but on a recent K-Var podcast, the NRA’s hand in gun control against blacks was also discussed. The NRA, as with any major organization, is far from perfect.
However, that is not to say its faults are so heinous that we need throw out the baby with the bathwater either. The Second Amendment is always under attack. One of the NRA’s biggest mistakes of the past, in my opinion, was its continued doom and gloom fear campaigns — “Give to the NRA or you will lose your Second Amendment rights!” While the NRA was never wholly wrong with its messaging, it failed to highlight its successes. Everything was, “all hope is lost without milking another donation.” What the NRA really needed to do was highlight as many political and legislative victories, and then ask for the next donation earmarking it for the set of political or court battles.
Notwithstanding the folly of the number of times the NRA has claimed the Second Amendment will fall without another donation or gun owners decrying the NRA’s (in my opinion) mismanagement of the dollars we have all given in the past, there is now a new voice that is being heard. It is from the anti-gun politicians, gun control advocates, and others who wish to weaken or abolish the Second Amendment. Their words are clear, “The NRA is weaker than it has been in decades and we need to pass gun control legislation before it regains its strength.”
The NRA is “not as powerful” as it was, Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.), who co-authored a bipartisan background checks bill with Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), said in a phone interview with The Hill on Monday.
A former House Homeland Security Committee chairman, King argued that if President Trump tried to push gun control legislation through Congress now, the NRA “won’t be as effective” in stopping him.
Each of us can debate the level of the threat to the Second Amendment and the effectiveness of the NRA. Likewise, we all have the right to decide when and where to donate our precious, hard-earned greenbacks. However, when the opposition is shouting that it needs to strike now, because the NRA is weak and the Second Amendment is vulnerable, it is time to take note. I am not talking about the NRA and its usual doom and gloom plea. I am talking about major gun control group touting the NRA is weak, so the Second Amendment is vulnerable. And for that, we should humble ourselves and look at the consequences of not shoring up our weaknesses before we do lose more of our Second Amendment rights.
I could pick apart the video and Wayne LaPierre’s message. He starts out saying the tragedies are “unspeakable.” The are multiple definitions to the word. I could play with them and point out that a conversation is exactly what we need. We need a national discussion. The anti-gunners are more concerned with the gun used than the murder or murders that were committed. But we also need a leading voice in that national discussion. The NRA does not have to be the leading voice in the discussion, but we do need the NRA’s influence and lobbyist power to protect the Second Amendment before onerous laws are passed that will render the rest of the discussion moot.
Do you support the NRA? If not, which pro Second Amendment group do you support and why? Do you support Universal Background Checks? Why or why not? Share your answers in the comment section.
Sign up for K-Var’s weekly newsletter and discounts here.
I’m a member of the NRA only because I received my NRA pistol instructor certification and I need that to teach Texas LTC classes. Otherwise, NRA is worthless because they have become part of the DC swamp. Gun Owners of America president has stated on Fox News that we will not support Trump if he signs ANY new anti-gun legislation. I concur.
The democrats (socialists) are at war with us gun owners and the second amendment. Again Ted Kennedy’s car has killed more people than any of my guns. Yet the leftists fear me an Eagle Scout , a veteran, a police officer and a gun owner. I not only support the NRA, but two other gun rights groups as well. It’s the equivalent of being at war and supporting the Army, Marines and Navy, but not the Air Force. We need to stand together now and stop the infighting before we find ourselves looking at an Australian/ New Zealand style gun ban and confiscation. ( stand for something or fall for anything )
Moan Abe
I am a Benefactor Life Member and I stand with the NRA. People who listen to all the negative garbage remind me of the anti-gun crowd. Most of the other groups for the 2nd Amendment act like sharks in a feeding frenzy the moment something negative is said about the NRA. In regards to the asking for money, ALL do the same. I gave to these groups until they began saying how bad the NRA is and why they are so much better. I will never understand why they can never come along side in support of every 2nd Amendment group. Of course there are those that have hate for the NRA for many reasons that I will not list or support. If these splinter groups, as I see them, do not stand with ALL of the 2nd Amendment groups, including the NRA who still has the strongest voice, we could very easily be on the outside looking in.
Very true. The in fighting needs to stop and we need to worry about losing our rights instead.
I’ve been an off and on member of the NRA for many years but like many other members I’m damn tired of the doom and glum and the constant milking of my paycheck with e-mails and letters of introduction and asking me to renew my membership when I’ve just paid a not so light membership dues a few weeks before… It seems like there is no accountability for NRA monies otherwise I wouldn’t get two or three letters a month.
I am also upset that the NRA doesn’t take more of a stand against items such as bump stocks, and the new trigger that firs a shot with its release, and now the new AR type non rifled pistol that has the groves instead of rifling so they can make another short barreled legal killing machine that they can slip by the ATF.
They should be against these types of weapons along with supporting Red Flag Laws along with very high fines and life time banning of ownership of firearms by people who advocate harm to others like mass shootings, walking into Walmart with armor and high powered rifles.
You damn right I’m a little PO ed at the NRA.
My disdain for the NRA came about as I was reading my email 8 days after sending in my yearly membership fee. Hee were begging me to join the NRA and offering me a hat if I would sign up today. I had been a member for two years at this time and had just renewed for my third year. My thoughts were that if they cannot keep track of who is and who is not a member how can they utilize my donations in a wisely manner. So I have let my membership expire. The in fighting and defections from the NRA,s own leaders have led me to this decision. They cannot care enough about their members to check to see if they are still current with their memberships before they start asking them for more money. The NRA needs a overhaul or they need to quit farming out their inner office work loads.
The NRA simply has not lived up to their promise. They protect and litigate on the side of corporate interests far more than individuals right to keep and bear arms. And they’ve done it on the sweat and blood of members and donors who believe these dirty lawyers and politicians are working for them. When they take a solid stand against NFA, the Hughes Amendment, any and all so called AWB’s, bump stock bans, suppressor bans, unconstitutional red flag laws, Domestic violence laws which ignore our right to due process, and illegal laws which directly infringe on our right to carry openly, concealed or otherwise whatever arms individuals deem necessary to ensure their own safety and well being in this failing, crumbling off the rails society, let me know. This all happened on their watch. It’s long past time to go on the offensive and take back our individual right to keep and bear arms. Nothing less will do.
Amen! Well said.
More than once, I have wondered as to exactly whose side the NRA is on. By the way, should anyone be interested, I’ve been a Life Member since the mid 1970’s.
I’ve been a loyal NRA Life/Endowment member for years but have grown tired of Mr LaPierre running the NRA like his own fiefdom and supporting his exorbitant salary and lifestyle. Board members are leaving left and right and we are left with no knowledge of what is going on within the organization. I have started giving my donations to GOA, the no compromise gun organization. Until Wayne LaPierre is replaced I have quit donating to the NRA.
Once the Democratic party takes away our Second Amendment rights will be just like any other communist country . you just can’t fix stupid !
I’m a Life Member and I also support SAF. I do hope the leadership of NRA can get their s__t together.
La Pierre needs to step down now. I will not support the NRA until he is gone. I have been a member for 41 years. The fraud has been verified. Get your act together NRA, before you are gone.
I’m a Life/Endowment member of the NRA, but have grown tired of Wayne LaPierre running the NRA like his own personal fiefdom. He lives like an emperor, buying 39K worth of suits at the expense of NRA members. His $ 1,500,000 annual salary is ridiculously high and we get nothing in return except pleas for more money. Until La Pierre is replaced, I’m finished donating. I’ve joined the no compromise Gun Owners of America instead.
Well it has been several weeks since this post first went up. There have been at least 2 democratic debates. By now all hunting and shooting enthusiasts have heard Beto O’Rourke tell US all how he is going to take our AR-15s and Ak’s from those that have done nothing illegal. The truth finally come out about their real agenda GUN confiscation. They’ll say they only want the assault rifles. Then next year it will be handguns. The year after that self loading shotguns etc etc. time to stand and fight support the NRA and other pro second amendment groups. If you don’t like the politics as status quo get involved and vote for a new NRA board. Make phone calls get active in NRA politics get your voice heard. But if you sit on the side lines and watch you’ll soon see you lost some of your God given constitutional rights. Stand for something or fall for anything.