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Help re: NRA

MPinkstonMPinkston Member Posts: 799 ✭✭✭✭
edited May 2002 in General Discussion
HELP!

I'm an annual member, most of the time. I try, I realy do but sometimes my wife the "frugle one" grips about the dues and that she doesn't agree with everything that they stand for. Where can I obtain recruting type info that I can use on the wife to convince her that the good far out weighs the bad?



aguncollector@yahoo.com
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Comments

  • salzosalzo Member Posts: 6,396 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Define "the good that outweighs the bad".

    Happiness is a warm gun
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  • MPinkstonMPinkston Member Posts: 799 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    That's exactally what I need to know!

    aguncollector@yahoo.com
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  • daddodaddo Member Posts: 3,408
    edited November -1
    The GOOD is that if weren't for the NRA, right now, at this moment, all guns would probibly have to be registered if you had any at all.
    As with any organization, you will not agree on all the things they do, however; when can you make all the people happy all of the time? Who else do we have?
    The BAD part? There aren't enough members!
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  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    No problem, M --

    Here are a couple of interesting links, first of all:

    www.nra.org

    and

    www.nraila.org

    Tell your wife this is my favorite giving program, whether it's technically a tax deductible charity or not. There's no better use for my giving dollars, personally speaking. Not only is the NRA the largest training organization for shooters in general, but they have the Eddie Eagle education program for gun safety for kids. The NRA provides helpful literature including pamphlets on the entire federal firearms laws, the gun laws in each of the 50 states, and the interstate transportation of firearms, just for starters. You also get a magazine subscription for free that is equal to subscriptions costing at least $19.95 a year elsewhere. The web sites will have a lot more "ammunition" for you. Tell her patriotism is action, and you like the statement membership in the NRA makes. Then, buy a few stickers to put on your mail and maybe a license plate frame for your car, and put that membership on more active "speaking out" basis. She may feel better viewing you as an active member by virtue of your participation in support of an important American freedom. I sure wish I had the bucks for a James Madison upgrade right now, but I can't swing it. I'm looking to do more for them, not less. The media guide page on the web site alone is worth the price of admission, putting you in touch with all your congressmen, the President, and the regional and national media with one click of an e-mail button. That's pretty powerful stuff.

    - Life NRA Member
    "If dishonorable & cowardly men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878

    Edited by - offeror on 05/24/2002 15:27:59
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  • salzosalzo Member Posts: 6,396 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    And to see the other side of the coin, go to
    www.gunowners.org

    Happiness is a warm gun
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  • HighballHighball Member Posts: 15,755
    edited November -1
    " Working to preserve the Second Amendment "......might better be described as ' WORKING TO FORCE GUN CONTROL DOWN OUR THROATS IN PALATABLE CHUNKS...a little at a time....."
    go back in the archives,I think Josey1 or somebody put a lot of info on this board,telling the real truth about the nra.....

    God,Guts,& GunsHave we lost all 3 ??
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  • MPinkstonMPinkston Member Posts: 799 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the info. I'll become more knowledgable on the subject for the next renewal.

    aguncollector@yahoo.com
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  • salzosalzo Member Posts: 6,396 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    ..hopefully knowledgable enough to realize you should not renew

    Happiness is a warm gun
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  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 51,593 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I see it this way: There is a lot of what the NRA stands for I do not like. I think they are mostly a fund raising organization, and I think several exec.s, like LaPierre get paid millions too much. I think they are an extreme right wing organizations and I don't like that. But, I think it is justified by the extreme stand of the anti gun crowd and by the activities of the anti-gunners. I don't have to like it, but they are what we have. The alternative is join nothing and have the antis win or join the antis.
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  • salzosalzo Member Posts: 6,396 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    HEDOG- "An extreme right wing group?"
    -you have to be kidding.

    Happiness is a warm gun
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  • GreenLanternGreenLantern Member Posts: 1,647 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Instead of renewing annually, sign up for something like the 3 year option and then show her how much you're saving. You know how women like to save money and get 'deals'.
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  • Shootist3006Shootist3006 Member Posts: 4,171
    edited November -1
    He Dog, to repeat what salzo said
    YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING

    Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis
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  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I prefer to think there are no "sides" among gun rights advocates, unless one wishes to carve out radical militia groups. But I'm grateful to BOTH mainstream organizations the NRA and the GOA for their aggressive mail campaigns which helped us defeat anti-gun Republican Primary candidate Paul Helmke for the Norteast Indiana (3rd District) seat in the House of Representatives on May 7. Divide and conquer, boys. Let's try a little harder to like our lobbyists... The NRA has done a lot of good things -- as mad as they make the antis, they are probably more effective than some of us believe they are in foiling efforts at additional gun control.

    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878
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  • MPinkstonMPinkston Member Posts: 799 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    When that jerk off LaPierre called the BATF a bunch of Jack-booted thugs, the wife lost all respect for them. She works in the US District Court system and had an office next door to the BATF folks until the moved out. She knew many agents and I even met a few, and all seemed very nice.

    So, to sell this point, I can not use the 2nd ammendment argument, period! She believes that our gun rights would be no different without the NRA. To sell this idea, I'm going to have to show how they help youth, women, hunters, etc. How much of that do they realy do compared to their political efforts?

    aguncollector@yahoo.com
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  • mudgemudge Member Posts: 4,225 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yeah...The NRA is the BIG DOG in the fight. There are others though. Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep an Bear Arms. (CCRKBA). Both are godd. They don't pack the punch that the NRA does. I thought about sending them my Life Member card a few times until it was pointed out to me (by the troops on this forum) that the alternatives were even less desireable.
    Mudge the educable

    I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS!
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  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The NRA is very big on both youth and women's shooting; in fact Tanya Metaksa has been one of the NRA's best and most outspoken officers. The idea that we'd have just as many gun rights without the NRA is silly, but I wouldn't tell her that if I were you given her current opinion. Next gun show, pick up some literature at the NRA table. That should help some.

    Gun banners don't like anyone learning anything about guns. Therefore they are not impressed with the many NRA educational programs -- but there have been lots of them, and the NRA is a champion of gun safety. They also promoted the instant background check as an antidote to the Brady people's interminable waiting periods, and the NRA has supported stronger penalties for gun-toting felons. Since the true gun banner will not be happy until there are no guns for citizens, period, none of this makes an impression on them. That's how radical they are. In fact, they are so extreme that 9/11 does not make any difference to their position that guns in the hands of citizens do more harm than good.

    I'd say we are very lucky that Gore and the gun banners are NOT in the White House right now. I believe gun rights help keep America strong, and that if and when guns are misused, on purpose or by accident, it is unfortunate, but it is the price we pay for our freedom, and worth that price. Many men have paid in blood in hopes that we would keep these rights. I choose to do my part to see that we keep as much of these rights intact as we possibly can, given that they've already been eroded by some 20,000 restrictive gun laws in this country.

    - Life NRA Member
    "If cowardly & dishonorable men shoot unarmed men with army guns, the evil must be prevented by the penitentiary...and not by general deprivation of constitutional privilege." - Arkansas Supreme Court, 1878

    Edited by - offeror on 05/24/2002 18:08:51
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  • gskyhawkgskyhawk Member Posts: 4,773
    edited November -1
    Mpinkston: I'm not tring to be a smart a** but just be a man and tell your wife that you're going to be a member whether or not she likes it



    Edited by - gskyhawk on 05/24/2002 19:29:15
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  • idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Wayne LaPierre is a *? Hmm...I thought the term "jack booted thugs" was rather generous considering what Randy Weaver might call them.
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  • gskyhawkgskyhawk Member Posts: 4,773
    edited November -1
    idsman75: couldn't agree with you more
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    MPinkston, log on to the NRA site & take a look at all the programs they run for youth, the disabled, women, etc. Then you might mention that the NRA was one of the few groups stereotyped as WASPS which was actually *doing* something to help blacks in the South prior to all the Civil Rights legislation, etc. - by going in & teaching them how to shoot & defend themselves from the boys in the hoods. Something that the anti's conveniently forget when they attempt to paint us as right-wing nut cases. I'm glad your wife met some good guys at ATF; it must have been an isolated pocket, but still nice to know that they aren't *all* (twenty lines of off color language deleted).
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  • daddodaddo Member Posts: 3,408
    edited November -1
    What if there were no NRA? Would all of us do the job? I think not!
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  • MPinkstonMPinkston Member Posts: 799 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    OFFEROR.....thanks for some meat! That is exactly what I need. More history and details, meat, meat, meat. Ya'll are great!!!!!

    IDSMAN......I may be naive but some of these horror stories we hear about what the BATF has done now are one sided or slanted. BATF may not tell their side because of an ongoing investigationinto the situation and the action of its people.

    GSKYHAWK....I may be a sorry sack of * but I love and respect my wife. She's smart, hardworking and brings in darn near half the bacon. There was a time when she made half again as much as me. Not that this should make any difference but when out dishwasher went out, she replaced the water pump. We are equal.

    aguncollector@yahoo.com
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  • idsman75idsman75 Member Posts: 13,398 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ask your local gun dealer what he thinks about the BATF (you know, the guy who makes a livelihood of facilitating your ability to exercise your 2nd Ammendment rights).

    SSG idsman75, U.S. ARMY
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  • gskyhawkgskyhawk Member Posts: 4,773
    edited November -1
    Mpinkston: Like I said I'm NOT trying to be a smart *, nor did I call you any type of name ,,, its just that I feel that neither the man or the woman needs to get permission from their spouse to make these types of small expenditures, and yes my wife of 17 years read this and agrees with what I'm saying, I'm only trying to say that yes when you say your wedding vows you become a couple but as a couple people need to remember to remain individual also. Neither one should dictate on such small money matters. My wife and i don't always agree but we remain flexible enough to at least try to understand the others point of view.
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  • gruntledgruntled Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Explain how much you can save by getting a life membership.
    The cost will just keep going up & in the long run it is much cheaper.
    I paid $100 thirty-six years ago. That was a lot of money to me then but I think everyone would agree it worked out pretty good.
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  • 25-0625-06 Member Posts: 382 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    MPinkston, urge your wife to let you join as a life member and show her the money you will save over the years, instead of buying an annual membership. You will get to vote for the Board of Directors, also, and in a small way that helps decide who runs things. Mention the Eddie Eagle program which teaches young school kids what to do when they see a gun, the Hunter's Safety Courses they sponser and teach each year, the 4-H training and shooting programs they have and finally the Whittiington Center, which is ran from donations and not dues money. It is one of the premier shooting ranges in the US.
    I also do not agree with everything they do, but no organization, no matter how large or small can please everyone. I am an Endowment member of the NRA and a Life member of the Citizens Committee to Keep and Bear Arms. I try to give as much in donations to each every year and also give equally to the Whittington Center of which I am a Founders Club member. I try to recruite as many members as I can every year. It does not make any difference what organization you join, but join at least one and help fight the antis.
    I have to disagree with your wife's assement of the situation. I think we would have registered guns at the very least, and probably no handguns if it were not for the progun organizations. I am sure that there are some nice people in the BATF, but I think you would agree that the BATF has committed some real blunders and atrocities over the years, and many of the ones that committed these acts have went unpunished, and several were promoted. In regards to some of these incidents I thought jack booted thugs was being polite. If you have children and a small pet dog, ask your wife what she would do if some BATF agent stomped your little dog to death right in front of her and her children? I certainly do not want to cause trouble between you and your wife, I am just using this to illustrate that some bad things have happened in the past. Hopefully, those days are behind us. Just think of the polictical clout we could have if all gun owners joined a pro gun organization and wrote letters to Congress and the President, and voted.
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  • Evil ATFEvil ATF Member Posts: 1,195 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    "IDSMAN......I may be naive but some of these horror stories we hear about what the BATF has done now are one sided or slanted. BATF may not tell their side because of an ongoing investigationinto the situation and the action of its people."

    I've only been an FFL for a year now and I could tell you several interesting tales about the practices of BATF agents based out of my state.



    Stand And Be Counted
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