The NRA.....lets talk!

[nitrogen]

Remember the Media is about making money, not reporting the facts.

Which story makes more money?

1) OMG A WOMAN GOT SHOT WITH OMG BIG ASSAULT WEAPON HOW DID THIS HAPPEN???!!
2) A woman repelled a rape attempt with her handgun. Nobody was shot, and nobody injured or hurt.

**EDIT** #1 gets reported because it is more of a grabbing story.

It'd be nice if #2 did. Ooof.

[jimlongley]

I don't know much about other organizations. I thought this thread was about the NRA?

Maybe the SAF?

Actually your prior argument, that another organization would fill the void if there was no NRA kind of hoists you in your own petard. The points you try to make about the NRA could, would, and have, been said about GOA, SAF, and JPFO, as well as a pantheon of state organizations, so if there was no NRA, you would quite likely be complaining about one or more of those others.

Yes, members of a group tend to be parochial about the group, and most members see that group as being the best group to represent them or they would quit. Since they don't quit, and they feel that their way is the right way, then they have a tendency to proselytize, some quite aggressively, and to defend their group "Right or Wrong, but My Organization." This attitude prevails in every organization I have ever belonged to, from the volunteer fire department, to the American Bowling Congress, and the American Poolplayers Association.

I would argue that; if there was no NRA, or organization like it, or there was an organization much less powerful, as in the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association, the Australian Sporting Shooter's Association, and the British NRA, that gun ownership in the US, despite the Constitution, would have suffered similar fates.

[jimlongley]

Remember the Media is about making money, not reporting the facts.

Which story makes more money?

1) OMG A WOMAN GOT SHOT WITH OMG BIG ASSAULT WEAPON HOW DID THIS HAPPEN???!!
2) A woman repelled a rape attempt with her handgun. Nobody was shot, and nobody injured or hurt.

#2 gets reported because it is more of a grabbing story.

Don't you mean #1, nitro?

[flintknapper]

Remember the Media is about making money, not reporting the facts.

Which story makes more money?

1) OMG A WOMAN GOT SHOT WITH OMG BIG ASSAULT WEAPON HOW DID THIS HAPPEN???!!
2) A woman repelled a rape attempt with her handgun. Nobody was shot, and nobody injured or hurt.

#2 gets reported because it is more of a grabbing story.

Don't you mean #1, nitro?

I think he did, but this part made me have a flashback to diaper changing days.

#2 gets reported because it is more of a grabbing story.

[nitrogen]

Yes, I meant #1. I'm being a dummy today I guess.

[nitrogen]

Charles actually illustrates my largest point about the NRA and their current voice:

As said in the "Opencarry.org TargetsTexas" thread:

They have no patience for anyone who doesn't show 100% support for their position. Just reading their board makes that abundantly clear.

It's obvious to me that Charles is turned off from working with that group due to their rotten attitude.

And that's just people that fully believe in RKBA, with a minor difference in whats currently prudent.

You can only imagine how the NRA's current temperament turns off fence sitters. Heck, my membership lapsed for over 1.5 years, partly for financial reasons (not having a job last year) and then just due to the divisive tone. I finally came to my senses, but not everyone would.

I can only imagine what the NRA could accomplish if they worked up their image a bit...

[mr.72]

I don't really fault the NRA for their current image problem. I don't think they can change it, not reasonably anyway. The problem is that historically, the NRA has not been focused on RKBA. So there is a very old image of the NRA that still endures, which clouds the issue of RKBA.

I think it's the NRA that's sitting on the fence. They are divided because they have multiple goals that are related but nevertheless separate. So the sportsmen NRA members may not really support the RKBA and the 2A guys might not care about hunting. It would be better to split the organization into the old NRA, promoting shooting safety, hunter education, marksmanship etc., and some new organization with a clearly defined goal of only defending the RKBA, without the NRA's name attached.

That's my opinion as an outsider.

[John]

It would be better to split the organization into the old NRA, promoting shooting safety, hunter education, marksmanship etc., and some new organization with a clearly defined goal of only defending the RKBA, without the NRA's name attached.

We kind of have that with NRA-ILA http://www.nraila.org/ and i believe that you can contribute to NRA-ILA without actually joining NRA. Might be something that you would want to investigate.

Their Mission Statement is pretty clear:

“The NRA-ILA shall have sole
responsibility to administer the
legislative, legal, informational
and fundraising activities of the
Association relating to the defense
or furtherance of the right to keep
and bear arms…”

While the NRA-ILA still fights for hunting rights, it is not their mission to offer hunter education classes.

edited for clarity... had to quotes /quotes in the wrong places

[anygunanywhere]

I want the NRA to be as lustful for blood in the fight for the second amendment as the Brady bunch and their minions of orcs are in trying to confiscate my RKBA.

I want the NRA to be as forceful as a rabid journalism grad student defending the first amendment.

I want the NRA to be as immovable as a NOW chapter president screaming for the right to choose since it is a person's right to choose to keep and bear arms.

I want the NRA to be held in as high esteem by the media as a follower of lord BO screaming on the news that they want some stuff and money and firearms.

Anygunanywhere

[nitrogen]

I'd love to see the NRA debunk the Brady's crud on their website, pointing out EVERY TIME they use emotion or a logical fallacy in their writing.

Oh, and the NRA should stop using logical fallacies in their writings too, if they indeed do.

[bdickens]

The NRA is constantly debubking the BradyBunches lies, distortions and misinformation.

[nitrogen]

The NRA is constantly debubking the BradyBunches lies, distortions and misinformation.

I know they are constantly debunking them, but this is yet another way they can attack them. Debate geeks will love it.

[bdickens]

Unfortunately, most people do not respond to facts and logic, they respond to emotion. If you are going to win the fight, you are going to have to approach it from that angle. Do you want to be 100% logically correct, or do you want to win?

[WildBill]

I just received this email from the NRA. This type of email bothers me. I have been a Life Member for many years. Are they going to send me a new membership card? Why do I need a new membership card? Why must I validate my membership card? What does it mean if my card is validated? What happens if I don't validate my card?


**** Alert *** Alert *** Alert ****

Dear Fellow NRA Member,

In the next few days, you'll receive your new NRA membership card.

The moment you receive it, I urge you to validate your new membership card as soon as possible. More than ever, we need you to stand with NRA and fight to save our Second Amendment freedoms. ...

Because Barack Obama's campaign promise
not to take away our guns is a lie.

That's why we need the strongest possible commitment from EVERY NRA member, starting today. That's why I'm hoping you'll validate your new NRA membership card the moment you receive it.

Because our greatest strength is you.

[John]

Because our greatest strength is you.

I got that too. I feel empowered!!! I'm sure the validation will be a plea for money with various boxes to check for contribution amounts. The RNC does that as well.