Reuter's story undermining the NRA

[Andrew]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/ ... 8320130203" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Have you been denied membership in a club due to your refusal to join the NRA? I've been a member since '74, wasn't aware that this was a membership "tactic".

[mr surveyor]

my club/range requires NRA membership, and we number over 1500 members. I see no problem with private clubs setting their own membership standards, and apparantly quite a few of us in East Texas have no problem with it either.

what's the issue again?

[anygunanywhere]

I guess there are those who want the benefits of freedom but are unwilling to do what is necessary to maintain or contribute towards csuccessful defending of said freedoms.

Anygunanywhere

[baldeagle]

The comments from the bozo with VPC were particularly hilarious.

Gun ownership has fallen sharply from 54 percent of U.S. households in 1977 to 32 percent in 2011, according to the University of Chicago's General Social Survey. In that context - and amid calls for new restrictions on guns - it's important for the NRA to show that its membership is rising, said Josh Sugarmann, executive director of the Violence Policy Center, a gun-control group.

"It's in the NRA's interest to show that although gun ownership is decreasing, their membership is rising. They can't in any way be interpreted as a fading movement in a political context," Sugarmann said.

The NRA did not respond to several requests for comment.

That's because Sugarmann's comments weren't worthy of a response. We're in the midst of a massive buying spree of guns and ammo, and this bozo want's us to believe the gun ownership is declining?

The 32 percent number is an outright lie. Looking at the latest Gallup poll - http://www.gallup.com/poll/150353/self- ... -1993.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - household gun ownership is down 3% from 1991 and has risen 7% since Obama took office. The lowest it's been since 1991 is 40%, not 32%.

NRA membership? Heh. If responses on this board are any indication, membership is clearly growing. And why wouldn't it? When the 2nd Amendment is being so clearly threatened, people are not put off by the media's description of the NRA as a hard core anti-gun control activist group.

[O6nop]

The comments from the bozo with VPC were particularly hilarious.

Gun ownership has fallen sharply from 54 percent of U.S. households in 1977 to 32 percent in 2011, according to the University of Chicago's General Social Survey. In that context - and amid calls for new restrictions on guns - it's important for the NRA to show that its membership is rising, said Josh Sugarmann, executive director of the Violence Policy Center, a gun-control group.

"It's in the NRA's interest to show that although gun ownership is decreasing, their membership is rising. They can't in any way be interpreted as a fading movement in a political context," Sugarmann said.

The NRA did not respond to several requests for comment.

That's because Sugarmann's comments weren't worthy of a response. We're in the midst of a massive buying spree of guns and ammo, and this bozo want's us to believe the gun ownership is declining?

The 32 percent number is an outright lie. Looking at the latest Gallup poll - http://www.gallup.com/poll/150353/self- ... -1993.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - household gun ownership is down 3% from 1991 and has risen 7% since Obama took office. The lowest it's been since 1991 is 40%, not 32%.

NRA membership? Heh. If responses on this board are any indication, membership is clearly growing. And why wouldn't it? When the 2nd Amendment is being so clearly threatened, people are not put off by the media's description of the NRA as a hard core anti-gun control activist group.

I don't know how legit the findings are, but judging by some posts I've seen on this forum, many gun owners are making claims that they no longer own guns for the purposes of not being harrassed by government or nosey reporters or neighbors, etc. I know it's mostly sarcastic but a lot of gun owners seem to have lost their guns in boating mishaps and various other accidents.
Is it possible that people are becoming more wary of being outspoken about owning guns? I, for one, am usually careful about who I tell about my possessions. I surely wouldn't freely offer that to some pollster or survey taker.

[Charles L. Cotton]

The comments from the bozo with VPC were particularly hilarious.

Gun ownership has fallen sharply from 54 percent of U.S. households in 1977 to 32 percent in 2011, according to the University of Chicago's General Social Survey. In that context - and amid calls for new restrictions on guns - it's important for the NRA to show that its membership is rising, said Josh Sugarmann, executive director of the Violence Policy Center, a gun-control group.

"It's in the NRA's interest to show that although gun ownership is decreasing, their membership is rising. They can't in any way be interpreted as a fading movement in a political context," Sugarmann said.

The NRA did not respond to several requests for comment.

That's because Sugarmann's comments weren't worthy of a response. We're in the midst of a massive buying spree of guns and ammo, and this bozo want's us to believe the gun ownership is declining?

The 32 percent number is an outright lie. Looking at the latest Gallup poll - http://www.gallup.com/poll/150353/self- ... -1993.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - household gun ownership is down 3% from 1991 and has risen 7% since Obama took office. The lowest it's been since 1991 is 40%, not 32%.

NRA membership? Heh. If responses on this board are any indication, membership is clearly growing. And why wouldn't it? When the 2nd Amendment is being so clearly threatened, people are not put off by the media's description of the NRA as a hard core anti-gun control activist group.

I don't know how legit the findings are, but judging by some posts I've seen on this forum, many gun owners are making claims that they no longer own guns for the purposes of not being harrassed by government or nosey reporters or neighbors, etc. I know it's mostly sarcastic but a lot of gun owners seem to have lost their guns in boating mishaps and various other accidents.
Is it possible that people are becoming more wary of being outspoken about owning guns? I, for one, am usually careful about who I tell about my possessions. I surely wouldn't freely offer that to some pollster or survey taker.

You're right, gun owners are far less likely to tell a pollster, doctor, or anyone else that they own firearms. This tendency began in the 1970's and it has grown ever since. We know the number of people who own guns has increased steadily and dramatically over decades and gun sales figures tend to support this belief.

Chas.

[Charles L. Cotton]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/ ... 8320130203
Have you been denied membership in a club due to your refusal to join the NRA? I've been a member since '74, wasn't aware that this was a membership "tactic".

What "tactic" and by whom?

PSC Shooting Club, Inc. is a 100% NRA club meaning all Members must be NRA Members. We even make sure their NRA Membership runs through the entire PSC Membership year (July 1st through June 30th). We had less than 10 people refuse to join or renew because of the Club's policy and we haven't missed them a bit.

This is our Club's policy, not something the NRA could or did mandate.

Chas.

[The Annoyed Man]

As far as I can recall, Dallas Pistol Club requires NRA membership......or it used to. I haven't gotten my renewal papers yet for this year.

[anygunanywhere]

So does PSC.

The requirement to be an NRA member is spot on.

Anygunanywhere

[O6nop]

One of the clubs I am a member of is Austin Rifle Club. They do not require a NRA membership to join. They are a private non-profit [/i. Also, despite that, if I'm not mistaken, I do believe they regularly host NRA sanctioned events and competitions, and are NRA approved for safety requirements for range construction, so I don't think that is a requirement. Their basic requirement is that you must have a background check to join. So, if you can own a gun you can join.
ARC would hate to see the lost revenue, if any, by imposing a requirement like NRA membership.

So does PSC.

The requirement to be an NRA member is spot on.

Anygunanywhere

Just out of curiosity, what would be the advantage of requiring a NRA membership over just a policy to encourage it?

ETA - quote

[Andrew]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/ ... 8320130203
Have you been denied membership in a club due to your refusal to join the NRA? I've been a member since '74, wasn't aware that this was a membership "tactic".

What "tactic" and by whom?

PSC Shooting Club, Inc. is a 100% NRA club meaning all Members must be NRA Members. We even make sure their NRA Membership runs through the entire PSC Membership year (July 1st through June 30th). We had less than 10 people refuse to join or renew because of the Club's policy and we haven't missed them a bit.

This is our Club's policy, not something the NRA could or did mandate.

Chas.

The article implies that the NRA uses incentives to gun clubs to coerce their members into joining the NRA. Let me restate my question, "Is NRA membership an issue for anyone?" It's not an issue for me(long time member) and I wasn't aware that requiring NRA membership was an issue for others.

[Charles L. Cotton]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/ ... 8320130203
Have you been denied membership in a club due to your refusal to join the NRA? I've been a member since '74, wasn't aware that this was a membership "tactic".

What "tactic" and by whom?

PSC Shooting Club, Inc. is a 100% NRA club meaning all Members must be NRA Members. We even make sure their NRA Membership runs through the entire PSC Membership year (July 1st through June 30th). We had less than 10 people refuse to join or renew because of the Club's policy and we haven't missed them a bit.

This is our Club's policy, not something the NRA could or did mandate.

Chas.

The article implies that the NRA uses incentives to gun clubs to coerce their members into joining the NRA. Let me restate my question, "Is NRA membership an issue for anyone?" It's not an issue for me(long time member) and I wasn't aware that requiring NRA membership was an issue for others.

I don't know everything about our club programs, but I don't believe 100% NRA clubs get any special benefits. Range/club grants are limited to a maximum of $5,000, not the tens of thousands of dollars stated in the article. At least three years ago, the NRA dropped NRA membership as a requirement to participate in NRA matches, so the implication the club's juniors can now compete only because the club became a 100% NRA club is false.

Again, I'm on the NRA Board, but I'm not on the Clubs & Associations Committee so I'm hardly a good resource on benefits available, beyond what what I'm mentioned. I can say that my club, PSC Shooting Club, Inc. has never received one single direct benefit for being a 100% NRA club. The benefit we see is supporting the NRA so we can continue to own and use firearms.

Chas.

[Dragonfighter]

Two points if I may:

1) Free enterprise. What's it to us if a club requires NRA membership as a prerequisite. If one doesn't agree, spend the money elsewhere.

2) I see little wrong with a shooting club requiring membership to an organization that protects their right to exist and pushes safety and firearms education to its membership. Win, win.

[anygunanywhere]

One of the clubs I am a member of is Austin Rifle Club. They do not require a NRA membership to join. They are a private non-profit [/i. Also, despite that, if I'm not mistaken, I do believe they regularly host NRA sanctioned events and competitions, and are NRA approved for safety requirements for range construction, so I don't think that is a requirement. Their basic requirement is that you must have a background check to join. So, if you can own a gun you can join.
ARC would hate to see the lost revenue, if any, by imposing a requirement like NRA membership.

So does PSC.

The requirement to be an NRA member is spot on.

Anygunanywhere

Just out of curiosity, what would be the advantage of requiring a NRA membership over just a policy to encourage it?

ETA - quote

What Charles said.

You value your RKBA?

Join the NRA.

Anygunanywhere

[GrillKing]

The benefit we see is supporting the NRA so we can continue to own and use firearms.

Chas.

Bingo!