I'm not a big fan of the NRA, but

[CrabbyAzz]

I'm still a NRA member because they are a voice for gun owners to protect our 2nd amendment rights and while far from being perfect, having a membership and supporting them is much better than doing nothing...The firearm insurance they provide is well worth the price of admission so that alone is reason enough to join up...

One organization I refuse to take part in is United Way as their main mission seems to be to expand their organization and to pay outrageous salaries to the officers of their so called charity....

I give to and support the Wounded Warriors and The Boy Scouts of America for all both organizations do for Veterans and the community...

No sir! Like unions they protect their own existance. Protecting your gun rights is just their narrative.

[Longitude Zero]

Whether you support the NRA or not is really irreleveant. However if the NRA had never existed none of us would posses firearms in the style we do today. That is inarguable FACT.

[JFootin]

it's not hard to understand. I can think of many reasons:

1. Fortunately one can own guns in the usa without having to join the gun union, a.k.a. The nra. We need the nra to protect that right? That's the same sales pitch used by the union bosses to justify their existence.

2. Once established, the main goal of virtually every human organization - club, church, political party, government, etc - becomes the preservation of its own existence and becoming bigger and more powerful, with paid officials, buildings, etc. I don't want to support their growth habits with my money. It's bad enough that our government gets bigger and bigger every day.

3. I have yet to find any organization that fully reflects my views on any subject, so i certainly don't want to give my money for someone else to use in support of things i don't agree with.

What it boils down to is that i don't want to be "used" by any organization for their own selfish purposes. I prefer to be selfish all by myself!

+100!:33:

[cohoskip]

You can bad mouth them all you want, but they (NRA) are still the biggest and strongest pro-gun lobby in D.C...

[Longitude Zero]

3. I have yet to find any organization that fully reflects my views on any subject, so I certainly don't want to give my money for someone else to use in support of things I don't agree with.

This sounds like to me the atitude that if you disagree with only 1% of a person/groups views you will not support it. If you think ANY organization will agree 100% of the time on 100% of your views you have a rude awakening coming.

I hope I am mearly misreading a mis-worded statement. For instance I do not agree 100% with Romney and his past activities. HOWEVER he is preferable to the alternative and I have the age/maturity to accept that NO political candidate will ever be 100% in agreement with me.

[muggsy]

I wish there were a way to get the bottom line real facts about the NRA. My father became a life member when he was fairly young for less than $100 and hounded me until he finally gave up. Since I read as much against them as for them and I'm simply confused.

Same with AARP. I understand they used to be strong conservative but now they seem to support everything I'm against.

So, I haven't signed up with either. Have to say I have leaned toward the NRA but for all the junk mail they send out. I did join AARP several years ago and they too sent what seemed like 2lbs a week of stuff.

Gee it must be me cause that's the same reason I stopped contributing to church ministry. I sign up for a small amount and they send me twice that in mailings begging for more. So I figure I'm doing my part by not joining and saving them all that postage.

There are two conservative alternatives to AARP. The ASA and AMAC. Both organizations are better that the liberal progressive AARP.

http://americanseniors.org/

http://amac.us/

[QuercusMax]

I hope I am mearly misreading a mis-worded statement. For instance I do not agree 100% with Romney and his past activities. HOWEVER he is preferable to the alternative and I have the age/maturity to accept that NO political candidate will ever be 100% in agreement with me.

If you choose to vote for Romney as the lesser evil even though you don't agree with him 100%, that doesn't mean that you must join and contribute to the Republican Party, right?

Although one of our major political parties tends to reflect my views much better than the other, I don't belong to either party or vote completely along party lines because I prefer to do my own thinking, and not let party hacks do it for me. In some countries they have simplified this process by only having one party.

[Longitude Zero]

True. It is not required but I do so anyway.

[AJBert]

I used to be a member of the NRA until they sent me a flyer telling me who I should vote for.

Plain and simple, I don't need anyone telling me who to vote for.

[CJB]

In case you haven't noticed, the NRA has a policy of endorsing the incumbent candidate over the challenger -- EVEN WHEN THE CHALLENGER IS A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN AND THE INCUMBENT IS A DEMOCRAT.

That is not entirely true. The NRA has a policy of endorsing clear 2nd Amendment defenders, regardless of their other political standing or beliefs. For instance, if you have (incumbent or not), a very pro 2nd Amendment candidate that is otherwise socially or fiscally liberal, they'll still put him/her forward over an overall (otherwise strong) conservative, whose 2nd Amendment stance is less defined, or clearly shaky.

The NRA is about the 2nd Amendment rights and freedoms. They are apolitical.

Because society and our media and social brainwashing has us join "social/fiscal liberal" with "anti-2nd Amendment", the picture can sometimes be mis-understood.

[CJB]

The NRA is just a huge fund raising organization stoking the flames of fear to ensure more prosperous fund raising. AARP has become just as guilty. Both organizations are only about themselves.

That, Sir, is a mis-statement, based on biased perspective.

When you look at all the good things the NRA has done for shooters, hunters, self defenders, enthusiasts, collectors, reloaders, dealers, sportsman, competitors, mom and pop, and the Constitution, you'll realize that it does take some money to do.

My own organization's lobbiest takes $50,000 yearly, to talk to Florida legislators. One man, fifty grand. The NRA hits 'em heavy, and make no mistake their lobbiests get more than a puny $50k to do their work - with offices and administrative and legal staff behind each lobbiest.

Shooting programs take money. The publications take money. Public range support, takes money. Hunters programs take money. Training programs take money. Competition takes money. And on and on and on. Yes, lots of volunteer effort, but... somebody pays for the materials, the facility use, the time and effort of non-volunteer staff (ie, range officers, security if needed, etc etc... the whole shebang).

Money makes the world go round.

[Longitude Zero]

That, Sir, is a mis-statement, based on biased perspective.

When you look at all the good things the NRA has done for shooters, hunters, self defenders, enthusiasts, collectors, reloaders, dealers, sportsman, competitors, mom and pop, and the Constitution, you'll realize that it does take some money to do.

My own organization's lobbiest takes $50,000 yearly, to talk to Florida legislators. One man, fifty grand. The NRA hits 'em heavy, and make no mistake their lobbiests get more than a puny $50k to do their work - with offices and administrative and legal staff behind each lobbiest.

Shooting programs take money. The publications take money. Public range support, takes money. Hunters programs take money. Training programs take money. Competition takes money. And on and on and on. Yes, lots of volunteer effort, but... somebody pays for the materials, the facility use, the time and effort of non-volunteer staff (ie, range officers, security if needed, etc etc... the whole shebang).

Money makes the world go round.

Amen, you are so very correct in your perspective on the issue and I agree with you here.

[Planedude]

I'll go +2 here.

If ALL the NRA did was lobby for the 2nd amd then the anti NRA-ers might have a point. I have shot in alot of competitions, been to a few trainning classes and helped at some safety sessions for children that were all done thru the NRA.
None of that happened without money. The NRA does alot more for all of us than just lobby.
That said, join or don't, as long as you check your areas politicians and vote for our rights...

[Jeremiah/Az]

I have been an NRA annual member since 1960. No, I do not agree with everything they do. They are certainly the most powerful lobby for gun rights.

I will never join AARP!

[yqtszhj]

unions protect their own existance.

Dang, you finally said something I agree with.

Unfortunately a lot of organizations that when started did a lot of good, now make more noise than anything else. I'm not necessarily talking about the NRA. Our government, even though it is the best in the world, can fit that description also. And they would come after our 2nd amendment rights if they could get away with it.