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Should I renew my NRA memebership?

sharkey

sharkey

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2010
Messages
1,064
Location
Arizona
You can be successful without being "reasonable". Look at AZCDL. Unfortunately, they're state, not national.

I've been considering writing that check to the NRA myself, even though I consider them compromised.


EMNofSeattle said:
To be honest, there's only TWO gun rights organizations I support

the National Rifle Association and the Second Amendment Foundation.

Regardless of my complaints with the NRA, they ARE the number one gun rights group like it or not, they have worked vehemently to HOLD THE LINE since the mid-1980s. if it wasn't for the NRA I doubt FOPA would've been passed and we'd have England-like gun laws. The NRA has political connections and knows how to win elections and install the correct representatives. The NRA does this by adopting the "mainstream" "reasonable" approach, I'm sorry, but how effective do you think the NRA would be if they went around talking about "watering the tree of liberty" or "the second american civil war" and "gun control people are like hitler" rightly or wrongly those arguments make you look like a nut and advance the cause of gun control. Wayne Lapierre may be a shrewd fellow, but he's a shrewd fellow that makes things happen and gets results. he earns every single greenback of his million dollar a year salary from the NRA, and if Wayne wasn't here I would hate to think of how our gun rights would look today. the last "great" NRA president was Heston, since Heston's been gone Wayne is the real guy calling the shots.

Second Amendment Foundation

Is winning our rights back in the courts, they've done this by carefully screening their legal challenges and choosing reasonable battles, and hiring the best legal minds that money can hire to argue their cases. Alan Gottlieb, while he looks pathetic on television interviews, is a business genius who can get things done just like Wayne LaPierre. McDonald v. Chicago, Madigan v. Moore, Sheridan, all those cases were argued by SAF. SAF has some of the best minds on the gun rights side on their board, Mas Ayoob, Kirby Wilbur etc sit on the board.

These organizations are who I donate to, the other groups I have on beef with, GOA, JFPO, you know I can respect their members, but it's not bashing to say these are the lightweights in the RBKA fight. I respect them, but they don't have any real clout, any connections, and virtually no effective lobbying efforts. but join if you want.

The one group I will bash, the National Assoc for Gun Rights, this Dudley Brown guy is obviously running a fly-by-night outfit. his emailers all have urgent threats waiting to occur any moment, you must donate to them immediately, the feds will put Dudley brown in jail if you don't donate to him, you need to donate to see his list of political endorsements, the FBI is investigating him... yada yada yada and that group has no victories of any sort to claim for the money it collects. Steer clear of this group.
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EMNofSeattle

EMNofSeattle

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Messages
3,670
Location
S. Kitsap, Washington state
sudden valley gunner said:
So you continue to keep them small not on morals and ideals but because they are small?

And why we have two major parties in the country bringing us toward tyranny they want to be part of something that can affect change, even if that means sacrificing and compromising liberty.
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Tell you what, next presidential election, I'll vote for a 3rd party candidate IF

the third party candidate shows up on news media, makes public appearances, lobbies for inclusion into debates, has volunteer drives, and actually spends their donated money for advertising.

See SVG, we're like spectators at a horse race, both of us are betting our whole life savings on horses, lets say there's 5 horses, they've run 20 races, the same lineup, and in each race, one of two horses has been the winner and the second place. not one of the other 3 horses has ever even placed in the past 20 races. so we have two healthy strong horses, running a tight race, and one weakly little horse way behind, and two of them are just sitting on the edge of the track munching gass and not doing anything. I've bet my savings on one of the placing horses, and you're telling me that I AM the crazy one while you're money is on the horse that's not even racing, it's just grazing.

tell me how this makes any sense?

if you want me to bet on your horse, you should start training him for the very real idea of winning a race, not just sitting swigging beer and griping about the winning horses. make your horse a winner instead of claiming mine is a loser.
 
sudden valley gunner

sudden valley gunner

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Messages
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Whatcom County
EMNofSeattle said:
Tell you what, next presidential election, I'll vote for a 3rd party candidate IF

the third party candidate shows up on news media, makes public appearances, lobbies for inclusion into debates, has volunteer drives, and actually spends their donated money for advertising.

See SVG, we're like spectators at a horse race, both of us are betting our whole life savings on horses, lets say there's 5 horses, they've run 20 races, the same lineup, and in each race, one of two horses has been the winner and the second place. not one of the other 3 horses has ever even placed in the past 20 races. so we have two healthy strong horses, running a tight race, and one weakly little horse way behind, and two of them are just sitting on the edge of the track munching gass and not doing anything. I've bet my savings on one of the placing horses, and you're telling me that I AM the crazy one while you're money is on the horse that's not even racing, it's just grazing.

tell me how this makes any sense?

if you want me to bet on your horse, you should start training him for the very real idea of winning a race, not just sitting swigging beer and griping about the winning horses. make your horse a winner instead of claiming mine is a loser.
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Tragically flawed analogy. I don't vote for "winners" I vote if I choose to vote on principles and morals.
 
EMNofSeattle

EMNofSeattle

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You know what SVG? I think it would be great if ideals and morals would also coincide with a candidate who actually wants to win the election.

until the libertarian party, or the socialist party, or the green party, or the constitution party, or the Rent is Too Damn High party is actually committed to winning an election, all you're doing is a feel good measure like the anti-gunners with buy backs. it's a sideshow, a cute sideshow I'll grant you that. but nothing else, you're not sending any message to anyone by betting a losing horse.

So I'll consider voting third party when the third parties are "in it to win it" so to speak, instead of laundering campaign donations for their leaders. If I see just ONE television commercial for the libertarian guy next time around, JUST ONE on my television set, or get a call from JUST ONE volunteer. I'll vote libertarian. in the mean time, i'll try to work within the existing structure and do more then make a symbolic gesture.

BTW I don't blame you for anything. it's not like your vote decided where our state went in the Electoral College.
I don't blame you or condemn you for voting for whoever you wanted, I just don't see the point in doing so.... but it's your right to do that and I will never advocate taking your right to choose whichever candidate you want away from you.
 
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sudden valley gunner

sudden valley gunner

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Messages
16,674
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Whatcom County
EMNofSeattle said:
You know what SVG? I think it would be great if ideals and morals would also coincide with a candidate who actually wants to win the election.

until the libertarian party, or the socialist party, or the green party, or the constitution party, or the Rent is Too Damn High party is actually committed to winning an election, all you're doing is a feel good measure like the anti-gunners with buy backs. it's a sideshow, a cute sideshow I'll grant you that. but nothing else, you're not sending any message to anyone by betting a losing horse.

So I'll consider voting third party when the third parties are "in it to win it" so to speak, instead of laundering campaign donations for their leaders. If I see just ONE television commercial for the libertarian guy next time around, JUST ONE on my television set, or get a call from JUST ONE volunteer. I'll vote libertarian. in the mean time, i'll try to work within the existing structure and do more then make a symbolic gesture.

BTW I don't blame you for anything. it's not like your vote decided where our state went in the Electoral College.
I don't blame you or condemn you for voting for whoever you wanted, I just don't see the point in doing so.... but it's your right to do that and I will never advocate taking your right to choose whichever candidate you want away from you.
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I know you don't see the point.....
 
DCKilla

DCKilla

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Mar 5, 2010
Messages
523
Location
Wet Side, WA
EMNofSeattle said:
You know what SVG? I think it would be great if ideals and morals would also coincide with a candidate who actually wants to win the election.

until the libertarian party, or the socialist party, or the green party, or the constitution party, or the Rent is Too Damn High party is actually committed to winning an election, all you're doing is a feel good measure like the anti-gunners with buy backs. it's a sideshow, a cute sideshow I'll grant you that. but nothing else, you're not sending any message to anyone by betting a losing horse.

So I'll consider voting third party when the third parties are "in it to win it" so to speak, instead of laundering campaign donations for their leaders. If I see just ONE television commercial for the libertarian guy next time around, JUST ONE on my television set, or get a call from JUST ONE volunteer. I'll vote libertarian. in the mean time, i'll try to work within the existing structure and do more then make a symbolic gesture.

BTW I don't blame you for anything. it's not like your vote decided where our state went in the Electoral College.
I don't blame you or condemn you for voting for whoever you wanted, I just don't see the point in doing so.... but it's your right to do that and I will never advocate taking your right to choose whichever candidate you want away from you.
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What's your phone number?
 
fire suppressor

fire suppressor

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I know obama had a meeting with the NRA a few days ago but I have not herd any update on what happened. This is make it or break for me regarding the my NRA membership has anyone herd what came of it?
 
N

nonameisgood

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Big D
The meeting was with Biden and the aftermath is all over the web and the news. As we all knew would be the case, the VP wants more gun control and the NRA wants less or the same.

The good news is that it appears Wayne L has been muzzled. He is the reason I won't join again. He is an abrasive, argumentative *****. They shouldn't be conciliatory, but you can't call people idiots and accuse them of treason, and then expect them to listen.
 
fire suppressor

fire suppressor

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Ok thats dose it, I can not wait for my membership to expire. This organization no longer speaks for me

"The NRA and other groups, pushing back against calls for new firearms restrictions,have urged Washington to take a close look at violent video games and the role they might play in violence among adolescents"
 
EMNofSeattle

EMNofSeattle

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Joined
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Messages
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S. Kitsap, Washington state
fire suppressor said:
Ok thats dose it, I can not wait for my membership to expire. This organization no longer speaks for me

"The NRA and other groups, pushing back against calls for new firearms restrictions,have urged Washington to take a close look at violent video games and the role they might play in violence among adolescents"
Click to expand...

Personally my favorite group is the second amendment foundation. I like their approach better. instead of lobbyists and public appearances, they're working on constitutional case law.

Now I like the NRA, but if you must support any other group, SAF is the one.
 
sudden valley gunner

sudden valley gunner

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Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
fire suppressor said:
Ok thats dose it, I can not wait for my membership to expire. This organization no longer speaks for me

"The NRA and other groups, pushing back against calls for new firearms restrictions,have urged Washington to take a close look at violent video games and the role they might play in violence among adolescents"
Click to expand...

We can't have that I think you are still on my x box live friends list.....:p
 
sudden valley gunner

sudden valley gunner

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2008
Messages
16,674
Location
Whatcom County
EMNofSeattle said:
Personally my favorite group is the second amendment foundation. I like their approach better. instead of lobbyists and public appearances, they're working on constitutional case law.

Now I like the NRA, but if you must support any other group, SAF is the one.
Click to expand...


There not much constitutional left about case law anymore.
 
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