imported post
I use to bash the NRA on here quite a bit. Then I talked to a few people and learned a few things and now I don't bash "quite" as much.
The NRA does more than you think, but probably... scratch that... Assuredly NOT as much as we'd wish.
Some of the most pricipled people in the world I know hate the NRA, and I know they have their reasons. That doesn't mean they are right, but I know they have thought about it.
On the other hand I DO know the NRA has funded legal expenses here in Wisconsin for OC issues. They deserve credit for that. There is an inherent failure of "large" organizations who take a "macro" approach to be able to address the "micro" issues that make the difference locally. On a philosophical level DOESN'T THAT TOTALLY make the case for what our founding fathers believed? (that local control beats the hell out of a national heavy-handed government?) I digress.
The reality is that even amongst ourselves, we have a large number of factions. There are those who thought OC was just at "path" to forcing the legislature into a CC permit system (and many were happy with that)
There are others (like myself) who started out wanting nothing more than a CC permit system and though "if OC is all I can get, I'll do that but I'd rather CC". And after having thought about it and immersed myself in the issues, I now believe OC is a far better freedom-minded, issue-solving, option than CC.
At the end of the day, we should all be mindful of our ultimate goal. (while at the same time we consider how our goals relate to the founding principles of freedom) And do what we can to move the ball forward for each other, and with each other. We should have thick skin when we discuss the details we diverge on, and focus on the issues we agree on. We should disagree where we must with respect and agree where we can with the strength and fortitude that cannot be disputed or refuted.
With that, we will suceed.