Back during the Clinton Administration, I joined the National Rifle Association. With the “Assault Weapon Ban” passed and other anti-Second Amendment legislation under consideration, it seemed like a good time to join the one organization capable of slowing the Democratic Party’s gun-grabbing agenda.
When I let my membership lapse, it was obvious new gun control legislation was going nowhere with George W. Bush in the White House and Republicans controlling the House of Representatives. But the main reason I let it lapse was that I was pissed off that the NRA had sent me a video tape (younger readers: ask your parents what a “video tape” was) I hadn’t asked for, and expected me to go out of the way and return it at my expense if I didn’t want to subscribe to whatever video series it was.
Over the years I’ve had differences with the NRA, especially their willingness to compromise on other fundamental freedoms by cutting deals with Nancy Pelosi. But as Sebastain at Shall Not Be Questioned noted:
You still need what NRA can bring to the table, which is specifically a huge network of people who tend to only be peripherally involved in this issue (and this goes beyond their 4 million dues paying members), and access to lawmakers that no other gun rights groups can match, and really no or few other lobbies in DC and the 50 state capitols can match….
NRA is the only organization that has the capability to fight on this ground. So if you have some money to donate to NRA, or can spare the dollars to buy a membership do it!
We’re going to war, and this is the NRA we have, and more importantly, this is the NRA we can win with. But only if we hang together, because our alternative is to surely hang separately.
And that’s why I sent my check in this week to rejoin the NRA. American’s fundamental Second Amendment rights are under siege right now. If you care about maintaining America as a nation whose freedom is guaranteed by its’ citizens inalienable rights, then this is the fight you need to join. It’s a fight we can and should win. The NRA is an integral part of that fight.
If you care about liberty and the Second Amendment, you should seriously consider joining as well.
Tags: Guns, NRA, Regulation, Second Amendment
I have been a member for the past 17 years. I remember that video deal. I told the NRA I did not ask for it, was not returning it or paying for it. Nor did I want the other videos. I never heard from them about that again.
We are now in the fight of our lives for our guns. The sharks smell blood and are attacking us. Some fair weather friends have turned on us. The NRA is our big dog, fleas and all. If we let them have the semi autos today, tomorrow they be back for more. One day they will come for your skeet gun. As many others have said before me, hang together or hang separately.
Here’s a fascinating take on events:
http://www.bob-owens.com/2012/12/something-funny-happened-on-the-way-to-the-tyranny/
[…] Why I re-joined the NRA […]
I’m convinced. I’ll be sending them a check as soon as I can.
[…] Why I rejoined the NRA. […]
Thanks for joining back. I upgraded to Life, then to Endowment. I give more than 25 to 35 bucks a year. I give that much a month. I just gave up Starbucks coffee and make Maxwell House at home now. The money I save goes to NRA. Easy Peazy.
This is too funny. I ditched my membership over that same stupid VHS gun history video they sent me. Lucky for all of us, there is a provision in the law that says any materials sent to you via USPS, unsolicited, can be kept at no cost to you. I rejoined back in 2008 and have been sending them regular donations.
That stupid video tape thing was a major blunder by the NRA.
I can’t come up with the Life membership so I did 5-Year upgrade.
I remember the video thing, maybe mine was an upgrade because it came in a stamped self-return box that cost me nothing to send back – which is what I did.