The upshot was that the NRA was sucking up the lion's share of the discretionary spending the community of shooters had available to donate to the cause, leaving little apart table scraps for the smaller organizations, who were the only ones still with the fire in their bellies.
It especially pains me to say this because I'm an NRA Benefactor, which is Life Member+++. And the top two realizations I have come to from having an elevated membership are:
1. Buying a Life Membership doesn't decrease the amount of junk mail you receive from the NRA. To the contrary, it identifies you as someone with deep pockets, an "easy touch." As a result, you get MORE begging for money, not less. You'd think they'd leave you alone because you've done your bit, but it doesn't work that way.
And the trinkets they waste money on to "reward" you for upgrading your membership are HIDEOUS. I think it was when I bought my Patron membership they sent me a brightly-polished 18-inch Bowie knife on a wall plaque. If someone had sufficient discretionary spending that they could afford to spend $3000+ on joining your club, what are the chances that a cheap and garish toy knife would fit in with their home's decor?
It made me angry because they had wasted some of the money I had donated to them expecting it to go to the cause on a cheap piece of schlock I couldn't imagine anyone desiring, so I sent the knife back accompanied by an angry letter.
What was the NRA's response? There wasn't one.
2. Which brings up my second realization concerning life memberships in general. The knife letter was only one of many I sent them over the years, after which I came to the realization that once you've embarked on a life membership, the NRA loses all fear that you will quit. The majority who buy a Life Membership never bother with buying a more elevated level. Which is why whatever complaints you voice to them will fall on deaf ears because they've already got their money out of you.
The lesson is, unless the NRA is banking on your next donation, which means you still pay monthly membership dues, or you buy an elevated membership and join the Ring of Freedom program (which requires a minimum $1000 annual donation), they have no fear of your threats to quit.
The fact that so many joined the NRA because it was "the done thing," paying no heed to whether the NRA was being a good steward to their donations, allowed it to continue to operate with complete absence of accountability. Collecting money became their goal to its own end, in the process using those funds to finance the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous for LePew and his minions rather than spending it on advancing the cause of gun rights.
So I count it a good thing that they no longer are top dog among gun lobbies, and continue to hope that this isn't the end of their decline.
The Fart-Left turd rolling democRATS used their “Lawfare” to destroy another American institution that doesn’t brainwash their members in aborting babies or getting spayed and neutered. They definitely don’t advocate dousing yourself with fossil fuel to support Muslim Terrorism.
National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has been around for a very long time. More of a lobby before the NRA became a Lobby. The NRA was the lightning rod for the anti-gun complaints for the last sixty years.
I still remember Herblock’s anti-gun cartoons pointed directly at, not the NSSF but at the NRA.
NSSF is run by RATS.
GOA is the last remaining Pro Gun organization not infected by liberals.
Just as long as NSSF stays out of the Politics.
Legitimate criticism of the NRA is certainly due, not the least being their long history of accomodationism with a series of encroachments of our fundamental rights, but counting on the NSSF to fill their shoes is not going to lead to positive results. The NSSF is an industry trade organization, and while that industry’s interests do often align with the interests of the broader RKBA movement, you don’t have to go all that far back in history to find examples of their members looking out for their own financial interests when they conflict with the liberty interests of the citizens (Anyone remember when S&W had to be boycotted in the 2000’s, and Ruger caved to the AWB to “save the mini-14”?)
Plenty of people (including me) have criticized the NRA from the “right”, and should continue to do so. But they fill a still essential void. Join the JPFO, GOA, sure (I have), but I hope that the NRA comes out of this stronger, and more firmly committed to the cause of Liberty, and that Leticia James lives to rue the day that she helped clear out the bloat and corruption under LaPierre’s recent leadership, and helped create an invigorated and more efficient organization.
Wayne LaPierre’s corrupt leadership wrecked the NRA.
Screw Allah, there has never been nor probably will be a civil rights group that has been as effective protecting our 2nd Amendment rights as the NRA. I for one will remain a member and support them. I will not cower to the democrat fascists.
This probably results in the peons getting successfully squeezed for a bit more in the vain hope that they might one day be counted among the Golden Boys of the NRA.
The NRA used talk a good talk, but they have never had a vested interest in destroying gun control. That would have been bad business for them.
What was the NRA's response? There wasn't one.
As a lifelong NRA member, I am just about ready to dump them. I was glad to see LaPierre finally leave the organization.
I was furious with the NRA when they endorsed senator Harry Reid for re-election. The organization claimed Reid was a supporter of the 2nd Ammendment, but were too stupid to understand that Reid supported the confirmation of every anti-gun judge nominated for any court appointment, including SCOTUS.
When Col. Oliver North was brought in, and quickly fired after he made statements about the corruption in the organization, I just about quit them.
I think I am done with them.
NRA Endowment member here. I’ve been around long enough to know that if not for the NRA our guns would have been gone a long time ago.
Their silence while trump banned bumpstocks sealed the deal.
Shall not be infringed. We will be disarmed like Israel if Trump and the nra have any power.
If they are representing manufacturers and gun clubs, and
ranges, where’s the mention of them supporting gun owners
and their rights?
One could be a very strident gun supporter, as long as
gun owners guns were locked up at a gun range.
I have no problem with them, if they are truly here to
back the average gun owner with guns at home.
Maryland Shall Issue
https://marylandshallissue.org/jmain/index.php