Sad but I have been to NRA HQ for training and I can tell you that over 1/3 of that facility is used exclusivly for rasing money through donations or memberships. The class rooms there have automatic window shades, drop from the ceiling screens and projectors, full time guards, marble stairs, elevators, LOTS of brass everywhere. ( I think you can see what i trying to get at.....the NRA has built and maintained a very expensive peice of property at our expense.) The staff we interacted with was paid staff. Among my group was a life member or three who were very concerned with the NRA's apparent lack of gun rights direction. They were not ignored but were told they did not grant a special answer just because they have their name on the wall (life members) Bill Frist is a fellow Tennessee citizen and I wish everyone would give him the benifit of the doubt before putting him down. Some gun groups have already given Frist "bad grades" while others like him. So it depends on which group you listen to. Frist has done right by TN. The GOA, SAS, JPFO and almost any other group out there think the NRA is to "middle of the road", well they are. While not defending their policy at all, they are only going as far as they think they can get by with. They don't intend to get involved in ANY court that could hurt their pocket. The NRA is a business. No one here really thinks all $35 goes towards membership do they? I've met the NRA gang and they are all business. Can anyone think of any gun related court case where the NRA has come to the defense of someone?
Last note, let me break it down, gun owners are shooting themselves in the foot. We have several very good pro-right groups that openly disagree with and cause disputes anong fellow gun owners by their constant bad mouthing the NRA. No one group fits every gun owner, but as long as we snipe at each other, the anti's gain momentum. We are by our own hand, "becoming divided and lining up for the slaughter". While pro gun groups fight each other, "you know who" is building a politicial machine, as a united group. you know they love to sit back and watch gun owners fight among themselves, then they can move in for the kill after we have "thinned our selves out".
I'm rambling, sorry touchy subject for me cause I belong to several groups....all seem to want to fight each other than the real problem.
Rick
(don't matter which group you support..as long as you get involved)
