[ArmySGM]

Want to hear your views from the convention Mr. Charles and you are right about joining the NRA.

Maybe it's time for all the oppressed groups of people to unite and start a new lobby. The smokers rolled over and had their rights taken away. The right to have a beer will be next and those golf clubs look like deadly weapons to me. Ever wonder where it will stop?

Life Member

Gary

 

[Bawana]

LIFE MEMBER FOR 40 YEARS AND PROUD OF IT.

 

[recurvyarcher]

Joined last year when I started trap shooting. Don't just join the NRA, also pay attention to the issues and start writing to your local and state representatives. Don't expect to throw your dues at the NRA so that they will do everything for you. This is a grass roots effort. Be responsible.

 

[ANTRIM UDF]

Make a monthly payroll deduction. If everybody gave $5 a month........ England had no NRA, Australia, Canada. Not perfect but the biggest game in town.

 

[Kolar Dan]

Bought my Life Member when it was $50-$100. It's been so long ago I don't remember for sure. I do know it's the best money I've spent other than my ATA Life Membership. Bought my son his when it was $250.
Sonny Daniels Benefactor Life Member.

 

[The Duster]

I am slowly paying for my Life Membership, I wish I could pay it all at once. I totally agree that every gun owner and gun supporter should join...NOW!

-Cameron

 

[spitter]

I'm a 10-year Annual member, but if you can't afford the $35 ($25 still at the Grand?!) then opt for the $10 associate (all the benes less the magazine).

Clubs need to register with the NASR (National Association of Shooting Ranges) a division of the National Shooting Sports Foundation... what good is having a firearm without a place for target shooting and/or hunting?

Jay Spitz

 

[ArmySGM]

Thanks Mr Charles, and I will. Wish I had gotten down there. Gun owners are the same everywhere it seems. They think as long as they have them, they won't be taken away. It's hard convincing them that the NRA speaks louder than one voice at a time. Damn shame..

Gary

 

[gbatch]

Some statistics:

According to the BATFE, in 1999 (latest number available) there were about 215 million privately owned guns. The NRA estimates that half of all American households (total US population is 294 million) have at least one gun owner. That translates to approx 147,000,000 people who own a gun.

Approximately 122 million people voted in the last Presidential election.

Currently there are approximately 4,300,000 NRA members. That's less than 5% of the estimated number of gun owners.

By contrast, the AARP is estimated to have approximately 35,000,000 members.

I have a recurring dream. That 1/2 of all gun owners, or roughly 70,000,000 people join the NRA and, as a block, sign a pledge to vote only for pro-2nd Amendment candidates. In my dream, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Carolyn McCarthy, Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer and all the other Democrat (and even some Republican) anti-gunners are seen literally on their knees in TV ads begging for votes to get re-elected.

I can only dream about this, but politics is a numbers game folks. Every one of us should encourage our friends who are not NRA members to join. I'll even take it a step further. Every gun club or shooting range in the US should REQUIRE that anyone joining or using the facilities be a NRA member. If I owned a club or range I can guarantee you that I'd make it a requirement - I'd even pay 1/2 the first year's dues.

I also believe that the NRA should change its dues structure. If AARP can charge $8-10.00 per year, NRA should be able to lower it's dues from the current $35.00. If they did, I'm convinced that membership would go up.

Gene Batchelar
Wheaton, IL