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Not to mention Wikipedia can be "up to date," where your encyclopedia's are years or decades old. Wikipedia has an entire world to keep it in check, AND up to date when new facts, research, and theories become available.
Are you willing to step up??
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hahahahaha...hoooo...that's funny stuff! where do i send my money!
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I'll take it and make sure it goes to the cause, minus salaries and other expenses of course.
Fair enough, but half the country thinks the NRA has ALL the influence on politics...
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I too am a life member of the NRA and a annual member of NYSRPA. As was pointed out above, the NRA does a lot for NY, regardless of whether people are actually aware of it. My range has also benefitted from 2 grants for improvements within the past 8 years. Ever participate in an NRA training class? What about an NRA competition? These both take money to develop and keep running. However, to focus on what they do for you within NY is looking at the small picture. Looking at the bigger more important picture, Nationally and Internationally, they are our voice as gun owners. Is the SAF or SCOPE (not that there is anything wrong with either of these organizations) registered at the UN as a NGO? The NRA is and actively participates in trying to protect Americans rights. Why does anybody give 2 craps about what Wayne Lapierre makes? The guy is never home with his family because he is on the road constantly trying to sway politicans and voters in YOUR favor. After reading this thread, it amazes me how many we have on here claiming to be gun owners who care about their rights, yet cannot support the NRA. Whining about your perceived issues with the NRA is a cop out for just being too cheap. Dole out some cash to protect what we all enjoy.
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And... for those of you who are not NRA members, you are welcome. You'e welcome for my donations and my membership dues that I have chosen to pay. I know each and every gun owner has benefitted from the NRA whether it's been on a political level or a local level through a grant to your particular range.
Well said. I'm with you.
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Is your range that got the grant public or private? If private, why are they giving money to private ranges. I'd be irritated if my money went to fund a private range in New Mexico, instead of "fighting the good fight" back home in NY (or nationally). I'm not giving money to organizations to fund range improvements. That's just me though. I'd rather give my money to an organization that uses all of it (minus REASONABLE expenses) to fight for us.
Admittedly, I've never taken an NRA class, or been to a competition. However, don't those classes and competitions have entry fees? Why not charge an extra couple bucks to the people that are competing or taking the class? You know, actually have people pay for things themselves, instead of making everyone else pay for them. I'm not sure how it is with the NRA events, but most other sanctioned events (be it triathlon, marathons, whatever) have higher entry costs because they are associated with a particular organization. Would dropping the NRA sanctioning of events actually reduce costs?
The UN isn't going to do anything to our gun rights. A treaty can NOT take away our second amendment. A lawsuit (by a multitude of organizations) would make it's way to the courts very fast. That is, if it ever got ratified by Congress in the first place. The UN Small Arms Treaty had no chance of actually happening. Frankly, I agree with GOA. I don't think the NRA is hard nosed enough about some issues, which is why I'm looking to join.
Why do I care what LaPierre makes? What if he made $20 million dollars, or roughly 10% of the NRA income? Would you have a problem with what he is making then? Why is your money going to a guys pocket, instead of fighting for your rights?
Either way, what LaPierre makes was just an example. He's the one that took the job, he signed up for the job, so the argument about him not seeing his family is a weak one. Anyways, My issue isn't really with LaPierre and what he makes. I don't blame him for taking the money that is offered. It's with the NRA, and their finances. Nobody has answered my question yet, so I'll ask it again. Why on Earth would I give the NRA $50 where OVER HALF is wasted and something like $20 would actually go to doing good when I could donate the same $50 to SCOPE NY where VIRTUALLY ALL of it will actually go to making a difference in NY?
So all I have to do is join the NRA, and I'm no longer "copping out" or being cheap? That is ridiculous. I have a finite amount I can give. So, no thanks, I'll just spend that money on an organization that doesn't waste half of it.
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The NRA promotes the shooting sports as much as it fights the good fight for firearms owners. That is why I have no problem with the NRA supporting local ranges to give responsible firearms owners continued places to shoot. The NRA is also very involved in education and media to inform America citizens. Look at the home page of this site, our news feed is made up of NRA-ILA press releases. The NRA incurs expenses to report the news! We ALL benefit from the NRA. I discussed LaPierres salary because that was the example given to show mis-use of funds. My point is that he should be well compensated for what he does, he makes sacrifices most of us would not think about making. How many CEO's sit in front of th UN on a regular basis?
So my question is this... how come all of the non-supporters are asking what has the NRA done for me? It seems to me that the NRA desn't owe them jack sh*! for their lack of support. Thats like being pissed at AAA for not helping to tow your car when you are not a member. Although the truth of the matter is that the NRA has done alot for all gun owners.
Having said that, I am not here to argue or fight. I stated my opinion and will now allow others to state theirs. If you don't like my opinion, just move on to the next post.
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The News Feed is mostly made of articles from other sites. They may link through NRA-ILA, but they're not really press releases from the NRA.
You had to know you were walking into it with post #67, calling out non-NRA members. It sure seemed like you were looking for an argument or fight with that post. This boils down to which organizations you think deserve your money, and which ones fall in line with your values more. I'm not arguing that the job that the NRA does. However, there are other groups fighting for your rights. Most people can't afford to be members of all the organizations. So, you have to pick which ones you join. I, and many others feel that our money is better spent by other organizations, especially those that don't compromise on our rights.
You had to know you were walking into it with post #67, calling out non-NRA members. It sure seemed like you were looking for an argument or fight with that post. This boils down to which organizations you think deserve your money, and which ones fall in line with your values more. I'm not arguing that the job that the NRA does. However, there are other groups fighting for your rights. Most people can't afford to be members of all the organizations. So, you have to pick which ones you join. I, and many others feel that our money is better spent by other organizations, especially those that don't compromise on our rights.
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I agree with your statement. That is why I have not donated to other quality organizations like SCOPE or SAF. It's like picking between charities- they're all worthy in some aspect but you can't just write a check to them all. My response came off very strong in response to this thread because it turned into an NRA bashng thread rather than a comparison of the quality orgnizations out there. The truth is, whether you like it or not, the NRA has a much bigger influence than these other organizations.
I won't label all those who do not contribute to the NRA as freeloaders because some of them have what they think are good reasons. So long as they donate to some organization, that's ok with me. But I must point out that most people view the NRA as highly influential. Congress certainly does. And Congress readilly acknowledges that the NRA is the most truthful lobbyist group of all.
To those who don't give to the NRA in principal but do give to other organizations for the cause, I acknowledge and respect your contribution even though I think you are wrong. To those of you who enjoy your 2nd Amendment rights but don't contribute, I will call you FREELOADER.
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Interesting. I read Wayne's salary and was struck by how little it is. That's less than a million dollars for being the CEO of the largest lobby group in the world. Check out what some other CEOs make, like 2.2million for the American Cancer Society's, or 1.1million for the Boy Scouts of America. Wayne is number 10 on the list. Top 25 Compensation Packages from the Charity Rating Guide
Also, even if only 40-something% of my contributions go towards protecting gun rights, thats still 40-something% more than spending it on anything else (other than a different pro-gun lobby group). And the money that goes towards upkeep of the NRA, including paychecks, indirectly helps gun owners' rights too, because the group will exist to fight another day. And be able to hire decent management to properly lead the group effectively.
You could move to a 99% ratio of donations to directly protecting rights, but you'd have people working for free (generally not the best talent around), and the group having no visibility through advertising and sponsoring events like the one mentioned earlier. Donations would go down, and very quickly, less would be spent on the "good stuff" than the 46% of what they take in now.
It's all a lot more complicated than just Wayne making $900k and some of your money not going directly into the pockets of politicians who vote for gun bills. If there was a way they could run more efficiently, I suspect they'd be doing it.
Those of you asking why would I donate when almost half doesn't go towards my cause are oversimplifying it. If 100% did go towards your cause, in the long run, less actual dollars would go towards your cause.
Also, even if only 40-something% of my contributions go towards protecting gun rights, thats still 40-something% more than spending it on anything else (other than a different pro-gun lobby group). And the money that goes towards upkeep of the NRA, including paychecks, indirectly helps gun owners' rights too, because the group will exist to fight another day. And be able to hire decent management to properly lead the group effectively.
You could move to a 99% ratio of donations to directly protecting rights, but you'd have people working for free (generally not the best talent around), and the group having no visibility through advertising and sponsoring events like the one mentioned earlier. Donations would go down, and very quickly, less would be spent on the "good stuff" than the 46% of what they take in now.
It's all a lot more complicated than just Wayne making $900k and some of your money not going directly into the pockets of politicians who vote for gun bills. If there was a way they could run more efficiently, I suspect they'd be doing it.
Those of you asking why would I donate when almost half doesn't go towards my cause are oversimplifying it. If 100% did go towards your cause, in the long run, less actual dollars would go towards your cause.
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Didn't know you has to give money to lobbyist groups to have rights. I really don't think the NRA has done much for NY (and a couple other states). Just my opinion! I think money can be better used on ammo in case they actually try to take our guns! :nerd:
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