NRA President James Porter Wins 'Conservationist Of The Year' As Smear On Wildlife Nonprofits Begins

[Robb]

WASHINGTON -- The Alabama Wildlife Federation bestowed its highest honor, the "Conservationist of the Year" award, on National Rifle Association president James Porter just hours after the NRA launched a national smear campaign against wildlife scientists and conservation groups.

The Alabama Wildlife Federation's awards ceremony and banquet Friday in Alabama recognized Porter, a lifelong hunter, among other things for spearheading efforts in the state to allow hunting on public land.

The gun lobby's campaign against scientists, wildlife groups, even zoos, which the NRA announced earlier on Friday, is part of its fight against regulations proposed in some states to limit the use of lead-based ammunition. Studies have shown toxic lead from ammunition poisons as many as 20 million wild birds every year in the U.S.

The NRA's enemies list includes some of the nation's most venerable conservation groups, including the Audubon Society, the San Diego Zoo and the Peregrine Fund. The Alabama Wildlife Federation is not included on the NRA list. A spokeswoman for the group was unavailable for comment Tuesday....

Read More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/nra-james-porter_n_3715361.html

[bowens43]

1. So the guy who heads up the 'kill animals for fun' orginzation is a conservationist?

wow, what can you say to this kind of Orwellian stupidity?

[geek tragedy]

2. That's Alabama for you nt

[X_Digger]

3. It must chap folks madly that hunters contribute more to wildlife preservation than the sierra club.

Via the Pittman-Robertson Act, more than $2,000,000,000 (as of 2010) has been generated for wildlife conservation.

[geek tragedy]

4. how is allowing hunting on state land a conservation measure?

The NRA is not a hunters' organization, it's a gun hobbyist militia type organization.

[X_Digger]

5. Welands get set aside and protected for water fowl; states get funds to maintain clear waterways..

.. for fish; campgrounds, parks, and hiking trails are maintained with P-R monies.

(The monies go back to the states for wildlife preservation, regardless of whether the land is open to hunting or not.)

Here, have a read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittman%E2%80%93Robertson_Federal_Aid_in_Wildlife_Restoration_Act

[geek tragedy]

6. How is the NRA helping this? nt

[X_Digger]

7. Hunter safety classes (required for most hunters < 40 for hunting license issuance) for one.

The NRA foundation gives directly to wildlife conservation as well.

Every gun, bow, bullet, and arrow purchased- sends funds back to the states for wildlife conservation.

[Dreamer Tatum]

10. Stereotypes are nasty things

People tend to see hunters, especially NRA members, as all Hummer-driving fatasses who exterminate as many animals as possible while dumping toxic waste in every stream they can find. In reality, all the hunters I know are naturalists as well, who are good stewards of the lands. But hey, what good is a socially acceptable stereotype if you can't toss it around?

[Kolesar]

8. The Sierra Club has accomplished *way more* habitat protection than you guys

http://www.sierraclub.org/history/timeline.aspx

[X_Digger]

9. And where do the funds come from that purchase and maintain that expanded habitat?

It certainly isn't the sierra club.

[Kolesar]

11. Taxpayers ... eom

[X_Digger]

12. Try again.. what bucket do those funds come from?

The bucket labeled 'Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration'.

You know, the bucket that gets filled from people buying hunting licenses, guns, ammo, bows, and arrows.

[Kolesar]

13. The club got you N. Cascades National Park, Redwoods, Escalante, Pt. Reyes, NEPA, ...

...which is the act that requires "environmental impact statements" before developing *any* area.
How about Yosemite? The club also stopped coal mining in West Virginia that protected entire mountains.

thanks for asking