Why did you join the NRA

[gorfle]

[rfranklin]

1. Other...I just wanted to rile up some liberals....

it's a hobby of mine.

[BOSSHOG]

2. I wanted to part of a well regulated militia

but the NRA said a strict reading of the constitution wouldn't allow it. I was chastised and told that the constitution should be strictly read and not interpreted.

[iverglas]

20. here ya go

http://www.iammilitia.org/

You should be able to find one in your area. ;)

If not, try these folks:

http://www.appleseedinfo.org/

You can help them in their efforts to "save this great land".

If you can figure out what from!

[tularetom]

3. My uncle bought me a membership at age 12

I liked it for awhile the magazine was informative and I learned a lot. After I grew up however I began to see the paranoia emerge. I got so sick of the whining I actually wrote and told them I did not want to be a member anymore. At that it took them a year to purge me from the rolls.

That was at least 20 years ago. I still get solicitations to sign up through several hunting and conservation organizations I belong to.

It's a sad fucked up organization that plays on people's fears. Kinda like the Taliban.

[aikoaiko]

4. Political voice on the right to keep and bear arms.

I stay away because of the hyperbole and distortions of their political claims, but then realized that I ultimately supported the NRA goal of protecting the right to keep and bear arms so I joined. I also intend to do my part to have the NRA restrain their hyperbole.

The NRA distortions followed the anti-RKBA distortions, but ever since the 1980s both sides have been an "arms race" to scare or manipulate the unthinking public about gun ownership.

[baldguy]

5. NRA=GOP

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

6. Prove it.

It's simple. Put up, or shut up.

[baldguy]

9. Right-wing extremist orgs like the NRA overwhelmingly support GOP candidates.

And they overwhelmingly oppose Democrats, not because of their actual positions on issues, but because of their party affiliation. The only time they support Dems is when A) the candidate caves to their RW insanity and B) might as well be a Republican to begin with.

[Statistical]

10. No they grade candidates based on one issue only RKBA.

Period.

They provide voting records and results of NRA questionnaire. Please provide one of the almost 400 elected officials at the federal level or the thousands of rated officials at state level who is pro-RKBA and received a low grade from NRA.

Just one out of thousands to "prove" your point.

The reason most (but not all) Democrats get low grades is because they propose or vote for stupid anti-RKBA legislation.
The reason most (but not all) Republicans get high grade is because they propose or vote for pro-RKBA legislation.

There are a substantial number of candidates form both sides of the isle that break that stereotype and are rated accordingly by the NRA.

[eqfan592]

11. Go look for yourself.

I've seen them give good grades to many Dems based off of their pro-RKBA stance. They don't Overwhelmingly oppose Democrats" simply because they are Dems, and to state as such is pure, willful ignorance.

[gorfle]

12. Why is this?

And they overwhelmingly oppose Democrats, not because of their actual positions on issues, but because of their party affiliation. The only time they support Dems is when A) the candidate caves to their RW insanity and B) might as well be a Republican to begin with.

The reason they overwhelmingly oppose Democrats is because Democrats overwhelmingly support restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms.

Those Democrats who support the right to keep and bear arms are supported by the NRA. In my last election, both of my democratic candidates were endorsed by the NRA.

The NRA is single-issue focused. They will whole-heatedly support anyone and everyone - so long as they support the right to keep and bear arms.

[AtheistCrusader]

16. "not because of their actual positions on issues, but because of their party affiliation"

Prove it.

Repeating yourself with more words is not proof.

[iverglas]

21. there's another option

The only time they support Dems is when
A) the candidate caves to their RW insanity and
B) might as well be a Republican to begin with.

Well, actually you've pretty much covered it.

It's just that sometimes,

C) is the incumbent and facing no chance of defeat

seems to play a considerable role.

The NRA likes to back winners, for obvious reasons. Tossing a bone to a Democratic incumbent who is going to win anyway, by way of an endorsement against a loser Republican, doesn't do them any harm.

[krispos42]

24. Like Bernie Sanders? n/t

[spin]

26. Here's a list of senate and house members and their NRA ratings...

http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?r_id=82

If you go through the list, you will find many highly rated Democrats.

Gov. Bill Richardson who ran in the Democratic primary for President was the NRA’s favorite presidential candidate declared in either party. Ref: http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Bill_Richardson_Gun_Control.htm

Howard Dean was endorsed by the NRA eight times as VT governor. Ref http://www.ontheissues.org/2004/Howard_Dean_Gun_Control.htm

[eqfan592]

27. That's a great site!

Thanks!

[aikoaiko]

14. Only because Democratic candidates historically have been weaker supporters of the RKBA

But Democrats are changing and so has the support of the NRA.

[Xenotime]

31. Very true.

[sharp_stick]

7. I quit about 8 years ago

after having belonged since the age of 14 because of the political bullshit and myriad reams of lies being cast about by the assholes that run the organization. If Wayne La Pierre and his merry band of fuckwits ever quit, or get shitcanned I may consider rejoining but they would have to completely reorg that entire den of shit.

I still get the occasional mailing which I promptly send back empty thanks to the pre-paid return envelope.

[PavePusher]

28. So become a member again...

and vote the bastards out...

[Euromutt]

29. Difficult

I joined for all the reasons listed in the poll, plus the ability to try to influence the organization from within. But the fact is that power struggles in the past have resulted in the NRA's leadership being extremely hard to oust.

Because the Board is elected in staggered fashion, with 1/3 of its seats being open for election every year, any faction seeking to gain control of the Board would have to mount and sustain a widely supported effort for at least two consecutive years to succeed. And only once you control the Board could you get rid of LaPierre, since he's elected (in practice, rubber-stamped) by the Board. As a member, you don't get to vote on the Executive Vice-President/CEO.

[Raskolnik]

8. Not a member. I think that their legitimate work re: RKBA has been outweighed by their

much less legitimate back-door social conservatism.

I do recognize, however, that much like the Boy Scouts of America, there is often a meaningful difference between the the national organization and the local organizations.

[Arctic Dave]

13. I wouldn't join the NRA any sooner then I would join PETA.

Both are bloviating idiots lookig out for their own monetary interest then actually doing anything that is practical.

[AtheistCrusader]

15. Goddamnit.

Why did you put the title in past tense? I got to option two, hit it because it applied in past tense.

Your polls suck.

[gorfle]

17. ?

I put everything in past tense, because unless you joined the micro-second I posted the poll, odds are you joined at some time in the past.

[gorfle]

18. Oh I see.

Yes, you are right. The last option should have been "I have never been a member."

My mistake.

[AtheistCrusader]

22. 'no longer' might be an option too.

[gorfle]

23. Yup.

I would edit it but the time has past.

Mostly I was interested in the reasons why people ever joined, even if they no longer are. I only put the "I am not a member" in as an afterthought to head off all the "The NRA suxors and should burn in hell!" comments.

As I figured, most people joined specifically for political reasons.

[Euromutt]

30. You missed an "all of the above" option

I joined the NRA for all the reasons you listed, including "other."

[Recursion]

19. Post-Katrina and pre-Heller

I joined because I was troubled by the post-Katrina confiscations, and because I wanted to support what eventually became the Heller case (which IIRC at that point was "Parker v. Fenty")

[Tejas]

25. other - got into the gunshow 50 times faster than everyone else.

[AlinPA]

32. 45 years ago to be involved in sport shooting. Quit 20 years ago when it went right-wing

republican.