I first joined the NRA in 1993, by sending in a card that came with my first pistol. A couple of years later I decided to become a Life Member using one of their time payout plans.
The National Rifle Association is the largest voice for the Second Amendment and the rights of law abiding gun owners in America, with over 4 million members. It’s not the only voice we have, but it’s the loudest, and just about the only one that Congress and the anti-gun lobby both pay attention to.
Yet, most gun owners decide not to be members of the NRA. Whenever I meet a gun owner who isn’t a member, I ask them why. Here are some of the answers I get.
* I don’t want to be on any list for anybody to come after me for my gun.
Really? Don’t you think you’re on a few lists already? Have you bought a gun or ammunition using a credit card or debit card? Besides, what make you think, when the time comes, whoever is going to confiscate guns or round up gun owners is going to use a list? With over 75 million gun owners in the USA, door-to-door sounds a lot more effective. We'll all be on the same list, then.
* I’m a hunter. Gun control doesn’t affect hunters. (A lot of these guys have Ducks Unlimited stickers on their trucks, too.)
What makes you think that? Ask Canada and Australia. Besides, there is nothing in the Second Amendment about hunting. And, what happens when they start confiscating “dangerous” rifles, and someone points out – correctly – that the average .270 deer rifle delivers a bullet with about 4 times the kinetic energy of the .223 Evil Black Rifles.
* I was a member once, but all they did was send me a bunch of mail asking for more money.
Okay. Either send them more money, or drop the mail in the trash. I do a little of both. Or, you can call them and tell them not to send you any more fund raising mailers. And, unlike a lot of organizations, they’ll stop.
* The NRA is so political now, about all they do is argue.
If you think that’s all they do, ask the Brady Campaign. Besides, every PTA in America is political, too. Unless you want to join the Board of Directors, the politics won’t affect you at all.
If you are a gun owner and you’re not a member of the NRA, shame on you. Visit http://membership.nrahq.org/ and join.
If you’re a gun owner and you think you have a good reason why you’re not a member, I’d love to hear it. But I’ve probably heard it before.