You read that right. Fuck the NRA. Americas oldest lobby institution. "Champion of the 2nd Amendment" "From my cold dead hands." "Send us your money so we can fight for your rights." ...blah blah blah...
I have been wanting to write this article for a while now. Amid the new gun control hysteria this seems an opportune time.
But Harley, you love guns.
What could you possibly have against the NRA?
Well, I'm glad you asked. Let me ask you a question in return.
What does the NRA do exactly?
I know what the NRA tells us it does. I know what most people think the NRA does. But what does it really do?
- Protects the 2nd Amendment. nope
- Fights for our right to bear arms. nope
- Lobbies for our freedoms in Washington. nope
- Defends people who are unjustly jailed for exercising their rights. nope
- Educates people about guns. nope (see bump stocks, clips, semi vs full auto, so-called "assault weapons", bullet button, etc...)
- Collects Millions of private dollars. yup
- Collects Millions from gun companies. yup
- Colludes with politicians on gun control. yup
- Writes gun control legislation. yup
- Spends Millions on political campaigns. yup
- Indoctrinates new generations that rights must be purchased. yup
Just like 99% of our politicians the NRA says one thing and does the EXACT opposite.
Ask yourself. When was the last time the NRA actually DID ANYTHING aside from paying lip service to make being armed easier?
Don't believe me?
Let's ask the trusty old google and wikipedia.
National Firearms Act of 1934
“I have never believed in the general practice of carrying weapons,” said Karl T. Frederick, according to a transcript of the hearings. “I do not believe in the general promiscuous toting of guns. I think it should be sharply restricted and only under licenses.” --Karl T. Frederick President of the NRA who testified during hearings on the National Firearms Act in 1934
Gun Control Act of 1968
"Not only did the NRA support gun control for much of the 20th century, its leadership in fact lobbied for and co-authored gun control legislation."
http://time.com/4431356/nra-gun-control-history/
Firearms Owners' Protection Act (FOPA) of 1986
AKA The Machine Gun Ban
The Hughes Amendment
Again the NRA claimed victory when after 7 years of lobbying all it really did was compromise and cave.
The Hughes Amendment is especially interesting.
"Near the end of debate on the measure, late at night with most members of the House of Representatives absent, Rep. William Hughes (D-N.J.) introduced an amendment related to fully-automatic firearms. Despite an apparent defeat of the amendment by voice vote, Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), at the time presiding over the proceedings, declared the amendment approved. Hughes and Rangel were longtime "gun control" supporters."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearm_Owners_Protection_Act
NRA stance on Las Vegas Massacre
Instead of taking this opportunity to educate the public on why more gun control would NOT have stopped this tragedy the NRA instead joined the ludicrous cacophony of screeching for MORE regulation and control and oversight. = Less Freedom
National Concealed Carry Reciprocity
In the wake of the Las Vegas Massacre Speaker Paul Ryan has tabled indefinitely the National Reciprocity Bill. Where is the NRA on this important piece of legislation? Fighting for it? nope They are still blaming evil bump stocks.
So again. What does the NRA do?
- Collect Millions of dollars
- Talk a lot of shit but never really accomplish anything.
- This way they can stay necessary and in power.
- Why would they work to make themselves obsolete?
- If we were truly free to exercise our 2nd Amendment the way we see fit, we wouldn't need the NRA anymore.
What is the alternative?
I'm glad you asked.
Gun Owners of America
Check them out. They are as serious about your freedoms as you are.
"The only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington." --Dr Ron Paul
Thats probably the best endorsement they could get. One of the only liberty minded Senators we have had in recent memory.
Stay strong. Stay vigilant. And remember being free starts with your state of mind.
A sheep no longer.
Peace, HM
*images pulled from google, captions by me
When reading this I was like WOOOAH how did he know my name and that I like guns LOL Time for bed I guess, But I wanted to say that I to was originally upset about them coming out in support of restricting the bump stocks.....but the word on the street is they are doing so as a deal on national reciprocity. and if that;s the case I'm ok with it. ONLY if they get what we want first. Good call on GOA it is a great Org and I give freely to both when I get the extra scratch.
Great minds.......or something.....LOL
I look at the NRA like the GOP.........an org that is out of touch with its base and borderline irrelevant. They might have been great at one time but what has years of compromise gotten us? Begging for the scraps of whats left of our freedom. No thanks. Not for me anymore.
GOA is great. Wish I could do more for them.
The thing I like about NRA is what they do at the Local Level Here in IL we are such a nanny state they employ a full time lobbyist whereas most lobbyist cover several states. He's a good dude, met him personally numerous times he talks to US the little people to fight for what we want, but gets paid by them through our donations, so I will always support NRA as long as they got guys like him in the trenches.
The guys we have here in Texas are all police state cronies. TSRA (Texas State Rifle Association) actually made a joint statement in Texas with the NRA about taking a look at bump stocks and trigger mods and the like. You would think Texas would be at the forefront of gun rights but nope. We have an impotent state legislature that plays fast and loose with our freedoms and likes to trickle them out a little at a time and expect us to be grateful.
Sorry, but I have lost my patience with anyone who will even mention the word compromise when referring to my rights. We don't do that with the 1st Amendment. So why should I with the 2nd?
I'm sure there are quality people in the organization. But on the whole the NRA is a cronyist corrupt lobby that is only interested in its own power and wealth.
Agreed I don't like it and our state guy don't like that they are doing that either but the fact that they are only interested in their own wealth and power means that our dollars act like votes I'm sure there are many who will stop supporting them over this and when their coffers start shrinking they will change their tune. Really wish GOA would fund a state lobbyist here because if Todd our state lobbyist could work for them full time I bet he would then I too would drop the Nra like a hot potato
I can't tell you how many "conservatives" I talk to that are all members or lifetime members of the NRA. Makes me crazy. Just because they have been around forever and have the name recognition they are relevant.
Thats why its important to get the word out and get the money to GOA or somewhere else where it will actually do some good.
Its late and my blood is all angry now!
Thanks for your comments and upvotes.
Ride on brother.
What is NRA btw? But I feel lie lots of people around world and inside America too are very against this rule ( free to take guns and arms, I don't know the exact word being used for it.)
We can see the problems increasing day by day due to some physic activities like Vegas shootout.
NRA = National Rifle Association
They are the oldest "pro gun" lobby in the US.
I keep forgetting Steemit is an international platform. LOL
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That makes interesting reading. Whether we agree on gun control or not, to have all the facts in one place makes the argument easier. You've done your homework and brought something new into play. I had no idea that the 'Gun Owners of America' existed, and probably not many people do. To loosen the grip of the gun lobbyists on government policy would be a start. I don't even live in America. I am however married to someone born and raised there. He knows how to shoot a gun, doesn't own one and would never shoot someone with one. Mind you he'd be in trouble here if he did. Your gun controls are such a hard argument to listen to, and I hope that everyone at some point will see sense. Obviously the control is in each user, but we know that users can sometimes be pretty nutty people, and they may no nothing of the NRA or your Gun Owners of America organisation. I think you would be very responsible in your gun ownership and only use one for sports or hunting purposes. Thank you for this post.
I do use them for hunting and for sport. But that was not at all the intent of the 2nd Amendment. Our forefathers knew this having just escaped a tyrannic overbearing, overtaxing government under ol' King George III.
The sole purpose for the 2nd Amendment is that the people have the ability and the right to defend themselves from any aggressor including their own government.
It has been called the lynch pin of the Bill of Rights, because without the 2nd Amendment all other rights can be rescinded.
Thankyou for your comment.
Dear harleymechanix. Thank you as I guessed what you used them for. I do understand the 2nd amendment and think it quite right in the circumstances it was meant for. Ol' King George was mad poor thing, someone had to defend against his tyranny. Does that resonate today I wonder? Anyway let me not get political. Remember Voltaire saying that he may not agree with what you say, but would defend to the death the right for you to say it! bang on there. Happy Steeming!
You win comment of the day! We need more Voltaire and less Kardashians. Everybody is offended by everything these days.
Consider this. The Revolutionaries who started that war, did it over a 3% tax on tea? My effective tax rate last year was 32%. That does more than resonate. Trust me.
Don't worry about getting political. I love to argue. I can't help it.
Thanks again for the great comments and conversation. Steem On!
Thank you harveymechanix such a pleasure to know someone agrees. I do consider this - how awful! Live in the UK where my son in law pays 40%! Anyway it's so good to be in touch. Will argue, most likely you will, but I love to listen/read. Do you believe you're one of the pilgrims on Steemit who is actually communicating? Great stuff. By the way I put up a quote or proverb a day. Makes people think and sometimes be amused. Happy Steeming!
I didn't understand how important the 2nd amendment is when I was young. I'm not young anymore. Certain events woke me up. It's safer when regular people have a right to guns alongside people who wear the label of "government." On the question of morality, I've come to the conclusion that making guns is the immoral act. Owning, not always immoral.
BUT. One of the main arguments you always get from the NRA and gun advocates is that gun-armed people will be there to stop crazy people from doing crazy things with guns.
And, news stories are stories. And the human psyche is frail and suggestible.
Very few people know for sure who commits and has committed these famous gun crimes. Facts can be buried. Truth can be distorted. Video and photography can be very very incomplete. Everyday citizens (from violent-game addicts to gangs to whatever) could stage violent pranks. U.S. government employees/agents (CIA, FBI, who knows what) and politcal enemies of the USG who live in the US could carry out attacks to shock and terrorize people.
We don't know.
But having armed citizens everywhere sure isn't preventing all the violence that gun advocates say it should.
I'm open to being corrected. Please tell me what I'm overlooking.
In the US the cities that have the tightest gun control laws also have the highest crime rates. Think Chicago, D.C. New York.
Conversely the cities that have the loosest regulations have lower crime rates.
Here is a REALLY long read that breaks down the numbers.
http://www.justfacts.com/guncontrol.asp
Correlation or cause?
I haven't looked closely at the document you link to (it IS long), but I will. Thanks for posting it.
Correlation or cause?
I haven't looked closely at the document you link to (it IS long), but I will. Thanks for posting it.
You hooked me in with the word 'Impotent' on the picture at the top of your post but having read it all I'm not seeing anything about the dealings of the NRA that suggests that they are impotent? They seem quite the opposite of that to me, though all the other descriptors seem pretty accurate
You got me. I didn't mean literally impotent. Although I do have my suspicions. I meant more figuratively. Whereas they talk a big game but when it comes down to getting the job done.........they are lacking.......
Yeah wilful impotence I get you
I was a member of the NRA for quite a while and slowly but surely they just seemed to slide off the edge of reason with the constant babble that they put out. It got so bad that, as much as I feel we need a group helping to guard our 2nd Amendment rights, they were no longer up to the job. Thanks for writing this, I will do what I can to spread the word.
Thanks man. I appreciate that and the comment. Its good to know that my writing can resonate with at least a few liberty minded people.
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