[Keith Smith]

First I would like to say I believe in the NRA. They are the biggest organization that actively fights for our right to own firearms.

Having said that, I do not like the way the NRA campaigns for money. I find their campaign letters rude and near insulting. I was getting several letters a month from them nearly demanding money for some campaign. These letters are worded to the sense that "IF YOU DO NOT SEND MONEY IMMEDIATELY, this bill will pass and it will ALL BE YOUR FAULT!".

When I didn't renewal my membership, I got a letter from them saying that "Hilary is proud of people like me, who decided to quit supporting the 2nd amendment by not renewing their NRA membership".

About two weeks after my membership expired, I got a VERY annoying call from them. It was one of those sales pitch calls that the sky is falling now that Hilary is running for Pres, and only give you a second or so to answer very simple questions like "You support the second amendment right?" if you said anything except Yes or No, he would interrupt you and repeat the question. I was about to walk out the door when this call came in, and I was trying to interrupt the guy to tell him I had to go that the wife and kids were in the car waiting on me, and he kept on and on with his sales pitch. Very annoying, I ended out hanging up on the jerk.

While I will continue support the NRA by sending in anonymous donations, I probably will never be a member where they can track me down my mail, phone or email.

 

[sheepdog]

I got tired of getting more mail and "offers" like you describe than my $35 a year could possibly pay for...I did not renew, either...probably will not...if I got a call like you did, I'd go ballistic...I like the idea of anonymous donations..I'll use the return address of a vacant house so I won't get their plethora of junk mail and sob stories...they waste a lot of money...

 

[deputy125]

(from the NRA site frequently asked questions)
Q: How can I reduce the amount of mail I receive from the NRA?
A: Simply email us at [email protected] or dial 800-NRA-3888 and request to be placed on the "Do Not Promote" list. This will significantly reduce the amount of mail you receive without affecting important mailings, magazine service, or your membership renewal.

Right now the NRA is still our most vocal public voice on a national level. While i am not in total agreement on "the company line", i still support them. Kind of like your favorite pro-gun congressman, does things you like and things you don't like. The pros out-weigh the cons.

 

[sheepdog]

I called them before I expired and told the man what I posted above...his response was that there was nothing to do about it and it really didn't cost that much...and I didn't do websites then...2-3 years ago...he wasn't sympathetic at all...I'd love it if I could get nothing but the magazine and a renewal notice...never even let them send me the hat...but they won't do that...so I'll remain anonimoiusish or thereabouts and get my way...don't have time to read the magazine anyways...I get their daily updates by email now...I know they're our best friend in Washington...

 

[wolfsong]

How many people HONESTLY and REGULARLY give to any organization with out being reminded, prompted, badgered, pressured etc., etc. While many say that they believe in the NRA and would support them if the NRA wouldn't "waste" so much money on soliciting contributions, they are among the first to speak out against the NRA. Simple Business 101 and Marketing 101 teaches and stresses reaching the most people possible with the most information possible.

Do all of you that don't care for the mass mailings and phone solicitations remember to renew your magazine subscriptions on your own? Hell, I don't even know how many mags I subscribe to, let alone when it's time to renew. Same goes with my credit cards, drivers' license utility bill, insurance bill - you get the picture. Without reminders and notification we would never send any payments out.

I recently attended our local Friends of the NRA dinner\auction\raffle, and was amazed at the number of folks complaining that they didn't win any free guns for all the money they spent on raffle tickets. They complained that the meal was nothing fancy for $45 a person. Hello, the monies spent are for the continued fight to protect our 2A rights, and to promote shooting sports and gun safety in our own neighborhoods and cities, with a lot of attention towards teaching young people. It's not about winning a new gun. It's about our diminishing 2A rights.

If one can afford the price of two dinner tickets, raffle tickets, earlybird drawing tickets, A-Table-Full-Of-Guns-For-A-Table-Full-Of-People raffle tickets, silent auctions, live auctions and all the other little things one can spend money on at these events they can afford to just go out and buy a gun and get a pizza with the toppings of their choice and skip the whole affair. I would rather that they do this, instead of listening to them complain.

When contacting the NRA regarding your desire to not receive mass mailings and solicitations and phone calls, if one person doesn't help you, contact another. They will react and respond to your requests. I stopped getting the mass mailings just as soon as I agreed to re-enroll for two years at a time, and I never asked to be put on the do not call list. The calls and the mailings simply stopped.

Let's face it. Life as we live it in America is fast paced and hectic, and there never seems to be enough time to accomplish all that we want or need to do. So we need reminders, we need prompting. And we need to do more, each and every one of us, to help groups such as the NRA fight for our RTKABA. You don't want to read the literature, fine, throw it away. You don't want to talk on the phone, hang up. It's not like it's your wife or best friend that you just hung up on. The solicitors don't take it personal.

Like the saying goes, lighten up, Francis. Complaining about the NRA and their fund raising methods is like complaining about the politicians and not voting. I have yet to hear anyone complain when the NRA is victorious in any battle they win. Just ask any gun owning San Franciscan or citizen of D.C., for example. It takes money to fight for and support our 2A rights. Until a better representative steps up, I will continue to support the NRA wholeheartedly. I would implore all gun owners to do the same.

Peace and God bless, Wolfsong.

 

[gunman42782]

Wolfsong hit the nail on the head. I have been an NRA member since the first Bush was in office, and a Life Member since Slick Willie got elected. Since becoming a Life Member, I get very little solicitions(I guess they feel I done my part, I don't know.) No, I do not agree with everything they do. You will be hard pressed to find an NRA member that does. This is an organization of almost 4 million people. There is no way you can please everybody. The bottom line is in politics that numbers and money is what counts. Our side needs the most votes and most money. It is a sad thing, and most of us would rather not be bothered with being reminded of it everyday, but that is life in our times.

 

[btrumanj]

I'm a long time member of the NRA. Yes, the calls and letters can be irritating but it's easy to just hang up and/or trash the letters, many times unopened. Occasionally I do send money for a certain thing, usually less than asked for and I disagree with other things at times but the fact remains, The NRA even with it's faults, is still the best thing going for all gun owners period, whether you're a hunter, plinker, target shooter, collector or just like to own and maybe fondle guns. I'm definitely keeping my membership.
Baker

 

[Keith Smith]

I understand about the need for constant reminders, most of us will procrastinate about doing something and end up never actually do it. I don't mind getting reminders, or them asking for contributions, it's our donations that make them go. As my first statement, I believe in the NRA, so don't get me wrong about that.

My beef with them is the extremely aggressive and hostile tactics they use for revenue raising. Every letter is like 'the world is going to end, and only YOU can save the world by sending in money, and if you don't send in your donation right now, you are a worthless pitiful human being that doesn't care about the world, and if the world ends it will totally be YOUR FAULT'.

As with many of you, I do toss most of them in the trash without reading them. But sometimes I do like the offers some of the letters contain, like the commemorative edition US Army 1911 they offered a few months ago.

I have a phone recorder in my office, if that guy calls a again, I'll take the call in my office and record it, and post it here.

 

[btrumanj]

You know Keith, a call or letter to the NRA to complain about this caller might be in order. Whether it would help or not I really don't know though. Just an idea.
Baker

 

[gunman42782]

You may think they are crying "wolf", but our rights are under assault everyday. They pretty much single handedly have kept the gun banners at bay (with our help, of course.) This is not cheap. This costs money. And yes, every bill before Congress is important, because it only takes one to open the floodgates.