ORIGINAL: quiksilver
Good points Lost. I've worked on several pro-bono environmental initiatives in law school, and I can assure you that there was never an NRA dollar that trickled our way for those efforts. I've also worked with DU, NWTF and Pheasants Forever - again, I've never heard any of those guys mention NRA funding. Why? Because there is none.
NRA is PRIMARILY a 2nd Amendment organization. It is not primarily a hunting organization. So what? They do have a pro hunting agenda in addition to their 2nd Amendment efforts. If they choose to support certain hunting efforts and initiatives, but fail to support every hunting organization out there, well, it's probably because there are 96 million gun owners out there who should be members, but are letting 4 million carry their weight on 2nd amendment issues.
Caldoc -Good points. Many donors losesight of the fact thatmany of the NRA's key funded initiativesactually contravene the interests ofstate and local law enforcement (i.e.heightened registration requirements, expansive criminal background checks, tighter gun transfer laws, etc..). I just can't see donating to an organization that undermines the efforts of law enforcement,indirectly causing taxpayer dollars to be wasted in courtfighting thesebattles.
Why should I, who have never been charged or convicted of any crime, be forced to submit to registration, "expansive" background checks, and tighter transfer laws? It is patently absurd. The kinds of tighter transfer laws that have been proposed would preclude my son inheriting my guns. Registration is just a foot in the door toward confiscation. And don't tell me I'm making slippery slope arguments. It's happened already. And, I'd really like some proof that imposing those kind of restrictions on law abiding citizens (who are the only ones who will submit to them anyway) somehow "undermines law enforcement." That's just BS.
I would urge ANY NRA member who wants to see his/her donations directed at pro-hunting initiatives or conservation efforts, to discontinue their membership and join a credible, proven huntingorganization (Izaak Walton, SCI, NWTF, DU, PF, etc..)or even donate to your state's fish and game commission (earmarking your donations to be used for public-access land or whatever program that you find most important). Your dollars will go a lot further.
Tell you what... You guys join a 2ndAmendment group and I'll join a hunting group. If you're a gun owner and you're not part of a 2nd Amendment group, then you are simply not carrying your weight. It's nice that you belong to one or more hunting organizations. But, what do they do for 2nd Amendment issues? I'd bet they don't do nearly as much for 2nd Amendment as NRA does for hunting. You guys continue slacking on 2nd Amendment issues, and eventually, we'll be back to hunting with rocks.
If you think I'm lying, call your local Pheasants Forever chapter and ask them how many birds were ever paid for by the NRA. Or maybe ask how many prizes were ever donated at a NWTF event by the NRA. Zero.
That makes me curious. How many prizes do Pheasants Forever and NWTF donate at NRA events? Zero?