NRA Golden Eagles

[sceva]

Wow; I have been nominated to the prestigious NRA Golden Eagles and get a certificate, pin, medal, jacket and other sundry doodads. All I have to do is commit to $250.00 a year (for now)

I know that the NRA, ILA, and PAC need to request donations but when they wrap a donation request up in a fancy bow and call it a prestigious award it goes into the trash.

If they want to GIVE me an award I would feel honored but I darn well won't buy it from them.

 

[Yaworski]

+1

 

[Ray Newman]

I think that there are many people who will not contribute unless they get something in return. I know a guy who quit contributing to the NRA about 20 years ago because he did not receive a NRA hat for contributing. I received the same funding request which clearly stated a "limited number" of hats were available.

At the shooting club I belong to I hear numerous guys say they do not contribute to or join pro-firearms groups because they do not get anything in return.

 

[Yaworski]

I think that there are many people who will not contribute unless they get something in return.

I don't want the freebies. I also don't want the flood of donation requests.

In addition, we all know what Wayne did with our donations.

 

[RoninPA]

Well, Wayne is gone now and it looks like there will be some good changes coming with the recent elections. That said, I donate monthly (automatically) to the NRA-ILA (because they are the guys with the feet on the ground talking to the politicians, do the lawsuits, etc.) and I still get asked for donations to the ILA. I have asked, with no response, 1. Why do I get these, (with the "we'll give you this item(s) if you contribute) and 2. Never get anything, or even get asked if I want something, although I send money every month? I'd probably say I don't need anything at this time, but every now and then something might pop up that I could give to my grandson for his use.

 

[old 41]

The NRA is dead to me, I feel duped as a life member, and now any memberships or donations go elsewhere to organizations that fight for my rights and do not give empty promises

 

[sceva]

I donate to the ILA; I just don't play the fake award nomination you can buy for X dollars game.

 

[Jeepnik]

The only Golden Eagle thing I have is from the US. Forest folks. Gets me discounted/free stays. Didn't cost anything when I got it. Now they charge.

 

[375hh1973]

The NRA is still a thing?

 

[contender]

I know that Wayne soured a lot of folks on the NRA. And I know that many feel the way they work at raising money seems wrong.

But how quickly so many have forgotten all the GOOD stuff the NRA does, & has done for a lot longer than any other pro-gun organization. Without the NRA,, we'd lost our gun rights decades ago.

So I guess one bad apple, is worth giving up & throwing away over 125 years of hard work by so many others.

I'm the NRA. I'm a Life member. I'm a volunteer for the Friends of the NRA Foundation. I've PERSONALLY seen the results of the 501c3 things we've raised money for. And I've fought for our gun rights as a NRA member at every chance I get.

Just last week, at a meeting in Henderson County, where people were there to voice their opposition to a proposed gun range, I went, wearing a NRA Foundation shirt. I was approached prior to the start of the meeting by a guy who asked if I was FROM the NRA. I said I was just a member & there in support of gun ranges. He tried attacking my position,, and made all kinds of various comments.
And I stood up for the gun range.

I'm the NRA,, and proud of what I do. At least I'm trying and working for our rights.

 

[turd]

^^^I'm a life member also, and when I signed up for that (many years ago) the claim was that you didn't need to buy a yearly membership anymore, you were good. So, I put up with pretty much 40 years of asking me to donate MORE. I finally wrote to them and said I paid for a lifetime subscription to the magazine and I wasn't going to give any more. Since then, they've left me alone. I pretty much made it through the Wayne years, and now am watching to see if donating may benefit any of us members these days.

 

[blume357]

Same for me turd.... seems I finally got them to quit asking for money too... I'm a lifetime endowment something member... not sure... I actually did that as a personal honor to my father after he died. In fact, I was born a junior and named after him... I changed my first name back in the 80's but my NRA membership name is the same as his.

 

[peachhead]

Life member here also. I got no freebies when I joined. For the past several months I have been getting emails asking me to join better yet, promising me a nice jacket and some other goodies.
Kinda like direct TV. You can only get the GOOD deals if you are a new customer. Existing customers, meh, we already got your money.

 

[contender]

I agree that the constant asking for money can be bothersome to many people. And yes,, you CAN request to be removed from their solicitation lists. But you have to actively do that.

But remember,, that the NRA is not a company with a product to sell. It exists SOLELY on membership & donations. It has to beg for money to exist. It costs money for lobbyists, staff, research on politicians, mailings & alerts about upcoming elections, shooting programs, training programs, etc.
Yes,, they have a NRA store where you can buy various trinkets & stuff. But it is not the same as a manufacturing company that exists on the profits of a product line.

I donate when I can. I also volunteer where I feel I can do some good. I'm a Life Benefactor member. I don't get constant mail begging. I requested for it to stop long ago.
But if a person moves, changing their address, or such,, it's possible to be put back upon their lists.

Oh,, and I too joined & didn't get any "swag" or freebies. But I joined because I wanted to do my part to fight for the freedom of owning firearms & the Second Amendment. I swore an oath when I joined the Army. I never rescinded my oath, or had a swearing out. So I keep fighting in any way I can to uphold my oath.
There have been bad commanders & leaders in the Army, but we still had our objectives. The leaders changed, but the mission hasn't. I choose to continue keeping my oath.

 

[Joey]

I got very upset with the Wayne years. He was raping NRA members with the consent of the NRA. Even when he was ousted, he left with a golden parachute. I was getting calls on a regular basis, along with ems to donate. I told them that when Wayne donated back a good portion of his over blown yearly salary, they got the board members salary under control and quit gutting the NRA for their own personal gain, I would donate, but in the mean- time they could expect my yearly dues. and no more. Yes, they have done some very good things for gun rights, but think what they could have done with all the money that went into the pockets of grifters.

 

[KS25-06]

Became a Life member in 1966, while in college. Became a Benefactor member in the late 90's, do not remember the year. Yes, the Wayne years were not good, but there are people trying to change that now, and I think they deserve our help. How many of the cry babies still complaining about the Wayne years vote in the elections? To me it is like voting for members of Congress or the President. If you do not vote, shut the F up!!!!!!!

 

[Joey]

I did vote, and I have every right to "cry" about the Wayne years. It is part of the history of the NRA, of which I have been a part of. Now I am waiting to see what changes are in the offing, I applaud your devotion, just don't trample on mine.

 

[turd]

Became a Life member in 1966, while in college. Became a Benefactor member in the late 90's, do not remember the year. Yes, the Wayne years were not good, but there are people trying to change that now, and I think they deserve our help. How many of the cry babies still complaining about the Wayne years vote in the elections? To me it is like voting for members of Congress or the President. If you do not vote, shut the F up!!!!!!!

I have voted every year. Only this year, thanks to Amanda, I had some idea whom I was voting for other than the propaganda paragraphs they used to send out. I am looking forward to a revitalized NRA.

 

[NH Rugerman]

The NRA is not perfect, never has been….but I will continue to support the NRA along with the other pro-gun groups nationally and locally. You can donate and opt out of the freebies, but some folks like the freebies, you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

For those who don’t want to donate to the NRA, you still benefit from their work, you just rely on others to do what you can and should do yourselves…..and believing all of the main stream media exaggerations are convenient when you want to find a justification to not support the NRA. Wayne is gone, support the NRA or risk losing your gun rights because the FACT is that no other lobbying group has the same clout, period!

 

[sceva]

Do not get me wrong. I am not saying you shouldn't donate. We should. What I am saying is that teh NRA should stop sending out solicitations in the guise of a survey or an award. They should just be straight forward about it, no awards, no hats, pocket knives and other giveaways. Save the cost of the goodies and use the monies elsewhere. If they want to send a NEW member a hat go ahead but I for one have enough. Whenever I re-up or donate I usually tell them to keep the premiums\.

 

[AJGUNNER]

Lots of great points shared by Contender---thanks for sticking your neck out, hopefully some that were overly soured might second guess their stance.

Personally I am a life member and as everyone else fairly soured/pissed, and mostly because of the total lack of ANYTHING they could have done in Oregon. We had a voter passed ban on all sort of firearms rights. This passed by a very slim margin (I believe 49 to 51 percent)---that close. Now had the NRA spent one red cent in Oregon, it might have swayed enough people to vote the other way. There was never a single radio spot or TV commercial from our side. But boy oh boy was there plenty of money spent by the anti's to do nothing but spew lies about how this measure was going to stop all "gun violence". Basically by not disputing any of the lies, those folks that were on the fence just believed the lies and went right along with the rest of the flock. Oh boy---a back ground check and safety class before buying and having to pay for a second background check should most certainly stop the 12-25yo gang boys from getting their hands on firearms. I was rumored that the NRA didn't want to spend any money in Oregon because they wanted to have the funds to fight it in court if it passed. Well guess what, it did pass and has been nothing but a giant PITA money pit legal battle since.

Please keep the Chinese made knives, hats, range bags, and all other junk. Please use my money to fight the fight!

 

[Joey]

I wasn't among the 1 million + that quit the NRA over what was going on, I stuck with them as far as my dues go. But I wasn't giving my hard-earned money to enrich someone else. I gave enough of that in taxes every month. And once burned, twice shy.
Wayne's shenanigans cost the members millions in lawyer's fees, and still is to a lesser extent. I just want to be sure my money is being used for what it was intended.

 

[Yaworski]

Now had the NRA spent one red cent in Oregon, it might have swayed enough people to vote the other way.

Things may have changed but every state has an NRA affiliate organization and NRA usually doesn't get involved with state level battles unless the state organization asks for help.

So the question you need to ask is why wasn't the state affiliate doing anything?

Are you a member of the state affiliate? Did you do anything? Was there any organized opposition?

People like to point the finger at the NRA without understanding what is going on.

 

[blume357]

My state affiliate keeps wanted me to buy a raffle ticket to try and win a gun... different gun just about every week.
I had a worst taste a few years ago with my state NRA representative who was buddies with the most hypocritical state senator we have ever had.... he professed supporting the 2nd and would even submit a pro gun bill... but what we discovered was he was on the legal committee to first review the bill and would actually vote against it... Another senator proposed a pro gun bill and I sent this senator an email asking him to support the bill and he sent me the most insulting and abusive email I've ever gotten..... he got his revenge it seems in that he was instrumental in killing S.C. Grassroots....

Now as for the NRA and their solicitations... the only real issue I have with their freebees is they are almost always made in China.... who came up with that convoluted marketing plan?

 

[AJGUNNER]

Things may have changed but every state has an NRA affiliate organization and NRA usually doesn't get involved with state level battles unless the state organization asks for help.

So the question you need to ask is why wasn't the state affiliate doing anything?

Are you a member of the state affiliate?

I have no knowledge of any state affiliate.

Did you do anything?

I contacted several friends and associates that I know ride the line in the firearms issues. I forwarded a video made by a local sheriff with the law enforcements position on why it was a bad bill. I talked with several rural neighbors that have highly liberal/anti gun rights views and explained in person why this was a bad bill.

Was there any organized opposition?

As far as I know there was ZERO organized opposition.

People like to point the finger at the NRA without understanding what is going on.

 

[Joey]

My state affiliate keeps wanted me to buy a raffle ticket to try and win a gun... different gun just about every week.
I had a worst taste a few years ago with my state NRA representative who was buddies with the most hypocritical state senator we have ever had.... he professed supporting the 2nd and would even submit a pro gun bill... but what we discovered was he was on the legal committee to first review the bill and would actually vote against

Probably the same person who sends dream catchers made in China asking for donations for the Sioux Nation!!!!

 

[Yaworski]

The Oregon State Shooting Association (OSSA) is the official state affiliate of the NRA (Member Number T0012) and CMP (Member Number 066035), and is the only statewide promoter of the NRA's Eddie Eagle program and is the NRA recognized governing body for State Championship Matches.

 

[gunman42782]

I am an Endowment Life Member. And yes, I too feel betrayed by what they allowed LaPierre to get away with. He's gone, and I hope the NRA will regain the respect they once had in the pro-Second Amendment world. In the meantime, until I feel like they are actively working for us, instead of against us, I have felt more likely to contribute to GOA. I get 10 times more email alerts from GOA about pending legislation and gun issues than I do from the NRA. It seems like they have taken over the job the NRA once had, or at least are more serious about it.

 

[TheDoubleD]

I am a life member. Only source of info on NRA is the Rifleman every month. Nothing else. Hardly read it as it mostly nothing but glorified rewrites of press releases from advertisers. A few historical reports. Six weeks to a month old 2nd Amendment news.

I used to get ILA weekly updates in email, but those disappeared a long time ago.

Second amendment news, I get that from YouTube influencers now. Current court Actions or lobbying efforts seem have the support of all the various 2nd amendment lobby groups, but rarely does the support list include the NRA.

Curious one this week. Seem support for removing suppressors from NFA was imminent. Suddenly that was dead when a single politician jumped with the support of Chris Cox' lobby group and every thing ground to a halt.

Haven't seen the details yet-don't really know Cox's reasoning-but seemed odd he was the single 2nd Amendment lobbyist group opposed the bill and all the other groups were supporting the bill. Yes Cox is no longer with the NRA, but his influence still carries over. The NRA did not itself show up pro or con- so far as I have seen now.

 

[weaselmeatgravy]

Early in my career, when I didn't have much extra money, a life membership was $300. They had a sort of pay-as-you go option; I think they called it a "provisional" life membership that converted to regular full life when you paid it off. The payments were $25/quarter for 3 years. I started that in 1981 and paid it off in 1984. They haven't bothered me much over the years, I get the AR magazine every month and usually a piece or two of mail near election time, but that's about it. Although I vaguely remember telling them to stop calling me about 30 years ago.

Currently:

If it is currently discounted $500 to $1000, I'm not too sure about the deal I got:

And I never got no stinkin' jacket

Of course... I sure wouldn't fit into a jacket that was the right size in 1984