RSS feedNational Rifle Association Clarification On H.R. 5175, The Disclose Act
National Rifle Association
Charlotte, NC --(Ammoland.com)- We appreciate the concerns that some NRA members have raised regarding our position on H.R. 5175, the “DISCLOSE Act.”
Unfortunately, critics of our position have misstated or misunderstood the facts.
We have never said we would support any version of this bill. To the contrary, we clearly stated NRA’s strong opposition to the DISCLOSE Act (as introduced) in a letter sent to Members of Congress on May 26 (click here to read the letter).
Through the courts and in Congress, the NRA has consistently and strongly opposed any effort to restrict the rights of our four million members to speak and have their voices heard on behalf of gun owners nationwide.
The initial version of H.R. 5175 would effectively have put a gag order on the NRA during elections and threatened our members’ freedom of association, by forcing us to turn our donor lists over to the federal government. We would also have been forced to list our top donors on all election-related television, radio and Internet ads and mailings—even mailings to our own members.
We refuse to let this Congress impose those unconstitutional restrictions on our Association.
The NRA provides critical firearms training for our Armed Forces and law enforcement throughout the country. This bill would force us to choose between training our men and women in uniform and exercising our right to free political speech.
We refuse to let this Congress force us to make that choice.
We didn’t “sell out” to Nancy Pelosi or anyone else. We told Congress we opposed the bill. As a result, congressional leaders made a commitment to exempt us from its draconian restrictions on free speech. If that commitment is honored, we will not be involved in the final House debate. If that commitment is not fully honored, we will strongly oppose the bill.
Our position is based on principle and experience. During consideration of the previous campaign finance legislation passed in 2002, congressional leadership repeatedly refused to exempt the NRA from its provisions, promising that our concerns would be fixed somewhere down the line. That didn’t happen; instead, the NRA had to live under those restrictions for seven years and spend millions of dollars on compliance costs and on legal fees to challenge the law.
We will not go down that road again when we have an opportunity to protect our ability to speak.
There are those who say the NRA has a greater duty to principle than to gun rights. It’s easy to say we should put the Second Amendment at risk over a First Amendment principle – unless you have a sworn duty to protect the Second Amendment above all else, as we do.
The NRA is a bipartisan, single-issue organization made up of millions of individual members dedicated to the protection of the Second Amendment. We do not represent the interests of other organizations. That’s their responsibility. Our responsibility is to protect and defend the interests of our members. And that we do without apology.
About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org
The NRA (I am once-proud member) has indeed sold-out. The stataments, “to protect OUR ability to speak … the rights of OUR four million members to speak and have their voices heard … If that commitment is honored, we will not be involved in the final House debate … ” They continue to speak of “OUR ABILITY TO SPEAK” and “the rights of OUR FOUR MILLION MEMBERS” but what about the rights of ALL? They spew verbiage of our constitution but forget that the constitution is for all Americans and not only for paying members. The NRA is throwing many under the bus in order to buy a seat on the bus.
The NRA refuses to acknowledge the Big Picture here. They claim to just want to protect the 2nd Amendment. Yet support Persons and Legislation that would crap on the Constitution in a heartbeat. You can’t protect and defend what is no longer there!
1. They endorsed and gave money to Scozzafava in the NY 23 race last year. Reason? She had an NRA A grade. But then she punked the GOP and went Progressive, just as we said she would. She WOULD dump the Constitution in a heartbeat!
2. They endorse (and no records of how much they have given) Ill Rep Mark Kirk for Obama’s seat. You know, one of the 7 Republican RINOS, that voted for Piglosi’s Crap and Tax?
3. The NRA gave 2500.00 to the Campaign of Harry Reid in March. Does ANYONE doubt Reid would turn on the Constitution if the Socialist Obama wanted it? Only the NRA leaders doesn’t believe Reid would stab them in the back!
4. I have received two emails from NRA claiming the UN Small Arms Teaty was not to be worried about. I did my research and they lie, it IS something we need to prepare to protest. Why is the NRA trying to get us off balance on THAT?
5. Now this. They want to protect THEMSELVES from losing their 1st Amendment Rights, but could care less if EVERYONE else does? And THIS is a Constitution oriented group? NO!
Can anyone actually say there hasn’t been OTHER similar things been done behind closed doors by the NRA? Have they been infiltrated by Progressives? Have they ALWAYS been Progressives and have been using their status to manipulate members fears, and funds?
Or, are are they truly close minded buffoons that can’t see what they are doing will END the Constitution?
My membership in the NRA runs out 30 June. I won’t renew. Been a member, off and on, since 1980.
The NRA needs to rethink this position. They need to fight this bill even if they are exempted from it. That is just another case of BRIBERY by the Obama administration.
The day I’ll join the NRA is…
1. When the NRA announces, from the rooftops, that the police have NO LEGAL DUTY to protect the average American citizen. Time after time, our courts have upheld this. If every American understood this, we would see gun ownership, and Second Amendment awareness, burgeon across our nation. The tide would resolutely turn in our favor.
2. When the NRA aggressively presses to abolish all concealed carry permit laws. How has an unalienable right to self defense been demoted to a revocable government granted privilege? Unregistered concealed carry has been no big issue in both Alaska and Vermont for decades. Arizona just passed unregistered concealed legislation. It’s time for the NRA to start swimming strongly with this tide. Yes, it’s a victory for gun owners when a State like Minnesota finally allows registered carry, but we must see it for what it still is: an un-Constitutional infringement on our G-d* given right to self defense, see: “The Ten Commandments of Self Defense“. It is also an obvious way to add more gun owner names to a list and database. (*Out of respect, observant Jews do not write out the name of the Almighty in secular texts.)
3. When the NRA calls for the complete and unconditional disbanding of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE). Gun owners should be appalled at the NRA leadership’s incestuous “good cop/bad cop” dance with the BATFE. For decades there has been a symbiotic, and liberty threatening, “good ole’ boy” relationship between NRA and BATFE. They should instead be mortal enemies.
4. When the NRA soundly condemns, and works tirelessly to abolish, the “Gun Control Act of 1968”. NRA lawyers actually helped to write this piece of totalitarian legislation. JPFO was the first to expose “GCA ‘68” for what it was: a near carbon copy of the Nazi German gun laws of the 1930s. See: “Gun Control” Gateway to Tyranny.
5. When the NRA quits kowtowing to authoritarian police bureaucrats and takes a no compromise stand against the increasing paramilitarization of our local and State law enforcement agencies.
It’s time to quit building a standing army in America, masquerading as local SWAT teams and hooded “tactical units”. Federal money is lavishly splashed at these local law enforcement agencies. And, as we all know, payback day cannot be far away.
When push comes to shove, can we depend on local cops who have been suckling at the Federal teat, and attending Federal brainwashing seminars?
The NRA has to get in the face of all local police and ask them, point blank: “Will you ever assist in the disarming of the American citizenry?” Any cop who answers in the affirmative must be drummed out of the ranks. “To Protect and Serve” does not mean “To Disarm and Enslave”.
6. When the NRA assertively speaks to our active duty military personnel and respectfully (but emphatically) reminds them that any disarming of innocent Americans is a blatant and evil breach of their oath to uphold and protect our Constitution. The NRA needs to follow the lead of Oath Keepers in reaching out to both soldiers and cops.
That disgusting “czarette” Janet Napolitano, of Homeland Security, actually had the gall to imply that homecoming soldiers posed a threat because they could be “recruited” by “extremist” groups. The NRA should be at the top of that list of so-called “extremist” groups!
These hard line Leftists have to understand one thing: If forced to, we are unwilling to give them any quarter to protect our freedom. And every freedom loving American should expect that active duty soldiers, who have sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution against enemies foreign and domestic, will stand, gun in hand, by the side of The People if push ever comes to shove.
7. When the NRA forcefully and persistently brings up the uncontestable fact that every major genocide of the 20th Century was preceded by “gun control” policies. Disarmed millions became the victims of government sponsored or condoned mass murder.
What far too many American gun owners are so hesitant to face is that the greatest criminals in history have not been common street thugs. By a huge, huge factor, the greatest criminal element in modern history has been government-gone-bad.
The Founders didn’t pen the Second Amendment to protect us from muggers and rapists or burglars. That’s actually a secondary benefit. They penned the Second Amendment to protect us from our own government! See: “2A Today for The USA“.
At one time in America, this somber ideal was actually taught in public schools. Now a kid can’t even draw a picture of a gun or take a “Goody Gun” cookie to school for lunch. The insane poison of political correctness runs amok in our nation today. We don’t put up with the p.c. garbage, why does the NRA?
8. When the NRA honestly and accurately “grades” politicians for their real position on the Second Amendment. Hillary Clinton’s and Charlie Schumer’s pet protégé Kirsten Gillibrand got an “A” rating from the NRA. This is insane.
Gillibrand is now on the band wagon for a reinstated “assault weapons” ban. The NRA: Suckered and betrayed once again.
Our politicians must not simply be “pro gun”, they must be fervently pro Second Amendment. It is now time for zero tolerance for any form of “gun control”. Far too often, American gun owners have seen “A” graded politicians waffle and cave on gun law after gun law. If the NRA has to step away from any candidate to uphold our rights, so be it.
IF you (in this case the NRA) won’t fight for my rights (in this case GOA or RMGO or PP Firearm Coalition et. al. then you can expect to also lose yours in the future eventually.
The NRA MUST STAND FOR THE RIGHTS OF All.
I will not renew my NRA membership if they play along with the corrupt Congress of the U.S. in this or similar legislation even if I have to give up my gun range membership and have to drive 1.5 to 2 hours just to shoot in the future.
I’m sick of their sucking up to Congress in the guise of “representing OUR members.” NO, NO, NO. STAND FOR LIBERTY FOR ALL and enforcement of the Constitution and the BoRs UNIVERSALLY!
How do we have so many dumb arses in Congress that cannot even understand the simple words of the the first phrase of the First Amendment, “Congress shall MAKE NO LAW ….”
Damn I’m getting sick of all this BS. It’s time to exact consequences on these statists scumbags.
STAND FOR EVERYONE’S FREEDOM!
I am glad so many people have seen through the smokescreen the NRA has tried to throw up. If you write to them, they just spew the garbage in thier news release, which basically says when it affected the NRA, they opposed it but now that it doesn’t effect the NRA, they don’t give a damn.
So they aren’t going to “support” it, but they aren’t planning on OPPOSING this pile of dung either.
It’s disingenuous (a particularly sleazy form of dishonesty) to make it sound like they are opposed when what they have really decided is that they are DISINTERESTED in doing the right thing.
If they made no “deal” and didn’t participate in the carve out then there is NO REASON that the organization would not continue to OPPOSE this bill.
– Oh, except hypocracy.
Sir: I just called for the second time on the Disclosurer Issue. I listened to your statement twice now and you’re trying to pull an OBAMA on us. I understand completely what you are trying to do and why. To put it simply, you are trying to do what Senator Ben Nelson did for Nebraska. If he signed the bill, Nebraska would be exempt from paying, while all the others would have to pay. The citizens of Nebraska rejected what he did, just like we in the membership are trying to reject what you are doing. It’s like the old example of the tyrant coming after a certain group and the rest don’t worry, because it doesn’t affect them, and so on down the line til they do come for them, and they are powerless because there is no one left to help them.
You may think you are doing a noble thing, but if you haven’t learned yet, you can never ever, ever, ever make a deal with dems. You can’t make a deal with the Devil. So if you do this, I will join my name to the others who drop their membership. If you would have held tight and fought the bill, it wouldn’t have advanced as far as it has. If you keep this deal, even if in the end the bill fails, I will still drop my membership because you will have lost my trust. The choice is yours. Obama is after our guns, he’ll keep hacking away no matter what you do. Just like communists, these people don’t quit. I choose to not give an inch. If it comes to a fight, I will fight, If I am jailed and lose my freedom, at least it will be honorable, If I have to die, there are things more important than life. I choose to stand by the Founders, and in no uncertain terms let it be known, “Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death!” No compromises, no retreats!