By Don McDougall
USA –-(Ammoland.com)- You see the propaganda everywhere. The “I own a gun and hate the NRA” comments.
The paid for advertisements saying the NRA is only a lobbying group or that they only represent the gun industry. These comments have one thing in common.
They are all wrong.
In a series of articles we will introduce you to the NRA that the left doesn’t want you to know about and pull back the curtain on the good work and services provided by the NRA. ( www.nra.org )
The NRA is not only about politics. The political branch of the NRA, Institute for Legislative Action or ILA, ( www.nraila.org ) was formed in 1975 because of the need for political defense of the Second Amendment.
They are separate entities and the NRA does ZERO lobbying or political activity.
The primary functions of the NRA are gun training, safety and sportsmanship. It works to keep ranges open, host competitive shooting events, support hunters programs and provide safety and marksmanship training for youth, women, veterans and more. The NRA Foundation, the 501(c)3 branch of the NRA, awards grant funding to these qualified programs around the country.
Friends of NRA is one of the components of The NRA Foundation that supports gun owners. The Friends of NRA hosted 1,150 fundraising dinners and events across the United States last year.
They raised over $60 million and NOT ONE DIME was spent on politics or lobbying.
The money went to range improvements, safety training and to educating new shooters.
Through monies raised at Friends of NRA events, The NRA Foundation awarded thousands of grants for programs at shooting clubs for youth and range improvement. That’s 2,800 grants given out last year to help improve the shooting sports and to provide safety training.
The NRA also provides insurance for gun clubs and gun ranges. You’re all aware that the left tries to limit a range’s ability to buy insurance and so close down the range by default. Remember how they see it: NO place to shoot, no need to own a gun, goes their logic.
Don’t believe me read this News Clip:
MEDFORD — Shooting ranges in White City are reopening after the National Rifle Association agreed to provide insurance coverage.
The 18 ranges were forced to close July 1 because their insurance carrier dropped coverage after a man filed a claim after he was injured by a piece of debris that flew back during target practice. They will reopen at 8 a.m. Friday, the Mail Tribune newspaper reported.
White City is an unincorporated community in Jackson County, about 10 miles north of Medford.
Phil Grammatica, president of the Rogue Valley Shooting Sports Association, said the NRA agreed to provide coverage as long as users sign a liability waiver before they target practice. The NRA insurance will cost less than $2,000 a year, compared with $6,700 under the canceled policy.
Without the NRA’s help these ranges would have been be closed down for good. This is just one example of the thousands of times each year the NRA comes to gun owners’ side to help preserve our right to own and shoot our guns.
Our next articles will include safety training, Women on Target® and sport shooting.
Personal note – Us old farts remember how things were 40 years ago or so, when 72 percent of the country wanted to ban guns. If not for the NRA many of you not now have the right to own a gun of your choice.
About Don McDougall
Don McDougall is an NRA instructor and member of the Los Padres “Friends of the NRA” committee. If he’s not at the range you will find him setting the record straight with on gun issues and gun safety.
Shawn: I hear a million excuses why people don’t like the NRA… ALL I hear are the same trivial dribble just like yours… First off YOU are wrong, I am a LIFE member and endorse the NRA all the time and am still waiting for my first endorsement check… NOT…. and don’t know anyone else who has ever got paid to endorse them either. If they do and what WLP makes is the NRA’s responsibility and not mine…. Secondly, if you like everything and everybody and everything they do and stand for around you and have no complaints about any… Read more »
Shawn: Where did you find that WLP gets that kind of money ???? If he does he deserves it …. He is in front of a bashing News Media all the time… He works harder than most CEO’s and takes 100 times the grief… And most of them are making a lot more than that… Who gets paid for endorsing the NRA ??? I endorse them all the time and never have receive a paycheck yet…. Sounds like just another excuse to me … I hear one or the other all the time… I do not like everything the NRA… Read more »
My problem is WLP makes $1,000,000 + paid expenses. All those who endorse the NRA get paid. No need for that.
Last December, the NRA donated a $50,000 check to the Harrisburg, PA Police Department. It was to pay for a fully equipped police car that the city could ill afford because of their finances. The NRA does so much across the nation to help at the local level.
I was told by GUN OWNERS that the NRA is a tool of the gun industry. The left needs a villain, and boogie man to scare voters. By educating people we prevent them from doing so. Does the MSM talk about the $60 million the NRS raises and spends on gun safety? NO! Instead they call us baby killers and racists. Share this article, post your own supportive views and tell your stories. Get involved and help preserve your rights.
Freedom is only one generation away from tyrant. Let us not be the generation that lost our rights.
Many of these anti gun socialist are arrogant ,ignorant ,dishonest, and culturally dysfunctional. We will win with integrity and education as we are doing now.
I have actually had antigun types tell me that NRA is a racist organization! Has anyone ever read a racist article in The American Rifleman? NO! When I point this out, the response is a deafening shouting of liberal party line slogans. For some people, facts are optional in a discussion.
Most NRA haters are ignorant and want to remain that way because they get their ignorance from the “news” media. The “news” media peddles BS day in and day out, if not by direct lies, by omission of certain facts. Kinda like they forget to mention things about the lying, thieving Clintons and the 90% expense rate for their “charity.” (Charity begins at home.) They forget to hammer obama and clinton for not lifting a finger to help those in Benghazi, for lying about the insulting video that didn’t exist, etc. Yep, the lying “news” media is helping with gun… Read more »
The same ignorant people that don’t have a clue as to what’s going on are trying to keep these liberals in office. Just watch Waters World once and your know why our countr is in trouble
Tex. Last week a gun owner told me the NRA was a shill for the gun makes. That SHE would never join. Many shooter have no real idea of who the NRA is. So ill offer this….My friend how do WE fight the lies of the gun grabbers? Education and facts. I can quote the constitution to them all day long and they all smile politely and agree then bash us and do what they will. Educate them and you have a chance to change the discussion. Join us please.
It almost sounds like the NRA is apologizing for being financially involved in politics. The NRA doesn’t owe the gungrabbing liberals an explanation for a damn thing,esp.how they spend their members money. These gungrabbing parasites are the same SOB’s that were calling the NRA a terrorist organization not too long ago.