Joel Friedman On His Commitment to Members of the NRA

Joel Friedman
Joel Friedman

USA – -(Ammoland.com)- Hello AmmoLand News readers my name is Joel Friedman and I am a current NRA Board Member seeking re-election to the 2018 NRA Board.

I have been a Benefactor Member of the NRA for 20 years. I’ve been proud to serve on the NRA Board of Directors since 2002. I have served on the Grassroots committee since 1997 and have had the pleasure of seeing this department become a very real and successful part of the fight for our 2nd Amendment rights. I also serve on the Clubs and Associations committee where we are able to help state associations on a local level fight for our rights. I am also on the outreach committee which is involved in bringing into the NRA people of different ages, genders and races – a critical part of the fight for our 2nd Amendment rights.

Joel Friedman working the NRA recruitment tables
Working the NRA recruitment tables and talking to the members about what’s important to them during NRA Days in the California heat outside Bass Pro Shops in Rancho Cucamonga with NRA Members’ Councils of California volunteers and NRA Staff. September 30, 2017

Look back through the various posts – not from me, but about me – on forums and gun blogs. There are supportive threads on Calguns.net from 2011, 2013 and 2014. PA Gun Blog published supportive articles in 2011 and 2012 after we talked in Pittsburgh about the battle for California. And I’m very proud to have the endorsement of volunteers from the NRA Members’ Councils of California, like Ken Takahashi of Forward Assist Training – the group that organized the NRA America’s Rifle Challenge at Burro Canyon a few weeks ago.

Ken Takahashi and Joel Friedman
Joel Friedman with Ken Takahashi of Forward Assist Training. Ken is the President of the NRA Members’ Council of Westside Los Angeles. Burro Canyon Shooting Park during the NRA America’s Rifle Challenge, November 11, 2017.

Make no mistake – the groundswell of support from the grassroots members is the single most important factor in the recent successes of NRA and the California Rifle & Pistol Association (CRPA) – where I am also a board member. I’ve spent three decades working at the state and local level to defend, exercise and expand the Second Amendment rights of Californians. As a founding member of the all-volunteer NRA Members’ Councils program in California and as part of the NRA Grassroots Committee, I have seen time and time again the impact that a conversation, phone call or email can have on a legislator or bureaucrat who may be on the fence about a particular gun vote.

As an example, while California certainly has passed a number of awful gun laws, the grassroots opposition – which is organized in very large part by the NRA and its volunteers – has defeated so many times more bills that would have become law.

Joel Friedman NRA Board Member
Joel Friedman Speaking at a combined NRA/CRPA event in Irvine, California. February 28, 2015.

While I now call Nevada home, I remain actively involved in the fight in California where, in recent weeks, the Angeles Shooting Ranges in Los Angeles County and others have suffered catastrophic fire damage. As a grassroots activist and NRA Foundation trustee, I am looking for ways the NRA can help the ranges rebuild and reopen so shooters in California will once again have a safe outdoor range to enjoy without having to drive for hours to find it. Ensuring that the shooting sports are protected is equally important in our ongoing fight for our 2nd Amendment rights.

Joel Friedman NRA Board Attendance as of 2018
Joel Friedman NRA Board Attendance as of 2018
NRA Board Member Joel Friedman at the Range
NRA Board Member Joel Friedman at the Range , Burro Canyon. November 11, 2017

There is still a huge mountain to climb in restoring the Second Amendment in states like California, New York, Illinois, Maryland and New Jersey – and that’s why this election for the NRA Board of Directors is so important! You have a vote to cast this February and you need to pick a candidate who not only understands what is at stake right now, but understands where we have been and where we need to go. We need a board member who attends every Board meeting, considers every single vote and issue, and fights relentlessly for OUR rights as well as our shooting sports! I have been and promise to continue to be that person.

Please… VOTE FOR JOEL so I can continue fighting for our rights! Thank you!

Sincerely;

Joel Friedman

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Alan

Perhaps a bit off point, apologies for that, however the following is of some possible import. Re BATFE ” new regulations”, such as they might be regarding Bump Stocks, it seems as if the position, staying within the bounds of polite conversation, the position taken by the NRA might be considered questionable. In any event, the public comment period runs through 27 January. In case I might have missed notification, which I doubt, has the NRA distributed to it’s members any sort of alert re the soon to be ended public comment period. If not,why?

JAM

“The National Rifle Association (NRA) on Thursday said it opposes legislation in both the House and the Senate that would ban the use of bump stocks, a device that can be used to increase a semi-automatic rifle’s rate of fire and was found in the hotel room of the Las Vegas shooter. -The Hill, Oct 12, 2017

So you guys did not see this announcement months ago?

Vanns40

Let’s be PERFECTLY clear on what NRA’s position was when this originally started, not what it is now, after they found there was a tremendous backlash and they had to backpedal:

“The NRA believes that devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations.”

That’s a direct quote from their statement. Any further questions on where they really stand @Jam?

Alan

Vin Supernowitz, a Las Vegas newspaperman and author has described the NRA as a major gun control organization. Looking at some of the organizations past antics, statements and so forth, he might have been more right than wrong.

Wild Bill

@V40, Wow, good point. Yep, I believe that new people are needed. But if I only vote for one, even if successful, that is one change on the board. If I vote for more my vote is diluted and none of them may be successful. Is there some more effective technique?

Alan

What I did see was the following. That the NRA has requested that the ATF “review their earlier determination” concerning the Slide Stock, aka Bump Stock. Given the oft displayed tendency of the ATF toward anti gun/anti gun rights antics, combined with their bowing to the media hysterics of the moment, combined with the historic anti gun rights positions taken by and of held by agency heads, this whole business seems equivalent to setting the fox to guard the hen house, obviously not the smartest thing to do..

Vanns40

Do you refute NRA’s and Marion Hammer’s call for ATF to revisit their previous classification of “Bump Fire” stocks and any other device that is an “accelerator”? Do you agree that we should all work to repeal GCA ‘68 and the NFA?

Rob Pincus

I’d like an answer to those as well.

Vanns40

Rob: Still want to know where you stand on open carry. You were a big opponent it not so long ago.

TonyM

I served with Joel as a fellow board member on the ‘California Rifle & Pistol Assoc.’ board of directors. I know Joel personally and have a great deal of respect and admiration for everything he does for us as gun owners. He is a true believer in 2A rights and ‘walks the walk’ when it comes to being a true warrior in the battle for our gun rights. He is the real deal. Not only is he a tireless fighter for our rights, he’s also a highly successful business man and a true patriot who believes in America and who… Read more »

Wild Bill

@Tony M, So what have you and Joel done to repeal the unconstitutional GCA and the equally unconstitutional NFA? You have presided over twenty years of more gun control. You and Joel are abject failures. The Constitution of the United States is on our side. How could you lose?
Joel writes, “…the recent successes of NRA and the California Rifle & Pistol Association (CRPA).” What successes in California? Friedman must be mad!
None of what you have written or Joel has written evidences a single qualification to be on the NRA board. Are you just “yes men” for Wayne LaPierre?

tomcat

@Wild Bill, excellent questions and you left the door open for a response. Let’s see, that was four hours ago and no response. I am thinking if they don’t make some drastic changes in their modus operandi I am going to GOA . I have been reading some of their tweeter articles and they say some interesting and informative things. I don’t want to leave NRA but I don’t want to pad any fat cat’s trove of treasure.

Wild Bill

@Tcat, Thank you, thank you very much. I would not miss this next vote for the world! Dear marion provided me with just the list that I need. Money though, to GOA, TSRA and others.

JAM

And what have you done Wild Bill?