USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- After much thought and deliberation, I’ve once again decided to ask the members to nominate me by petition for the NRA Board of Directors election in 2019. As many of you know, this will be the third year in a row that I’ve attempted to be placed on the ballot by petition. There are a lot of issues I believe need to be explained, but I’ll try to keep this article short.
The past two years have taught me a lot, not just about the NRA and its politics, but about those who support me and those that oppose my presence on the Board. Detractors of mine have attempted to brand my loss as “the members rejecting another lawyer.” They even seek to portray my continued perseverance and persistence as a negative quality.
Yet, the ballot numbers tell a far different story. In 2017, the first time I ran, I obtained 62,400 votes and fell short of a seat by 5,506 votes. In 2018, I received 67,118 votes, an increase of 7% from the year prior. I fell short by 3,817 votes. Notably, I obtained over 2,000 more votes than Grover Norquist and Robert Wos, and over 4,000 more votes than Herbert Lanford, all of whom were seeking reelection.
While some of the current Board Members and their supporters have characterized my campaign as an insurgency, not a single one of those people have reached out to me to discuss my positions, thoughts on issues, or even attempted to get to know who I am. Meanwhile, over the past two years, I’ve responded to countless emails, phone calls, comments, and messages along with in-person discussions with you, the Members. It isn’t exactly hard to get in touch with me.
Case in point, last year in an article published on this very website, Marion Hammer branded me, along with those who support me, as “The Enemy Within.” That’s right, she called 67,118 of you “The Enemy Within,” which is a rather bold statement to make against over HALF of the number of members who cast eligible ballots.
Yes, it is true, I even handwrote stickers for the NRA Annual Meeting which said: “Hello, My Name is The Enemy Within.” Apparently, the personification of “The Enemy Within” was lost upon a number of people. There was a clear attempt to label people who chose to wear a sticker as disrupters, rather than fellow members who hold a different view on the issues.
Last I checked, we were all members of the same organization, with just a different take on the direction it should be heading.
For the past two years, I’ve told you the direction I’d like to see the NRA move toward. The information is easy to find on YouTube along with my website.
As I’ve stated in the past, I pledge to remain accessible to the Members, as I have throughout my candidacy. The NRA is YOUR organization. If you’re unhappy with the direction it is heading, vote for Board Members who reflect your values. To ensure the Board can take action on issues you see, be sure to send your concerns directly to the Board rather than staff at the NRA HQ.
I hope Adam Kraut will help get NRA membership over 5,000,000. Membership numbers have been stuck at 5M since forever. Maybe most non-member 2A supporters know something….
You’ll have my vote again.
I wonder if Adam Kraut ever heard of the “Roosevelt Arena.” Roosevelt’s statement in response to those who criticize and attack those who are working to do good but are not perfect certainly applies to Mr. Kraut. Roosevelt said: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and… Read more »
There may be some, indeed. Please name these paragons of virtue.
BUT, they are not the ones in charge or the ones who have made it harder for change to come to the Board. They are not the ones who have appeased our rights away and continue to do the same.
The Board has acted, repeatedly, in a self-protectionist fashion and THAT must stop. Adam is trying to do that and your statements show that either you do not understand that, or that you have something to lose by his placement on the Board.
@Al NRA Member, The NRA has had since 1934 to repeal and prevent unconstitutional federal firearms legislation. The NRA has had plenty of money. The NRA has the Second, Fifth, and 14th Amendments (and recently the First Amendment) to the Constitution as a powerful winning basis for repeal. The NRA has had plenty of evidence to support repeal. Yet, repeal of any federal firearms legislation has not been achieved. I question the determination, competence, and goals of the NRA.
I am embarrassed to say that I am a benefactor, and I’ll not be sending the NRA any more money.
Wild Bill said it best.
Except NRA is not “in the arena” fighting tooth and nail for our #2A rights… They’re actively trying to bargain away those rights they have no interest in, such as bump stocks, in a futile effort to placate the antis and prevent further infringements. Of course the truth is that the antis will never be satisfied until they’ve destroyed the entire Second Amendment. They are content to nibble away at our right to keep and bear arms bit by bit, as they’ve done for years with NRA’s help, until they’ve swallowed the last crumb. NRA has no interest in fighting… Read more »
Well said!
He has had my vote for years. Now he will actually get it. Very smart man.
Atta boy, Adam. I’ll sign your petition and vote for you.
I, and I suspect, many other NRA members will also support Mr. Kraut, since the NRA seems to leave much of the ‘heavy lifting’ to GOA, SAF, JFPO, BFA, and other state and local 2nd Amendment-supporting organizations and members. I WILL however, also continue to support the NRA, as its virtues and many good programs far outweigh the internecine talking points that serve ONLY to divide us. Just as Adam Kraut continues to fight the good fight by volunteering to campaign and, hopefully, serve ON the NRA board, I’d rather see myself as the camel pissing OUT of the tent,… Read more »
He will have my vote once again,past time to return Negotiating Rights Away since 1934 back into the premier Second Amendment defender instead of the capitulation org it has become.
Awesome!!
#KRAUTFORNRA