Criticizing NRA Executives is NOT “Attacking the NRA”

Opinion

NRA Contractors Money
The NRA was over $30 million in the red in 2017, and had an almost $50 million deficit in its pension fund. These deficits aren’t due to lack of revenue, but rather irresponsible spending.

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Bless her heart, Marion Hammer just can’t help herself. She just had to take a shot at me for exposing some of the financial corruption and poor decisions in the NRA and take some jabs at my dead father in the process. Don McDougal also wants to incorrectly frame my criticism of NRA executives as “hating on the organization.”

Let’s get one thing straight. I couldn’t agree more with the title of Mrs. Hammer’s column. NRA absolutely needs strong, proven leadership, now more than ever. Where we differ is that Marion thinks that Wayne LaPierre represents that “proven leadership,” and I think he’s at the core of the problem.

Of course, when the facts aren’t on your side, go for personal attacks.

It doesn’t matter whether my father had ambitions to take over the NRA or not. I happen to know that he didn’t, but that’s irrelevant, just as it’s irrelevant whether I’m motivated by a 20-some-year old grudge, or whether Marion or Wayne or others at NRA have accomplished some things to be proud of. What matters is relevant facts. Facts that I laid out pretty clearly, and which Mrs. Hammer and Mr. McDougal didn’t bother to address.

I agree with Marion and Don that the NRA has done a lot of outstanding work over the years, and I’m proud to say that my father and many close friends played significant roles in much of that good work.

I’ve never said that the NRA hasn’t done good, and have argued consistently that it is critical that we have a strong and effective NRA with as many members as we can get.

Unlike Marion and Don though, I am willing to recognize when NRA leaders make missteps and mistakes, and when those failures demonstrate an ongoing pattern, they need to be addressed. I’m also not willing to turn a blind eye to blatant corruption and self-serving.

Let’s go over some of the pertinent facts again:

According to NRA’s tax filings, Wayne LaPierre is receiving annual compensation more than $1.4 million per year, and in 2015 received over $5 million dollars from NRA.
The same filings report that Chris Cox received over $1.2 million in compensation in 2017, and at least nine other NRA executives received compensation that was between $450,000 and $800,000 that year.

Josh Powell, Wayne’s Chief of Staff and for a time, former acting ED of General Operations [he has been replaced by Joe DeBergalis], received almost $800,000, including over $100,000 in “taxable expense reimbursement.”

And even though the IRS form 990 reports payments to the advertising and PR firm Ackerman McQueen more than $20 million as I reported, later in that same filing document, it states that Ack-Mac actually received more than twice that much – over $40 million!

I will accept a correction from Mrs. Hammer on one point: I incorrectly reported that some NRA staff had been laid off, when in fact they were not NRA staffers, but rather Ack-Mac staffers working for NRA TV, which raises another issue. Did you know that NRA TV is operated by Ack-Mac, as is the NRA magazine America’s First Freedom? Editor Mark Chestnut and familiar NRA TV personalities like Cam Edwards, Ginny Simone, Dana Loesch, etc., are Ack-Mac employees, not NRA employees. Long-time NRA Board member Robert K. Brown bragged in his last reelection bio that he had saved the association something like a half-million dollars. The bulk of that savings came from his insistence that NRA quit paying Ack-Mac over $400,000 a year for the production of the online version of America’s First Freedom. As a magazine publisher himself, Brown knew NRA was paying way too much.

Marion also reiterated that Wayne and Chris had called for bump-stocks to be “regulated,” not banned. That’s true, and it was a huge mistake that led directly to the ban. I predicted this result when I called them out for that idiotic statement at the time and called for the Board to repudiate the statement – but Marion jumped to their defense. As I pointed out then, if Wayne and Chris had said that the NRA was open to revisiting the regulations regarding bump-stocks, that might have been excusable as a political maneuver to help dodge negative action in Congress. Though you have to wonder why congressional action was such a concern, when our Republican “friends” held majorities in both houses and the White House. Instead, Wayne and Chris said that the “NRA believes” that bump-stocks should be more tightly regulated, and President Trump quickly agreed and gave the order to BATFE.

Wayne and Chris have taken a similarly destructive and unprincipled position on Extreme Risk Protection Orders, merely insisting that some semblance of due process be included in the laws in order to get approval from NRA. This has given a green light to Trump and numerous Republican governors to pursue ERPO legislation. Legistlation to deprive gun owners of their arms based on someone’s concern that they might be dangerous, while leaving these potentially dangerous people free to roam the streets with ready access to knives, gasoline, poisons, planes, automobiles, and all manner of other dangerous and possibly deadly tools. Not only does this result in Republican “friends” doing stupid things that push GunVoters away from them, at least one person flagged by one of these ERPO’s has been killed by police trying to confiscate his guns. Have any lives been saved?

It is also a fact that NRA was over $30 million in the red in 2017, and had an almost $50 million deficit in its pension fund. These deficits aren’t due to lack of revenue, but rather irresponsible spending.

In short, Marion Hammer and Don McDougal are saying that since NRA has accomplished some good things during Wayne LaPierre’s 30 years at the helm, the members and the Board of Directors should be unconcerned about a $30 million deficit, profligate spending, cronyism, and obscene salaries. Nor should they be concerned about the failure of NRA leadership to adhere to the core principles of the Second Amendment, or to ensure that all operations are above reproach and squeaky clean. And we shouldn’t be at all worried about an outside vendor owning and controlling major segments of NRA operations, and making tens of millions of dollars in profit from our association.

I respectfully disagree.

I believe that principles matter, even when they are politically challenging. That giving our enemies ammunition by being careless about our business is inexcusable. And that the NRA should be controlled by a board of directors elected by the membership in fair and open elections, without interference from outside vendors or others with a financial stake in our leadership. I also believe that those who work for the NRA, especially in the higher echelons, should be motivated first by their dedication to the Second Amendment and the safe enjoyment of the shooting sports, not by monetary factors. That’s why I believe that Wayne LaPierre, with his waffling, wheedle words, outrageous salary, and cozy relationship to Ackerman McQueen, needs to go, and that the NRA needs a strong, committed, Second Amendment purist with a solid corporate management background, to lead the organization going forward.

This isn’t personal, and it’s not politics. It’s not about “tearing down” the NRA or building up any other organization. This is about principles, right and wrong, and what’s best for the NRA, gun owners, and America.


Jeff Knox
Jeff Knox

About Jeff Knox:

Jeff Knox is a second-generation political activist and director of The Firearms Coalition. His father Neal Knox led many of the early gun rights battles for your right to keep and bear arms. Read Neal Knox – The Gun Rights War.

The Firearms Coalition is a loose-knit coalition of individual Second Amendment activists, clubs and civil rights organizations. Founded by Neal Knox in 1984, the organization provides support to grassroots activists in the form of education, analysis of current issues, and with a historical perspective of the gun rights movement. The Firearms Coalition has offices in Buckeye, Arizona and Manassas, VA. Visit: www.FirearmsCoalition.org.

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Robert Boudrie

The problem is the members. As long as we let the NRA leadership send out “who to vote for” instructions (coded as “nominating committee endorsement’), and the majority of members follow these instructions without actually examining the qualifications and positions of the candidates, it will only get worse. It’s pretty much guaranteed that any candidate mentioning “excessive salaries” will never get a nominating committee endorsement. The leadership does not want an independent board that will set direction, priorities, and financial and salary policies but one consisting of as many celebrity names as possible while making sure all candidates will go… Read more »

Steve

The problem I see in all this is, it’s become a business venture more so than “good people…doing good things” in the name of Constitutional rights and freedoms! Truth is…..I don’t trust ANY of them to DO what they say because their hands are always out stretched, palms up! Why don’t they at least off stock certificates. EVERYTHING gets screwed up when PEOPLE get involved. It gets harder everyday, to know who is right minded and just and, who is “in for a paycheck”! It’s absolutely ludicrous that we are having to battle the ignorant for OUR Constitutional rights! But,… Read more »

Anthony Kueber

Conservatives vote Republican and join and contribute to the National Rifle Association, all the while watching the size, scope and cost of government grow-grow-grow and their Second Amendment Rights erode.

If insanity IS doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result, perhaps we should reclaim our sanity by supporting some new and different organizations?

Will Flatt

Absolutely!! Supporting groups like Not Really Activists is a waste of money, not to mention our Rights.

The Revelator

@MM1(SS) Knox. Jeff, thank you for writing an article here. You tried to keep it from being just a personal attack. Having said that, Don McDougall and Marion Hammer are never going to accept it. They are coming at this issue from the position that unless you support their opinions and do what they think you should be doing the way they want it done, then you are an enemy that needs to be shouted down or destroyed. There is no evidence or concern for facts with them. No matter what you do, they are working to protect what they… Read more »

Greg K

Search Narcissism, and Narcissistic Parent…you will find that Narcissists, attempt to garner support by playing the victim. This is a product of low self esteem. Here’s an example; Münchhausen by Proxy. They will make their kids sick enough to die to get their way. Now that’s sick, and as such, so is the NRA right now. Consider the NY State argument being forwarded. The NRA suggests that their cash cow Carry Guard in NY is so important to our future rights that they are overspending our dues to fight this to the bitter end. Insurance? Really? Where was all that… Read more »

Andy

Isn’t this the Liberal’s chosen method of attack?

The Revelator

If Andy, you are referring to the act of screaming at someone you disagree with that they must be a left wing collaborator without offering any substance or evidence to your argument, just for the sake of intimidating them into being quiet, then that would indeed be a Left wing style attack. Much like how leftists will scream racism because they don’t want to debate facts. It’s much easier to scream “You’re a white man! EVIL!!!” than it is to get into the minutia and let the people see what is really going on. Look at what happened to David… Read more »

Robert Pollard

Nail on the head. That’s what’s running the NRA.

Douglas G

Editors at Ammoland- I’ve had it with this pissing contest “opinion” pieces. Please stop posting articles of self aggrandizement and proclaimed superiority of one group over another. All they do is open a platform for individual bias, whining and personal attacks between readers and providing a feeding frenzy for Trolls.
There is no new information being presented and none of them do any good for supporting the 2A.

The Green Watch Dog

Yes and No Doug,
No, we should never oppress others right to comment, and give an opinion.
Yes, all posting need to comment in a respectful manner, and not lodge personal attacks.
The GWD.

Doug

I didn’t say anything about oppressing anyone or suppressing their comments. Ammoland has a choice of articles to post. I say enough with the articles that illicit favor in 2A groups or favoring one group over another and these rebuttal articles.

John

Yet instead of using that choice to keep liars like Lipsmack and Cat Lady, you repudiate likely the only man with both the will and ability to shine a light on the cronyism and malfeasance going on at the NRA? Nice. So we know where Ammoland stands. Instead of being possibly the only real platform the dissenters have to speak out and be heard by the membership at large, you’re content maintaining the status quo. Or, was that just a mistake, and surely the next Baghdad Bob-esque effort by McDougall or whomever will be rejected or publicly repudiated by Ammoland… Read more »

Andy

And you have a choice of articles to read. Don’t like it, don’t read it. Couldn’t be any easier than that.

HK Latham

Thanks Jeff for an excellent and much needed article.

TomC

You can call it “supporting the NRA” or “attacking the NRA” or “criticizing the NRA Executives” or any other name that comes to mind, bottom line what most of us are talking about is fundamentally changing the focus of the NRA. One thing I frequently see mentioned in discussions like this is the idea of “returning the NRA to its true purpose” — every time I have ever seen this phrase or something like it, the writer has been talking about wanting the NRA to stand up to support a strong Second Amendment and to defend the right to keep… Read more »

Beeroy

Well said, Sir.

All American

Thank you for that post (history lesson that can guide our future decision making). I will be sharing your post with many fellow Patriots of mine. Continue to share your knowledge Sir, we appreciate it!

Robert Pollard

Excellent info. I was right believing that Democrats were running the NRA.
Thanks!

Robert

Amen,why give money to people that just get fat off our dollars and give our rights away?
We just ended 8 years of “CHANGE” . Enough bs time to find a true 2a suport group who will fight for us the american firearms owners

DBM
JMR

Do you have a reading comprehension problem? Or are you deliberately not understanding what I asked you?

DBM

You’re not asking a real question. Try again.

JMR

No I am, you just appear to be an idiot or are deliberately ignoring them.

You are a bad spokesperson for the NRA

DBM

So name calling
..that all you got?

The Revelator

@DBM

Well its all you had for me on your article Don……

You didn’t do too well on those arguments and ended up running away as a result. Do you really want to start that all over again here? It’s about time you grow up. You already lost your reputation here, and will probably never get it back. At this point you are doing more damage to yourself and to the NRA each time you write here.

JMR

That’s real rich coming from you, but no it’s not name calling.

But I’m still waiting for you to list or link your sources for all the claims you made in the article you wrote, which was incidentally filled with name calling, since you can’t list your sources, it does appear that name calling is all you have.

DBM

So name call8ng all you got?

JMR

No answers, no surprise.

That’s the way the NRA likes, blind deaf and dumb.

The Revelator

@JMR

Notice, Don(DBM) cant be bothered to reply except to yours, and then only copy and paste.

He knows if he tries to engage on an evidence based debate with me he will lose. That’s why he stopped replying on his own article as well. What we have here is a very bitter man who is upset that neither you or I will just roll over and do what he tells us to do, and the more he comments the more damage he does to himself and the NRA.

All American

NRA, you don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Because they will stop feeding you. Supporting, promoting, and endorsing infringements on our right is a good way of doing just that. Also, wasteful mismanagement of funds that are donated to you by us (the working class that has to manage our funds appropriately) is another way of biting the hands that feed you. Maybe now that you are receiving less and less support because of YOUR actions (not ours!) You will be forced to support the 2nd Amendment unconditionally in order to get your support and funding back. You’ll also… Read more »

Jake

My problem is that they are wasting resources on issues unrelated to gun rights, alienating potential allies in the process. It seems that Wayne and the other other executives are so enamored of Trump that they will chase down every rabbit hole he digs. Why is the NRA praising attacks on net neutrality? What does kneeling (or not) for the national anthem have to do with guns? Why take any position whatsoever on climate change? They are wasting their bandwidth and turning off many whose support they need. I am still a member, but it is a lot harder to… Read more »

Don Lawlis

Wayne LaPierre is no friend of gun owners. I guess he has never heard if you give an inch, they’ll take a mile. I really think he is interested only in invites to cocktail parties and keeping his power base(money)just like every other sellout in DC. . He needs to go.

freeillinois

I would love to say the NRA was a true Pro-Gun organization but their approach to gun rights is to manage the “Decline: of our Rights and not the restoration of our rights. I remember the Debate over the FOID card in Illinois and how race was used to support the passage and support of the FOID card law. If you openly opposed the law in public you were chastised as an “N” lover. Our local sheriff literally told people opposed to the FOID card law that if the law was not passed Blacks were going to Burn down the… Read more »

DBM

The NRAs deficit are the result of the State of New York’s actions and the ensuimg lawsuit. Not mismanagmemt. So Jeff..
How about you READ the articlrs you object too? Or do the facts. Upset you because they dont support ypur anti NRA narrative?

JMR

How about you post your sources for the claims you made.

DBM

What facts Upset you? Look it up yourself. $30 Million plus so far. If Cuomo wins. Good by NRA. Not that youd care.

JMR

Indeed I wouldn’t care if the NRA went bye-bye.

But no that is not the claims I was asking about, the claims in the article you wrote, all of them. Where are your sources? I want to see them, as do others.

DBM

Posted In a new thread. $30+ Million. Spent 8n 11 month. After the NRA GOA and other gun rights groups will be next.

Andy

No! You made the allegation, that makes it your responsibility to prove it. So unless you are going to back it up, why not just shut up.

Charles Greene

As a life member, I am ashamed of what the NRA has become. It is now an empty shell filled with empty people at the helm. Drain The Swamp of the NRA.

Wild Bill

@Chuck Greene, Well said, sir, an empty shell.

Andy

I quit the NRA day before yesterday after years as a Life Member. No more will I provide any support for this organizations pay checks. One thing to keep in mind is a empty shell makes the loudest noise.

Paul

I have thought for a long time that the NRA “leadership” was far too close to the edge of the swamp to remain unsullied. Now we learn they’re neck deep in the swamp and going deeper still. time for a change at the NRA Leadership. Where is Ollie North in leading the BoD for cleaning up the mess? I though he was a Marine.Does the Board work for Lord Wayne or does he work for the Board? I was a voting member when Neal Knox and Harlan Carter fought the good fight. Recently I received a solicitation to renew a… Read more »

Bruce Gordon

Jeff is Right On on this issue… I remember when Neal was booted, and that was the
Day I left the NRA… Never to return, EVER… You tell’ed Jeff…..

asdf

agree

Oldmarine

Oldmarine >>> Jeff Knox I agree wholeheartedly. Changes are required for any movement forward in this battle. I really get frustrated at many of the Organizations like the NRA, GOA and the SAF. They should learn something about Combat. It’s always the best to cut off the head of the snake, but no none of the organizations gets it. there seems to be a lot of bitching and pushing and going on among these units with some results but never a clear victory that shuts down attacks on the Constitution. I’ve said this over and over and it bewilders me… Read more »

Will Flatt

Will Flatt >>> Oldmarine

Sadly, the NRA simply uses celebrities and major personalities, beginning with Charlton Heston, to draw and retain naive gun owners who have no clue about the larger fight going on or the internal problems going on at the NRA. At the end of the day, however, NRA still = Negotiating Rights Away.

That’s why I quit my NRA life membership a long time ago. People like Wayne LaPierre are simply exacerbating the problems inherent in the NRA (Group of fudds, history of embracing gun control, financial improprieties, etc.)..

tomcat

Thirty million in the red, no wonder they are crying for more money. If they sold everything off at auction they would still have a deficit and be down the tubes. Super good management has led to this bad position. (sar) Most business would have axed the head long before they ran up thirty million in debt. Here we are, just another government entity looking to the working people to bail them out of their stupid mistakes. It is past time for changes. No more money for you high flyers until the ax swings, including Hammer.(She’s asleep at the switch.)

Gunny1951

Lifer for 66 years and I am thoroughly disgusted with the leadership currently exhibited by the org. Have read and followed Mr Knox’s columns for many years and have always found him to be on point, just as I did his father. Once again he has stepped up to share his views, which coincidentally parallel those of many, many members of NRA, as well as those of a large majority of 2A supporters in this country. Obscene salaries, corrupt or inept business practices are depleting the necessary resources needed to combat and repeal unconstitutional firearms regulations nationally and need to… Read more »

Will Flatt

Will Flatt >>> Gunny1951 That’s precisely why NRA members, if they truly want to fight for gun rights, need to get off the pot and stop giving their money to NRA. They would be FAR better off by giving to GOA and other groups who use their proceeds far more wisely. You will NOT see obscene salaries at GOA. They throw everything including the kitchen sink into the 2A fight. That is why GOA membership is skyrocketing at the same time NRA’s income is plummeting. There’s a tectonic shift occuring among gun owners. Please join us, and spread the word.… Read more »

Robert Pollard

I signed. Thanks for the link.

Lou

The NRA via Marion Hammer has released a statement that HB 175 is not in any way sponsored by them. “NRA had nothing to do with that bill or any other bill that has been filed so far this session.” NRA-ILA, Marion Hammer January 14, 2019. (https://www.nraila.org/articles/20190114/florida-alert-where-do-anti-gun-legislators-get-this-stuff) HB 175 is a pro gun bill that would repeal the gun control passed in Florida last year. I sure hope Marion Hammer and the NRA gets behind HB 175. But the fact of the matter is, that Marion Hammer, Florida’s NRA Lobbyist states that they had nothing to do with drafting and… Read more »

William Flatt

That’s because all the NRA does is Negotiating Rights Away. Anything else they’re not interested nor involved in.

‘Nuff said.

Gun owners: If you are NOT a fudd, time to ‘come out of her (NRA) my people, and be not partakers of her plagues’.

Ton E

I agree with every word in this piece LaPierre and Cox need to step down immediately along with the board members who were okay with the Vegas statement

Phillip Ternullo

Something else to ponder . How does Oliver North becomecome president of the NRA after Running guns into Iran and funneling the money to another country ? Called the Contra Affair .

Henry

Oliver North is a “captive celebrity,” like Charlton “nobody needs an AK47” Heston was before him. If you recall, Heston was totally pulled out of a hat by Ack-Mack specifically to deny 1VP Neal Knox his turn in the top seat.

Freebird

The Arrogance of the N.R.A. never stops , ” You ‘ need ‘ us ” is all they say. When more gun laws were proposed in New Jersey. state level NRA people and the ” Cool Kids ” gun clubs told gun owners looking for information on bill language …. ” Let us handle it , shut up , sit down and give us money “…. a fat lot of good they did.

Gun Owners of America will soon surpass N.R.A. membership — NO Compromise

Bruce

I’m sorry to say this, but NJ, NY, California, Hawaii, and a couple of other states are gone! The NRA can’t fix everything. These states are controlled by leftist anti-gun democrats and I don’t see anything changing anytime soon. I lived in one of these states for the first 50 years of my life and I can tell you that they are lost. We are outnumbered in these areas and will be forever! One of the reasons I left were the oppressive gun laws. I understand not everyone can leave their home state because of a job or other obligations… Read more »

Ton E

Bruce I am a lifetime member I’ve been trying to vote the likes of Adam Kraut into the board of directors I don’t see how that man isn’t in there yet. I agree when you say the NRA isn’t perfect and I believe they’re a dull knife I’d rather that knife be sharpened than thrown away. But I wholeheartedly believe that start with people in positions of leadership within the organization who will not only not stick to principles but not call on the government to take unconstitutional actions.

Freebird

” ….. but they will NEVER surpass the NRA in numbers or effectiveness. Get that through your heads. ” LOL , thanks Bruce the apologist … you just PROVED my point about the ..” You NEED us ” arrogance of NRA.
Gun Owners of America grows because they FIGHT !
Soon they will have more real influence than Peppy La Pue and COX sucker.

DWEEZIL THE WEASEL

I apologize for repeating myself. Read RICHOCHET by Richard Feldman. And, do not shoot the messenger. The book was a real eye-opener for me, being that I am a LIFE member, pistol instructor, and range safety officer. As far as the NRA leadership, I can only quote Oliver Cromwell’s speech to the Long Parliament: “…you have sat here far too long. Depart from here and let us be done with you. In the name of God, go!”

Joe

AMEN! AND THIS GOES FOR 3/4 OF THE CONGRESS AND SENATE. JEFF, you have more info than I do, but when the NRA acts like the rinos, as in ” the sky is falling, only we can save you, send us your money!” I smell a rat. Namely 3. Whiney, kiss, and ack mac. If I were president of the NRA I would fire all 3 with cause. Gross mismanagement. Salary padding, nepotism/cronyism over charging for services, collusion to pad salaries and pensions. Go into the night, so that we shall be done with your sorry asses…. just fucking go…… Read more »

Vanns40

Jeff: As always a great column my friend. The hearts and minds of those who truly believe in the Second Amendment are changing direction with the ever increasing flow of information.

jack

Marion Hammer has NOT attended an NRA board meeting in at least five years–and others on the board do not attend. To many on the NRA board it simply a title/business card they like to have with them. Problem is of the couple million plus members who are eligible to vote for the board only about 55,000 ever do and many are simply sheeple and vote the same way as they have for years–and they follow the strangely unfair NRA recommendations in the magazine.

Henry

Like the USA, the NRA is a perfect example of TINVOWOOT. In both cases, the election process has been “solved” by those who would benefit personally from it, and there is no longer any risk of their not contiuing in power.

Bill N.

I have thought all along that the NRA is worth keeping, much has been accomplished,, much more needs to be done. Now our leadership has become complacent, blinded by money,and think they need more money to continue on. You don’t shoot the horse when it’s the rider who misguides the horse. We must get better more qualified leadership to continue down the right path to responsible protection of our constitutional rights. Don’t give up on the NRA, we control who gets to hold the reins of our horse. Just like our “politicians” who campaign on one thing and turn against… Read more »

Bill N.

I have one more thing I’d like to add. I’ve been a member for over 60 years, off and on. I am on a fixed income now and only pay dues, no contributions. I’m irritated that almost weekly I get requests for donations. I feel I give enough through my dues. They should be satisfied I’m even a member.

Phillip Ternullo

I agree !

Henry

The NRA election process is a sham, to the point where the average member has more leverage to determine the NRA’s direction by leaving it than by voting within it.

They’ve not only squandered their mandate to protect our rights, they’ve squandered their founding mandate of firearms training* (and had to backpedal to recover… but too late).

*Here’s one instructor’s summary of their screwup, which not only financially burdened students and instructors, but doomed the efforts of non-profits dedicated to providing free training to at-risk women. Under the “new” NRA policy, it became impossible to hold free training.

https://www.dailyadvocate.com/news/12161/local-gun-instructor-displeased-with-nra-move-to-online-learning

Will Flatt

Having long ago ceased my affiliation with the NRA, I was not aware of this move to online learning. I believe in standardized training, having received the bulk of mine in the military and joining campus police in Indiana many moons ago. Indiana does not require training as a condition to obtaining a License to Carry; such requirements represent an unconstitutional prior restraint on a fundamental right. Nonetheless, it is the moral responsibility of every gun owner to be proficient in the safety and use of their firearms. Whatever you can afford to get properly trained, spend it, it’s worth… Read more »

john k

Obscene salaries, fat pensions and perks, side deals, lack of representing the will of the constituents by the “duly” elected…. Starting to sound more and more like what happens to all men (and women) that fail to keep their eyes on their oath and function. Power and position invariably corrupts!

In this case, throwing the baby out with the bath water depends on the baby(ies). Something has to give. Crumbs from the master’s table isn’t what any of us that have continually supported the org had in mind.

James M

This country is on the brink of failing. Those that serve her faithfully are blamed for failures while those that rob her stand on others successes. The NRA has unfortunately followed suit. And I fear the lines have been drawn. Let the NRA fall like sodom. Put your time and money to the GOA.

Will Flatt

People need to learn this web address by heart: https://Gunowners.org

Hubcap

I just received my renewal notice from the NRA. I was seriously thinking of throwing it in the trash, but then I thought if I do who would speak for me. I am going to renew my membership so I can help vote these “leaders” out. Maybe we can try anyway.

JMR

Yea you don’t vote for Chris Cox and Wayne.

Also the elections are shady, and there’s no oversight
To them.

Why do you need someone to represent your voice to your representatives? Why can’t you do that?

Matt in Oklahoma

They wouldn’t get critisized if they just did thier job. I get paid to do a job and if I don’t do it I hear about it so why do they, and others, think they are above it?

Green Mtn Boy

Beyond time to drain the NRAe swamp scum,return it to a members organization. I am the NRA however not one penny until the swamp is drained.

Ben Chrisner

My opinion the NRA sold the little people out Too many times.
They are a bunch of elitists

Michael

I think this was a well-written article by Jeff Knox and shows his true appreciation for the NRA, a group that woulda, shoulda, coulda continued to be the voice of American gun owners, if the leadership was truly concerned about the 2nd Amendment and the Americans it was created to protect. To me, that extends to machine guns too, as the 2nd Amendment, by its very creation, is there to allow us protection against our very own government, thereby allowing for sufficient weaponry to do just that… the 2nd Amendment is a serious RIGHT, that was never intended to be… Read more »

Tom

I`ve been a member for 44 years. I have a right to criticize my NRA. Just like I have a right to criticize my Government (and I do). Seems to me we`ve had a “establishment” NRA for a few years now. Time to drain the swamp. 30 years is way too long to be running the NRA. Just like politicians…..they`re not suppose to have the position for life. Time for new blood. Cut the BS part of the budget, then the savings go to legislative fights, and maybe more for shooting sports. Maybe Term Limits might not be a bad… Read more »

joefoam

You can attack the leadership and still support the NRA. I really disliked Obama but I still loved my country. Time for some new blood in the upper echelons of the organization. They are stuck in the time of bolt action rifles and skeet shotguns.

n.r.ringlee

The NRA is suffering from many of the same maladies that plague the Republican Party. They are closet progressives with very few genuine Conservatives (Constitutional) allowed, they are constantly looking for the “man on the white horse” to save them and they use their donors and activists like indentured servants and then turn their backs when any of the great unwashed criticize any pronouncement from the Mount. We are supposed to be a grass roots organization with a multipurpose mission: educate, advocate and recreate. My conclusion is simple. What plagues the NRA plagues everything federal: it is the water. The… Read more »

Patrick Sperry

With friends like these who needs enemies? If a Republican politician of any level approves of red flag laws, or any other regulatory infringement they sure as hell do not deserve our support. In fact, we the people need to be a serious thorn in their collective butts before, and forever after they engage in this Tory type behavior. The same can be said of the current leadership at the NRA.

I think Jeff should have the job of Executive Director myself.

Thomas J

Man, Negotiating Rights Away is in full on danage control. Until the NRA does something truly meaningful for the 2A, they are dead to me, next they’ll try to reanimate charlton heston to be waynes personal sock puppet, 2A is clear, written in plain simple english, so start acting like it NRA. And to the fudds who spout off “you wouldn’t have any gun rights if it wasn’t for the nra!” BS, rights are transcendent, from God, nature or the flying spaghetti monster, whatever you believe in, those rights are there, forever, free of charge, Confirmed by the constitution in… Read more »

GregTorchia

Simply agree there Thomas J /power -money have nullified the NRA as a viable source of rights for pro second amendment :gun owners of America /GOA is in the only organization that really truly fights for you and me -not some lobbyist organization with elite donors / LapierreCox ought to be ashamed of themselvesCouldn’t believe the anti-Second Amendment rant /words coming out of Cox’s mouth that was enough for me

Ben

100% agree

Nanashi

“Marion also reiterated that Wayne and Chris had called for bump-stocks to be “regulated,” not banned. That’s true”

No, that’s false. Absolutely and utterly false. You could call up the NRA any day after they posted that statement and confirm they did indeed mean ban. I received confirmation from half a dozen representatives that they sought a ban on new production “like machine guns”. They insisted that didn’t mean ban, but that’s a ban by any logical definiton.

Chris Corbett

In either case, whether it was that they called for “regulating” or banning bumpstocks, it was the wrong answer. They had to know that it was a slippery slope either way, because either way is an argument that a piece of plastic can kill someone all by itself, and the vague language that would be required to regulate them will absolutely be twisted by future administrations in other to further put the screws to gun owners.

We’ve seen this movie before with regard to background checks. They know better!

Freeillinois

I remember when the late Aaron Zelman spoke to the NRA board and attempted to explain to them the “Dangers” of Gun Control and what happens when Governments go bad. Aaron tried to explain the difference between Mans Laws and Gods laws and the Rights of a free people. Aaron told me his words fell on deaf ears. We have went from a nation that bought guns through the mail to a nation where people must jump through hoops and waiting periods to exercise a God given right that has been handed down to man from the time of Noah.… Read more »

DBM

Sir… There are two types of people in the world… Those who build themselves up and thos who are failures and need to tear down those around you to make themselves look better. We all see now who and what you are. I think your father would be ashamed of you.

Roy D.

Now DBM, if only people cared what you had to say it might be worth your while to continue doing it. Personally I don’t care for either type of individual you posted about. Let me guess, you would place yourself in the first category. That would make you boastful braggart. I seem to remember that “pride goeth before the fall.” Tis late, I will check back on the morn.

DBM

Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah

Subman

DBM, when you have no facts, attack the person. Literally an ad homenim. How about refuting ANY of the points made in the article (with citations) instead of trying to shame the author. Ironically, this type of “argument” is exactly what the extreme left does. Don’t like your opponent’s facts? Call them a racist, ie attack the person not the facts.

You’re no better than the Evergreen College mob or David Hogg.

Greg K

It’s also a hallmark of Narcissists to Project and Transfer onto others. Search Narcissistic Parent. DBM and Marion have done just those things. Super weak stand on their part.

Joseph P Martin

DBM, Your are a blatantly obvious shill for LaPierre and the other leaches at NRA responsible for driving away members and failing to adequately protect the 2nd Amendment rights of American citizens. Given you statement above you can add hypocrite to your resume as well.

Renov8

Change doesn’t do you good, does it? Is that why you still wear your tighty whiteys?

JMR

Still waiting on you to source the information for your claims.

Mike

Jeff Knox – I believe you have a good vision for the future of the NRA. It’s time for an internal cleansing of the corporate officers and a ‘refocus’ on the 2nd Amendment while continuing NRA’s historic mission of competition and certification of instructors for civilians and LEO’s. It’s possible to do it all.