U.S.A. – -(Ammoland.com)-The American Association of Retired Persons has been relatively silent on guns in recent years. Following exposure in American Rifleman back in 2013 detailing AARP support for disarmament edicts, someone at the top may have decided a low profile will drive away fewer members.
While not exactly buried, it does take a bit of digging on the AARP website to locate the association’s Policy Book, and then to narrow it down further to find its position on guns:
“Congress should eliminate gaps in and strengthen enforcement of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and other federal gun laws. States should enact legislation to eliminate gaps in and strengthen enforcement of federal and state gun laws, particularly with regard to possession by juveniles, convicted domestic abusers, and those under domestic violence restraining orders.”
“Other federal gun laws” sure leaves a lot of leeway. And note assurances of due process are conspicuously absent from the advocacy for prior restraint infringements.
Another factor also merits attention: Support for Democrat vs. Republican political candidates in 2018 and support for Barack Obama a few years before that.
Gun-owning seniors in the market for an organization that will lobby in their interests and offer affordable choices for products and services like insurance, roadside assistance, travel and restaurant discounts and the like, may feel like they must make a devil’s bargain. Is the only choice for saving needed money to bolster fixed incomes one that will provide aid and comfort to a group backing infringements on their rights and the rights of their posterity?
The Association of Mature American Citizens merits their consideration as a viable alternative. Not only does AMAC offer competitive programs, their “Stance on Key Issues” focuses on rights rather than coercive infringements:
“AMAC supports the Constitution of the United States of America and our Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment. Exercising the right to keep and bear arms demands the utmost responsibility, but we believe the Second Amendment guarantees our inalienable right to keep and bear arms. We urge all gun owners and users to be safe and responsible. Of course, firearms should only be obtained and used legally. We believe that all gun owners and users should attend courses led by certified instructors to learn the safe and proper use of firearms.”
Some with “I will not comply” convictions could argue with the “obtained and used legally” caveat, but I’m going to argue back that all who are moral and rational would have no problem with restating that as “Don’t steal guns and then victimize people with them.” And yeah, I’m all for training with qualified teachers and note the AMAC position is “should,” not “must or else.”
Here’s the deal—I’m not using this space to give a free commercial to anybody, especially since, even though I qualify as a “senior,” I have not joined a related advocacy and services group. I can’t pretend to being a satisfied member. I also realize most reading this probably won’t be in the market for such options for years (if so, you might want to pass this info on to an older relative or friend). So all I’m doing here is saying if you are part of the demographic that could get value in membership with such groups, understand that there is an alternative for you to chose that may align more with your values and your interests.
I can say this—if and when I am ready to join such an organization, AARP has disqualified itself from my consideration. And if more “conservatives” felt the same way, we might see the smaller AMAC grow considerably.
But this is all assuming the status quo maintains itself without disruption and that the collectivist forces bent on disarming us and destroying America haven’t pushed us into a whole ‘nother set of priorities.
About David Codrea:
David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating / defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament.
He blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” is a regular featured contributor to Firearms News, and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.
Forwarded with permission: TO: Foremost Insurance Group 1-800-752-2461 cc: [email protected] . Dear sir or Madam, I just purchased a new manufactured home and today I called you for a quote on a homeowners policy. When I asked the lady about coverage on my firearms she asked me what I used them for. I told her I used them for recreation and teaching as I am a firearms instructor. She put me on hold for a moment and when she came back to the phone she said that they would not sell me homeowners insurance because the risk was to high.… Read more »
I learned years ago that AARP is a supporter and contributor to PLANNED PARENTHOOD … I tell everyone about it I can
I never heard of them until now. At age 61 I am looking for an retired persons group to join. This will be my choice
The AARP was long ago compromised by leftist/ TOS EDIT. They insinuated themselves into the organization and financialized/commoditized/corporatized/commercialized it to their benefit and the goy members detriment– just like they do with everything in Heritage America that they subvert.
I already switched to AMAC, even before knowing it’s stance on 2A. Glad I Did!
AARP got most of it’s income from selling supplemental health insurance policies, and not mainly from membership dues as so many people seem to think (and AARP did / does little if anything to clear up this common misconception). As I remember it off the top of my head, once upon a time, many older people were at least reasonably happy with some optional plans known as Medicare Advantage and similar that cost a bit more, but covered all or at least enough of their health insurance needs for them to get by. When Obamacare came along, democrats wanted to… Read more »
AMAC is an excellent conservative alternative to that other money-making, high salaried, leftist group. They don’t offer as many discount offers, but they are PRO 2A.
As the phrase “obtained and used legally” is LEGAL (i.e. attorney-speak) phraseology, people might want to think in terms of the difference between that and obtaining firearms in a LAWFUL manner. Corporations like associations, insurance companies, etc., Get our approval in this way by using words and phrases that have a different meaning than what we think. We read policies like that and say to ourselves “well, that seems reasonable – we wouldn’t want them saying it’s OK to obtain firearms in an illegal way”. By using LEGAL words and phrases – meaning they comport with STATUTORY law, we think… Read more »
When I crested that particular hill, I already knew my choice would be AMAC instead of AARP. I was aware of AARP’s anti-gun, pro-big-government tendencies, and never had any inclination to join them. AMAC did a yeoman job ot helping my wife and me navigate our introduction fo Medicare. After that, we’ve had very little interaction other than the monthly magazine, which is consistently conservatve if uniformly shallow. They talk an agreeable game, but don’t actually lobby for anything outside their “single issue,” which is retirement. Still, I’m satisfied with that — it’s way better than giving your money to… Read more »
Instead of throwing the AARP information away, I fold it all up along with any other junk mail I have and put it in their postage-paid envelope. I then mail it back to them at their expense. Gives me a warm feeling.