Important Message From Your NRA Leadership & Past Presidents, 2019

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Important Message From Your NRA Leadership & Past Presidents, 2019

Fairfax, VA – -(Ammoland.com)- My fellow NRA Member:Since the NRA was founded almost 150 years ago, our adversaries have repeatedly tried to take us down.

Today is no different. A recent burst of media claims the NRA is vulnerable, financially unstable, and weakened in its fight to defend the Second Amendment. Obviously intent on not letting the facts get in the way of a good story, most reports offer a distorted and inaccurate view of the NRA.

As officers and past presidents of the NRA, we write today to set the record straight.

The complete Embedded letter follows:

An Important Message From Your NRA Leadership & Past Presidents 2019


About National Rifle Association:

National Rifle AssociationEstablished in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. More than five million members strong, NRA continues to uphold the Second Amendment and advocates enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the armed services. Follow the NRA on social at Facebook.com/NationalRifleAssociation and Twitter @NRA. Visit: www.nra.org

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Chuckbone56

The love of money= root of evil. Many other organizations have been corrupted after very much money was donated to them. Check out the Red Cross or United Way. NRA as well? Maybe? If current NRA leadership really believes in the cause they should resign and let other folks take the reins. Take one for the team? If they dont we will know them by their fruit.

och will

Anybody who claims they are a “leader” of a group that has put corporate gun sales profits over common sense gun safety laws is not the kind of person any American citizen can admire. More gun propaganda from the comedy writers at AmmoLand, . Then name summarizes nwhatb the group represents. America has the worst per capita gun violence rate in the developed world thanks to the efforts of there NRA and there gun whackadoodles who feel their “right” to infantry rifles and semi automatic pistols is more imp[ortant then the lives of their fellow citizens. “From my cold dead… Read more »

The Revelator

@och will Again, more propaganda from you. The NRA does not sell or manufacture firearms. Further 1. The Constitution forbids Gun Control. 2. None of your lies are Common Sense 3. As an example, your per capita comment was exposed before, which you were too much of a coward to reply at the time since you knew you lost the argument, and here you are again trying to state the same disproven lie. 4. None of the ideas proposed so far have anything to do with “Safety”, only the control of law abiding peaceful citizens making use of their rights.… Read more »

Wild Bill

@Rev, I look forward to the day that we hunt down the betrayers of the Constitution and their paid propagandists.

The Revelator

@Wild Bill I will defend, I wont hunt down. That is the difference between the American Revolution and the French. The constitution applies to all, even those who hate it, but if ever och will or any others try to force me to comply with what they want I will not hesitate in the slightest. Their bodies will be rolled out the door they just tried to kick in and left to rot in the streets. Do not forget we don’t want to replace one oppressor with another, that is why our founders wrote the constitution, and why Washington turned… Read more »

Wild Bill

@Rev, Well… I see your point and the great potential that I might be misunderstood. Unlike the French, I was just idly curious about seeing what kind of people would betray our Constitutional Republic.

The Revelator

@Wild Bill There are those who betray it because they think(Falsely) they are doing the right thing and blind themselves to the atrocities they cause to implement it. There are those who betray it because they want to destroy what it stands for, out of hate and malice, and a desire to control. And then there are those who betray it because they claim to be saving it. This is the group we have to be most careful in watching out for, because they are the bad actors pushing from behind in hopes they can take power in the aftermath.… Read more »

Realist

Please provide us with a list of the crimes that have been stopped by any gun control or safety laws fool? Data can be provided on how many lives guns have saved and crimes stopped in there tracks!

Get Out

@och will Can you provide anything to back up anything you’ve spewed so far? You spout a lot of nonsense yet never post anything to back up your bull spatter. Please elaborate on the differences of infantry rifles issued to the Marines that are available to non military? Were you issued a semi-auto rifle ever while you were supposedly in the Corps? FYI, A year after the Columbine High School massacre, the phrase gained newfound popularity following the 129th NRA convention, in Charlotte, North Carolina on May 20, 2000, when the actor, and president at the time of the NRA,… Read more »

Jim Parker

When I learned that each of my small donations went to buy Wayne Lapierre a shoelace instead of supporting the Second Amendment, I stopped donating.

CARL R GOTTSTEIN

Did you hand over your guns too? Or are you just hoping the NRA will protect and defend your rights for free?

Mike

It’s amazing that a few disgruntled members of a 5,000,000 member association, some (most, all?) of whom have never sat on a board, led a Cub Scout Pack, owned a functioning business, served as leader in an organization larger than a local PTA are able to tell the world how poorly run a 148 + year old association is. It seems that ALL of the programs, which are yet competently run by these ‘greedy, lying, money-grubbing, anti 2A, NRA Bored memberz’ who have no soul or conscience, why is that so? Have the Nay-sayers helped out in ANY of these… Read more »

The Revelator

@Mike Your comment uses strawman and non-sequitur based arguments, while ignoring a visible and trackable history. 1. “If it takes just a word from these folks to change the Laws that they disagree with why haven’t their favorite 2A pro-gun groups already accomplished that?” The question you should be asking is if the NRA has been so vital and effective in the defense against and in changing those laws, why have they also been instrumental in passing and implementing the majority of anti-2A laws currently on the books and in the midst of trying to help implement two more currently?… Read more »

Newell Anderson

I don’t know what to think! I’m too far removed from the seats of power, that I don’t have enough reliable data to know what is going on!!
I know the anti 2nd. Amendment folks would like to destroy the NRA. I don’t think That I am willing to walk away & let the NRA die, over hard feelings!!
I will continue to pay my dues & support the organization!! Thanks for letting me voice my opinion!

The Revelator

@Newell Anderson That is a choice you get to make and I want to tell you, Good for you. Thanks for going about this the right way. I chose to discontinue my support because of what I saw going on, and the data I was able to verify as was my choice and opinion. Some here unfortunately wish to dictate to people like you and I “what is proper” for us to do according to their private opinions. That is where the problem lays. At the end of the day you are the one that has to live with your… Read more »

The Revelator

Gave this piece the respect it deserves.

1. Printed it off

2. Used it to wipe

3. Flushed

To the NRA, its leadership, and all presidents past: You screwed the pooch, betrayed your membership, and are now trying to blame us for leaving by dismissing us as a “left wing conspiracy” against you. Keep digging that hole deeper, you’re going to need it for the burial.

George

Curiously absent from the ‘past Presidents’ list was good ole ‘bought and paid for’ Col. North! Like me, almost all of my gun club are NRA life members. Their collective complaint is how they are constantly bombarded with phone calls & mailers always asking for MORE money! This is NOT my old NRA! It is the money-grubbing POS advertising company they hired who by the way, also hired North as the new ‘face’ of our NRA. The first time I read one of Ollie’s ‘president messages’ in my Rifleman magazine which was nothing more than some ‘rah-rah hooray for us… Read more »

D.C.

That letter is such garbage. The NRA didn’t have enemies until it decided to be a money grubbing political group. At it’s founding everyone loved the NRA because of what it stood for.

tomcat

What an ignorant way to dissuade people from leaving. This letter, from the time I started reading it, screamed of “white washing” and a begging to send money only money. If this is the intelligence of the NRA we know they are no match for the gun grabbers. It got to the point that I was only scanning the letter because the content wasn’t gong anywhere that was any interest to people that did not want their rights taken. It is as clear as daylight, you could see right through it.

The Revelator

@tomcat

That’s all they can do here though is spam garbage pieces like this, or written by buffoons like Hammer or Hutchison and hope there are enough brain dead idiots who will buy into it. They’ve been doing it for so long, they don’t know how to do anything else.

They are quite effectively, for lack of a better term, castrated.

Dave C

Clean house! Do away with everything that doesn’t pertain to shooting – like insurance, books, wine, baubles, etc.
GET THE HELL OUT OF NEW YORK!

Larry Brickey

Yea and verily! Let the SAF and others do this type of fighting.

Buford Lovejowel

I passed on the half price life membership offer it was cheap, but ain’t free.

American Rifleman is like any other commercial magazine, editorial content is a bridge and linked to the full page advertisements. The only thing that shines is the historical content.

If National Rifle Association cuts the fat and gets on point, I would become a life member, sadley thst is unlikely in my life time.

Whitehat

Hey billo, it is that simple! Clean house! Out with the old and in with new people who have not lost sight of the NRA’s purpose. Preserve the 2nd amendment! As an endowment life member since 1976 I am disgusted with the leadership like most of you. It’s been no more money from me for quite some time in fact I want some back to give to the GOA, NAGR, and others who won’t waste it and won’t compromise. The crowning blow is the backing of the “Extreme Risk Protection Order” or Red Flag law in Florida. Thank you NRA,… Read more »

JDL

The voting members can change the NRA leadership. Any board member wanting my vote can not be an incumbent. Need to flush the toilet.

So Sueme

My limited funds now go to Gun Owners of America. No, they’re not the largest (yet) organization defending the 2nd Amendment but they’re already the most effective!

Jeffery P

As a new Patriot Life Member, I am very unhappy with how the NRA is run. Let’s just assume everything is legal and above-board for the moment — How the heck is the NRA spending my money? Executive compensation is too high. Spending is too high. However, I suspect the insider deals may be true. The executives and the board need to let some sunshine in and allow members to see what’s really going on. I believe the executives are not properly performing their fiduciary duties and I also believe the board is lax on oversight. Bottom line — No… Read more »

danny b pro2nd

As a Life Member fortunately or unfortunately, the NRA is the only game in town. There are alot of great organizations supporting the 2nd Amendment and shooting sports, but the NRA is still the top dog, for now. It seems the NRA is at a crossroads and perception is reality. When claims of financial mismanagement, sweet heart deals and the good ole boys are on the table, then as an organization you have lost. You can’t try and pawn it off as some malcontent members. The people bringing these charges, one Colonel North and others aren’t your run of the… Read more »

Patriot

Not only did they blink, but they missed the boat! With the election of a Republican President and a majority of republicans in both houses of congress I am sure donations as well as membership in the NRA stagnated to a point and Wayne being so ingrained with what worked in the past to counter this throw out the bump stock as a means to stir up gun control issues to once again extract more funds from members? If only he had made the correct move now that republicans were in control and moved to repeal some of the unconstitutional… Read more »

The Revelator

@D. L. bpro2nd They didn’t blink, they’ve been working against us for years. The bump stock issue wasn’t the first, but another part of a long list of usurpations against the second amendment co-written and endorsed as passable by the NRA. Maybe if the people who claim “The NRA is the only game in town” would put their support behind a different group that maintains a no-compromise defense of the second amendment, swelling its numbers and war-chest, then that organization would be the only game in town. Instead we have to hear them apologize about it and cry about how… Read more »

Jason Ewing

Do you understand what is going on!!! Your an idiot if you think the NRA is standing up for our rights. Look at what the NRA allowed to happen. Do you know what the “Bump Stock Ban” did? You may think that this ban does not effect you because you don’t care or own a bump stock, correct? Well, the NRA helped the ATF write the ban by providing support on the proposed wording to the BATFE. The regulation is the most far reaching anti-2A regulations in our history. Yes our History! With out congressional voting or citizenry involvement in… Read more »

Realist

Still waiting to see photos from Wayne or Donald of criminals destroying or turning in their bump stocks? Criminals by nature do not obey laws! So this ban only adversely impacted law abiding citizens and their pocket books!

Rocky Mountain

Screw gun clubs!

When one goes into court and throws the gun control in the Judges face and says “WE RUFUSE TO COMPLY” then walks out I will immediately join. I support nothing less.

Arthur

I joined the NRA almost 60 years ago. I believed in their training programs, sensible gun use, safety programs an even their support for background checks for hand guns. Over the years I have seen a bastardization of a beloved organization for the all mighty dollar and hysterical pleas for more and more money. It became an organization that forgot its roots and became a home for rabid beaurocrats who ran the organization for their own benefit. I realized this a few years ago and cancelled my membership with a scathing letter direct to Wayne. The letter was never answered… Read more »

Freebird

Holy carp …. how many second and third ” vice presidents ” does NRA have ?
You can tell the gravy train has derailed when all the past grifters come out and say — ” All is well “

110% American

Wayne desperately needs a raise. His wardrobe is not suitable to represent your 2A rights. Be nice, he really needs your money. I have decided i am not giving him shit!!!!!!!!!!!

Gregory Winchell

When I contribute to the NRA it is with the expectation that my money goes to fight gun control not buy Wayne LaPierre a new Italian suit! No more money to them!

Stuart Percell

“Wayne desperately needs a raise.” That’s for certain, since he’s already raking-in 3-times the annual salary of the POS, I can’t even begin to imagine how he even gets by. What a farce that members have been shelling out their own hard earned cash for.

Realist

Should the present leadership continue to separate itself from the membership they will surely have a smaller membership to report to after next years annual meeting? Organizations always encounter outside opposition, but it rarely destroys them! On the other hand should an organization’s leadership separate itself from it’s membership it will surely fail! After reading this letter it is clear this has occurred and the membership is no longer supportive of the current business plan of stirring up gun control issues in order to extract funding from the membership after all these years has now become clearly exposed and is… Read more »

Matthew Thacker

What I cant believe is it took the members this long to figure out what’s really going on in the NRA. I was a member in the early 1980s and kept it for as long as I was an instructor for them but the constant barrage of sympathetic begging really bugged me. My wife and I struggle every month to make ends meet, and even after telling them to back off the pleas for money every week I would get another. I finally took a good look at the management and made the decision to give it up. I did… Read more »

Matt in Oklahoma

I’m done with them. Letting it run our next month. The same issues in government are the same issues in the NRA.
Y’all can drink your NRA wine and bag for more money.

PHIL

SUPPORT the Gun Owners of America! Need anyone say more?

JPM

What a wonderful letter (which LaPierre most likely penned) from LaPierre’s owned and managed organization signed by his chosen past and present leadership, sycophants, toadies and apologists who no doubt profited from LaPierre’s mismanagement and dictatorship and likely still do. What a joke. If it can’t be fixed, it needs to be scrapped and with LaPierre in charge of EVERY aspect of the NRA it won’t be fixed until he’s gone for good.

John Lewis

Patron Life NRA member: got same email yesterday that all is well with NRA and the board is in control. Next batch of emails is from Wayne begging for more monies or NRA is going under. So whose on first? The NRA needs to make changes at leadership levels before I financially support them further. I have also joined another dun rights organization, something I think every gun owner should do to support our rights. We must stand together to protect the rights of all Americans

Mr. Walkker

too funny…..”dun rights organization”.
Seriously that really does do it, and says it all.
Doing away with our rights. Organ-I-zation.

IceRef 33

My thoughts, too. Above states “Fact: According to the NRA’s chief financial officer, we are on budget in 2019. The NRA is meeting all banking and supplier financial obligations and we continue to aggressively manage our cost structure to offset the orchestrated and calculated attacks against NRA’s finances in 2018. Put another way, our financial house is in order – we aren’t going away.” Then I get an email from Wayne stating “I need your help and I need it TODAY. The fact is, your NRA is now facing an attack that’s unprecedented not just in the history of the… Read more »

CHARLES W MODICA

CLEAN HOUSE

joefoam

I have hedged my bets by joining GOA & SAF. The NRA needs new leadership and fresh ideas. The good ole boy network is failing to do the job.

TexDad

Still arguing against the membership? Make the changes the membership demands. Donations will be going to another organization until it happens. Hopefully that will eventually hurt enough that the NRA is forced to action.

The Revelator

+1

billo

It’s not that simple. When I was much younger, around 1980, I had a friend who graduated from law school, and got a gig with a small but huge-named Washington DC law firm. While working his way through school, he had been a staffer for a major politician, and had worked on Pentagon procurement policy for the politician. When he graduated from law school, people lined up to hire him — as much for his contacts as anything. When he was hired, they had some very specific rules for him. Henceforth, his appearance reflected on the firm. They had a… Read more »

Chard

That’s the biggest load of horse crap that I have ever read. They must think that we are the most stupid people who have ever pooped between a pair of shoes. No one is buying that story. Hire some better spin doctors.

Wild Bill

@Chard, You got it pegged, brother. Pure “billo-ney”!

John

Further evidence Ammoland should limit all comments to 40 words or less. Good Lord, some folks just like to go on and on and on and on spewing poobah! Nuff already.

Proctor

I’ve heard this bull crap from a friend and I would at least understand and maybe even accept it if not for the insane salaries, post retirement contracts, and golden parachutes the leeches of the NRA have. I don’t give a damn about expensive company cars and suits if it’s all legit; it’s a drop in the bucket and maybe a necessary cost of dealing with the elitist stranglehold on our once great government. The NRA fat cats can get stuffed. We the people will fight. We will not petition elites to possibly bring our petty to them concerns before… Read more »

Jeffery P

Did the Washington DC law firm that hired your friend get their money from donors and member dues? No? Then how is this relevant?

Has the press ever remarked on how well-dressed Wayne is? Do the big money donors ask where he buys his suits?
Nobody in the NRA expects Wayne to dress like he is the POTUS meeting world leaders. People who hate the NRA don’t care how he dresses, that’s for sure.

pro2nd

How’s the COOL-AID???

Henry

“If you want access to these people”
And there’s the whole fallacy in a nutshell.
If you REALLY want access to these people, you roll over on your own membership when one of them wants to take away one of your rights, and you give D and F-minded people A ratings. Otherwise, you lose access, and you’re nobody.
That’s not the kind of defense of my rights I am paying for. The NRA is chummy access-based politics, and that’s why it has been betraying you. GOA is adversarial pain-based politics, and that’s why they represent you and no one else.

KCsmith

If the NRA spent as much time on fighting 2A issues as they did begging for more money for their grossly overpaid “leadership”, they might actually be effective.

I won’t send them a dime, not when I can send that dime to GOA and have it put to good use, fighting liberal anticonstitutionalism, instead of paying for someone’s wardrobe.

Burley

The only difference between regular union mob bosses and this group of NRA bosses is union dues are mandatory and NRA dues are voluntary. Now they are scared their livelihoods are in danger, this has nothing to do with the 2nd Amendment. The private company I worked for never paid for my suits but we were expected to dress appropriately for our position. With the salary these executives are making they should have been buying their own cloths. Travel on the other hand I understand. IMHO this organizational leadership has become it’s own profit center and cash cow business selling… Read more »

roy

Freedom is not free,so unless you want to just hand them in,or give me the bullshit line ,they can just try and come and take them, I’ll take my chance given them $35 a year.also,if your goa is so strong,how come not one politician running for president mentions them as a threat,because their not,but I recommend joining all,nra,goa,nyrpa,scope,etc.

JMR

Lmao, the only reason all voices were heard is because people like the fine folks at Blue Alpha Gear, and Adam kraut had a lawyer who knew your bylaws.
You tried to cut them off and adjourn but their lawyer called you out for your bullshit reminding you that you had to listen to everyone.

Henry

Actually, Adam Kraut IS a gun-rights lawyer, and a very good one.

edward smith

Super salary’s paid work clothes where do I sign up.

William Fender

GOA all the way. NRA is just smoke and mirrors.

Keith

Pr FPC/FPF

Keith

Or*

Joe Carey

This is nothing but a plea to keep Wayne in power and beg for the members money to buy him a new suit. Where are the law suits being brought on behalf of our 2nd Amendment Rights? Oh Gun Owners of America are bringing those while the NRA continues with the cocktail party, political hack get together and pad each others pockets. As we can see everyday in the news that route is getting us nowhere. Time for a complete change of power within the NRA and until then Gun Owners of America will be getting my money.

Ben

Life member here. NRA can get bent until they cleanup the trash and start taking care of business. Give us an NRA worthy of donations and you will see donations go up. I don’t like people who beg for money. It is indicative of poor money management and therefore poor management of everything else.

Mr. Walkker

I agree. Lifers know the story. aka The Never Ending Story.
Donate, Rinse, Repeat. Wait two weeks and do it again.

At this juncture, it appears IT is the only way to get the proper attention of the BOARD of alleged Directors, due to the pressure exerted by The Member Body. The quest for the Money is the Head of the Snake, slowly destroying the Member Body.
With limited financial resources, I have decided to channel any and all future 2nd donations to GOA.
I have yet to encounter any Snakes at GOA.

Mr. Walkker

Hand outs. More please. Never ending Mail Campaigns from NRA and The NRA-ILA, The letters written to Life Members, those tend to tug on the Patriot Heart String. Then comes “The Golden Eagle Patriot Level” Mail Campaigns, thus targeting Old Salty Dogs such as myself. Endless Direct Mail until one is 6ft under!…OUCH. -But wait…..Have no fear, Simply Donate, Donate, and then Donate. Win lots of Guns, Donate, Donate, and then when you think you are done, Donate one more time.. It Never ends. -Four Color Full size, multi page die cut marketing with postage…costs big bucks. The response rate… Read more »

Ben

Dead on. I just threw the win lots of guns and a truck mailer in the burn pile this morning. No more money until I get some honey.

Frank

I felt like I was reading some type of Scientology defense letter when I read that.

Tom

Lol agree

Gregory Winchell

yeah it is cookie cutter.

Charlie Foxtrot

What a Charlie Foxtrot! I guess the NRA leadership’s strategy is to ride it out, use Ackerman McQueen as a scapegoat, call NRA members that are critical of the leadership Bloomberg supporters or stooges, and fund raise on the next election cycle. There will always be gullible people buying into this scam. Given that the NRA has now filed two lawsuits against Ackerman McQueen, one wonders what will happen to those Ackerman McQueen contractors that have been the public face of the NRA, like Dana Loesch, Colion Noir, Dom Raso, etc. Dan Bongino was already let go in December, after… Read more »

Joe

Dana Loesch is nothing but a pretty face and a loud mouth. And anybody who can’t figure out which end of his hat is the front does not speak for me. This guy looks like a homey who can’t find his way home. Why would anybody figure they would be effective spokespersons for the NRA, and the membership is beyond me.

Mike

So, the NRA is financially solvent but the endless phone calls and letters begging for money because the NRA is in serious trouble will continue??? Got it…

Former member until Wayne L. is booted out the door….

Clark Kent

Now THAT will show them! NOT! With friends like you; who needs enemies?

Charlie Foxtrot

The NRA leadership called its own members the “enemy within”! With “friends” like these, who needs enemies like Bloomberg? Something is wrong when an organization’s leadership is fighting its own members. Acknowledging that there is a problem is the first step of fixing it. However, this letter says there is no problem.

https://www.ammoland.com/2018/01/nra-2018-board-election-commentary-marion-hammer/
https://www.ammoland.com/2019/05/knock-it-off-and-protect-the-nra-wall/

Rock

Those nonstop calls and mail were EXACTLY why I dropped out of the NRA… It came down to borderline harassment. I had four children and got repeated calls and letters begging for money. Then VW closed and moved to Mexico, I lost my job. The calls and mail kept comming….. Something is WRONG when you are harassed for your last penny so someone can have a nice suit, hotel or just to line the pockets of SEVERELY OVERPAID mannequins. NRA, you want members, MILLIONS of them ???? Cut the pays in half or more, buy your own frigging clothes and… Read more »

Bill

Dont answer the phone, dont send them money every time they ask. Pretty simple. Not to many people can afford to give every time. If it wasnt for the NRA we would have lost much more than we have.

Green Mtn. Boy

I have a important message for Negotiating Rights Away-leadership-past-presidents

Message For Your NRA Leadership & Past Presidents, 2019Wayne La Pee and his fellow miscreants across the origination along with Ack Mac have to GO NOW,Not One More Penny PERIOD.

Nanashi

NRA: Everything is fine. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain
Also NRA: BREAKING: NRA Sues Ackerman McQueen…Again