NRA reaches 2.1 million “Likes” on Facebook:
Not bad for a movement composed of a bunch of old fat white guys, eh? So either the antis have to believe that a lot of OFWGs are on Facebook, or that perhaps this movement is a bit more diverse than is often credited.
The NRA will be demonized by women’s media. Expect a HUGE push of propaganda.
The NRA has its own “women’s media” too. Just so happens there are lots of women who care about protecting their flock and want to be defended at home.
I’m very torn about whether to join the NRA or not. The NRA has been on the pro control side of things quite often, and I wonder if they’ll go along again if politically expedient. Another issue that I have to be concerned about is whether they sell their mailing lists? I work as a contract worker in the aerospace field(Aviation Week, my primary source of info, is bitterly anti-gun), and it is alleged that some of these companies buy NRA membership lists and check to see if any of their people are on that list. My agency has recently told me that being in NRA or any progun group will “hurt” my chances of being employed in the future, and has asked me to sell my guns, and all related material.
My wife and I are tempted to join the NRA, GoA, and JFPSA, but I’m not quite ready to give up a low six figure annual income.
Lastly, how is Gov. Corbett on the 2nd amendment? We have only been in PA for a few months, and have only gotten back into the edges of the gun culture since Dad died in August, after an absence of 15 years.
Thoughts?
The first issue shows you’re paying attention; prior to this mess the NRA was for me on a 10 year resetting trigger: if they could go 10 years without trying to or agreeing to curtail my RKBA I was going to rejoin. They were still 5 years away (VT hysteria) when this happened, and I reluctantly rejoined.
However, it sounds like your 2nd reason is controlling. However low the risk (mailing list rental is not supposed to allow that, but…), the potential loss is so high joining the NRA to simply add yourself to their numbers is simply not worth it.
Sending serious money to the NRA-ILA would be more useful anyway; according to Wikipedia 501(c)4 organizations are not required to report donations. Might want to contact the ILA about their policies on all this.
A little more info on this blackballing policy would be appreciated. When you say agency, do you mean a bodyshop/contractor, or an actual Three Letter Agency like the CIA or NRO? The latter is not an idle question, I have a friend who’s got a TS/SCI (don’t know who he’s working for, though) and he’s thinking about getting a gun.
Gun ownership does not figure in the background check for a government security clearance. (And if you consider that at least a large plurality of defense contractor personnel are retired .mil and live and work in firearms-friendly states…)
I’m aware of that; people with clearance really aren’t supposed to tell others, I know about my friend’s because being a friend, a technical and career mentor and a former manager I was one of the ones interviewed for his background check, and that’s happened before for another friend.
They’re only interested in one issue: is this person likely to keep the secrets with which they’ll be entrusted. I.e. I was told by some friend who got Q clearances (DoE roughly equal to what’s required for TS/SCI) to work on a computer project at LLNL that in the ’70s they switched to only caring about someone being a homosexual if they were in the closet and therefore potentially blackmailable.
However, this sounds like either top down discrimination from the government or some idiot at an high level contractor or body shop issuing a diktat. One hopes it won’t be added to background check criteria … as you implicitly note, that would cause a firestorm.
Not cleared myself, but know people who would have to be. It’s almost certainly the body shop’s criteria, and it will hurt them in getting qualified candidates.
Friday, a business neighbor whom I knew only slightly came in and asked if I knew how to join the NRA. The only thing remarkable about that is the man is a black medical doctor. And a nice guy, concerned about providing armed guards for schools, when you actually get to talk to him.
While I do not agree with all of the NRA’s policies and positions, I do agree with what appears to be the goal. If that requires a “judo move” to use the anti’s strengths against them, so be it.
Stranger
It’ll be interesting the next time NRA releases updated membership numbers. They came out quickly with the additional 250K and since then I am aware of dozens in my personal circle being added.
I am thinking they are letting the numbers climb til a real vote is due when they can tout a million more on top of the most recent 250k.
For now numbers are power, sign up for a year and, if a member, get someone else to join. Send ILA and SAF a check.
That gives NRA a big stick to wave, supports the hard line they are currently taking, and puts you in position to threaten to publically drop your membership if they waffle.
Sitting out to see what happens gains nothing.