Reply #170: I know how...

[Glassunion]

First off, I notice some of the most extreme vocal people in this forum seldom post on other DU forums about real progressive issues. I wonder of some or many of them are only here because there is a gun forum on a liberal web site.

First off, some of us feel that the entire BOR are progressive issues. On a personal level, I am a member of many “one trick pony” organizations, both my wife and I are members of the NRA, ACLU, AAPD, NAACP and NOW. We are also members of the Democratic party. You need to realize that there are people that believe in ALL of the restrictions on our government that the bill of rights provides. Sorry, but I feel that the RKBA is a "real" progressive issue.

In all honesty, I found the DU as a comfortable place to discuss gun issues without the sickening right-wing rhetoric that many other websites provide. I know that I can have an open and comfortable debate with members of my own party on issues that I feel are important. I do post elsewhere when the mood strikes.

Until someone pointed me to this forum I would not have believed there are "progressives" on the DU that loved the NRA so much.

I enjoy how you placed quotes around the word progressive. To imply that we cannot truly be “progressive” if we are a member of the NRA. But, just as the NAACP fights for my rights as an African-American, the NRA fights for my rights as a gun owner. Both are civil rights, guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and both organizations fight hard for their stances on their respective issues.

If, for example, I was extremely anti-abortion and was a liberal, which I think is not very common, I would still NEVER join an anti-abortion group that would donate money to defeat 90% of the democrats in office. I would never join a anti-abortion group that would help defeat good democrats that were trying to implement other progressive causes. Doing so would totally counter the whole purpose of being a liberal. If you do that you must be a SINGLE ISSUE voter and it would mean anti-abortion or pro-guns is the MOST IMPORTANT issue to you and health care, gay/lesbian, helping the needy, etc did not matter as much as the ONE issues you support.

Personally I think the above paragraph is full of crap. For one thing, you have no proof of that 90% number that you are tossing around. Another thing is that they only endorse a candidate on their 2nd amendment stance. All they are doing is raising awareness of their issue to their members. Just as all of the other civil rights groups do. How many Democrats on Election Day back in 08 do you think voted for McCain solely on his 2nd Amendment stance? I did not, and neither did my wife. But, the NRA gave him an F? How could he have possibly been elected? How could it be? How could it be that the NRA gave good grades to almost 40% of the Democrats in the 08 elections in my home state? I thought they hated Democrats? I thought they were a front for the GOP?

I could not support an organization that would trash Obama or issue warnings about a democrat that I think cared more about this country than any GOP member ever has. And I could not support a group who mostly contained members that also hated those same democrats. Why would I send money to a group that did everything possible to remove liberal democrats from office over ONE SINGLE ISSUE that I care about.

First off, they do NOT hate Democrats. What have they done specifically to remove liberal Democrats from office? They do nothing more than grade and endorse based on a candidate’s voting history and stance on issues. They raise awareness of issues, and legally fight for the stance of their members. You make it sound like they march into Washington every January with impeachment papers for everyone on the left side of the isle. You are making stuff up, then upsetting yourself over what you just made up.

I would work to convince democrats that they needed to be against abortions, but I would never donate money to an organization that was against 90% of the progressive candidates because they were pro-choice.

The NRA supporters here are doing exactly this. Supporting the NRA when they know they are against 90% of the democrats in office. How this is OK with anyone is beyond me. So I guess if we had GREAT liberal that agreed with everything the Democratic party stood for, except he/her was against conceal and carry, you would still be OK with the NRA donating money to his right wing, anti-health care, anti-gay marriage, pro-war opponent because he wanted to allow you to carry concealed weapons. What a joke! Talk about being a single issue idiot!!!

Since you obviously have taken great care when coming up with this opinion on the NRA, and have so painstakingly collected a “black-list” of members of the Democratic party. Could be so kind as to share this list of the 90% of all the Democrats in office that you are referring to? I would love to see it.

And keep in mind, even with the NRA being against 90% of democrats we took the house and senate in 2008, and kicked ass in 2010. So maybe you need to be donating more money to make sure NRA supported candidates (Republicans) get elected to you can make sure the supreme court has more GOP judges in it.

Again, I would love to see this list that you compiled. I have news for you… Shhh… It’s a secret… The NRA does not elect people to office, nor do they impeach them. We the People do. Do you honestly think that the pro-RKBA Democrats around here are voting for Republicans on the sole basis of their 2nd Amendment stance? I think you might be surprised.

So continue to support the NRA and try to tell me you are a liberal progressive supporter.

I will. And, I am.

No one except you and your NRA buddies will believe it anyway!

I don’t care. Just as I don’t care what my NAACP, NOW, ACLU and AAPD buddies think. I believe in this country, I believe in the Bill of Rights (ALL OF IT) and I believe in our Democratic system.

From your comments, you do not believe in the things that I do. And that is your right. You can be a member of any organization you want, you can vote for who you want.

All I see from you is someone who hates a civil right and would like nothing more than to see it repealed. So when things are not going your way you toss a tantrum bashing a civil rights organization. Remember, that is all that they are. They stand up for a civil right. It just happens to be one you don’t agree with. Maybe you should write a senator or congressman about your feelings. You may want to include your super secret "black-list" when you write them.