Reply #286: Maybe this will help. How could a progressive be a member of the NRA?

[Glassunion]

A little history.

The NRA is an American non-partisan, non-profit organization which lists as its goals the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection of hunting and self-defense in the United States.

Notice the NON-PARTISAN part. They are NOT affiliated with ANY party whatsoever.

Yes they DO endorse political candidates (both Democratic and Republican) on their stances on "Protecting the 2nd Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection of hunting and self-defense in the United States". That's it. Nothing more.

So their stated mission is to protect the 2nd Amendment. They endorse those who do. Whether or not they are a Democrat or Republican is a moot point. I'll say it again, "Their stated mission is to protect the 2nd Amendment."

You say that the NRA seeks to remove 90% of elected Democrats (still waiting on that list) yet the policy that the NRA uses to determine their endorsements is quite contrary to your belief. If an elected Democrat supports the 2nd Amendment they actually stand a 100% chance of being endorsed by the NRA for re-election, regardless of the Republican's stance on the 2nd Amendment. Let me explain.

"The NRA-PVF is non-partisan in issuing its candidate grades and endorsements. We do not base our decisions on a candidate's party affiliation, but rather on his or her record on Second Amendment issues" The NRA has an incumbent-friendly policy that dictates their support for pro-gun incumbents seeking reelection. They feel it is important that they stand with their friends who stand with them in Congress or the state legislature through their actions.

So in all honesty, and you can see it for yourself, the NRA is today backing more and more Democrats. As the political shift towards gun rights has been moving more towards the law abiding citizens. And the Dems are voting more and more pro 2nd Amendment, the NRA is backing more and more Democrats. As I stated in an earlier post, the NRA backed 40% of the Dems running in my state for 2008. Why is that do you suppose? Because they saw those candidates as most likely to support the 2nd Amendment. They did not give out endorsements to everyone. There were many elections, the majority with a Republican incumbent, that the NRA did not give an endorsement to anyone. So to say that they do nothing but tout for the Republican party is nonsense.

Since you are a proxy member you must also know about all of the programs that the NRA has to offer.

Their 2nd to none firearms safety programs.
Their Rifle and Pistol sports programs.
Their certified instructors available at most gun clubs and ranges throughout the nation.
The NRA also has ties with other organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America (I know they are the Hitler Youth) and 4H Clubs (another bastion of Republican hate). Not to mention they have worked with the ACLU (another GOP front) in the past as well.

Why I am a member.

In the wake of hurricane Katrina, local law enforcement literally went door to door confiscating people's firearms. "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons. We're going to take all the weapons."-P. Edwin Compass III, Supt. of Police. Not so they would prevent people from having firearms on the street, but in their own homes as well, so that NO ONE could protect themselves, their families and their homes in the wake of one of the worst natural disasters in our country's history with a firearm. A disaster as we all know where local and federal aid was almost nonexistent especially in the first week.

The response to the disaster was shameful. I believe that we can all agree that the majority of the citizens impacted by the disaster were minorities. So there you have a bunch of black people that the government seemingly did not give two shits about. Literally stuck in their homes with no 911 or aid that was coming in the near future. Instead of sending help, instead of letting people know what they needed to do, or where they needed to go, we had law enforcement going door to door, not to bring food or aid, but to take away one of the few means people had to protect themselves and families.

So we (our government) stripped (illegally in my mind) a minority of their constitutionally protected right in the wake of a disaster. You also have to realize that there are quite a few people who still to this day to receive their confiscated firearms back. How do you think this made me feel? I could very well be next, yes? In the wake of a disaster in my area, would law enforcement take away my firearms from my own home?

My NAACP did not stand up to this. My ACLU did not stand up for this. No, it was the NRA along with other similar groups who stood to protect the right of others like myself in the wake of a future disaster. Not only did they fight it, they fought it hard. The NRA did more for me and my people in the coming months than all the other civil rights groups that I am a member of. So I did what I saw was right, and I joined. Thanks goodness in the wake of the Katrina debacle my state (on its own) took legislative steps to ensure that something like that cannot happen in my state.

And with that I have all of the benefits that come along with it. Discounts, rebates, meets, training, etc. I am glad I am a member, and I am glad that more and more of the leaders of my party are shifting to a pro 2nd stance.

Believe what you want about the NRA, but you are just beating your head off the wall of your own delusions.