The NRA Has Sold Out to Congressional Democrats

***** UPDATE *****
You can reach some of these leaders at the NRA directly:

Ronald L. Schmeits, NRA President:
18 Private Road #2001ST
Raton NM 87740
575-445-5836, 575-445-2080 fax

Charles L. Cunningham, Director, NRA-ILA Federal Affairs:
4864 Oakcrest Drive
Fairfax VA 22030
703-352-3245, 202-651-2570 fax

David A. Keene, NRA 1st Vice President:
5602 Dawes Avenue
Alexandria VA 22311-1102
703-671-5602

James W. Porter II, NRA 2nd Vice President:
215 21st Street N #1000
Birmingham AL 35203-3710
205-322-1744
***** END UPDATE *****


What a shame. NRA has abandoned its members and the rest of America to cut a deal with the radical leftists to grant NRA, and unspecified other organizations, "exemptions" from the free speech limitations contained in the DISCLOSE Act.

I have been in a battle with NRA for the past few days. They keep saying that they will oppose the DISCLOSE Act if it applies to them, but not if they get an exemption. Does this remind you of AARP and other organizations that sought and received special treatment in Obama's health care nationalization?

I resigned my NRA membership and sent a letter to the president of NRA (no email available, sent it by US Mail). Incidentally, NRA will only accept your resignation if you send them a letter in hard copy with an original signature, via US mail. This alone should make one suspicious of their motives. They do this to keep their members list big even if you resign or quit paying dues.

Here is a copy of my latest email to ccox@nrhhq.org the director of NRA's Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). I did not include a copy of their letter to me because my response summarized what they said and I would only publish their letter if I had their permission. After finding out how difficult it was to resign from NRA, I did not believe I could get their permission to publish their letter in a timely manner, if ever.

Anyway, here is a copy of my email to NRA-ILA.

Thank you for your prompt response. It is well crafted, but does not answer the question. From the email I received from NRA and from the statement on you web site I got the following:

"On June 14, 2010, Democratic leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives pledged that H.R. 5175 would be amended to exempt groups like the NRA, that meet certain criteria, from its onerous restrictions on political speech. As a result, and as long as that remains the case, the NRA will not be involved in final consideration of the House bill."

And this from your web site today:

"We didn't "sell out" to Nancy Pelosi or anyone else. We told Congress we opposed the bill. As a result, congressional leaders announced they would exempt us from its draconian restrictions on free speech. If that happens, we will not be involved in the final House debate. If it doesn't, we will continue to strongly oppose the bill."

From both statements we have this critical phrase:

... congressional leaders announced they would exempt us from its draconian restrictions on free speech. If that happens, we will not be involved in the final House debate.

I read both statements as clearly stating that you have collaborated with Congressional leaders to get an exception for NRA, and if that happens you will not be involved in the final House debate. So, if you get your exemption from the "onerous restrictions on political speech" then you will cease opposition to the onerous restrictions being applied to everyone else.

Your reply to me was disingenuous. NRA if not fighting the onerous restrictions if you get your exemption. And everyone at NRA knows as well as I do that you cannot defend the Second Amendment if you collaborate with would-be tyrants restricting First Amendment rights. You understand that you cannot, you can never, stand by and watch the First Amendment fall and have any chance whatsoever of subsequently defending the Second Amendment.

You are putting your trust in radical left wing politicians to keep their word to an organization they hate and have vowed to eliminate--NRA.

Because you do these things knowing they are wrong and then wrap yourself in the statements that your sole purpose is to defend the Second Amendment, is disingenuous and a betrayal of your members and of America. The Second Amendment cannot, will not, stand if the First Amendment falls. You know this.

You cannot be so ignorant nor so naive to believe that if you cut a deal to protect your First Amendment rights, while watching others lose their rights, that your stand in retreating behind the single purpose organization claim is at all credible.

When it comes to politics and treachery you cannot match the radical leftists in their abilities to promise one thing to you today and then attack you again tomorrow.

The cover up always hurts an organization more than the original crime or mistake. NRA made a bad mistake in carving out an exemption for themselves and abandoning all others' First Amendment rights. You have no right to put yourself above your members or anyone else by collaborating with those opposed to the Second Amendment as well as the First Amendment.

The sooner you admit your mistake, apologize, ask forgiveness, and vow not to act that way again, the sooner NRA can regain its high ground.

Until then, Americans who value all of our freedoms will see you as crass opportunists protecting you jobs and income at the expense of your members and your country.

Correct your mistake now before more and more members justly leave you and your enemies see your weakness. Then, sadly, it will be too late.

How many people and organizations think they can outsmart the crooked,leftist politicians in congress? They cannot for a variety of reasons including 1) the leftist politicians are corrupt to the core and never will keep their word,2) most of them are tricky lawyers and have years and years of practice in lying and cheating and bribing their opponents, and 3) appeasement of tyrants or would-be tyrants never works. History is full of millions of people who were cheated, imprisoned, or murdered trying to appease tyrants.