The NRA explained its position [on Heller v. DC] by saying it didn't want to risk losing at the Supreme Court. But gun owners told me they thought the NRA was really afraid of winning. The NRA, they said, thrives on crisis-driven fundraising appeals that warn about government coming to take away all your guns. What would happen to this fundraising machine if the Supreme Court said the Constitution prevented government from ever doing that? To many gun owners, the NRA seemed more interested in its own finances than in protecting those gun owners' rights.Pournelle's Iron Law predicts this type of behavior, of course:
Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy states that in any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people":*COUGH* Wayne LaPierre *COUGH*
First, there will be those who are devoted to the goals of the organization. Examples are dedicated classroom teachers in an educational bureaucracy, many of the engineers and launch technicians and scientists at NASA, even some agricultural scientists and advisors in the former Soviet Union collective farming administration.The Iron Law states that in every case the second group will gain and keep control of the organization. It will write the rules, and control promotions within the organization.
Secondly, there will be those dedicated to the organization itself. Examples are many of the administrators in the education system, many professors of education, many teachers union officials, much of the NASA headquarters staff, etc.
I have to say that about the only thing between me and canceling my membership is the NRA's insurance policy for firearms. But given that we only have maybe a couple grand invested in our guns, that's a thin thread. Probably I'll send my money to the Second Amendment Foundation instead.
10 comments:
Consider donating to the GOA and/or JPFO as well.
Secondly, have you ever had any contact with anyone who actually made a claim against NRA's insurance company for a loss? I'm wondering how well they pay out, or if they actually weasel out. That would be more like what I would expect from any company associated with the NRA.
I'm a life member of the NRA, GOA, SAF, and a member of the JFPO.
Never good to put all one's eggs in one basket!
I support the NRA because of their shooter safety and education programs. Those are important to me. But I decided to not support the NRA-ILA because of their fundraising methods. The final straw was the mailing I got about 3 months after first joining reminding me to RENEW NOW! When I read the fine print on the reply ticket it said something along the lines of "contributions to the NRA-ILA do not confer membership renewal privileges in the NRA."
If they need to stoop to that kind of deception to raise money, they don't need mine. Plus they're not the most helpful rights organization in New York. Too many cases are considered a lost cause. The SAF is much more involved here.
The NRA has the distinction of being uniformly hated by it's opponents and disliked by (what appears to be) a large portion of its members. Perhaps they've gone over the event horizon and will disappear.
To the liberal commentators, no charge is more vile than to say an opponent is "in the NRA's pocket". As if the organization working for gun rights isn't doing exactly what its members want. The members should drive the organization, not the other way around.
And, from our side, we see exactly the behavior Winkler talks about: that the NRA appears to only exist to fund raise on strident appeals, and seems mortally afraid of winning. They just seem to want to be players.
I have a firearm rider on my property insurance. My donations go to the SAF which actually does something.
That said, I think the NRA does a great job with training, safety and firearm education. Maybe they should stick to what they're good at.
They are very good at being a target of Liberal vituperation, target-fixation, and hate-speech - so there's simply value in that.
I appreciate the funding we get at my club from the NRA that helps us pay for insurance and run the Juniors Program for free. Thoese wheelbarrows of cash keep the ball rolling even if individuals on the outside don't get any...
Make certain you file within a calendar year of your loss.
I have a rider on my policy through USAA that covers my firearms and some other valuables. The only reasons I am still an NRA member is 1. Life membership bought and paid for during the Clinton AWB years. 2. I figure the only hope we have of changing the NRA is from within by voting in board members who support our interests.
The SAF gets my $$ whenever I have some to throw their way.
I get a little tired of every time I turn around there's another "crisis that needs funding" letter from the NRA/ILA.
I've had the same thought about the "Cancer" industry. When AIDS hit the media stream, I thought, finally, they have a new boogie man and the cure for Cancer will finally be "found". Only, AIDS didn't hit the population at large as expected.
Bureaucracy is self perpetuating, private or government.
Unfortunately, it's all about the money.
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