NRA Membership Post Application Disappointment

[Eric_Oh]

I'd like to more actively support gun rights, but with little knowledge of the NRA or other organizations, i was hesitant to join up. After more reading here and on the NRA website i came to the decision that application for membership seemed like a good idea, and probably later more financial support for NRA lobbying activities. So at a local gun show several months back, I paid for my membership and recieved a carbon copy reciept.

Fast forward a couple months... I never recieve any membership information in the mail. I never recieve any new member pamphlet or information regarding membership benefits previously mentioned during time of application. I figured, perhaps there was a mix up with the paperwork. Afterall, all i had was a hand written piece of paper. So i called in to NRA membership services and inquired regarding my membership. They were able to verify that yes indeed my membership status was showing as valid in their computers. They also verified my mailing address. WHen i inquired as to when i could expect some sort of "Welcome to the NRA" letter or something, they said any day now. So i was happy with this and waited.

A day later, i recieved one mailing from the NRA. It was an application for membership renewal! Can you believe that? I hadn't even been sent so much as a postcard saying thank you or confirming that my payment for membership was recieved! The one and only mail correspondence i recieve is a membership renewal offer????

I understand that this is election year, and we need as much financial support for the NRA and its active efforts to protect our 2A. rights, but i was seriously surprised to see this type of response. The small things like this speak volumes to the priorities of an organization.

I hope that my case was a fluke and something was lost in the mail.


Please tell me something so i can regain some faith in the NRA.

[Grimjack]

I had the same problem with the NRA. I did not feel they were doing enough to support my gun rights, but at least twice a month I would get flyers to give them more money. I cancelled with them and now support Gun Owners of America and JPFO.

[Vectrexer]

I might joing GOA if there didn't have a worm on one of their web pages.

[PLINK]

You can call the NRA to tell them to stop sending you the "we need money" mail.

[chickenfried]

Are you more satisfied with GOA and JPFO? Why or why not? Did they accomplish something that resulted in your preference for those organizations? Serious question, I donate to the NRA, but I'm not married to the org.

I cancelled with them and now support Gun Owners of America and JPFO.

[AngelDecoys]

IA day later, i recieved one mailing from the NRA. It was an application for membership renewal! Can you believe that? I hadn't even been sent so much as a postcard saying thank you or confirming that my payment for membership was recieved! The one and only mail correspondence i recieve is a membership renewal offer????

Welcome to the NRA matrix where you shall recieve no less than 5 renewal offers/year, and mutiple ILA letters on how critical a contribution will be in securing your rights.

I got tired of the mail as well. Instead I just upped to Life membership a few years ago, and asked for them to stop sending me solicitations. It does work by the way. Sometimes I wonder If people expect too much from an organization founded primarily to promote the shooting sports.

ETA: Even so, the NRA really is the only organization that has been effective.

I cancelled with them and now support Gun Owners of America and JPFO.

I have yet to hear about anything significant the 2 organizations (listed above) have done for securing/protecting anything. I've heard they both keep all revenue except the bare minimiun (thereby holding onto thier non-profit status). Perhaps, if I could look up their tax returns I'd know for sure but that's what I've been told (true, or not).

[oaklander]

Others will chime in but here are some facts:

1) The NRA is the only gun rights organization with a full time lobbyist in Sacramento.

2) The NRA with your grass-roots support has been instrumental in defeating *numerous* anti-gun bills in California. The microstamping bill was an exception, and as I recall, was due to *another* gun right organizations heavy handed tactics. There was extensive discussion on the board about this.

3) The NRA was central in defeating SF's "Prop H" handgun ban.

I don't speak for the NRA, but I am sorry that you didn't get your new member packet. However, the IMHO the NRA isn't really about getting cool stickers, hats, or rental car discounts - I can get those things from the AAA.



What the NRA is really about is protecting your firearms rights. This takes money, that why I am a life member on the EPL plan. There is no other gun rights group that does as much for gun rights as the NRA. Most of the other ones are one or two person operations that have no real effect.