# NRA letter: Intimidation, or politics as usual? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 21, 2018, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300 "2018-02-21T22:22:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/41 "2018-02-25T03:56:16Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I do not know about that specific ad but do you want to make the reasonableness of NRA ads/propaganda the hill you want to defend for them? I want to defend them on the hill that I’m quite confident they’ve never advised people “The government is coming for your guns, we recommend keeping them loaded and being prepared to fire upon any government official coming to take them away”. If that were true, it would be, far and away, the most controversial and explosive thing the NRA has ever said. So much so that I’m virtually certain it never happened. Compared to _that_ accusation, I’m quite certain that every NRA-sponsored ad and press release you can find real evidence for the existence of is milquetoast mild and utterly reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/42 "2018-02-25T05:14:12Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > That’s normal. The NRA routinely sends out questionnaires to candidates, and many gun owners would treat a non-response as a hostile gesture. But that could be foolish of them. I once asked my state legislator why he hadn’t returned a questionnaire from a group I was a member of, and which had endorsed him in several previous elections. He pointed to a stack of 42 such questionnaires on his desk, all at least 2-3 pages long. He said he was just too busy (the legislature was in session) to deal with them all. So assuming a non-response is hostile is not valid. Of course, the NRA expects to be treated as something special, more important than others. * * * By the way, my legislator once got rated by the NRA as only 4% positive, 96% negative. He got several letters from constituents complaining about his ‘pro-gun’ stance, and demanding that he work toward a 0% NRA rating! And they weren’t joking! ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/43 "2018-02-25T07:47:51Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > But that could be foolish of them. … I suppose it “could be”, but in my experience it very rarely is. There’s a very high correlation between candidates that do not return the NRA’s questionnaire and candidates that are anti-gun. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/44 "2018-02-25T13:02:53Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I suppose it “could be”, but in my experience it very rarely is. There’s a very high correlation between candidates that do not return the NRA’s questionnaire and candidates that are anti-gun. There is? How high, and where did you get this information? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/45 "2018-02-25T13:08:20Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I want to defend them on the hill that I’m quite confident they’ve never advised people “The government is coming for your guns, we recommend keeping them loaded and being prepared to fire upon any government official coming to take them away”. If that were true, it would be, far and away, the most controversial and explosive thing the NRA has ever said. So much so that I’m virtually certain it never happened. Compared to _that_ accusation, I’m quite certain that every NRA-sponsored ad and press release you can find real evidence for the existence of is milquetoast mild and utterly reasonable. That’s not even close to the most controversial thing that has come from the mouth of the NRA. Wayne LaPierre and Ted Nugent have said much worse than that. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/46 "2018-02-25T13:41:46Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That’s not even close to the most controversial thing that has come from the mouth of the NRA. Wayne LaPierre and Ted Nugent have said much worse than that. Then it shouldn’t be hard for you to find some examples. Ideally, your Nugent examples should be him speaking in his official status as one of the NRA board of directors. He says a lot of stupid shit in his capacity as an entertainer and has done so for decades. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/47 "2018-02-25T13:52:37Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Then it shouldn’t be hard for you to find some examples. Ideally, your Nugent examples should be him speaking in his official status as one of the NRA board of directors. He says a lot of stupid shit in his capacity as an entertainer and has done so for decades. That’s your excuse for Nugent? Member of the Board Ted Nugent mouths off like [this](https://thinkprogress.org/nra-board-member-ted-nugent-promotes-crisis-actor-conspiracy-theory-following-parkland-shooting-59d9d7a3d9b2/), and the other board members say nothing in protest? What other Boards of Directors would put up with shit like this? If he has to say “Speaking on behave of the NRA…” for it to count, then I expect you to hold the same “high” standards when speaking out against things said/done by members of other organizations. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/48 "2018-02-25T13:57:08Z")
From the mouth of National Rifle Association Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre: [Nine spewings.](https://thinkprogress.org/the-nine-most-insane-quotes-from-the-nras-new-apocalyptic-op-ed-38f5608d777b/) ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/49 "2018-02-25T14:09:53Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That’s your excuse for Nugent? Member of the Board Ted Nugent mouths off like [this](https://thinkprogress.org/nra-board-member-ted-nugent-promotes-crisis-actor-conspiracy-theory-following-parkland-shooting-59d9d7a3d9b2/), and the other board members say nothing in protest? What other Boards of Directors would put up with shit like this? > If he has to say “Speaking on behave of the NRA…” for it to count, then I expect you to hold the same “high” standards when speaking out against things said/done by members of other organizations. Every time you say something stupid does it reflect on this whole board? In any case, I am not making excuses for Nugent. I dislike him enough to have cancelled my NRA membership because of him. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/50 "2018-02-25T14:13:25Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > From the mouth of National Rifle Association Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre: [Nine spewings.](https://thinkprogress.org/the-nine-most-insane-quotes-from-the-nras-new-apocalyptic-op-ed-38f5608d777b/) That’s some hella research there, big guy. First hit off a google search, wasn’t it? The bold face “summaries” are hilarious exaggerations, if nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/51 "2018-02-25T14:14:14Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Every time you say something stupid does it reflect on this whole board? > In any case, I am not making excuses for Nugent. I dislike him enough to have cancelled my NRA membership because of him. You honestly can’t tell the difference between posting a message board and being on a Board of Directors? I’ll give you a mulligan on that one-Care to take another shot? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/52 "2018-02-25T14:18:53Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > You honestly can’t tell the difference between posting a message board and being on a Board of Directors? > I’ll give you a mulligan on that one-Care to take another shot? That asshole is on the board, but not everything he does is in that capacity. He was an asshole before he was on the board and he’ll still be one if he is removed from the board today. The board, incidentally, is huge and Nugent, as a single member of it, has no great influence on the organization. I quit because I considered him an embarassment, nothing more. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/53 "2018-02-25T15:59:08Z")
You didn’t quit before that because of that longer-running embarrassment, Wayne LaPierre? ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/54 "2018-02-25T17:41:05Z")
I understand your dislike of LaPierre. He has been the head of the organization during the period of their greatest political successes. You would have preferred those successes not to have taken place. Sucks to be you, but there you go. LaPierre did it because he is the head of an organization filled with politically committed people who donate money and time and who vote. Demonizing him won’t change that the anti-gun movement is a disorganized, self-sabotaging clusterfuck made up of people who seem to have a very short attention span. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/55 "2018-02-25T20:44:00Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > From the mouth of National Rifle Association Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre: [Nine spewings.](https://thinkprogress.org/the-nine-most-insane-quotes-from-the-nras-new-apocalyptic-op-ed-38f5608d777b/) None of those strike me as anywhere near as extreme as the claim by Translucent Daydream. ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/56 "2018-02-25T22:48:22Z")
Intimidation, or politics as usual? I think intimidation has to clear at least a few hurdles, like, “If you don’t respond favorably to our message, we’ll _actively_ work against you, try to prevent you from being elected, or try to get you voted out of office.” Say, [that](https://everytown.org/throwthemout/?source=etno_ETHomepage&utm_source=et_n_&utm_medium=_o&utm_campaign=ETHomepage&refcode=ETHomepage) actually [sounds](http://betsyriot.com/what-we-do/)[sort of](https://momsdemandaction.org/about/) [familiar.](https://everytown.org/senate-vote-orlando/?source=mdmo_MomsHomepage&utm_source=md_m_&utm_medium=_o&utm_campaign=MomsHomepage) If the shoe fits… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/57 "2018-02-25T23:03:16Z")
**ExTank** , while I agree that this particular tactic by the NRA isn’t intimidation, I’m not really seeing intimidation in any of the examples you linked, either (at least, not the ones I skimmed). Care to point out specifics? ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/58 "2018-02-25T23:10:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > **ExTank** , while I agree that this particular tactic by the NRA isn’t intimidation, I’m not really seeing intimidation in any of the examples you linked, either (at least, not the ones I skimmed). Care to point out specifics? :smack: I was trying to point out to **Czarcasm** the amount of “intimidation” (since he indicated his opinion in the OP that he believed that the NRA’s tactic was “strong arm-ish”) gun-control proponents engage in. ETA: and that, therefore, special interest groups that are politically active, who attempt to find out/ascertain what a candidate’s position on a particular topic may be, is NOT intimidation. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2018, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300/59 "2018-02-25T23:22:12Z")
> [@ExTank](#): > > :smack: I was trying to point out to **Czarcasm** the amount of “intimidation” (since he indicated his opinion in the OP that he believed that the NRA’s tactic was “strong arm-ish”) gun-control proponents engage in. > > ETA: and that, therefore, special interest groups that are politically active, who attempt to find out/ascertain what a candidate’s position on a particular topic may be, is NOT intimidation. Yeah, I’m having a tough time thinking of a way groups could get and use the information that would not be definable as “intimidation” if we were to define intimidation as “we will use this information against you in ads/lobbying/statements, etc.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nra-letter-intimidation-or-politics-as-usual/809300.md?page=2)