# Pitting the NRA **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 11, 2009, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881 "2009-12-11T17:48:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/21 "2009-12-12T18:17:45Z")
I got that same call a few weeks back. Had the same reaction. “What kind of a stupid question is that?” I asked the lady at the other end of the phone. “How would they do that? And why? And it’s NEVER going to happen.” I voted Yes. I WANT Hillary and third-world tinpots to take away my guns. From my cold dead hands of course. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/22 "2009-12-12T21:02:37Z")
Well, heck, if you want to give them up, that proves you’re not crazy, so its OK for you to have them, its only if you are willing to die rather than give them up that you’re nuts, and we gotta take 'em. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/23 "2009-12-13T00:00:39Z")
“Hi, this is Vinny Turnip with the NRA. I just wanted to ask: do you support feral cats and reanimated Hitler taking away your right to buy three-ply toilet paper? Yes, I realize it’s 3:30 a.m. I’ll just try you back every few minutes, then?” ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/24 "2009-12-13T00:08:03Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > “Hi, this is Vinny Turnip with the NRA. I just wanted to ask: do you support feral cats and reanimated Hitler taking away your right to buy three-ply toilet paper? Yes, I realize it’s 3:30 a.m. I’ll just try you back every few minutes, then?” Well, the feral cats I can get behind, they make real good target practice. I swear, they can hear a gun cocking a 1/2 mile away, and they’re quiiiick… …but I draw the line at Hitler. I mean, c’mon! Triple-ply is the only way to fly! And the whole undead Hitler thing is kinda icky, so there you go. ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/25 "2009-12-13T01:11:19Z")
If the cost of me keeping my closet stocked with assault rifles is that near-primitive cultures in Africa and west Asia who still believe in witches and magic and that anybody who isn’t them is probably the devil also get all the guns they want (but not schools or doctors or clean water or basic education about the world around them), I will proudly pay that price. Sorry… I’ve got something in my eye… I just love Amur’ka so much _sniffle_! ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/26 "2009-12-13T04:50:24Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > GOA - The “NRA are liberal collaborationists” group. > JPFO - Doesn’t seem as liberal as you might expect from Jewish people based on some language, but I’m not too sure how monolithic they are. I’m not sure what percentage of members are even Jewish. > Pink Pistols - Gay group. Not very partisan as noted above. > SAF - Legal challenge group, it seems they tackle specific laws only. Although I should note that the founder is a “conservative activist.” JFPO has some awfully crazy people on its membership rolls, like[Jack McLamb](http://www.jackmclamb.org/). > [@elucidator](#): > > Well, heck, if you want to give them up, that proves you’re not crazy, so its OK for you to have them, its only if you are willing to die rather than give them up that you’re nuts, and we gotta take 'em. That’s some catch that Catch-22. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/27 "2009-12-13T05:04:28Z")
Hillary Clinton? Seriously? Her and a band of jackbooted diplomats? ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/28 "2009-12-13T06:04:14Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > I got that same call a few weeks back. Had the same reaction. “What kind of a stupid question is that?” I asked the lady at the other end of the phone. “How would they do that? And why? And it’s NEVER going to happen.” I voted Yes. I WANT Hillary and third-world tinpots to take away my guns. From my cold dead hands of course. So, what did they say when you told them that? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/29 "2009-12-13T15:13:40Z")
I think most of us can agree that the NRA has proven itself quite worthy in a number of areas. Examples include the support of hunting sports, maintaining rules & regs for shooting competitions, instructor certification programs, firearms safety courses, environmental conservation, and childhood education. But the NRA dropped the ball is in the arena of politics. I absolutely _ **despise** _ the NRA-ILA. I wish they would spin-off the NRA-ILA and go back to what they’re good at (education, competitions, etc.). Having said that, I am member of the NRA. But only because I am an NRA-certified rifle instructor, and wish to maintain my certification. When it comes to politics, I am much more of a fan of the [Gun Owners of America](http://gunowners.org/) (GOA), and am a proud lifetime member. And even though I think Aaron Zelman is a class-A jerk, another noteworthy group is [Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership](http://www.jpfo.org/) (JPFO). I think it’s a good group despite its leader. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/30 "2009-12-13T20:22:47Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I think most of us can agree that the NRA has proven itself quite worthy in a number of areas. Change the “worthy” to “worthless” and I’d agree. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/31 "2009-12-13T20:54:23Z")
Well, he didn’t say _what_ number. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/32 "2009-12-13T20:56:23Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > So, what did they say when you told them that? 🙂 She said: “Thank you. Have a good day. Good-bye.” No histrionics, no screams of outrage, no threats that she’d call the cops or the FBI. It was actually a little disappointing how nice and polite she was. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/33 "2009-12-13T21:09:34Z")
> [@Michael\_Ellis](#): > > Change the “worthy” to “worthless” and I’d agree. So NRA’s education and certification programs are worthless? Got it. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/34 "2009-12-13T21:16:04Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > Do you see the problem the Democrats have here? If the basic Democrat language is for more gun control, you simply push any gun rights group into the Republican camp. The danger to gun rights is that you can then been taken for granted by the Republicans. So language _about_ gun control = support for more gun control = danger to gun rights?? ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/35 "2009-12-13T21:48:03Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > So NRA’s education and certification programs are worthless? Got it. :rolleyes: No, but most everything else is. ---
**Author:** ![BF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5ac83/32.png) [@BF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BF)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/36 "2009-12-13T21:52:54Z")
[CCRKBA/](http://www.ccrkba.org/) As a life member I too feel the push poll is a bit over the top, but I figure no more so than other strident organizations. And as for Republicans only, that is incorrect. The election guide the NRA puts out has Dems and Repubs listed based on their second amendment voting record. Former governor Mark Warner, of Virginia, a Dem, was rated A and endorsed by the NRA in the run for governor and his current election to the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/37 "2009-12-13T22:42:30Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#): > > You say that same thing every time, in the same condescending manner, in every gun thread. You then proceed to return to the thread and drop endless snarky comments that go a long way to demonstrating that your disclaimer is disingenuous. We simply don’t believe you. > > For my part, this always sets me off. Over the last year or so you seem to think that I have a problem with you. I do. You troll gun threads. It’s not malicious, mind you, but it is incredibly annoying. Extremely annoying. Nails-on-a-chalkboard annoying. And I wish you would stop it. Probably something to do with him finally understanding that single-issue voters are the dumbest goddamned people in the electorate. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/38 "2009-12-13T22:52:12Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > So NRA’s education and certification programs are worthless? Got it. :rolleyes: Well, this guy certainly was. Of course, I’m sure he was just another bad apple… [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,444180,00.html](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,444180,00.html) -Joe ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/39 "2009-12-14T00:41:09Z")
Allow me to clarify. Or try and stop me, whatever. I’m on the conservative wing of the extreme left, and I am more or less generally a part of that coalition. And I more or less generally approve of the thrust of our agenda, of which gun control was a part. I think issues of violence in our culture are real, important, and wholly valid. But gun control is a loser, and we should drop it. (Ordinarily, I might say “de-emphasize”, I don’t want to be confrontational with mine own, but we’re all grown-ups here, so I can speak a bit more brusquely). First off, there isn’t shit can be done about it. The damned things don’t rot, they don’t wear out any time soon, so whatever number has been made, they’re gonna be here for a while. Even if we could pass legislation making them as illegal as heroin, it wouldn’t do any good. I don’t want any heroin, but I could probably buy some if I did. I don’t want a gun, either, but don’t have any doubt I could get one of those as well. There is something in our people, perhaps more than any others, than leads us to believe that we are at risk, that we need weapons to protect some of us from some others of us. I don’t believe this is true, but if it is true, we need to change it. Because clearly, if we are such a lot of high-tech savages, _Lord of the Flies_ with Blackberrys, that we need be armed against each other, then we haven’t got much of a culture to save. We need to hire a thousand times more cops, to patrol our every street, to protect us from each other. Or, alternatively, we need to connect to each other, listen to each other, educate each other until that irrational fear fades away with all the other irrational fears. You cannot effectively change the objects, they are made of metal. You can effectively change the people, but it takes time and patience. But its the only thing that really, really works. The best way to reduce heroin use in our country is to eliminate the conditions that lead people to be miserable enough to want to use heroin. The best way to curb the gun culture is undermine the fear that feeds it. I don’t need people to be horrified at the sight of a firearm, I would be quite content for shrugging indifference. So, no: I don’t support any legislative effort to eliminate firearms, and I only support control of firearms to the degree that it is practical, and that ain’t much. I’d still pretty much like to see them disappear, or at the very least get down to the levels other civilized people experience. I will try and convince you of that, if possible. But if you and I agree on the substantive issues, and disagree profoundly on this one, so be it, shrug it off, fry the bigger fish. I won’t support arming the Camp Fire Girls, but I won’t oppose safety training, etc. Its a divisive issue that is exploited by the Forces of Darkness, and we are their dupes, we are sacrificing political power for no good reason, we are letting them divide us over a non-issue. There are, of course, issues worthy of that level of conflict, worthy of grabbing the other guy’s lapels and yelling into his face over. This isn’t one of them. If a candidate is with me on the Big Stuff, but wholly opposed gun control, I’ll vote for him. If there were such a creature as a candidate that is totally tighty-righty on everything but gun control, well, adios, melon-farmer… Enough, already. Keep the damned things if they mean that much to you. And if you doubt my sincerity on that, that’s OK, just so long as I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881/40 "2009-12-14T00:56:41Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > Is there an organization out there for people who are pro-gun, but who aren’t frothingly stupid Republican partisan shills? Several spring to mind but most are thought of as “specialized”. I belong to the National Muzzle-Loading Rifle Association (I do shoot muzzleloaders) and Ducks Unlimited (I don’t shoot ducks). There are mixed opinions on the Second Amendment Foundation (much as there are mixed opinions on the ACLU – how did you feel about the last court battle they fought) but I find them generally to be a better option, IMHO, than the NRA. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-nra/520881.md?page=3)