Wednesday, June 16, 2010

a few things...

About my recent NRA post-

The Strickland endorsement was just the icing on the cake for me. It pushed me right over the edge into the happy land of "You know what? Screw you, NRA. I'm not your fucking voting booth puppet." The State of Ohio is being driven straight into the ground by Democrats like Strickland. Move here and try to get a job or start a business, I dare you.

And for those of you who have repeatedly reminded me that the NRA couldn't possibly have endorsed an F-rated candidate over one that was A-rated, I would like to say a few things:
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#1 - The NRA decided, in 2006, to remain neutral in Ohio's gubernatorial race. They could choose to again, with no harm done.

#2 - The NRA creates this rating system. They could easily revise their own rating system to include other freedom related issues, you know...if they really cared about things like that. Like the Bill of Rights, freedom is a holistic thing. Take away one part and you diminish the whole. Protecting the Second Amendment while chipping away at the First or endorsing a big government, higher taxes politician while crowing about the rights of the people only makes you appear craven and unprincipled, concerned with only self-perpetuation.

#3 - Kirsten. Gillibrand. So much for the NRA's oh-so-reliable rating system, eh?
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So, perhaps all this has taught me less about the NRA and more about myself...seems my single-issue is freedom. I want it all.

(oh, also? Those of you railing against RINOs and then fully supporting the NRA because "they're the best we've got" are just plain cracking me up. Really.)

22 comments:

SayUncle said...

Gillibrand was a disappointment. but her record up to that point was good. She kinda left the good guys for the bad guys.

-SayUncle

Mad Saint Jack said...

There is a simple answer. Move to Kentucky. Ohio is right across the river if you want to go back and visit.

Matthew said...

There might be one more lesson in this, the ratings part anyway.

It's a rating, about one issue.

Not a command to vote a "party line". Not a general recommendation about the candidate's suitability for anything. Simply a shorthand way to let NRA members know how candidates have voted (or claim they will vote) on one discrete issue.

That's it, the rest of the "learn about the candidate's views and positions and vote accordingly" process remains, as it always has, with the individual voter.

Use it as a helpful tool or ignore it, but how in the hell does it become so personal that it's worth making any sort of issue out of it?

Don't like Strickland for any number of other reasons then guns, don't vote for him. Simple as that.

Not sure why it's the NRA that needs to change.

Jason said...

I give money to the NRA so they can spend it on defending my 2nd Amendment rights. And judging from the progress made over the last 6 years, I'd say that's money well spent.

I do NOT give them money because I want to see them become the IRA to the Tea Party's Sinn Fein. Looking to a single issue advocacy group to advocate for ALL of your political views is just as big a fallacy as looking to Government to solve all of life's inequities.

So what should be the NRA's position on gays in the military? Many members would oppose it, but the Pink Pistols are a valuable ally with a common enemy in regards to 2nd Amendment encroachments.

What get's me is that I've never seen the NRA bash another 2A group. Not saying it hasn't happen, but I've never seen it.

Jason Smith

Anonymous said...

Use it as a helpful tool or ignore it, but how in the hell does it become so personal that it's worth making any sort of issue out of it?

Show us, SHOW US where the NRA sells themselves as that. They constantly pimp themselves as the "Oldest Civil Rights Organization." NOT as "Your Premier Single-Issue Gun Rights Organization."

Traitors to freedom are traitors just the same as elected officials. No matter how much they wrap themselves in the "single-issue" BS. You better believe at least I'm going to take that personally.

You keep living in a vacuum, eventually you're going to sucked out.

And to those touting the NRA as...

Not sure why it's the NRA that needs to change.

...not needing to change, whatever happened to "I am the NRA"? The NRA leadership listens as well as our elected representatives did last year during the health control debate.

The NRA purge of the 1990s needs to be reversed.

Anonymous said...

That is: "You keep living in a vacuum, eventually you're going to *get* sucked out."

bluesun said...

If I learned anything from the '08 elections (my first presidential), it's that I am never again going to vote for the least of two evils. I think that the same convictions should be spread to any other political entity--here, you can vote with your pocketbook.

excitedVulcan said...

You go, Breda!

Love your comment about freedom being holistic. Very well said.

Unknown said...

Hi Breda, You are right. The NRA is dead to me. I am in the process of removing their logo from my site and forum signatures. I have had enough, compromise and appeasement. When we compromise on the Constitution, we lose. Why? Because we had it all.

The Right Site

http://rightspokenhere.blogspot.com/

Ken said...

Someone said over at Snowflakes that the NRA is a single-issue group, that issue being the NRA. Pretty well sums up my opinion.

Newbius said...

Breda, given that choice, I would vote for Kasich. Yes, I am aware that he voted for the AWB. I think he might have learned that lesson...

The "A-Rated" Dems? Like the "A-Rated" RINO's, they will be happy to throw us overboard when it is convenient. They don't have to fear us, so they think.

My approach is to keep the phone lit up and keep them in line...regardless of the rating.

Earl said...

Divide all your enemies, then destroy them piecemeal. That is how one attacks Rights, Freedoms, Political Parties and Football teams.

Alan said...

Is politician, is not safe.

HeroHog said...

For the past 2 years I and my wife have gotten the FREE NRA membership (http://www.nrahq.org/nrabonus/) because I refuse to send them my money to water down our rights! Yes, the NRA HAS done a ton of good BUT they are a political beast and are infested with politicians who constantly give more than they get for US, the people.

Anonymous said...

Interesting...

http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m6d17-Is-NRA-changing-stance-on-campaign-finance-exemption-deal

...perhaps I wasn't just spitting into the wind when I called.

Mulligan said...

anyone that thinks the NRA is a single issue 2A org is blind. For every gun related NRA email in my inbox I get 2 for life insurance and 3 for credit cards. The NRA is a single issue fund raising org. EVERY email I get from them is about sending them money in one way or another. NRA promotional items are mostly made outside the country and during the convention they just funneled a huge chunk of money into an unfriendly gun zone. Recent endorsements of questionable candidates and support for compromise gun legislation instead of a hardline no compromise stance just shows they're not representing their members. Sounds like they've been in DC too long.

Kevin said...

I've been an NRA member since about 1994. I became a Life member in 2007 and a Patron member in 2009.

I support the NRA for a number of reasons, but the primary one is the shooting sports.

If the UK proves nothing else, it proves that without numbers behind us, our rights WILL be taken with the approval of the electorate. The NRA defends shooting ranges, supports youth activities, etc. Nobody else does this, at least not as broadly.

On the Second Amendment, the NRA remains the 800lb. gorilla because of its membership, but the Second Amendment Foundation is making more progress through the court system than I would have imagined possible even five years ago.

And it grates on me every time the NRA interferes with their efforts.

So the NRA has my lifetime membership, but the SAF gets my donations.

Ken said...

@Mulligan: Don't forget the all-important wine club!

Bubblehead Les. said...

Well, I see that BHO has come to Columbus to support Ted Strickland. This is his eighth trip to Ohio since he got anointed, the MOST to ANY state since taking over the Presidentcy. BHO needs Ohio to keep up his electoral votes, and since Strickland let the Secretary of State add 200,000 ACORN registered voters to the rolls in the last election, one can only surmise that it is in BHO's, ACORN's and the NRA's vested interest to support Strickland. "You are known by the company you keep."

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure how many more ACORN voters got added in '08; my "Democrat older brother" Harry got added in '04, and is still getting junk mail.

Don M said...

Breda, You make sense.

Glenn B said...

Yep, let's dump the NRA and all join GOA. Sorry not me, I'll stick with the devil I know. The NRA is not perfect but it is the best at what it does for the RKBA. When there is something better, let me know and I'll join up if it really is better.

By the way, the NR is an organization in which representatives are elected. How many of you with complaints have voted in NRA elections consistently, pushed for a candidate in an election, proposed by way of letters changes to improve the NRA or to have it more strongly support the RKBA and so forth? Not a rhetorical question - a real poser for you to carefully consider and then answer - if not to me then to yourselves.

If you no longer like the NRA why not change it to get it to what you think it should be, that is if you can get enough support from other gun owners. That is not rhetorical either, that is an honest to goodness question to contemplate too. Why not run for NRA office yourself. I d not mean anyone in particular, I do mean anyone who wants to see improvement in the way the NRA does things. It is really easy to moan and groan and say I quit - tell me - what does that accomplish in the end. Maybe the destruction of the NRA and a definite win for the hard core anti-gunners. Just my 03 cents.

My guess is that some of you would stand a good chance at becoming an NRA rep and moving up in the RA's ranks quickly. Some of you have not only the brains and the zeal required but also are pretty well known in the gun world. Go for it -Usher in new leadership - Nominate and implement improvement, Save and support it.

Make it an NRA that works better than it does now of has before.

All the best,
Glenn B