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Competitive Shooting -- Letter from NRA Past President

Sorry to say, but most of the shooters I know are of the "let somebody else do it" category.

We just had a large fund raiser; half our membership didn't buy a ticket for themselves let alone sell the 5 they were all sent! We had a profit, but it should have been double!

Statistics say gun owners have about the lowest percentages of voters.

The anti's are winning, the shooters have lost interest.
 
jackieschmidt said:
My home range, The Tomball Gun Club, is affiliated with the NRA and Texas Rifle Association in that in order to be a member, you have to belong to both Organizations.

We are also a NBRSA affiliated club.
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I’m almost as disappointed in the TSRA after seeing their budget and budgets they have tried to pass…
 
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jackieschmidt said:
My home range, The Tomball Gun Club, is affiliated with the NRA and Texas Rifle Association in that in order to be a member, you have to belong to both Organizations.

We are also a NBRSA affiliated club.
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Also one of the clubs I belong to is an affiliate NRA club and it’s on this years ballot to drop the NRA membership requirement for club membership. Apparently they can keep their affiliation by making a club donation as opposed to requiring NRA membership.
 
Our club and range are an affiliate NRA club and will remain as such. The NRA is still among the top listed groups that are fighting for our rights under the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights and will remain as such.
With the new board it may well get back on the correct track and work for all shooters and programs and our rights. We can sure hope so. So, your membership is still very important. And you should think also of joining one or two other organizations that are doing the same for all of us.
But it is your choice and no one can or should fault you for what direction you go.
 
One of the most rewarding experiences of my life was when I competed in NRA Precision (Bullseye) Pistol competition and Hunter Pistol Silhouette for over 30 years.

While I never competed in rifle except for a short time of three position small bore, I am a precision shooter, one of the few remaining at the two clubs where I belong. The vast majority of the shooters I encounter at the range today are only interested in blasting away in 10 to 20 round sequences with AR's making a lot of noise shooting at gongs so large Stevie Wonder could hit them. I guess they are preparing for the "end times".

Very few shooters I encounter seem interested anymore in precision shooting or leaning basics marksmanship skills. I hope I am wrong, but I do not think it's going to change since the younger crowd seems more interested in living vicariously as a "special forces operator" than shooting for scores.

Hopefully now that the NRA is under new leadership, they can regain their reputation in the shooting sports. When the NRA is strong and well led, we are better for it.
 
Wayne and others being gone doesn't automatically fix the problems. A common perception possibly anymore with big non profit organizations and will likely be with NRA is the people in upper echelons spend money on big fancy lunches,expense accounts salaries etc. And attitude they know best, rather than follow consensus of us as the organizations members thoughts and hopes.
Spent way to much on legal fees using lawyers after money rich, instead of lawyers who believe in goals of protecting second amendment rights. Lack of promotion and teaching of shooting sports, hunting education and educating the public in general are major mistakes in policy which have major negative effects.
The NRA needs to build from the bottom up, and be a dedicated grass roots organization addressing concerns of it's members taking input from same, and ne er again allow a perception of elitism to become the normal in upper echelons of organization.
 
When the new leadership PROSECUTES WLP, and rids itself of the former leaders that allowed (benefitted?) all the thievery and corruption, then I may consider. A good prosecutor could probably get the entire board on a RICO charge. What WLP did was not a secrete. They need much better constraints on spending and need more spending information shared frequently with the membership. The leadership has no credibility, prove your integrity, ethics and honesty. You are running a FAILED organization, the failures of the previous leaders and board, over ride the successes of the programs. Show you have some principles and clean house. Remember WLP was ordered to repay a few million dollars and could not be a PAID advisor for a few years by the court. I'm not comfortable with that, he STOLE from the membership. He should be in the clink.
 
What about the good ones that were ousted when they shed light on WLP's behavior? West, Cox and a few others. Has the "new" leadership offered an olive branch to these guys? There were a lot of people in NRA offices who knew what was happening, bet most still have their jobs. Just a shame a noble organization was ruined by both the greed of some and the silence of others.
 
bsekf said:
Sorry to say, but most of the shooters I know are of the "let somebody else do it" category.

We just had a large fund raiser; half our membership didn't buy a ticket for themselves let alone sell the 5 they were all sent! We had a profit, but it should have been double!

Statistics say gun owners have about the lowest percentages of voters.

The anti's are winning, the shooters have lost interest.
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Sadly this applies to most outdoor sports persons these days, I gave up running or helping with fund raising dinners fewer and fewer attendees, and fewer members also if membership was not required
 
Having read all of these comments ; I'm just minorly perplexed as to why all those who are complaining , haven't become more personally involved in helping to "Fix" these issues over the period of years it was going on . Seems like it goes back to the old routine , of sitting in a corner and Bitching and grumbling , but never "STANDING UP" to voice the issues , and get INVOLVED !
Now ; It has gotten beyond crisis stage , and there are some who say , "Dump the NRA , and give it all to CMP ! Anyone care to tell us ALL what CMP has done to ever fight for Gun Rights , or the Second Amendment issue ?
I began shooting with a NRA Junior Club at the age of fourteen , as did my Twin Brother . My Father was a extremely highly ranked Bullseye Shooter , having won multiple Natl. Championships at Camp Perry in the sixties , and also Five Ohio Governor's Cup Trophies in that same era . Two of my younger Brothers have won Trap and Skeet Championships . We are ; and always have been a shooting family for generations , and have always been NRA Members , and supported the organization .
You don't throw the Baby out with the Bath Water !
 
NRA, CMP neither of them will matter if gun owners & competitive shooters don’t get out and vote in this election!!!!!!!!
Don’t take anything for granted. If you like shooting and shooting sports, not to mention your ability to defend yourself, please take the time to get out and vote or you may loose your gun rights and “pursuit of happiness” sooner than you think!!!!!!
 
D-4297 said:
Having read all of these comments ; I'm just minorly perplexed as to why all those who are complaining , haven't become more personally involved in helping to "Fix" these issues over the period of years it was going on . Seems like it goes back to the old routine , of sitting in a corner and Bitching and grumbling , but never "STANDING UP" to voice the issues , and get INVOLVED !
Now ; It has gotten beyond crisis stage , and there are some who say , "Dump the NRA , and give it all to CMP ! Anyone care to tell us ALL what CMP has done to ever fight for Gun Rights , or the Second Amendment issue ?
I began shooting with a NRA Junior Club at the age of fourteen , as did my Twin Brother . My Father was a extremely highly ranked Bullseye Shooter , having won multiple Natl. Championships at Camp Perry in the sixties , and also Five Ohio Governor's Cup Trophies in that same era . Two of my younger Brothers have won Trap and Skeet Championships . We are ; and always have been a shooting family for generations , and have always been NRA Members , and supported the organization .
You don't throw the Baby out with the Bath Water !
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No one wants to pitch the baby. I am not a member, I gave up my Life membership of many years. I don't remember the date. I am not eligible for how to return to the NRA of pre WLP. I also don't have the ability or knowledge to return to that time. But, my understanding is some of the former board members are still on the board. This is unacceptable. WLP's actions and illegal spending were not a secrete. Some of the NRA's former employees have moved to other 501(c) organizations, I have dropped my membership in those organizations, I have lost my trust in those people. The best way to resurrect the NRA is a very good house cleaning, from with in. Former directors, board members and so on integrity is in question. They should be removed, WLP and others should be jailed. I have no tolerance for thieves that stole from ME. More than the money, they have stolen my TRUST.
 
D-4297 said:
Having read all of these comments ; I'm just minorly perplexed as to why all those who are complaining , haven't become more personally involved in helping to "Fix" these issues over the period of years it was going on . Seems like it goes back to the old routine , of sitting in a corner and Bitching and grumbling , but never "STANDING UP" to voice the issues , and get INVOLVED !
Now ; It has gotten beyond crisis stage , and there are some who say , "Dump the NRA , and give it all to CMP ! Anyone care to tell us ALL what CMP has done to ever fight for Gun Rights , or the Second Amendment issue ?
I began shooting with a NRA Junior Club at the age of fourteen , as did my Twin Brother . My Father was a extremely highly ranked Bullseye Shooter , having won multiple Natl. Championships at Camp Perry in the sixties , and also Five Ohio Governor's Cup Trophies in that same era . Two of my younger Brothers have won Trap and Skeet Championships . We are ; and always have been a shooting family for generations , and have always been NRA Members , and supported the organization .
You don't throw the Baby out with the Bath Water !
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I respect your views and I am impressed with the history you have.

I think the sunk cost fallacy is playing a big part in people and their attitudes. Spend more time and money on the nra to fix it, or let them sort themselves out if they (nra) can. Right now there are more effective gun right organizations than the nra. A less centralized effort fighting for gun rights is going to have a better chance being adaptable and accountable to their members.

Maybe the right move is to let the cmp deal with the competitions , and move dollars to less "reputationaly damaged" gunrights organizations.

Sorry for my poor spelling.
 
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