NRA Misses the Mark
Posted by William Kapeles on March 31, 2008
I opened an email from the NRA tonight that included the following:
- Perhaps it is a rich, velvety Pinot Noir… hand-crafted by a fiercely independent winemaster along a remote section of California’s Russian River Valley. It’ll pair perfectly with a tender sirloin steak on the grill.
- Or possibly it is an elegant Chardonnay… showcasing bright notes of pear and peach with a toasty oak finish that lasts for days. It’s an ideal way to unwind after a long day at work.
As a Preferred Member of the NRA Wine Club, …
It was one of the NRA’s well known solicitations for financial support via product sales. It’s a time proven strategy. Give the supporter a gift in exchange for their financial support, and the “profit” or a percentage thereof becomes income for the NRA. They’ve done it with anything from golf shirts to novel weapons. Why should wine be any different, you ask?
Simple. I believe the NRA has been moving purposefully along a path toward becoming a “gun based high-end retailer” instead of America’s voice for 2nd Amendment protection. To test my theory, I conducted a very basic, non-statistically valid poll in my gun shop today. Here are the results:
Q: When you hear the name of NRA, what do you immediately think of?
A: Among many responses, the most common were variations on this theme: A group of people that want your money and have forgotten how to effectively fight for gun rights.
Q: What has NRA done recently to protect your 2nd Amendment rights?
A: ——– (not one respondent could name a program or legislative action NRA achieved).
Q: What is your favorite NRA merchandise?
A: I had all kinds of answers, from ball caps to range bags, from key chains to guns.
Q: Are you a member of NRA?
A: 75% yes, 25% no
Q: (for the ‘no’s’ Will you join NRA today?
A: No…why should I? What do I get for my dues? etc.
So what conclusions can we draw from my non-scientific study? Most people, in fact most members in my small corner of the world, do not think the NRA is an actively effective pro-gun lobbying group. They are more interested in the gifts and merchandise they can get (not to mention the cheap magazine - yes, the NRA’s magazines are pretty good).
So listen up NRA - skip the wine club for gun owners. Most gun owners cannot tell the difference between a good shiraz and the most peppery gamay noir. Put OUR money where it belongs - bribing the crooks in Congress to keep guns an American RIGHT.
