To NRA or Not to NRA

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared at AmmoLand.com. Republished with permission of the author.

Let me get a couple of things off of my chest before I begin getting a few more things off of my chest. I am not a paid shill for the NRA. Never have been. I do not work for the NRA and have never been on their payroll. They do not dictate one word that has ever come out of my mouth on now 10 years of national radio. They have never asked me to say anything or tow the line for any of their positions. I am merely a member of the NRA and have been for many years. I am not a life member. I am an NRA Certified Instructor in three disciplines and have been for over 20 years.

Having said that, let me get a few more things off of my chest. I have disagreed with the NRA many, many times over the years over many issues and no doubt I will in the future. In fact, I nearly tossed my membership a few years back when the NRA here in the state of GA refused to support the GeorgiaCarry.org effort to remove the 140-year-old ban on carrying firearms at a “public gathering.” This racist law was put in effect during reconstruction years ago following the civil war to keep recently freed blacks disarmed. It was a heinous law that stood for far too long and over the next century and a half since its inception, saw many good GA citizens of all races hassled and arrested. SB 308 fixed this debacle and rather than assist us here with this bill, the NRA abandoned us in favor of their pet bill SB 291 which removed the governor’s emergency powers to cease firearm and ammunition sales during declared emergencies. It also allowed airport carry in the non-sterile areas of the airports, neither of which was a top priority for GA Weapons Permit holders at that time.

Both bills passed. Governor Perdue, at the time, signed SB 308 removing the phony restrictions on carrying at a “public gathering,” whatever the hell that meant, and vetoed the NRA backed SB 291. Georgia Carry would later go on to work with the House and Senate and pass the same reforms that the NRA sought in SB 291 a couple of years later. Needless to say, SB 308 was wildly popular here in Georgia, and the NRA lost many members over their refusal to work with GCO. Needless to say, I and others were not pleased with their position, and well, we fixed it without their help – but it cost them.

Let’s fast forward to today, or better yet a couple of weeks back when the hit pieces began running about the alleged corruption at the head of the NRA. (Funny how that happens just before every NRA annual convention, huh?) I don’t have enough space here to rehash it, but I really don’t need to.

Here’s the deal, in my humble opinion – The NRA obviously needs some house cleaning in the master bedroom.

If the alleged financial corruption can be proven and crimes were committed, people need to pay for that. The current Board of Directors needs to get damn serious about the direction of this organization and take out the trash, whoever or whatever that is determined to be and they need to do it right now, at this annual meeting. They must figure out a way to get back on track and cut the crap when it comes to the endless fundraising and fear mongering. We’re all well aware of the Bloomberg attacks on our freedoms.

Speaking of that, here come a few more things off of my chest. I’ve seen far too many posts on social media, which to me is a joke anyway, from chatroom warriors that are calling for the destruction of the NRA. As I mentioned above, the shenanigans the NRA played here in Georgia back in 2009, and 2010 nearly cost them my membership. Nearly. That was before I gave it more thought. What good would that do, to leave the NRA because I disagreed with them over this issue? I don’t agree with my wife LOTS of times, but I don’t leave her every time we fight about something, no matter how serious it is. I also don’t take my arguments with her to the front lawn for all of the neighbors to witness.

Look, the NRA needs some work, a ton of work. Read the excellent piece from my friend Jeff Knox here at AmmoLand earlier this week, and God forbid, if some of the leftist hit work over the last few days is correct, it can’t happen soon enough. Here’s why – If you think as, a gun owner, that the implosion and subsequent collapse of the National Rifle Association is a good thing, you’re a damn fool. Especially as we approach an election where every lefty kook running and every leader of the Socialist party formerly known as Democrats has embraced New Zealand's confiscation of guns as their goal for America. Such an event (collapse of NRA) would hand the worst enemies of our right to bear arms this nation has ever seen, the most massive PR coup in recent American history. Bloomberg and every one of his paid freedom-haters, the hateful socialist Democrat party, and the loony Moms Demand Action bunch among many others, will claim a victory which in turn will set the stage for the imminent destruction of our Second Amendment rights within our lifetimes.

Nothing positive comes from the collapse of the NRA. I hope they are listening. The Board of Directors must step to the plate and deep clean whatever is rotting or step aside and let someone else get it done.

NOW.

Mark Walters is the host of two nationally syndicated radio broadcasts, Armed American Radio and Armed American Radio's Daily Defense with Mark Walters. He is the Second Amendment Foundations 2015 Gun Rights Defender of the Year award recipient and co-author of two books, Lessons from Armed America with Kathy Jackson (Whitefeather Press) and Lessons from UnArmed America with Rob Pincus (Whitefeather Press)