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Post by jimh on Feb 26, 2006 21:44:24 GMT -5
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Post by deputydon on Mar 1, 2006 13:27:56 GMT -5
I'm gald to see he wasn't afaid to speak his mind and I wish more people in important places would speak out insted of being "politally correct"
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Post by Purebred Redneck on Mar 1, 2006 19:43:09 GMT -5
I agree with the article I've said this before, so I won't go into much detail this time (and to avoid most of the political stuff). But again, the home defense and the "because I can" arguement isn't the way to defend gun ownership to the public in my opinion. Why, because it makes people uncomfortable. You can win over the judges with the "because I can" arguement or you can try to win over public support with the arguement that guns can safely be used as a means of sport and entertainment. But you can't do both - I don't think it's possible. Either go balls to the wall, take a stand on principle, and hope the courts find in your favor years down the road despite public opinion. ORTake a lighter stand on principle and try to gain public support. If you gain public support, then you WILL win. There's no way around politics on this one so I'll just go right out and say it (and I think you guys will agree) republicans are more closed minded while independants and democrats are more open minded - they can change their minds on an issue. This is a tremendous advantage and opportunity for gun owners to win over those who are "gunshy" Now I've said this before also. I don't like the nra and will never be part of it, but I understand it's importance as it is the far right organization that nuetralizes the far left organizations. So yes, I think it's important that it exists and is a presence. And if you agree with the "balls to the wall" as most of you do, then yeah shout your support out loud. But if you want to win over the public, I think you have to be a little more discreet about the nra membership. Now I'm not saying not to join. I merely suggesting to help fund the organization but let the organization do it's job (balls the wall) on it's own with your money --- while you, as the individual, work on socializing the public (mostly family and friends) with guns as means of sport and entertainment. That's the only way to win using both methods. Other than that, the gun industry must chooseNow I know most of your first thoughts are "curtis is a ******* commie bastard. But just think about it for a minute. Think of something(else lol), an issue, you didn't agree with but changed your mind and heart on. Where you forced into this decision and turned out that you liked it OR did someone or some situation come up that made you look at "this something" in a different light. Point being - you can't force someone to like guns or even be nuetral on the subject (quite the opposite effect will happen). It's going to take a series of positive experiences and I think it's important to make those experiences as possitive as they can be.
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bounce
Royal Member
Posts: 5,727
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Post by bounce on Mar 1, 2006 20:19:24 GMT -5
I do not see the NRA as far right at all, just protecting & existing laws and promoting safe gun handeling, hunting, and shooting sports, self defence, Law Inforcement, etc . Are their far right members in the NRA? you bet!! but it is open to you too Red.
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Post by klsm54 on Mar 1, 2006 22:15:08 GMT -5
Funny Red, how you visualize the NRA as far right and balls to the wall on gun issues, while the biggest criticism among their own ranks is that they are too wishy washy.... I guess it depends if you are outside looking in, or inside looking out. In reality, I agree with Bounce's take on the NRA, that is how I see them, definitely not balls to the wall. There are many other groups with a much more radical stance than the NRA has. I see your point Red, on the long term effect of "positive" gun experiences, and resistance to the ..."Overzealous" gun owners. But, I fear that in todays society, which seems to be VERY divided on many issues, the chance of enough positive actions by gunowners having any long term postive effect on the anti's is very slim... Believe me, I feel there is nothing more important a gunowner can do, right after he joins the NRA, than to portray a good guy image. Doing his, or her, best to make hunting, shooting, and gunownership look like the decent and honorable pursuits that they are to 90 percent of the participants. But sadly, that 10% can negate everything the 90% does in a heartbeat.... As much as I don't like it, I see nothing but grief for the gun industry, and gun owners, in the foreseeable future. I think the only hope to maintain our interests, and rights, is through the courts, not through public opinion. Hopefully I am wrong.
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Post by Purebred Redneck on Mar 2, 2006 21:50:29 GMT -5
Well the FAR RIGHT is the skinheads on gun issues, but that's a totally new topic...
The right side representative for the gun industry is the NRA. And you're right, I'm on the outside looking in - but I do see in the past 5 years a lot of "strong feelings" by it's leadership in statements that leaked into the public. "From my cold dead hands", all the stuff by Nugent, and that one guy Lapiere or who ever he is (I got his news letter in the mail and thought he was WAY out of touch with reality). And yet while the NRA is the most powerfull gun group in the nation, we have people complaining that the NRA is too "wishy washy" (as scott said).
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Post by klsm54 on Mar 2, 2006 22:27:35 GMT -5
I'm not talking so far right that they are teetering on Nazism (is that a word?) like the Skinheads... I talking about groups, that have mainly been formed by former NRA members because they didn't like the compromises the NRA had made with politicians, like GOA, CCRKBA, 2nd Amendment Foundation and the likes. I believe that these groups are truly concerned with protecting the Second Amendment, but I think they are all more hardline, unwavering if you will, in protecting those rights than the NRA. That is why I think the NRA is more effective as a lobbyist organization, they ARE willing to play politics. As much as that sickens many of us, it still is the way to work effectively in todays political arena....
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