The NRA and Anti-Gun Politicians

Compared to some, I don't give much to the NRA-ILA (National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action) or the NRA-PVF (National Rifle Association's Political Victory Fund), but I give what I can. In the past, I have considered it to be a much better way of supporting candidates who support my freedom than contributing to any political party or to most other PACs.

Senator Harry Reid consistently supports and votes for the confirmation of all of Obama's anti-gun nominees both for the federal judiciary and for the Obama adminsitration. He has voted for many anti-gun bills. He voted for the Clinton "Assault-Weapon" Ban of 1994. He voted to leave law-abiding citizens and even students defenseless while in school zones. He voted for the Brady bill. I therefore view any support for Senator Reid as an attack on my gun rights (not to mention most other rights as well). However, Reid’s re-election means we won’t get Chuck Schumer or Dick Durbin as Senate Majority Leader.

The NRA-ILA endorses and supports Senator Harry Reid of Nevada in his current fight to save his job -- even though there is a far better alternative -- Sharron Angle. I therefore must assume that the NRA-ILA considers the fellowship of Harry Reid to be more important than my gun rights.

Also, the NRA-ILA endorses and supports my own representative, Jim Matheson of Utah, in his fight to keep his seat in the House -- even though there is a far better alternative -- Morgan Philpot. I warned Representative Matheson that I would consider a vote for anti-gun Nancy Pelosi to be Speaker of the House as a vote against my gun rights (and, she's hostile to most other individual rights, too). Nevertheless, he chose to vote for her -- and against my gun rights. Therefore, in spite of his rhetoric and generally good record on specifically gun-related votes, I must consider him no reliable friend of gun rights. I therefore view any support for Representative Matheson as support for abolishing my gun rights.

I know that the NRA and NRA-ILA have a responsibility to their members and donors to focus on defending our Second Amendment rights. But that is no excuse to ignore other factors which adversely gun rights or even which affect other rights. Harry Reid doesn't care about my freedom nor the Constitution. He is only a superficial, conditional friend of gun rights.

Consequently, I now terminate my financial support for the NRA-ILA. Instead, my money will go directly to Sharron Angle, Morgan Philpot, and other gun-rights organizations that I consider to be more faithful to the cause. I will immediately resume and increase my contributions to the NRA-ILA when it switches its full support to true patriots.

Until the NRA, NRA-ILA, and NRA-PVF correct their criteria for political endorsements, I must consider those endorsements to be invalid unless confirmed by other research.

Among others, I support:
• Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms
• Gun Owners of America
• Jews for the Preservation of Firearm Ownership
• National Association for Gun Rights
• Second Amendment Foundation

You see, as the NRA-ILA recommends, I "Vote Freedom First."

While have concerns about the NRA's support for anti-liberty politicians, I still ardently support the NRA's efforts to protect gun rights as well as it's gun safety programs. In many respects, the NRA is far more critical to gun rights than GOA or any of the other gun-rights organizations listed above. I urge all gun owners to join the NRA. Those who don't join are riding in the wagon while the rest of us pull -- and they have no standing to complain about NRA's warts.