The NRA.....lets talk!

[TxD]

How do you change the minds of literally millions of teachers, school administrators, reporters, TV producers, and those celebrities who are anti-RKBA and have young fans?

I think it's an admirable goal, but I don't know how to achieve it.

- Jim

I don't know either but it is interesting to see how perception has changed.
These are pics of Indiana grade school kids getting gun safety lessons from a LEO
in this 1955 issue of LIFE magazine. Click on the thumb nail pics for more of the story.

http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l? ... 5186fefed6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[John]

my how times have changed.

[seamusTX]

High schools and colleges had rifle teams into the 1960s. Most still have a dormant chapter of the Civilian Marksmanship Program.

I don't how the change happened. It happened before I was paying attention. I think it was a combination of anti-military attitudes coming out of the Viet Nam war, increasing urbanization, and the linking of firearms and criminal activity because of increasing violent crime in the 1960s and 70s. The increase in crime rates during those years was huge.

But it's a done deal now, and changing attitudes back is a big job. We are seeing progress. I just don't know if it's enough change, fast enough.

- Jim

[John]

we've all said it...

1. Take someone shooting.
2. Join the NRA and get your children memeberships (jr. memeber if appropriate).
3. Don't be timid about correcting someone who is giving out bad info in support of "gun control".
4. Do what you can in coversation to de-demonize guns and gun owners.
5. Take an active role in writing elected official regarding pending legisation.
6. Participate in forums like this one. (good will rub off on you).

[Locksmith]

. .

[flintknapper]

we've all said it...

1. Take someone shooting.
2. Join the NRA and get your children memeberships (jr. memeber if appropriate).
3. Don't be timid about correcting someone who is giving out bad info in support of "gun control".
4. Do what you can in coversation to de-demonize guns and gun owners.
5. Take an active role in writing elected official regarding pending legisation.
6. Participate in forums like this one. (good will rub off on you).

Gun owners really need to get motivated about this!

So............................, how many here are just going to give this "lip service", and how many are actually going to do something to increase membership/support?

I just finished signing up my two nephews. Will anyone match that with a sponsorship of their own, its very easy. You will need to know a name, mailing address and what magazine to send, easy enough...right!

Its great to TALK about it folks, but we need action!

[seamusTX]

JohnC, I agree with your recommendations and even your order of priority.

I would expand 4 by suggesting that people publicly do something positive to show that firearms owners are decent human beings.

Before Ike hit, I was trying to persuade my gun club to do something similar to the Biker Santa program, in which motorcyclists (some of they very scary looking guys with loud bikes -- but I digress) collect toys for children in Shriners Childrens Hospitals.

The mayor of Texas City has a charity skeet shoot every year that raises an impressive amount of money.

But these are all personal initiatives. What can the NRA do differently or better at the level at which it works?

- Jim

[mr.72]

Wow. I disagree completely. Promoting gun ownership and use as a fun hobby is to completely miss the point of the RKBA. Taking someone new out shooting does nothing to inform them of the need for guns.

[seamusTX]

It's a start.

First people figure out that shooting is fun. Then the scales fall from their eyes and they understand that they can wield this tremendous power safely. Then they start paying attention, and they see that legislators want to tell them that they can't have it; and some of them get angry, and stay angry, and decide they're not going to take it any more.

I walked that walk.

I'm sure you're familiar with the way that many evangelical churches have fun events, and they don't clobber newcomers over the head immediately with complicated theological points. It's a similar process.

- Jim

[Liberty]

Wow. I disagree completely. Promoting gun ownership and use as a fun hobby is to completely miss the point of the RKBA. Taking someone new out shooting does nothing to inform them of the need for guns.

The first step is to convince folks that guns aren't totally evil. The next step is to demonstrate that the folks that go to gun ranges aren't all knuckle dragging gang bangers thats just looking for an excuse to kill someone. Progress is all about the little steps.
.

[seamusTX]

The next step is to demonstrate that the folks that go to gun ranges aren't all knuckle dragging gang bangers ....

I hope none of them are. Some of us are irascible old crepitations, but we tend to be friendly on the whole.

I want to add that while I have occasionally read about obnoxious treatment of women at ranges, I have never seen anything close to it. Pat yourselves on the back, guys.

- Jim

[boomerang]

The anti bill of rights activists have been very successful using the salami slice technique. NFA in 1934. GCA in 1968. State bans on good guys carrying. Federal, State and local bans on militia rifles and accessories. Etc.

Ideally the Supreme Court would remove it's head from a dark hole and realize the meaning of "shall not be infringed" and do the right thing.

Realistically, we have to fight inch by inch to regain our human rights. We have to take it back one slice (or a few slices) at a time. That's how we turned back the tide and got "shall issue" laws in states like Texas. That's also how we need to fight for the hearts and minds of our family and friends and neighbors. Show them that guns aren't evil or scary. Show them the lies of the stereotypes spread by the Brady Bigots. Then they will be in a place emotionally where they can hear the rational arguments for RKBA and see the house of lies built by the Brady Bigots.

[seamusTX]

Ideally the Supreme Court would remove it's head from a dark hole and realize the meaning of "shall not be infringed" and do the right thing.

Probably this court will, but it can only decide the cases that are brought to it.

That is a very expensive proposition that takes years. Some lawyers are willing to do it because they believe in the RKBA, but they still have to eat.

On the whole, I agree with you.

- Jim

[jimlongley]

Did anybody else notice that obvious discontinuity between the picture and the text?

That is a Winchester single shot .22 he's shooting, not a .30-30.

Ok, it could be a Mossberg, but it looks just like my old Winchester .22 and it sure as heck isn't a .30-30.

[TxD]

Did anybody else notice that obvious discontinuity between the picture and the text?

That is a Winchester single shot .22 he's shooting, not a .30-30.

Ok, it could be a Mossberg, but it looks just like my old Winchester .22 and it sure as heck isn't a .30-30.

Good eye, but more importantly, notice there are no girls in any of the pics; even in the classroom.

Not including females to any great degree in the past was a mistake and has had a considerable effect on our present situation.

There are presently a lot of mommies "educated" only by the media, etc. that don't want their boys "playing with guns". Guns are evil. Everybody except that "NRA Kook" down the street says so.

Women are an important part of any permanent solution and will only be "won over" in
a grass roots campaign.

The NRA has the "Eddie Eagle" program and the "I am the NRA" advertising for a start, but
we as members need to do more.