I am seriously considering not renewing my NRA membership.

[justin_247]

I am seriously considering not renewing my NRA membership.

Not only do they call me all the time, they even started calling me using another number after I began blocking their phone calls. Additionally, I receive endless junk mail from the NRA. How much of my donations are they spending on soliciting me to contribute more? How much money is spent on the junk they mail out for renewing your membership (it'd be better if they mailed you a free PMAG or something, if they MUST)?

Wayne LaPierre is paid over a million dollars a year, in addition to many millions distributed to his retirement fund... yet they always enclose a letter ostensibly signed by him begging us to donate more. Why doesn't he donate more? There are people in the military that are paid a tenth of what he's paid, yet are responsible for much, much more than he is.

The NRA-ILA consumes only a tenth of the NRA's total budget, yet this is the foundation of the organization.

I'm starting to think the NRA is just a self-licking ice cream cone.

Thoughts?


EDIT: And, yes, I know I can contact the NRA and tell them to quit soliciting me. I shouldn't have to do that. If I'm a dues paying member, I should be left alone. If I don't ever answer the phone, or always hang up on the caller, then that should be a sign to quit calling, as well. But guess what... many people, especially older folks who don't use the internet, have no idea how to stop the endless soliciting. They don't make it obvious... you have to look for the FAQ on the NRA website. It's unacceptable.

[26 Inf]

I have to belong because our club's insurance is through them.

Someone told me that he heard they are considering selling/leasing the competition division. He heard it at the Crawfish Cup NRA Action Pistol Regional Championship so there may be something to it, IDK.

The magazines are becoming even more of a disappointment - more and more pages are taken up by 'we protected you, but need more money to continue the fight' fluff. I recently signed on for Shooting Illustrated in addition to the American Rifleman, it was a mistake, same pages of 'we protected you, but need more money to continue the fight' fluff as are in the Rifleman, with very little else of merit.

I recently picked up NRA civilian certifications in pistol, rifle, shotgun, and RSO. IMO those programs are somewhat lacking.

To say I'm disappointed in the organization would be an accurate assessment.

[Sam]

A couple friends of mine are life members and they said the calls and mailings dropped off to almost zero.

[seb5]

I go for the 5 year membership and NEVER get called. It was nice after the hassle described above.

[Kain]

I don't know how much if at all I get phone calls from them for. Honest. I don't know. If I don't know the number it goes to VM and if you don't leave a message then I assume it wasn't important. And I have only reupped yearly.

I do get a fair amount of junk mail from them, but honestly, they are no worse than my bank, possibly less so. And as much as I will rag on American Rifleman magazine, it is a lot better than many of the other rags out there, of which I've pretty much canceled all after getting tired of the bullshit, excuses for broken designs, and even lies. At least the junk mail from the NRA doesn't have me eyeing it like it is some sort of scam. "Send us $1200 so we can process your winnings of 1.2Million" for example. Besides, if TP ever gets short between the NRA and credit card requests I should be fine for months.

Anyway, on topic, threatening to cancel or not renew on a forum really sounds like whining, If you can take the time to vent here, I'd assume you could take the time to email the NRA and bitch to them direct. I'd take a bet that if enough people bitched stuff would get toned down. It is a thought. And one might consider that perhaps contacting them would be the proper thing to do, we do tend to get a bit uptight when people complain about parts issues prior to contacting the manufacturer.... But, then what do I know, it is sunday night, I've eaten too much beef, sipped too much whiskey, and am swapping followers in Cetme-L mags with USGI mags to see if they work.

P.S.
If you are getting inundated with phone calls you could always "update" your phone number with a number that isn't yours. it is a thought.

[hotrodder636]

Even before I upgraded to my Life membership I rarely got mailings and did not get phone calls. I don't own a land line, maybe that is the difference?

[26 Inf]

I go for the 5 year membership and NEVER get called. It was nice after the hassle described above.

I'm on the 5 year membership and I've enrolled in do not call several times. I get calls on my both my cell and home phone. You are blessed.

[OH58D]

I'm a Life Member, but they can't call me because there's zero cell phone service in my area. It's an actual dead zone that shows up on US coverage maps. The only phone we have to call out from the ranch is a Thrane Satellite phone. We use the cell only once we get back closer to town.

[Ed L.]

They are the best protectors of the Second Amendment.

I am a member, but they do not have my phone number or email.

If I were getting annoyed by email or phonecalls, I would feel the same way.

I am convinced that their excess marketing has a negative effect on renewals. They send people so much crap int he mail, along with early renewal notices, that some people adopt the default of tossing all mail away unopened.

[Alex V]

I got the lifetime membership, not even sure why. They don't give two shits about New Jersey. My hope is that when I move their work would have prevented our other states from succumbing to NJ's fate.