Posted on Oct 16, 2015
SSG Warren Swan
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Interesting read and take. A lot of big lobbying groups have fallen after thinking they were too big to go down. Could the NRA be the next one to bite the dust? The author brings up some good points, but me personally I'm not totally sold. What do you think Rally Point?
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LTC Stephen F.
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Edited 10 y ago
NRA is not too big to fail SSG Warren Swan. It is made up of people from many different backgrounds as far as its supporters are concerned. If it failed another organization would quickly take its place.
I am neither a member of the NRA nor a gun owner at the present time. While I don't agree with all of the viewpoints expressed by the NRA, I concur with their views of responsible gun ownership and the second amendment to the US Constitution.
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SSG Warren Swan
SSG Warren Swan
10 y
Thanks Sir, but with that said, I don't see at this point in America how they could. If there ever was a second coming of McCarthyism we'd be in it now. Are you more 'Murican than your neighbor? No? We're feeding off paranoia rather than actual unbiased facts. It's that paranoia that I think will keep the NRA in business.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
10 y
SSG Warren Swan - I am not more American; but, as a citizen of the USA I am in the minority among the neighbors.
Many of my neighbors are illegal aliens from central America and therefore are American. Last month we had a gang execution of a central American high school student 1/4 a mile away by members of the gang from his home country soon after he arrived here.
I know many NRA members and none of them are paranoid. From what I have observed over the last 59 years is that the people who are opposed to gun ownership tend to have more paranoid folk among them that those who are law abiding gun owners and their supporters.
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SSG Warren Swan
SSG Warren Swan
10 y
LTC Stephen F. - Ohh Sir that wasn't meant to ask if you personally were more American than the next, using it as a way some would question your "loyalty" to the "party" line. Should've expressed it better. That's a damn shame what happened to that kid. I can't say I agree with your last because I don't have that much time on earth yet to make that kind of informed observation. I believe lamestream media does it's part to keep folks on the fence or jumping over it scared it would be them next. The media does not help the situation at all
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1LT Aaron Barr
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The Federal government isn't too big to fail, as our mounting debts will make plain over the coming decades. However, I don't think the NRA will be failing anytime soon; there still aren't enough people in this nation dumbed down enough to not know the dictionary definition of the word 'criminal.'
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SPC George Long
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The next Presidential election will answer that question. As a benefactor member of the NRA, Former MP, Former Civilian Police Officer, former Probation Officer , Member of the American Pistolsmiths guild. Long Range (2500+ meters) instructor And all around opinionated old dude. The chance always exist that any organization can fail. But I'd say it's a pretty slim chance.
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SPC George Long
SPC George Long
10 y
SSG Warren Swan - It seems difficult and like many things in life its not that difficult. There are some basic things you have to understand. Back in the day we spent a bit of time with pencil and paper. Today computer programs make things easier. I quit teaching a few years back but if you have somewhere to shoot at distance, The Ultimate Sniper by John Plaster will get you to 1000 meters and his later books will get you farther and farther out. Of course you'll need the right weapons and optics but if you are a good solid shooter who understands the basics , with a little help and proper equipment you could do it. Heck my wife has shot to 1700 meters with only 1 day instruction and 1 day with me setting behind her coaching.
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SSG Warren Swan
SSG Warren Swan
10 y
SPC George Long - Thanks for the info and 1700m? I'm sure she had some prior shooting experience? She's a bad mofo!!!
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SPC George Long
SPC George Long
10 y
SSG Warren Swan - Yes one of the reasons she married me was because I took her hunting, fishing and shooting. Before we were married I gave her a S&W 357 mag as her own. I taught her how to shoot, She got a chuckle out of what you called her. People Call her Ma Deuce as it is and yes she spent time behind an M2 one day
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SSG Warren Swan
SSG Warren Swan
10 y
SPC George Long - You're one lucky man. Not to many men I know have a wife who's been behind the big gun, knows, how to shoot, and can raise a family.
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Is the National Rifle Association too big to fall?
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SSG Leo Bell
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It's not the NRA fault that there are people trying to get ride of them and trying to control guns. But the truth is the only one you will hurt with gun control are the honest and upstanding people. The people who hurt or just gun lovers. No matter how hard they try there will be guns out there for sale that the criminals and low life's will get there hands on.

They will break into houses and steal them they will find a way to get them in from Mexico or other country. I sorry for all the Innocent lives that have been lost to street gangs and just people not using common sense.

I like my guns and I love to hunt, but I will not kill something that I will not eat. I do not believe in just shooting animals just to kill them. I could go on forever but I will end here.
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PO3 Electrician's Mate
PO3 (Join to see)
10 y
SSG Leo Bell - Just be careful, your church is part of your family, just remember that. Stay strong and stay sharp.
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SSG Leo Bell
SSG Leo Bell
10 y
PO3 Thong
Brother I will trust and believe. I still have that watchful eyes that's always scanning.
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SSG Leo Bell
SSG Leo Bell
10 y
SGT Jess Marlow - That's is so true Sgt Jess Marlow. Gun don't keep people, dumb people with guns kill people. As far as Betty bad A** that was her playing deputy dog ( I got a gun and you should be afraid of me).
Some people makes it bad for everyone doing the right thing.
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SSG Leo Bell
SSG Leo Bell
10 y
SSG Leo Bell - Didn't want to offend anyone by saying stupid
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PO3 Electrician's Mate
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lol there is a big different with "NRA', there is a huge number of guns club out there. for a long time they all fight each other for membership. NRA is just the big fish. But lately ... they are coming together on this assault on the 2nd Amendment, and it is not always about money for them. So money can't drown them.

Second, the bills of right mention this rights, Smoking? nope. For real, NRA will never go down as long as there is a 2nd Amendment. So admen the 2nd ... maybe then NRA will be gone. If you can attack NRA without attacking the 2nd Amendment, then NRA can be destroy. If money is the issue, the uber rich liberal can and already bought NRA over.
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Capt Seid Waddell
Capt Seid Waddell
10 y
PO3 (Join to see), the power of the NRA is the power of its members, not its leadership. Shooters that don't want the politicians to take their guns away will never vote for any politician that seeks to do so - no matter what other issues are at stake. So long as the bulk of the people want to uphold the Constitution and their own personal liberty the gun control politicians will be on the losing end of the gun control fight.
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PO3 Electrician's Mate
PO3 (Join to see)
10 y
Capt Seid Waddell - ... they are using the "smoking" tactics to go against guns ... so this will get serious. NRA must realize that ... educating the youth is the front line.
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Capt Seid Waddell
Capt Seid Waddell
10 y
PO3 (Join to see), roger that!
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1LT Aaron Barr
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Edited 10 y ago
Since Cpt. Servicemeber lacks the testicular fortitude to allow me respond to his posts directly, I'll do so on the general thread. I find this especially disappointing given that he named me specifically in his comment, then blocked my ability to address it rather like a spoilt child who takes his ball and goes home when the score doesn't go his way.

CPT SERVICEMEMBER, you called these shootings preventable; how were they? The majority of these mass shooters either had no record of felony conviction etc. that would've barred them from buying guns legally or got their guns illegally. As for securing guns, how would you propose to enforce such a measure?
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PO3 Steven Sherrill
PO3 Steven Sherrill
10 y
1LT Aaron Barr as a gun owner, securing firearms should not be something that is done because of a law. It is something I should be doing because I am a responsible gun owner. Teaching kids in school personal responsibility would go a long way to fixing a great deal of our societal problems.

As for the mass shootings, you are not going to prevent a person who cannot buy a firearm legally from acquiring it illegally. It is an unlawful sale they are already knowingly breaking the law. They don't care about the law. As for preventing them, there is a way, but it is not easy. The way that mass shootings can be prevented is to treat the Mental Health of a person as seriously as physical health. Instead of attaching the stigmas to Mental Health that make a person less likely to seek help, praise the person who seeks help for having the strength to admit the issue, then provide the help needed. Once we do that, we can start bringing people back from the brink before they go over the edge. Is it going to prevent all incidents? Of course not, but it will help. It will be more effective than putting up a stupid sign that Says Gun Free Zone. It will be more effective than blaming the NRA.

Please don't think I am attacking you, that is not the spirit in which this is being presented.
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CPT Jack Durish
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If the author of this story brought up any "good points" I missed them. Sadly, his whole premise is based on a fallacious assumption: That there is a causal relationship between guns and violence. Interestingly, this is the same causal relationship that drives the anti-gun/anti-NRA movement. However, it does play on a weakness in both the 2nd Amendment and the charter of the NRA. Instead of weapons, I wish the 2nd Amendment and its defenders such as the NRA promoted our God-given right to self defense. Thus, weapons (shotguns, rifles, handguns of all types, bows and arrows, sticks and stones, etc) would be relegated to their correct place as mere implements of self defense. How could anyone argue with that narrative?
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SSG Warren Swan
SSG Warren Swan
10 y
" I wish the 2nd Amendment and its defenders such as the NRA promoted our God-given right to self defense"...THIS I could seriously get behind and support
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Capt Seid Waddell
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Edited 10 y ago
This article represents the dreams of the left, but it will never happen in real life.

The power of the NRA does not come from its leaders, but from its grassroots members. The NRA represents the interests of all gun owners whether they are hunters, sports shooters, or those using guns for personal protection.

The NRA also informs their members of the voting records of their elected representatives ahead of each election and lets the people choose those that best represent their own interests. The power of the NRA is the power of the people themselves making informed choices, and this is unlikely to change any time soon.
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SPC Luis Mendez
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Edited 10 y ago
NOPE, no Organization, Group, Corporation, Business etc. is too big to Fall. Especially if they become Inflexible and Stiff-necked and can't see beyond their noses.
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SFC Joseph Weber
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The NRA is nothing but a large special interest lobbying group that owns politicians. They own Republicans and Democrats. People want to stop the lobbying efforts of big oil and big pharmacy but let the NRA run amok and take down anyone who wants to make any significant changes. Wouldn't it be nice if lobbyists were prevented from giving millions of dollars to and owning politicians?
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Capt Seid Waddell
Capt Seid Waddell
10 y
That would be terrible. Politicians respond to the people by way of contributions to their election campaigns and the prospect of obtaining their votes. This is the way that we get them to take our opinions seriously.

The NRA is simply a bundler of campaign donations for its membership, and they use our donations in a more concentrated and coordinated way than we can do individually.

The NRA is not speaking arbitrarily for their own corporate interests; it is speaking for the interests of its membership. The second they betray their members’ interests they would be abandoned by their membership and they would go broke immediately.
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