Kind Words For Wayne And His Church

I read an article this morning (Sunday) about Mr. LaPierre, his psychotic ideations, and how he was made to look like an ass again. The cool part was that Chris Wallace of Fox News did it for me this time. I can't really say anything new about Wayne at this point; I have called him names (inderectly I hope), I have pointed out how far from present reality he is, and I have often wondered why he still has a job with the NRA. Every time he speaks, something truly ridiculous comes out. The article link is a good summation of his general narrow-mindedness.

Do all 4.5 million NRA subscribers really follow this guy? Are they allowing him to speak for them? If so, we can carve off 4.5 million people from the population that are not willing to think or speak about something other than the three things coming out of Wayne's mouth. How did that many people become complicit with his message? Wayne has taken the purposes of his organization -the good parts- and made them even further from our view for his message. The media has no real fault any more either because he doesn't even have to be asked a question to produce something agregious and fantastical. The only fault for the media now is letting him do it on a national stage for entertainment and rating reasons. Note: I agree with him that criminals probably won't be affected by gun control laws.

I decided that today, I would offer a few solutions instead of pointing out more problems. The inconceivable possibility that Wayne's views represent all NRA members is not possible. A poll of NRA members can be found here. I know a handful of members who are not only responsible with guns, they are also productive people. They have goals, they have bills, they pay taxes, and their guns probably account for a very small percentage of their day-to-day thoughts. I grew up in the wild West, and guns are neccessary and an integral part of that culture. I wish Obama (does skeet shooting all the time) luck in confiscating even a B.B. gun out there without using the military. The rest of the country hunts with their guns, and the urban gun owners usuaIly go to ranges to fire them. I doubt that these people, whose culture has been partially defined by firearms are as afraid or hysterical as Wayne would like us to think.

I understand the power of the NRA's lobby monsters, and I realize that there are far more ignorant groups lobbying DC, but what is the average American's view? The Pew Research Center posted this . Are they really afraid that a right we have been granted is going to disappear over night? I don't think so. Next, Wayne LaPierre is a corporate lobbyist who is defending his right, and the gun manufacturer's right to make money by ensuring the non-passage of any legislation that would restrict this money. He is a CEO who makes $970,000 per year.

What kind of club hires people? Shouldn't a leader of a club be elected by popular vote by it's members? In the case of Wayne, he was hired by the corporate board. Maybe there is a disconnect between the hired leadership, and the member base. The solution: quit paying this man. Statistically, he represents very few of his taxed members. They are in essence being taxed without any real representation. It can be called "dues", but an i.d. card, a sticker, and spammy propaganda in your inbox is hardly worth it, and it is, by nature, a tax. The actual swag you get with membership can be found here. Solution: They don't need your money. They make enough from gun manufacturers to make your dues look like loose change. This report by Forbes.com said that the gun manufacturers contributions to the NRA between 2004 & 2010 grew twice as fast as member dues. I have to wonder why so many people are being sold baseball caps and magazines in exchange for a radical wing nut's massive salary, without any real-world benefit. I could take my whole family out to eat at Cracker Barrel for $35. Besides, paper publication, excluding books, are going extinct; I would say, twenty more years. Maybe those living in cold climates could use the NRA sales brochures as tinder for their wood stoves. That would pave the way for something tangible; warmth.

Until paper goes away, and people quit dropping quarters into the broken pin ball machine that is the NRA, we can expect more early 19th Century rhetoric from Wayne that gets no more accomplished than the government he loves to hate so much. He is your preacher, so make sure the message represents at least 51% of you. My suggestion is for the members of a once relevant and proud organization to take your club back from money, and find a way to humble your VP; he is making all of you look guilty by association.

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