Should I Throw My NRA Ballot in the Trash?

[MoscowMike]

We don’t need to start another NRA bashing thread, but we can do something positive to encourage change. While I used to ignore the board of directors ballot, I now believe it’s important for all of us to focus our votes on one or a few people who want to work for change.

This year Frank Tait is on the ballot, and he’s the only one I am voting for.

There may be other excellent candidates, but by focusing on him we stand a better chance of getting at least one person on the board who appears to be serious about working for improvements.

Here’s an article from Ammoland which goes into more detail -

https://www.ammoland.com/2022/02/bullet-vote-frank-tait-nra-board-directors-2022/

This may not do much immediately, but it should be more effective than just complaining.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

By all means, vote FOR Frank Tait as a way of expressing a desire for change. DO NOT vote for anyone else. My understanding is that the final results are based on which candidates get the most votes, so if you vote for ANY of the sycophants -- it's counted as a vote for the sycophants.

 

[ATN082268]

Ultimately, it is your decision of course but I would not want to be associated with and/or represented by a corrupt organization.

 

[Prof Young]

Yes, but . . . .

Due to the relentless "renew now" campaigns of the NRA I'm a member until 2024. Probably won't renew after that expires. In the mean time I've joined the Illinois State Rifle Association and Guns Save Lives. But since I'm still an NRA member I read about the candidates and vote. I vote for every female on the ballot, anyone who is a judge, and anyone with a military back ground. I figure we need to make as intelligent a decision as possible, hopefully getting some people in there who will work to stop the corruption.

Life is good.
Prof Young

 

[thallub]

i voted for Frank Tait and others not currently on the BOD.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Due to the relentless "renew now" campaigns of the NRA I'm a member until 2024. Probably won't renew after that expires. In the mean time I've joined the Illinois State Rifle Association and Guns Save Lives. But since I'm still an NRA member I read about the candidates and vote. I vote for every female on the ballot, anyone who is a judge, and anyone with a military back ground. I figure we need to make as intelligent a decision as possible, hopefully getting some people in there who will work to stop the corruption.

Respectfully, Prof, your approach does not strike me as being particularly intelligent -- especially considering the way the votes are tallied.

The current president is a female, and she is a big part of the problem. But ... she is female, so I guess you would vote for her. Some of the current board members who are (or were) military are also part of the corruption.

The problem is that ALL the votes are counted, and those with the highest numbers are elected. So by voting for Frank Tait plus a few others, you are giving those others votes, which only helps to push them ahead of Frank Tait, who is the outsider we should want to see added to the board. If you really want to help root out the corruption, in my opinion the best way is to vote for Frank Tait and NOT vote for anyone else. Voting for anyone else just undermines your vote for Frank Tait.

 

[44 AMP]

Voting for anyone, for any office, in any organization, including government, should NOT be based solely on their physical attributes, military background, or what jobs they have held in the past.

I won't vote for anyone based on their plumbing, skin color, or the fact that they served in the miiitary without getting kicked out. None of that is any guarantor of their personal political beliefs.

I think the only good reason to vote for anyone is your personal belief that they will do the job you want done, the way you want it done.

A valid reason for voting for someone is to get the person currently in the office out. Its a valid reason , but not a good reason unless your candidate also embodies your beliefs. Some do, others, not so much.

Also, we need to remain clear on the point that its not the organization itself that is corrupt, it is the current cabal running things. Certain people are the problem, not the NRA as an organization.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Also, we need to remain clear on the point that its not the organization itself that is corrupt, it is the current cabal running things. Certain people are the problem, not the NRA as an organization.

Yes. Very true. We want to throw out the rats, we don't want to sink the ship.

 

[Mannlicher]

I let my membership lapse. I won't be voting

 

[FoghornLeghorn]

I would think you already got your answer.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/should-i-throw-my-nra-ballot-in-the-trash.903319/

 

[eflyguy]

I voted with my wallet.

The fact this has gone one as long as it has gives me little hope things will change for the better.

 

[Skans]

So, I read the link about Frank Tait. Lots of Bla bla bla about how he's an outsider and will hold Wayne accountable. But, here is what I DID NOT read:

1. Where the man stands on repealing the Hughes Amendment
2. Where the man stands on fighting for all Americans to be able to own Military Grade Semi-Auto rifles, carbines and pistols
3. Where the man stands on gun registrations and more background checks
4. What clout the man has with state and federal legislators.

I don't need someone to go to the NRA board and just stir the poo. How does that help any gun owner? So, I'd like to hear more from Frank. Tell him to get his ass on this forum and tell us where he stands!

 

[Aguila Blanca]

So, I read the link about Frank Tait. Lots of Bla bla bla about how he's an outsider and will hold Wayne accountable. But, here is what I DID NOT read:

1. Where the man stands on repealing the Hughes Amendment
2. Where the man stands on fighting for all Americans to be able to own Military Grade Semi-Auto rifles, carbines and pistols
3. Where the man stands on gun registrations and more background checks
4. What clout the man has with state and federal legislators.

I don't need someone to go to the NRA board and just stir the poo. How does that help any gun owner? So, I'd like to hear more from Frank. Tell him to get his ass on this forum and tell us where he stands!

https://taitnra.substack.com/about

 

[Scorch]

Military Grade Semi-Auto rifles

And what exactly is a "Military Grade Semi-Auto rifle"? I'm not familiar with those. If it's military grade, why is it semi-automatic? If it is semi-automatic, how is it military grade? Because they look the same? I can buy a Honda Civic that looks like a real race version of theat car, but it isn't a race car, is it? Let's stop parroting the anti-gunners' language and focus on facts.

 

[Skans]

So, I read Aguila Blanca's link on Frank Tait. Two things really concern me about the guy:
1. He states he intends to "fully cooperate with an Examiner or Trustee as appointed by Judge Cohen in the NY AG case". Seriously? We need to elect someone who is going to be in the pocket of some NY attorney general who has it in for gun rights and the NRA? That's his primary objective! If Wayne LaPiere did something wrong then, yes, he needs to go and we the members need to make that happen. But, we don't need a NY attorney general to do this for us.

2. He said nothing about what he intends on doing to preserve our 2nd Amendment rights. That bothers me.

I'll tell you what, if you know the guy, invite him to this forum to respond to these two things I've said which would cause me NOT to vote for him. I'm open minded and if he is as transparent as he claims, then how about answering some of my questions here on this forum.

 

[Skans]

And what exactly is a "Military Grade Semi-Auto rifle"? I'm not familiar with those. If it's military grade, why is it semi-automatic? If it is semi-automatic, how is it military grade? Because they look the same? I can buy a Honda Civic that looks like a real race version of theat car, but it isn't a race car, is it? Let's stop parroting the anti-gunners' language and focus on facts.

14,000 posts and you claim not to know what I'm talking about here? Well then, let me spell it out for you:
- Assault Weapons
- Assault Rifles
- Assault Pistols
- machine guns
- semi-auto versions of M16's, AK's, the M60, the M249, Browning 1919, M2, etc.

I think anyone with 14,000 posts here has an excellent idea of what I mean when I say semi-auto version of a military grade rifle. However, if any of this terminology offends you (i.e. military grade semi-auto, Assault Weapon, Assault Rifle, Assault Pistol, or Assault Gym Bag), I will next time proceed by listing out each and every rifle, pistol and assault gym bag that I can imagine so as not to use an ambiguous and offensive terminology.

 

[44 AMP]

And what exactly is a "Military Grade Semi-Auto rifle"?

Let's stop parroting the anti-gunners' language and focus on facts.

Well then, let me spell it out for you:
- Assault Weapons
- Assault Rifles
- Assault Pistols
- machine guns
- semi-auto versions of M16's, AK's, the M60, the M249, Browning 1919, M2, etc.

Take a look at what you listed. Some of those terms are valid historical terms with specific defintions, and others are terms made up by the anti-gun media, and mean whatever the user says they mean. Some have been codified in US law, some have not been.

Assault Weapons ...a very vague term, meaning what ever the user decided to include in it. Codified in US Federal law in the (now sunset) 1994 AWB, which covered semi auto firearms having features listed in the law.

Assault Rifle ... a valid historical term, first used in 1944 by Adolph Hitler, and adopted by the firearms community as referrfing to rifles with certain specific attributes, those being SELECT FIRE, magazine fed, and using an "intermediate" power cartridge. Any and everything lacking all 3 of those is not an "assault rifle" no matter if it looks exactly the same on the outside as an actual assault rifle does.

Assault Pistol ... another recently made up term without any definition beyond what the user says it is. Usually its used to refer to an "assault weapon" that happens to be a handgun.

Machine gun ... a valid established term with a specific legal definition since 1934. A firearm that fires more than one round with a single action of the trigger.

Semi auto versions of machine guns are, under the law, just rifles.

HOWEVER,
I know one state that now classifies ALL semi auto rifles as "semi automatic assault rifles", in its law. That particular law is under legal challenge for a host of reasons, but until a court decision is reached, we're stuck with it.

Point here is that using the same bovine excrement terms the antis created and use simply does us no good and helps them.

and I don't think post count is relevant to knowing that.

I would be interested in knowing the prospective candidate's personal views on the matter, and getting answers to questions about his plans for NRA action on them, if elected, but it has nothing to do with my post count.

 

[Skans]

Take a look at what you listed. Some of those terms are valid historical terms with specific defintions, and others are terms made up by the anti-gun media, and mean whatever the user says they mean. Some have been codified in US law, some have not been.

I know exactly what's what, as well as the history of every term I used. No need to school me on definitions. Fact is, I like the term "Assault Weapon" - I've decided to own it, not engage in semantics with anti-gun idiots by arguing that there is no such thing.

Assault Weapons ...a very vague term, meaning what ever the user decided to include in it. Codified in US Federal law in the (now sunset) 1994 AWB, which covered semi auto firearms having features listed in the law

That's right, it was codified and still is under some state laws. Are you going to try and school leftists on what Sturmgewehr means and how it translates (not really) to Assault Rifle? That, because some old German full-auto rifle loosely translated to Assault Rifle that therefor there is no such thing as an Assault Weapon? Seriously? That argument is lame! Just own Assault Weapon the way Blacks have owned the N word, that's what I've decided to do. In fact, I occasionally refer to my AR's as: Man Killers, Semi-Neutered Machine Guns, Flesh Blasters, and Heart Stoppers.

Assault Rifle ... a valid historical term...

Save me the lecture, I know where it came from. It is actually NOT a valid historical term. "Storm Rifle" might be.

Assault Pistol ... another recently made up term without any definition beyond what the user says it is.

Yep, I made it up, and so did a bunch of other gun makers. Here are some other made up terms:
Glock 17
Sig P 210
Shotty
Pimp Gun

My latest favorite is "Gym Bag Weapon" - small enough to fit inside my gym bag.

Machine gun ... a valid established term

LOL!!! You can't be serious. You think "Machine gun" is a valid name for a type of gun? Now, that's funny. I guess that would be any type of gun - hand gun, staple gun, rivet gun, that is a machine, but not things like laser guns which are just flashlights, right? Machine gun has to be one of the stupidest made-up legal words used in the NFA. And, since it is so well defined, then why were bump-stocks made illegal?

Semi auto versions of machine guns are, under the law, just rifles

.

What law? California law? New York law? Federal Law? Mississippi Law?

Point here is that using the same bovine excrement terms the antis created and use simply does us no good and helps them.

Point well taken and understood. I simply disagree.

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Assault Weapons ...a very vague term, meaning what ever the user decided to include in it. Codified in US Federal law in the (now sunset) 1994 AWB, which covered semi auto firearms having features listed in the law

That's right, it was codified and still is under some state laws.

And if you check the definition of "assault weapon" in the laws of every state that has codified it, take a guess at how many definitions you'll get. Answer -- a lot. So, since you have decided to adopt the term, the logical question would have to be, 'Which definition have you adopted?" The federal law expired decades ago, so that's not on the table. Pick a state ...

 

[reynolds357]

Yes. Very true. We want to throw out the rats, we don't want to sink the ship.

I honestly think the ship sunk already.