I'm a life member of the NRA. I'm an "endowment" life member, meaning I've given above and beyond the normal requirement.
But I swear, their latest mailing (they're always insultingly breathless... but then, frankly, so are *all* fundraising letters, regardless of who sends 'em out, for whatever cause) just took *my* breath away.
Heh.
Did you know, boys and girls, that the Democrats and their fellow travelers are trying to disenfranchise the military voter? Really. Well, not really, they just don't want 'em to vote, unless they're going to vote correctly. Leave aside the implication that all military personnel vote Republican and work with me here.
Well, *how* are we going to deal with this?
Why, voter registration, of course! Did you know that soldiers and their families need help to get information on how to register to vote?
Well, the NRA is going to fix that! And it will only take a couple of million dollars, and the NRA is going to make sure that military personnel and their families know how to register to vote and get registered.
Because, like, well, they don't have any access to information like that, and the NRA is going to hoist the Stars and Stripes and carry the message forward.
I.am.just.stunned.
Soldiers unable to register! Don't have access to information! Can't get any help! NRA to the rescue!
Poppycock.
Pure, unadulterated bovine excreta.
So, when I drive on to Fort Leavenworth, those signs telling everybody "Your Vote Counts!" are apparently only readable by those of us no longer on active duty or who aren't in the military. Same signs here at Fort Knox, where I'm staying for two weeks. Signs in the PX. Signs in the Commissary. Signs at the gas station. Signs in the barracks. Signs in the buildings where soldiers work. Signs in the buildings where soldiers play. Announcements over the PX muzak. Emails about "Register to Vote" coming to military email addresses. All the signs saying "See your unit voting assistance officer". Every unit having someone designated as the "Voting Assistance Officer," a person who will walk you through what you need to do to get your absentee ballot. Who will act as a certifying official for you.
Those announcements unit commanders and 1SGs make at formation.
Apparently soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coasties really can't see the signs, hear the announcements, or read their email. Heh. Perhaps they really are as dumb as Senator Kerry so famously noted.
Heh. Most of us around here know better.
Buddy, if you don't know there's an election, and you don't know where to get some assistance to get registered... I'm thinking that a letter from the NRA isn't going to help much.
Heh. It's naked fundraising and it's going after new membership, and it's either breathtakingly ignorant or it's borderline fraud.
Sorry, Wayne and Chris - I'm not sending you a dime for this one. And I'd appreciate it if you'd leave me off the list for the next breathtakingly borderline dishonest faux crisis.
Let's save the hyperbole for a real cause, like those suits challenging Chicago and San Francisco, and the point-by-point rear guard actions that DC is fighting re the Heller decision.
Let's fight the micro-stamping issue. The back-door ammo bans. Let's not spend millions to putatively assist military personnel with voter registration. They've got all the help they need.
Your mileage may vary. I'd like to hear a view supportive of the mailing. I'd also like to hear from any military personnel who have trouble registering to vote.
Or reading the signs.
The system is in place to get registered - which is all the NRA was talking about.
The issue of getting the ballots to the troop, getting 'em voted, and getting back to the US is an issue between the relevant local offices who handle the ballots, the postal service, the DoD mail system, and units putting forth the effort to ensure that troops in remote locations get the chance to register and their ballots get to them and back into the system.
None of which the NRA has influence on, other than putting public pressure on DoD to make sure they keep their end of the bargain - and a public effort on the part of local voting officials who might be tempted to act in partisan fashion.
None of which has anything to do with voter registration.
however, I agree with the last part. We need a little more fighting the battle against loss of rights.
It's a pity--the NRA does a lot of good stuff, but just when I think about joining up they do something epically boneheaded.
Voter registration was never a problem, CONUS or OCONUS. Getting the county clerk to respond sometimes was, but a quick phone call usually helped. In addition to a unit voting assistance officer, there was usually a postwide POC who handles things like that.
Next there will be some organization saying soldiers need help doing their taxes...
They spend so much money marketing schlock crap, money which could be used to counter anti-gun legislation, that they have become almost useless as to their original purpose.
They need to drop ALL marketing of any insurance, alcoholic beverages or credit cards, and they need to do that NOW.
My membership is up at the end of November, and I've been dunned to renew it since February, but I will REFUSE to renew this year unless they drop the Billy Mays routines. That also means I will have to drop my membership in the best rifle club in these parts because they REQUIRE NRA membership, but I will dump them as well.
I'm not to the point of taking the offensive against the NRA, but I'm not far from that point, either.