As I've explained over the past few days, Examiner.com is hosting a special New Year's resolution project, and I've challenged myself to see if I can come up with a daily resolution suggestion between now and Jan. 1. You can see my previous suggestions in the "Related Articles" list.
Here's one I encourage all gun owners to make:
I will join a gun rights organization.
Actually, I encourage you to join more than one, not forgetting state/local grassroots groups in addition to national memberships. But for now, I'm recommending everybody join at least one.
Which one?
Beats me--that depends on your interests and beliefs. If you look over in the right-hand sidebar links, I list national and (a few) grassroots groups. Visiting their sites will tell you whether or not they seem right for you--for instance, some of you may not be as interested in legislative matters and more interested in education. Some of you will be more hard core than others. Finding out which groups best suit you is part of the self-education we all need to give ourselves if we're to find our niche and become effective advocates.
The thing is, there's strength in numbers, and groups give us an opportunity to unify with those of like mind to increase that strength and promote our self-interests. And, of course, when I say "join,' I don't mean your involvement ends with paying annual membership dues. Your organization will have projects that need support--financially or through volunteer efforts, or recruiting, or forwarding alerts...
When I say "join," I mean commit to go the extra mile and give support where it's needed.
Comments
It is a good feeling to help with anything, and in this case David is right. I belong proudly too Gun Owners of America, NRA, and a few others minor local and national organizations.
Join today- do the research and find out who you want your money to support.
David always makes great points!
This one hits a homerun for me. In the beginning of 2009 there were a lot of garbage gun laws proposed in Connecticut that had been defeated by the great work of state Citizens and gun clubs.
Some people that had been following what was going on, on a gun forum decided to meet and discuss what we could do to help in the future.
From this meeting the Connecticut Citizens Defense League was born! We are linked on the right side of all of Davids mailings (Thanks David).
Check us out (along with the other grass roots groups) and get involved, there is still and always will be MUCH WORK TO DO! We all need to get involved and protect our rights before they are stripped away! Don't let the other guy do it for you! He may not be there next time!
Lenny Benedetto
Vice President
Connecticut Citizens
Defense League, Inc.
www.ccdl.us
I recall an interchange with an acquaintance back in the 80s. I was an NRA Life Member, and this guy - who was a gun owner and shooter - was carping about the latest gun control law that had been rammed through by congress. He said something to me like: "I see the NRA lost another one."
I, of course, came unhinged, and reamed the guy out 6 ways from Sunday about how a handful of gun owners were trying to maintain the rights of people like him, who could easily afford to, but wouldn't, get involved. I asked why I should be funding opposition to anti-gun laws while he sat on his ass and complained.
I haven't for years donated to NRA, for a number of reasons, but I'm active in state and other national organizations who are working tirelessly to try to get some of our rights back.
I suggest that for Christmas, people purchase memberships in grass-roots 2nd Amendment rights organizations for their friends and family. It's a better present than an ugly necktie. Just do it.
@Lenny: This is curious and interesting. Arizona also has a Citizens' Defense League, one that has successfully pushed through numerous gun-rights bills -- so many that they make it look easy. Is this a sign of politically-minded gunnies finally organizing to do an end-around their official state rifle associations (affiliated with the NRA) who have no legislative record to match? Are the establishment organizations being recognized as stodgy or out of touch? If we could only find a way to prevent the NRA from swooping into the state and hijacking our bills to water them down, we'd be even more successful. We're getting sick and tired of the spirit that almost scuttled Heller.
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