Author Topic: Coulda guessed this comin' (Read 953 times)

Questor · « **on:** May 11, 2009, 11:11:29 AM »

Those free NRA memberships do have a string attached. We just got an e-mail from NRA saying that now you should take the next critical step of being a fully paid member. An interesting variation of the bait and switch scheme. They didn't even wait for the kid to get his first issue.

I don't know who designs their fund raising, but I'm sure it's somebody who hates guns. I remember one time I got some videos and stuff in the mail from the NRA. I didn't order anything. The letter that came with it was a bill that said if I don't want it, send it back. Otherwise pay for the product. That was ridiculous. I wasn't about to spend my own money and time to send the unsolicited stuff back. I just kept it. I imagine a lot of other guys did too.

Rustyinfla · « **Reply #1 on:** May 11, 2009, 11:16:52 AM »

Why am I not surprised?

BlkHawk73 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 11, 2009, 11:17:28 AM »

They are just another company that uses these ploys to get money from folks. Certainly nothing I have any interest in. I still feel they waste more than they put to any worth while uses.

gunblade · « **Reply #3 on:** May 11, 2009, 11:23:22 AM »

How about when they send you a "free" DVD to watch saying you can keep it even if you don't want to subscribe to the "series" but then they hound you for six months asking you to send the DVD back. I let my membership expire...not sure I'll renew. They spend too much on mailouts asking for your money and the magazine is boring.

jimster · « **Reply #4 on:** May 11, 2009, 11:28:22 AM »

I remember one time I got some videos and stuff in the mail from the NRA. I didn't order anything. The letter that came with it was a bill that said if I don't want it, send it back. Otherwise pay for the product. That was ridiculous. I wasn't about to spend my own money and time to send the unsolicited stuff back. I just kept it. I imagine a lot of other guys did too.

Yep, happened to me too...got this video in the mail without asking for it, when I opened it I tore the box it came in...it said it was a gift if I wanted to keep it, a letter came later and said hey give it back or pay...What a cheesy deal that was...so the next time someome for the NRA called I told them not to send me anything again without my permission....a year or so later, got another video....same deal...since I warned them, I kept the video, and threw away all the mail that came the next several months from them. They have become so comercial it really stinks. I also think they will make deal with Congress no matter what, and instead of not giving an inch, will move anywhere that keeps them in favor of the government. Don't trust them anymore.

DDZ · « **Reply #5 on:** May 11, 2009, 11:42:48 AM »

I remember getting the same junk in the mail. I didn't send mine back either, or pay for it. I bet I get something in the mail from them once a week. I just got something today from the NRA. It was for car and home insurance. It went in the same place most of it goes.
What a waste of money. We send them our hard earned dollars to back our 2nd amendment rights, not sent us a bunch of junk mail. I love the surveys they send out also. They say they are going to send the survey to some politician, then at the end they ask how much money you want to sent with it. I often wonder if the surveys ever get to who they say they are going to send them to. Any way if you are a member of the NRA, I think they know what your answers are going to be to the survey. Maybe we all need to write them a letter, and tell them to stop wasting our money.

mauser98us · « **Reply #6 on:** May 11, 2009, 12:46:42 PM »

Remeber If it's too good to be true it probably is. If you follow this parable you will never go wrong

powderman · « **Reply #7 on:** May 11, 2009, 01:54:31 PM »

I looked at the free offer and saw no benefits other than being a member, don't believe a magazine was even offered. POWDERMAN.

gypsyman · « **Reply #8 on:** May 11, 2009, 03:03:00 PM »

I remember when I joined the North American hunting club, and became a life member. I got belt buckle's, hats,and I know a few other things. They always sent me a bill afterward, I just thru it away. The one thing they did, that really p*ssed me off though. They sent me a book, with a listing of all the life members, home address's, phone numbers. They got a phone call from me then. Politly told them if they ever sent my name and address out,without my permission, they would be hearing from my lawyer. The one time I got a phone call from them on something they had sent, I told the caller I hadn't received it. Which I hadn't. Got it in the mail the next day. Since they never called me back, I just kept it. gypsyman

LONGTOM · « **Reply #9 on:** May 11, 2009, 04:10:56 PM »

Anything that is sent to you that you did not order, ask for, or give premision to be sent to you is yours to keep free no matter what they say.
Sure they will hound you for it back or payment, but it is their loss.
I just tell them, you sent it on your own and it is mine to keep.
Don't call again, and then throw their mail in the trash.

Man, if only that would work with the IRS!!!

LONGTOM

jjas · « **Reply #10 on:** May 11, 2009, 05:24:43 PM »

Whenever a company pulls that crap I always tell them the same thing.

I didn't order it, and I don't want it, so please come and get it.

They never do.

nomosendero · « **Reply #11 on:** May 11, 2009, 05:46:20 PM »

It seems the right hand does not know what the left hand does. They have called me in the past to
sign up, but I have been a Life Member for 15 years & I have to tell them that.

When I signed up I had a better view of them than I do now.

torpedoman · « **Reply #12 on:** May 11, 2009, 06:03:31 PM »

I think they funded Obama in the election so they could use the panic for their fund raising. They have sent me at least a dozen pieces of mail requesting fundind to fight the blair holt hr45 bill that was sent to committee and has no chance of ever seeing a discussion much less a vote. They are talking it up like it is going to pass both houses any day and just trying to cause more panic..

beerbelly · « **Reply #13 on:** May 12, 2009, 02:34:47 AM »

You guys just keep bad mouthing the NRA! They are the only national and powerful outfit that is fighting to let you keep your guns. Hell I’m not sure some of you are not on the other side!
All you have to do is tell them to remove you from their mailing list and stop all the asking for money they do.
I to got aggravated with it but, you can stop it and still belong and support your gun rights. You got one year free, what is wrong with asking you to pay for the next year?
Beerbelly

Questor · « **Reply #14 on:** May 12, 2009, 03:14:27 AM »

Beerbelly:

You're right about the NRA being the only effective organization for gun owners. I just wish they would treat their members with a bit less cynicism. When people get bad marketing ploys like the one I described in my previous posts, they become less likely to give in the future, and they get tired of the organization.

The NRA needs to learn from other fund raising companies that treat their constituency in a way that encourages further sustained giving.

The way things are, as a life member, I feel I've paid them enough. Perhaps if they change a bit I would give more.

jimster · « **Reply #15 on:** May 12, 2009, 11:10:01 AM »

I have been involved and a member of the NRA since I was about 18 years old. I'm going to be 53 real soon. I'm telling you straight, they have went so far down hill I can't hardly stand them anymore...I should know, I stuck it out long as I could. Saying that they are the only organization that is fighting to save your guns is like saying the republicans is the only party that can keep us from socialism....and we know that's a crock don't we? The NRA will cuddle up to the Congress and try to take the least amount of hurt...kinda of like a republican who reaches across the table and talks a dem into spending half as much on the study of pig oder....when in fact....ZERO is the only answer.

I would count on us to keep our gun rights...I think there are states that do a better job of keeping gun rights alive than the NRA has, and that's people getting involved there at local levels. There are other organizations who seem to be less cheezy and more to the point, and not willing to give an inch. Maybe, just maybe, any organization that gets too big and gets rolling into too much money can be corrupt. Kinda like our government eh?
Getting rid of Wayne would be a good start to make things better. Just my opinion here, I know they vary, but the NRA is not the only answer anymore.
I also think anyone who has been a member as long as I have, have the right to badmouth them all I want. I won't sign up again. I will however be active in another organization and at the local levels in my state.

mechanic · « **Reply #16 on:** May 12, 2009, 11:24:30 AM »

My knowledge of the law is limited, but I believe that if it comes unsolicited, they can't make you pay. Unless its your credit card company that offers you that "free" insurance and late starts charging. Even then I call them up and refuse to pay until they take it off. Whay should I have to go to the trouble to cancel something I didn't order in the first place?

jjas · « **Reply #17 on:** May 12, 2009, 11:38:08 AM »

Everytime (and I mean everytime) I read something about the NRA (good or bad) the one common denominator is the universal dislike of Wayne LaPierre.

If he's hated so much, why is he still there?

DDZ · « **Reply #18 on:** May 12, 2009, 11:55:41 AM »

Everyone that joins the NRA is the NRA. The NRA is not just a president, V.P. and other officers. We, that are members, should have a voice in how our money is spent, and if we think they are wasting it we have a say so. I too believe that the NRA has grown to the point that there is corruption. Corruption and waste happens, when there is an abundance of money coming in.
If they mail say 4,000,000 members something once a week, the postage alone would be $1,680,000. Just think how much they (we) could spend else where if they just got rid of the people stuffing envelopes with junk.

mechanic · « **Reply #19 on:** May 12, 2009, 12:07:07 PM »

Why doesn't someone do a poll here, then mail them the results? This is probably the largest outdoor forum around, it should have some sort of impact?

thxmrgarand · « **Reply #20 on:** May 14, 2009, 11:11:16 AM »

The NRA annual meeting is this week of course. I am not attending but a woman that most Alaskans know, Governor Sarah Palin, is attending. The annual meetings I have attended have been worthwhile, heartening and interesting. The one NRA director I know is honest, hard-working and a great Alaskan. Our local Friends of NRA dinner is a great event and does great things for local and statewide shooters and gunowners.

My view of the NRA is that they are so important to defending our rights that if we don't like them we need to change them. Our enemies would surely win if we tried to build another NRA from scratch. I have no idea whether or not any of the accusations about the NRA that sometimes appear here are true. So for next year why don't we think about fielding a candidate for the board?

I would certainly be willing to vote for a Graybeard NRA board candidate.

jimster · « **Reply #21 on:** May 14, 2009, 01:41:55 PM »

I can agree it's us the members that need to change the NRA, but good lord, we are spending most of our time now trying to change the Reps and Dems in Congress into regular Americans, our states and communities too, an impossible task it seems, and now we have to try to change the NRA and get them to focus as well. Sure is a lot of things to change these days. The world's gone crazy.