The post-Parkland Gun Control Children’s Crusade has taken its toll on the NRA. Not on membership. By all accounts, membership’s up bigly. And not on NRA members’ determination to defend their natural, civil and constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms via the ballot box.
But it has hurt the general public’s perception of the gun rights group. nbc.com shares the results of the recent poll . . .
The NRA’s fav/unfav rating is underwater, with 37 percent viewing the organization positively and with 40 percent seeing it in a negative light (-3). That’s a noticeable shift from April 2017, when it was 45 percent positive, 33 percent negative (+12).
In fact, it’s the first time since before 2000 when the NRA has been viewed more negatively than positively in the NBC/WSJ poll.
The biggest drops for the NRA came from white married women (50 percent positive in April 2017, 35 percent now), urban residents (43 percent positive in April, 28 percent now), white women (47 percent positive in April, 33 percent now) and moderate/soft Republicans (72 percent positive in April, 60 percent now).
And there you have it: the anti-NRA message coming from the mouths of babes and their cheerleaders in the media is gaining ground amongst firearms freedom fence straddlers.
The NRA’s favorables may bounce back. But their surrender on gun violence restraining orders, a bump stock ban and the FixNICs trick — not to mention their newfound love for Loesching gun control advocates — isn’t winning hearts and minds in the court of public opinion.
Alternatively, you could say the NRA’s public rep would be worse if their Oklahoma-based PR agency (Ackerman McQueen) hadn’t steered them in this direction.
Your thoughts?
There’s a lot if pro gun people that aren’t viewing the NRA in a positive light right now and for some good reasons.
NYC is right. If your orginazation alienates its user base and is already vilified by a majority of Americans, then where’s the win in that.
TTAG should change the headline to “NRA Self-crated its popularity.”
Change is not necessary. Survival is not mandatory.
Yep, the NRA seems to have misplaced its spine and balls. We need an organization that recognizes rights and doesn’t compromise for anything. An organization that is basically a militia and will openly defy unconstitutional legislation, extract people from court rooms and prevent them from ever seeing a jail for exercising rights. An organization with legitimate FORCE and not more of the same old stern words.
Toppling the NRA and creating instability within its ranks is their goal. Granted, not all of this is the gun grabbers doing. Some of the NRA’s top leadership tend to have a more “moderate” view on our rights. Regardless, if the NRA topples, then Leftists, FUDDtards, and RINO scum WILL seize the moment. So it’s best we not abandon the NRA, but rather clean it up from the inside-out.
Agreed. I addressed that further down.
That, of course, is the purpose of propaganda, to steer the undecided in one direction or another, although, I must say the NRA’s waffling on its support of gun rights hasn’t helped.
Remember all those polls that had Hillary winning the presidency by a landslide? Yeah…
Maybe if the NRA wasn’t pushing for their fix NICS bill and working to kill every pro gun legislation that’s come about they’d be more credible.
The NRA tried to split the baby on gun rights and they’re reaping what they have sown. They have the same problem the stupid party has, namely they try to appease people that will never support them under any circumstances.
You can NOT legislate morality.. when will the American Public learn this unwanted truth?
Oh and it’s proves that Americans are a bunch of immature emotional feel good pansies who will give up theor freedom if it makes them feel safe.
This society is lost.
Maybe some are tired of talking and figure it’s better to just let it come down to extreme violence.
And by some, I mean maybe you.
More like that means everyone. As they say, people, like nations, will behave wisely, but only after they have exhausted all other options.
Our options are pretty tired. . .
Yep, tired. Its about time to just let it go and wait for door to door knocks with confiscation lists and let the nation take its natural course once more.
Polls are 99% BS, who did they poll to get these ratings?
I can see why there might be a reduction in the public perception however, non-stop media labeling of the NRA and its members as psycho Nazi’s won’t help. Poor PR, ineffective leadership and capitulating to the gun grabbers (bump stocks etc) will also hurt (amongst former supporters).
The interesting things to me is the low historical ratings from the mid 1990’s, they must have been some bleak times!
“Polls are 99% BS, who did they poll to get these ratings?”
Every time I hear one of these goofy poll results (like this or 70% of people support gun restrictions, etc.) I imagine the poll sample being “a few dozen people within walking distance of our building”. It’s a LOUD echo chamber.
This is what happens when you compromise your principles. You lose the respect of enemy and friend alike.
^^^^^^
this!
+1000000
Maybe if the NRA had not waffled with their agreeing with the other side so often and sending out completly unprepared public reps who won’t actually say ” Because, the second amendment…” not ONCE was did the words “second amendment’ come out of Mrs. loeschs mouth when her and that traitor Lil Marco participated in that joke of a CNN nazi rally. The NRA has shown time and again that REVENUE is their main concern…not the second amendment or us as a people.
In terms of persuasion, “God given rights” and “2nd amendment” are arguments that are total non-starters for fence sitters. We’re better off avoiding them both.
The MSM did a systematic hit on the NRA with this specific intention. And by the NRA I mean me.
Basically it’s the ladies going with the prevailing emotional zeitgeist, as they are prone to do. The NRA and the Republicans should hold their own open carry friendly American Women march in a friendly locale. Just make it a big picnic with husbands and kids in tow. Free hot dogs, any corporate sponsors they can get, country music, Eddie the Eagle, whatever. It does not have to be big, just optics friendly.
I think the bigger takeaway here is that after months of attacks with negative press by the MSM and Libs blaming the NRA for everything from Las Vegas to MSD it’s “only” changed a couple percent in each direction.
Here is a list of Negotiating Rights Aways accomplishments,it speaks for it’s self.
History
1791: The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified.
The amendment reads:
“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state,
the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
After That
1871: The National Rifle Association was formed by Union Army veterans Col. William C. Church
and Gen. George Wingate.
After that, they start going the other way
1934: http://www.atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/nfa.htm
1939 http://www.atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/gca.htm
1968: http://www.atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/gca.htm
1986: http://www.constitution.org/2ll/2ndschol/46hard.pdf
1993 https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5087/text
1994 https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5087/text
I disagree with much of what the NRA has done because they are too willing to cave on gun rights. But because of the hatred against them, I find myself frequently defending the NRA against the most vile anti gun activists.
This was an all-out offensive by the radical left. High profile event, with concerted effort by all the big-money leftist groups, with the full support of 95% of the mainstream media, teacher’s unions, academia, and big tech. They hit us with everything they have, bound to leave a mark. As RF says, the question is whether it gains them any permanent ground.
Fake poll!
Wayne La Pierre makes me sick. I agree with him but he still makes me sick. As the face of the NRA, he’s been a horrible failure. Dana Loesch isn’t much of an improvement. I like her but I think many perceive her as just a mean, nasty bitch.
“…perceive her as just a mean, nasty bitch.”
Meaning that she says things they don’t want to hear, things that really need to be said, and she doesn’t mince words. I think Dana is splendid. Though, I have to agree that if the intention is to appeal to people on the fence, perhaps she may the best person for the job.
The current “Omnibus” package provides “gun research” funding to the CDC who will dole it out to (D) heads in the next election or we coulda shoveled dirt over the evil POS (D)NC and the MSM in one fell swoop election.
The NRA can join them as their wet-shit flaciddity is absolutely worthless, and their “bringing pressure to bear” to enhance gun-grabbing positions deserves some near-lethal ass-kicking.
The entire purpose of this post was to take a cheap shot at Dana Loesch. Church Lady Farago doesn’t approve of her no BS demeanor cause it’s just not nice! The irony is that if the NRA’s actions were congruent with Dana’s words they wouldn’t be so unpopular with their own “base”.
Booger Hook: Some friends and I were talking about TTAG, and even before you wrote it, we had agreed. Did you know you were psychic?
TTAG and most of the commenters here like to eat their own. They’d make horrible generals or political strategists. They’d rather run a 2A absolutist candidate who would get only 10% of the popular vote but had 100% alignment with them on guns than a pro 2A candidate who could get 51% of the vote who only had 75% alignment with them on guns.
The idea that of supporting the most pro 2A person who can win is unconscionable to them. Purity of the tent is more important the growing the tent and advancing the cause of guns. Apparently losing everything is better than getting only some of what you want (for now).
Its one thing to compromise on something like national concealed carry reciprocity (as opposed to the “absolutist” position of full Constitutional Carry) that could swing the tide in the culture war to the pro gun side. It’s quite another to support “Gun Violence Restraining Orders” that, when used, violate a person’s 2A, 4A, 5A, and 14A rights.
I didn’t mention any specific compromise. It was more a comment of how far one is willing to take the second amendment. Many of the folks here think that everything except for WMD should be wide open and sold with no background check to anyone with the money. Some here won’t even rule out WMD. That’s not a politically viable position. A political candidate espousing those views can’t win.
But none the less, someone who is willing to accept background checks is unacceptable to the purists here. Even if that person also is for removing suppressors from the NFA and thinks post 1986 full-autos should be allowed. The purists will sit on the sidelines and throw rocks at them because they fail the 2A purity test instead of joining forces to advance the cause of removing suppressors from the NFA or allowing post 1986 full-autos to be transferred.
Hence my comment that they’d rather lose the exercise of their rights (by getting liberal grabbers elected due to running the wrong candidates) than only getting some of what they want. IF they can’t get all of what they want in one fell swoop, they’re not interested.
And I responded with a generalized statement about why 2A absolutism doesn’t really apply to some gun supporters not supporting the NRA after rolling over on GVRO’s.
Not applicable to why a lot of gun owners are generally pissed at the NRA’s capitulation on GVRO’s.
I responded because your original comment seemed to be trying to link the NRA’s current lack of popularity to some sort of extremist position by gun owning purists. Gun owning purists probably haven’t changed their negative view of the NRA with recent events, therefore they probably didn’t move the needle on the aforementioned poll. There are a lot of reasons to look at the recent developments and be less than enthused by the current leadership while still backing the core 2A lobbying that the organization outwardly represents in the culture war.
If politicians and the leadership at the NRA stops listening to their constituents and dues paying members, they need to be reminded why that is a bad idea or they won’t see the down side of ignoring that voting bloc. Politically, primary challenges are the best way in most cases and recalls can be effective as we saw in Colorado. As far as the NRA is concerned, life members need to elect those individuals that put Constitutional principle over party (or candidate).
I agree this is a losing strategy. One only has to look at the passage of CCW laws in the early 90’s to the expansion of Constitutional Carry today as an example of a winning strategy for gun rights. That being said, it is not an absolutist position to be against such laws as GVRO’s and punishing leadership that support such policy for political expediency.
Dana is a friend of ours, even though she has to take the NRA line in bump stocks and fix NICS and GVROs. Her tone prevents her from being a friend of fence straddlers.
If you want to see how it can be done look at some Larry Pratt videos.
LMAO! Yeah Larry Pratt has sooo many members compared to NRA.
Thr NRA needs regime change.
Every time one of of their script reading membership marketers calls me to advise that Wayne really wants me to renew my lapsed membership, I tell them to tell Wayne that the NRA caves in and compromises, too much, with nothing in return. They’re too liberal for my tastes.
They always promise to pass along my message to Wayne, but I suspect they don’t, really.
I’m an unlapsed member, and I think lapsed and current are equally ignored.
It seems to me NRA is looking to Neville Chamberlain for inspiration. When will they learn that appeasement never works, you can’t buy off the bad guys by giving them just some of what they want. They will be back for more.
Where was the NRA for the POTG in Commifornia, Wa-shit-ton, massive-two-shits, shit-jersey, puke-york, Flori-duh, ect, ect, ect,,,,, Those Mother fuckers stand idly by while our rights are stripped from us one-by-one, state-by-state throw our rights under the Anti-gun bus (bump stocks & ERPO’s) Then beg us to join and give money to line FUDD pockets.
Fuck the Benedict Arnold NRA scum. “fool me once shame on me, fool me over and over since the 30’s, go to hell!”
I’ll join the GOA
Mostly true, but as I’ve pointed out in here repeatedly using several slave states as examples, Republicans won’t get off their ass and vote. We see that they have the numbers. They show up in presidential general elections, where they usually lose to high turnout Dems.
However, those same Republicans do not turn out for off year elections, either at the primary or general election stage. If Republicans, even in places like MA, CT, and MD, would JUST GO VOTE, then they could easily take back their states, as Dem turnout falls off, too, but not as much in off years. They’d rather sit and watch T.V. or play fantasy football, or whatever other B.S. Americans waste their time on, than take 15 minutes to avert totalitarianism.
The “general public” elected Barack Hussein Obama President. Twice. F*** the general public.
The Brit in TX makes my point. Why would you trust this poll’s accuracy, when we know they drastically over sample Dems compared to nat. averages? Because the WSJ is involved (managed by Lachlan Murdoch)?
This is all a scam: Demonize something in the media relentlessly for weeks; run a few dishonest polls to gauge the faux public mood; cram some horrible legislation into state &/or fed. legislatures; and laugh as the spineless GOPe pols fold like cheap suits.
The NRA needs to get out there and tell the public that they accurately (sort of) represent their 10’s of millions of small donors, unlike the handful of billionaire’s funding the hate-NRA narrative.
Screw nbc and they can shove their poll up their arse. Whenever I see some goofy poll numbers I always think “well they didn’t asked me so I guess they’re full of crap.”
The NRA cratering has nothing to do with their positions on issues. It has to do with the widespread nonstop demonization of them in the media. The “hate NRA” message is pervasive from purportedly nonpartisan media outlets. An organization like the NRA cannot defend against it. They are just not as big as all of the media outlets combined.
In brief, their popularity shift of 5 points or more (18 million people) has nothing to do with bump stocks or GVROs. If anyone thinks that 5 or 10 percent of the American public knows what GVRO stands for, well, I have a bridge for sale. It’s a great deal.
During this span (1995-2018), I went from being anti-gun, to a gun owner, to a five-year NRA member, to a Life Member of the NRA.
As much as I’d like them to be more staunch, an existing NRA that is good is better than a theoretical NRA that is perfect.
Totally agree. Thanks for your support for our rights.
Did you vote for Kraut?
I haven’t sent in my ballot yet (been busy with work/sick), but yes, he’s going to get my vote.
Due date is soon. Send it in!
The NRA is outdated and weak. They are too old to be running it and sticking by their guns literally. It’s time for some fresh blood if it’s to continue.
Ahh you trust a NBC MSNBC poll??
those morons had Hitlary wining by a landslide!
whoops but numbers never lie?
If I’m reading that graph right then since 95 the NRA is showing a net gain in public opinion and the bad views are losing ground.
You’re not reading it right if you’re ignoring the trends and are only comparing the absolute start and end points.
Ok it’s really simple to see (even if the poll is questionable) why the NRA is losing popularity among everyone.
1. Libs hate the NRA because it doesn’t support every stupid ass gun law they want to enact.
2. Gun lovers hate the NRA because they keep giving our rights away to appease the libs and fundraise off of these self inflicted assaults on our rights.
3. Normal people hate the NRA because they’re told to constantly by the media and because even if they are pro gun they see plainly that the NRA does not stand with them.
How the hell this organization has survived this long and become the poster child for gun rights is beyond me, if anything they should be seen as the biggest turn coat group on the planet. They supported the NFA, they supported the Hughes Amendment, they supported the AWB, they support bump stock bans, they supported universal background checks, and now they are supporting fix nics. When do these a$$holes fight for my rights again? When do they fight to abolish the NFA in its entirety? When did they fight for suppressors to be legal? When are they ever going to pull their heads out of their collective a$$es and actually take a stand for the gun rights of all Americans and stop trying to compromise? That’s their real problem, your organization can stand for anything and so long as it sticks to its beliefs people will view it favorably once you start compromising those beliefs you will lose the people that once supported you and those that stood against you will still never support you.
Once again I’m happy I’m not married to a goofy white woman😄…I don’t care how popular the NRA is. I’M the NRA. Not some Tide pod eating teenager…
NBC News did the survey. Enough said.
Polls said Hillary was going to win in a landslide in 2016.
Polls say 86% of Americans support universal background checks. Yet the other side has to spend $30-60 per vote to come close to 50% approval at the ballot box.
Yeah, it’s a poll, masquerading as news. By NBC News. Yawn.
If the NRA goes down, gun rights are done. Finito. Finished. Kaput.
Which will make some of our commenters very happy.
How correct.
I can’t decide it the NRA haters that spew here are progtards trolling or are simpletons with the same mentality at work as the “never Trumpers”.
I’m with Ralph and his synonyms for the toast gun owners would become without a powerful advocacy in our behalf. My first entry here on TTAG, though I’ve enjoyed reading here for years, is stimulated by opinion camouflaged as information released by a news org. that’s been dumping on us for years. . Half the folks here not only buy that BS, they have the same attitude towards the NRA as the propagandists. I think that’s the problem we’d better recognize and solve or we will be ended too.
I personally think that the NRA should of stuck to the “no ground given” mentality. This give them a treat and hope they don’t go for the steak isn’t going to work. It also only encourages them to continue pressing against our rights.
NRA needs to stop bowing to “political expediency” and oppose it. Argue the facts and argue the emotional. They want to play dirty using a “Children’s Crusade”. Then eviscerate and destroy those children’s, parent’s & supporters’ credibility. This is not and never was a “gentleman’s boxing match”. To keep our freedoms and our rights we have to remember it is a constant war. War has no rules but one: Win!
Both the NRA and the People of the Gun need to really think about what is going on here. Yes, the NRA is currently a lightning rod for the left and panicky soccer moms who spend neurotic days believing that millions of children will be murdered at school. Yes, the NRA is itself panicking and attempting to placate the left with “moderate” steps that further damage Second Amendment rights. They’re making the same mistake Trump made when he took office. They all thought that the left still had reasonable people who could be swayed by logic, math, statistics, and principles of history and sociology and that the left might make a reasonable deal.
They’re wrong. The new left will never compromise on anything. They are in it to win it and will literally do anything they can to achieve their objectives. There is no bargaining with them. There is no compromise. They will renegotiate as they go until they take everything from us.
If the NRA was serious about protecting its’ constituents, it would step back and think about what this means. It means they have to take a principled and unyielding stance to defend themselves and to defend us. They should consider something like the following:
The NRA has spent decades providing hunter safety course, Eddie Eagle safety courses to teach safe gun storage and prevent children from accessing guns. Eddie Eagle teaches kids if they do find a gun not to touch it but to call an adult right away. The NRA has also funded adult training and education and dozens of programs across the entire nation to allow the free people of the United States to safely enjoy their Second Amendment rights. We’ve asked Congress to cooperate with us in enforcing existing laws which are designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, to prosecute straw purchasers and other criminals who violate firearms laws or other laws in this great nation. We support the brave members of our law enforcement communities in their efforts to protect communities from criminals in both word and deed as we give to their departments on a regular basis.
Yet now we are being villified because we also want to protect perfectly law abiding citizens of the United States who only wish to peacefully enjoy their Constitutionally-protected rights. We are being called some kind of enemy.
Who could call a friend and protector of the Constitution an enemy other than an enemy of the Constitution itself? We are calling out the left: if you are an enemy of the Second Amendment and people who peacefully exercise their Constitutional rights, then you are an enemy of the entire Bill of Rights and the rights of all Americans. The NRA has never been ashamed of what it stands for: the rights enshrined in the Constitution of this great nation. We challenge those who attack us to explain their hostility toward the Constitution, their refusal to work with us to prosecute criminals, their unrelenting refusal to take reasonable steps to harden our schools and provide even minimal protection for children. For that is what is really happening here. The left created “gun-free” school zones but not schools which provided protection from criminals. The left uses the resultant havoc to promote their agenda of disarming the United States rather than the more cost-effective, practical and effective method of giving schools the same level of protection that most of the left’s movie stars and internet executives enjoy both at their offices and in their homes. Many of the left’s leaders have constant 24-7 armed protection around them, but it is clearly a case where they think it is okay for themselves but not for the general public or common children.
Well, they are wrong. At the NRA we believe that we can, should, and must take concrete measures to harden schools and provide meaningful protection to our children against all criminals who would harm them. This does not require disarmament, but an investment of about $200 per student. We challenge the left to use their talents to help raise money for that purpose rather than attacking the American people who should be united in their goal to build a better, stronger future that protects the rights of all of its’ citizens under the agreed Constitutional principles which made this nation great.
Since Las Vegas, the NRA has been in a downward spiral. I chose not to renew my membership. They’ve been fighting against my rights lately, so I don’t see any purpose in supporting them.
When did/does your membership expire? If possible vote for Kraut as a final middle finger.
I would never listen to any poll the that the National Broadcasting Communist put out. and I am still a member and have no plans on changing that. and if they do something you don’t like then politely express your opinion to them . they are not perfect , but they have been around the longest , and for the longest time they have been fighting for our rights. they do need to hear your voice, and they can probably listen to a few new ideas that we have.
So story is that NBC hates the NRA (and manufactures “polls”)??? Stop the presses.
NRA is outdated. We need a new organization to defend the 2A. It should be highly organized, highly disciplined like an army.
Ok, get to work. What’s your first step?
Times are changing and old institutions are starting to die off. Why does the NRA think it is anything special, especially when it time and time again goes against the right to keep and bear arms.
I was working my way towards an NRA life membership but I quit making my quarterly contributions. I’m going to support other pro gun groups with my money instead of paying the NRA to do a job that I don’t approve of.
@ Adam
I concur with your assessment and I’m still a NRA member,along with GOA & SAF.
I also belong to my two state organizations,one aligned with NRA and the other GOA,they in the past have worked well together when needed.
I would like to see the NRA righted,I don’t see it as beyond all hope,that said the majority of my resources go to my state organizations,everything is local as the saying goes.
more and more people are doubting these “mass shootings”;
whether we are being the whole truth abt them or, indeed, whether they occurred @ ALL !
people are getting tired of the NRA just “going along” with the official, media ‘spin’ on these incidents and then desperately scrambling for “damage control” when they should be asking some hard, penetrating questions abt the very incidents them-selfs…..
there’s only two possible reasons for that: total incompetence or total cowardice…
no wonder they’re “on-the-schnozz”
I’d be curious to overlay GOAs popularity and membership numbers over the same time frame. My bet is that GOA’s star has risen significantly as the NRAs fell, and for good reason. I’ve struggled with not canceling my Endowment Life membership with the NRA. While compromise is the way of politics, we’ve seen over and over again how doing so just encourages the anti-gun crowd to take more, if not all. There is no reasonable debate occuring, and therefore no margin of comprise is acceptable. Not for the first time, the NRA failed.
An NBC poll tells me what to think. Keep up the fine reporting.
If another mass shooting happens in the near future—especially if another psych patient with a head full of meds(or the after effects of taking said meds) decides to shoot up a school with an AR-15, the Democrat Communists will move to ban and confiscate them. Their RINO cohorts will go right along with them.
And then we see the mettle of the People of the Gun. Some will resist. Plenty, even. But fat suburbanites with children and mortgages will turn them in, especially if they see their neighbor sentenced to 20 years in “POUND HIM IN THE ASS” jail. The system is capable of making things very uncomfortable for those who resist its power grab. How many suburbanites will risk the fight if it means their children and wives become homeless?
Rootless young men and OFWGs with nothing to lose will make a strange militia.
The NRA have been proven to have taken money from the deputy governor of the bank of Russia, Alexander Torshin. That money was later passed on as donations to Donald Trump. Why(when they have no legitimate reason to)are the Russians showing an interest in American gun laws? The NRA need to explain the reason behind the donation, and, why they agreed to accept it.
Provide your source for that claim.
On the flip side it is fair easier to prove the DNC, Hillary Clinton Foundation and Hillary Clinton 2016 Campaign financed that “dossier” via Fusion GPS. So state your sources for that.
So I’m supposed to believe an NBC poll on the popularity of the NRA? That’s like me believing a Nazi party poll on the popularity of the state of Israel.
So I’m supposed to believe an NBC poll on the popularity of the NRA? That’s like me believing a Nazi party poll on the popularity of the state of Israel.
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