NRA convention 2014 (courtesy The Truth About Guns)

As far as I can tell, I’m the only African American at the NRA’s national convention. And I’m white. Not to put too fine a point on it, Indianapolis has just become the Old Fat White Guy center of the universe. While I have nothing against OWFGs – some of my best contributors are OWFGs – the battle to defend and extend firearms freedom lies elsewhere. The urban cores are where it’s going down, conurbations where minority voters hold sway. If the NRA wants to seal the deal, to put gun rights beyond reproach (where the U.S. Constitution places them), they need to attract blacks, asians and hispanics. So . . . how? How does the arctic-colored civil rights organization get minorities to come in out of the cold?

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253 COMMENTS

    • The Truth About Guns is simply this: without a black population, there would be almost no gun violence in Indianapolis and no need for the city government to dedicate resources in the “Your Life Matters” program.
      There’d be no weekly vigils or marches for peace.
      No Ten Point Coalition needed.
      Though white advocates of gun rights and the NRA frets over the lack of black faces within their ranks, the real reason to fear the loss of the 2nd Amendment is the growing non-white population and liberals using extreme black gun violence as a reason to disarm the law-abiding.

      Guns in the hands of a people (hey, they might be able to dunk a basketball!) more apt to use them as an offensive weapon when they’re “disrespected” will only further the emotional appeal garnered by advocates of massive gun control.
      The perpetrators of gun violence in Indianapolis – and the executioner of Nathan Trapuzzano – overwhelming look like the brothers or cousins of the NBA’s typical athlete.
      Black.
      Black males.
      Black males between the ages of 18-30.
      Our prisons are full of black men because individual black people commit crime; the NRA Convention is packed with white men and women because individual white people fear being the victim of black crime.

      What happened to Cecilia Marie Trapuzzano father, a man she’ll never be able to call “daddy,” is the great unspeakable fear behind why white people are purchasing firearms at such rates.

      It’s not Red Dawn white people are preparing for, it’s what happened to Detroit driving white people to gun ownership.
      It’s what happened to Nathan Trapuzzano convincing white people to purchase firearms.

  2. What a racist article. The 2nd Anendment doesn’t give us rights, it gives us protections. I’m officially done with TTAG.

    • By saying that the Constitution places the rights beyond reproach, he’s saying precisely that it is protecting them. Not granting them.

    • Why is it racist to seek to attract minorities to gun ownership and the NRA? NRA membership is not a job or a college admission spot – there are no quotas that could benefit one group at the expense of another. Everyone benefits.

      • I’m not sure but what he may have been joking. But what is racist about this article is the idea that certain ethnic groups are SPECIAL and should enjoy SPECIAL treatment, or suffer SPECIAL burdens. Whereas a non-racist would insist, demand, and shout from the roof-tops, that every single person be treated equally, regardless of ethnicity, religion, etc.

        People giving you special treatment have an agenda that will not necessarily be to the enjoyment of your life, liberty, and property. It’s always been so, and probably always be so. Why else put a perfectly good worm on a hook?

        • “what is racist about this article is the idea that certain ethnic groups are SPECIAL and should enjoy SPECIAL treatment, or suffer SPECIAL burdens.”

          Did I read a different article? I don’t see anywhere they said anybody was special? Or should get special treatment or suffer special burdens? It just asked how do you attract a demographic that is under represented in the NRA.

          The answer is both simple & tough at the same time. “Urban” sports shooting centers. THe only way to turn non-shooters into shooters, is to get them to shoot. and show them the sports are fun & safe. But the place to participate needs to be close.

        • Problem is that the anti constantly push the rascism game, often displaying more discrimination in the process, when discussing RKBA. In response, we try to show reality to those they are trying to brainwash, by speaking in terms they understand.

    • Really? This article was the last straw? Sounds like you’ve been looking for a reason to break up with us. Maybe we can still be friends though.

      • You are correct, I have been reading/posting for a short period here, and have found the articles to be more agitprop themselves than what they are pretending to be representing. Live and learn, I suspect a lot of others have glimpsed some of the political correctness here masquerading as objective journalism and have moved on.

          • I noted that after he said that he was “officially done with TTAG”, he hung around to read the replies. LOL

        • “I suspect a lot of others have glimpsed some of the political correctness here masquerading as objective journalism…”

          This is as objective as it gets. Would the NRA benefit from a more diverse image? HECK FREAKING YES!!! It would shut up the left wingers who rally together in tearing it apart for being nothing but old, racist, white guys. There’s nothing politically correct in saying “we would benefit strategically by having more minorities vocally joining the cause.” I’m sure some sensitive types would be offended by that sort of sentiment for being the opposite of “politically correct.”

        • Confluence of political opinion is NOT the same as political correctness. While the readership (and perhaps the writers, I won’t speak for them) appear to be predominantly conservative in their political outlook, Many comments form the left of the spectrum appear and are discussed as well.

          The only political correctness I have ever seen on this sight is the CORRECT opinion that the Second Amendment natural, civil and Constitutionally protected “…right of the people to keep and bear arms…”

          Other than that, speak your piece and be prepared to defend your opinions. That is hardly the definition of political correctness with which I have been familiar for almost 50 years.

    • You should proably take the time to google the defintion of racism. There is nothing racist about this article. People like you that cannot have a discssion that involves skin color without yelling “foul” are just as bad as people that measure the worth of an individual due to the color of their skin. You both block reasonable debate adout a subject.

    • Lighten up man. Robert is from Africa. Guess why he so adores African super models? The factual reality is that the NRA is too white and it does need to find a way to bring in more racial and ethnic minorities. The populated urban cities of America are very ethnic/racial diversified some of whom are appreciative gun owners, and also heavily full of democrat voters, and liberals. The demographic trend in America is obvious. We need to bring in more minorities to stay strong.

      My guess is that some pro-gun minorities don’t want to join the NRA leaving the fight for 2A rights to others, some people do not want to get their name on a pro gun organization list big brother might see, and others do not want to donate money.

      • I would add another problem of attracting members in large cities (especially in the more anti-gun states) – lack of shooting ranges, or lack of ranges that are reasonably affordable. It is tough for people to get involved in the shooting sports when they have to drive an hour to get to a range, or pay $10/hour. And it is tough to recruit new members when there aren’t any firearms-oriented venues to bring them in. Same applies to gun shows – good luck finding one in downtown NYC or Chicago.

        And it isn’t so much a lack of interest in building a range inside the larger cities as it is the zoning/land prices/city government hostility to eeeevil shooting venues. Ohio relatives tell me that there have recently been 2 or 3 new ranges opening in the “greater Cincinnati area”, but all of these are out in the suburbs where the land is cheaper and the builders are not subject to the Cincinnati zoning and planning approval process.

        • We have had 3 fantastic ranges open up within the past year in Cincinnati. And they’re right, they’re all in the suburbs, but all within about a 15-20 minute drive to downtown/more urban areas. With one being a little further out in the Newtown area. But you’re right about the expense, these new indoor ranges come with a definite added expense. Their ammo/gun prices certainly don’t help attract new shooters either.

        • I put together a proposal and submitted it to RF several months ago, and I do mean a complete and workable proposal, regarding the use of a mobile shooting range inside a tractor trailer that could be taken to these sorts of locations and provide, within the limitations of the local (unconstitutional) anti Second Amendment laws, basic instruction a live-fire experience on a 30 foot range for people who had no usual access to shooting facilities or pro-Second Amendment information.

          Unfortunately, since the project could not be made economically self-supporting by any business plan I could devise, start-up and operation costs for a two-year pilot plan would have run in the $300k range and would need to be in the form of sponsorship by some major pro-2A group, which could be problematic in the control of the message being delivered. Generally, people who spend $300k want some significant control over what they are paying for, and neither I nor RF could identify a suitable funding source.

          I still like the idea, and properly conducted it could target those under-represented communities, but…

      • I’m not from Africa, but I absolutely adore African super-models, or French super-models, or any other super-model of the gorgeous female persuasion. Sadly, it isn’t a reciprocal type of thing.

      • re……The factual reality is that the NRA is too white

        Sigh. You’re playing a rigged Leftist game, umpired by Leftists, and being reported in by the Leftist MFM.

        There will NEVER be a day where we will be declared non-racist by the Left. Screaming RACIST!!! is their schtick.

        With that said, we should be pressuring the gun-friendly states to start getting gun-education and gun-range field trips into public schools (both rural and urban). Got to whet the appetite of the next generation and counteract all the thought control of the Left.

        • Maybe we could bring back the rifle and target clubs we had in school when I was a boy. We even had a girls rifle club. I don’t think the inner city, or for that matter suburban school districts will allow it though. Unless of course, all the members are Muslim.

      • We REALLY need to attract the 3% or 4% of blacks who voted for Romney! Further, out of those 3 or 4 percentage points we need to bring in the ones who graduated from school and do not have a felony record so they can actually own guns legally; do not have any siblings, children or relations who have records that might steal guns from other NRA members or have friends that are felons. It would be nice if they came from an intact family and did not regard being an NRA member as being an Oreo, like they regard Clarence Thomas or a race traitor. Why I bet out of the 40 million blacks their are at least 200,000 possibilities. Yea, let’s spend a great deal of money trying to attract 0.05%. Oh, and please filter out the Nation of Islam types that are plotting genocide against the White race, or the Rev. Wright types that hate the Country or the “10 Points of Blackness” Dr. Cone Christians that are planning to discriminate so that they only buy from blacks, trade with blacks and deal with blacks in an attempt to harm Whites in any way they can. Also keep away the Black Panthers who will use the membership to infiltrate, perhaps to gather a membership list.

        Just like shooting one another over being dissed is a black thing, maybe owning and collecting guns, stamps, etc is a White thing. Is their anything wrong with that? Why must every hobby be attractive to every ethnicity?
        Next week it will be: Why can’t we bring Curling to the Japanese?

    • Damn straight. “White” NRA members have been fighting for the rights of EVERYONE when it comes to the 2nd for decades, yet now it’s time for some Affirmative Action??

      Poor question TTAG – I expect much better from this site.

      • I fail to see an “affirmative action” component in this post, more of an “equal opportunity” to exercise Second Amendment rights.

        The power of too many politicians relies on keeping their constituents docile and looking to the city/state/feds for their protection and so they have a vested interest in obstructing the interest or ability of their captive voting blocks from seeing the advantages of being self-reliant.

        Rural populations not suppressed by such political factions over the years tended to be white and so they were used to firearms and freedoms. he majority of non-whites seem to have migrated to urban centers where the were seduced by the supposed safety of community and police forces for their protections. They were convinced first that they did not need firearms to protect themselves, then that to even consider such a self-protection plan was made you a bad person. THAT is the bias we (and the NRA and other pro 2A groups) need to address. Rural and urban white populations are easy acquisitions for the NRA, but perhaps it is past time to rely on the low-hanging fruit and go for the people who truly need to understand why the Second Amendment is so important.

        The sad thing is that the NRA and other groups are viewed with suspicion by these populations with have bee thoroughly indoctrinated that the Liberals are their only hope of salvation and with the idea these pro 2A groups are white conservative bastions. The hurdle is to get past all the years of Liberal/Progressive demonization of conservatives as de facto racists.

        For starters, Wayne needs to be retired from the position of the main media spokesman (target) for the NRA and replaced by articulate minority and female representatives. Only when the constantly visible face of the NRA is not that of an OFWG will they have ANY credibility in the urban/ethnic/feminine areas.

        • Sadly, you may be on to something there (sadly that outward appearance counts for so much). But truthfully, there’s no one I would rather listen to talk about guns and such than Colion Noir. Except maybe KJW…. 😉

      • Affirmative action? You do know that a black guy joining the NRA doesn’t make them kick you out, right?

      • You have to remember, Robert Farago proudly states that he is not white. His father came to the US from the ghettos of Eastern Europe and his mother is from South Africa. His writings show a hatred for both the traditional American people and the culture we founded.
        Farago is only on the “gun beat” to make money. He used to run a website about cars then switched to guns to take advantage of the media circus surrounding firearms.

    • You keep saying that…

      TTAG is just a web site. It’s not like it must define you just because you read it. Take from it what you want (the articles that don’t bug you so much) and leave the rest alone.

      {shrug}

    • “I’m officially done with TTAG”

      I’d be just as happy if you were “unofficially done” with TTAG.

      All you have contributed to the site is a bunch of conspiracy-theory claptrap, accusing everyone disagreeing with you of being paid to post to the site by the SPLC or whatever other group comes across your addled noggin.

      Which reminds me…..where is my paycheck guys?

    • That’s YOUR choice. Nobody’s MAKING you view this site. You can always come back when you’re over your tantrum.

    • I cant tell if you are crazy pro gun or crazy anti gun or just crazy. Whichever one you are, you are not adding to any progressive ttag conversation. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

    • Yes, they do. As long as the media is bleating that the NRA is the lobby of old fat white rednecks the NRA needs to put forth an effort to counter that.

      You and I know that the gun-rights organizations out there are trying to protect everyone’s rights. What we need to do is convince the women, minorities and pretty much anyone who isn’t an OFWG of that.

      • It’s not even just a media issue, it is also a voter issue. My anecdotal impression is that minority legislators are often anti-gun, and that will not change unless their constituencies change their views on gun ownership.

        • That’s my view as well… forget the media for a second. There is a significant disparity between the national demographics and the NRA. Why? Guns don’t discriminate. Self-defense doesn’t depend on skin color.

          What would happen to the Bloomturds of the world if suddenly minority voters started demanding the right to defend themselves? Wouldn’t that be a good thing?

      • What’s really ironic is that EFGS/MAIG/MDA/LSMFT just released a video supposedly excoriating the NRA. Featuring a group of [supposed] “family members of victims.” Front and center in the group: One each OFWG.

        Also somewhat ironic: the group looks awfully affluent (well-fed and -clothed) to be living in the “ghetto,” so I guess the victims from gang-related shootings don’t count. Maybe some of Shannon’s neighbors wanted to be in a vid?

        FAIL. Again. Still.

  5. You could have completed the set in one photo but you missed the O in OFWG.
    Sorry to be cruel but “DUDE?”

      • I should say “Skin color never – unless skin color matters so much to you that you have to make sure you have a rainbow of different skin colors to make it look like skin color doesn’t matter to you.”

    • It matters not, certainly, to the majority of us, EXCEPT…the MSM has successfully portrayed pro-gun groups, and especially the NRA, as white redneck homophobic racists. So long as there is no non-white high profile spokesperson for the NRA or any other pro-gun group the ethnic communities will not trust us to be actually supporting them and their rights, not just the rights of OFWGs.

    • I don’t know but it apparently does when it comes to NRA membership and maybe addressing it might help.

  8. It structurally cannot.

    The political reality is that the NRA is a hard line special interest group. Which is a good thing, because we need hard line dedication in DC when politicians are trying to sell the Second Amendment down the river.

    That being said, a hard line special interest group cannot seek new members in urban America without diluting its mission statement . In the particular case of the NRA, the urban African Americans perception of the organization is slightly worse then the Taliban and just above the KKK. I’d imagine it’s no different for Latino communities. There’s no fixing that problem , because the media and government in disarmed urban communities have beaten the “NRA bAAAAD!!” drum for so long folks just repeat it without realizing why. Even if the NRA made minority outreach a priority, the media would ensure no progress was made.

    No, what we need is a minority centric gun rights organization which extends memberships to gay couples, minorities ,and women while also leaving the “Old Rich White Dude/ crazy racist Confederate Flag guy” image behind. White guys can join too given their ‘minority’ status in some cities these days, but the goal of the group will be to offer a voice for the “non traditional gun owner.” It’ll also be an organization a minority gun owner can tell their family about back in New Jersey/Chicago/LA/ DC/Baltimore without fangs being bared at the dinner table.

    Further, a minority centric gun rights group leaves the media no room for trite sound bytes. The NRA will always be known as “Public Enemy” because that’s been the line since time immemorial. Like it or not, the media always will pidgenhole the NRA as the Racist White Guy Club . That’s a lot harder to do when the face of the organization is a different gender or shade.

    • I don’t see why trying harder to attract minorities to gun ownership and the NRA must lead to the dilution of the NRA stand for gun rights.

      The only possible way this can happen on such a focused issue is because the Democratic party is becoming more and more anti-gun, so the pro-gun sentiments are getting more and more tied to the Republican party alone. This is not a good thing, actually, and something to avoid in its own right, aside from the issue of minorities.

    • Any pro-gun rights minority group is going to be portrayed as ‘Uncle Tom’s’, tools of the NRA, and lambasted in the same way minority GOP politicians are. They will be marginalized and cast as out of step with ‘real’ minority folks.

      Hence, the NRA does need to do more in reaching out to everyone- suburban and urban dwellers. Last few black folks I ran into interested in shooting were attracted by the ability to build custom ARs. Got introduced to shooting by friends with handguns, but for different reasons thought the AR modularity was really cool.

      First they need to exposure to the sport. Invite folks to the range and make them feel welcome there.

      • Any pro-gun rights minority group is going to be portrayed as ‘Uncle Tom’s’ [sic]

        Does that go for Latinos too? How about North Africans? And Asians? And Aleuts?
        I’d bet that all of those ancestries could be found within the NRA if the drum-beaters would close their mouths long enough to open their eyes. It’s a BIG house.

    • “…. without diluting its mission statement”
      I suspect you’re right.
      “…a minority centric gun rights organization”
      The alternative organization can’t be associated with the NRA.
      Perhaps the AARA (Adjective American Rifle Association) where people could insert their adjective they prefer use to separate themselves from regular Americans.
      I honestly don’t see the NRA turning anyone away. Maybe the AARA would bring in members that like guns and freedom, but don’t want to hang around white guys….If it gets them to the voting booths….

      • There’s always JPFO. A preferable pro-gun organization to the NRA, in many ways. I’ve been a member, but not currently.

  9. The same way any organization diversifies – outreach. There needs to be some capital put towards bringing free shooting/gun safety clinics to historically black and hispanic areas. Give regulation-compliance legal support to indoor ranges in minority-dominated areas of our cities. Perhaps offers of free membership in the NRA or subscriptions to the associated magazines.

    These racial groups have some stigmas about guns that can only be dispelled through exposure. People like Colion Noir are the exception that proves the rule, but he’s a good step in the right direction. Even if a hundred African-Americans say that he’s a paid NRA shill that sold out his race, one will listen. That’s how progress will be made – one at a time.

    • Yup, I can really see an NRA-sponsored clinic in Fort Howard or Curtis Bay or in the Avenue C Projects…

  10. The nra attracted me and I’m Latino it is simple get more (insert minority) into shooting and some of them will join. Problem is shooting is not a cheap sport or hobby to a lot of lower income types it is economicly unfeasible

    • You don’t have to shoot regularly to be a member of the NRA. Just sayin’. Anyone can join, literally.
      I’m not a member, but I sometimes donate to ILA, because I feel the money is better spent there.

      • The real root of the problem in America is our Education and Media systems , It’s that many poor of all races trust them… They most the time will not get news or education out of the system..

    • Michael, you hit the nail squarely on the head.

      Range time in the DC/Baltimore Metro area is INSANELY expensive, as is the cost of ammo. And to join a club here? Forget it. With the initiation fee, dues, and range fee you’re talking a mortgage payment or two, or several rent payments. IF you can find a sponsor to “vouch” you into the club, that is.

      I suspect the same is true for most Metropolitan areas in the Northeast. Young folks just starting out simply cannot swallow the time and expense involved.

  11. you could have asked me to attend as a guest blogger. . . . . and I am an NRA Life Member. just saying

    • Yea dude I think maybe you should start doing some youtube videos, well spoken points and some minimal production value go a long way.

      • believe it or not, you are not the first person to tell me this. a few problems:

        1) I have an AWESOME congress rep who is on the “RIGHT” side of issues

        2) Massive pay cut to be on the public ta-ta (I am in my prime earning years) and the whole bribery thing is not a good vibe for me

        3) I wouldn’t last one term because frankly, I am too blunt and would to have to let people know the real deal. You would be surprised how many cannot handle reality.

        4) I have enemies.

        • Yeah, I can tell you got a dangerous mouth there. “The whole bribery thing is not a good vibe for me.”? I thought I was gonna die. If that’s not about the best excuse for not running for office I’ve ever heard….

        • Yep, you’re dead right on #3. I’ve considered going into politics as well, but I’m far too brusque. I call things as I see them and don’t bother to be nice about it, people’s feelings be damned.

        • Re #4: What’s Shannon gonna do, get all three of her friends to have a bake sale outside your office?

  12. Theres a Next Gen Trek episode where Data says to Wesley Crusher:
    “Judging a being by its physical appearance is the last major human prejudice, Wesley.”

    Also the oldest major human prejudice imho. When and If the Us vs Them mentality goes away, I dont think well be worrying about which human who comprises the membership of a group. But honestly, even if NRA membership showed a 50% increase in other ethnic groups, theyd still bill it as OFWG. Remember people calling Colion Noir an Uncle Tom and questioning his authentic blackness when he became an official NRA news person. And then the video “Black folk dont: Join the NRA”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcNbheN5a-c

    A very slippery 2 way street.

  13. What is this, the DNC?
    What in hell difference does the racial profile of a group of people make to whether or not an organization is successful? If most everyone in the NRA was black, would they need to be more white?

    That kind of thinking is what leads to demographic-centric advertisements that insult the intended audience.
    Stop making someone’s race a factor in how you talk to them and start talking to them like they’re humans who deserve rights. Stomp out the lefty racism.

    • For a special interest group, such as the NRA, membership demographics should be reflective of those that support it. That hasn’t happened for the NRA yet. There are many blacks that support the cause of the NRA but aren’t comfortable with membership for various reasons. Myself, I’ve donated to the ILA but haven’t joined the NRA because the few events I have visited left me feeling very…uncomfortable. I keep looking for an excuse to change my mind though. I almost joined last year during the $300 Life membership phase but life circumstances (surgery) prevented. For others it may be the stigma associated with the NRA. For inner-cities a major obstacle (outside of the general mindset) is going to be the cost of membership and shooting. For those in the inner-city there are more important things than guns (lack of education, poverty, lack of quality food). People like Colion Noir are a start in the right direction though. If he doesn’t help negate the W of the OFWG stigma, he should at the very least help minimize the O. Rambling complete.

  14. Is race really a factor? Seems to be something that antis are into for a lame talking point.

    I guess the real question is: How does the NRA appeal to those that are geographically (state/local law) and socioeconomically (no $$$) segregated from firearms. Race is one issue, sure, but it is connected to the fact that those citizens–of whatever color–that live in inner cities, either cannot legally own firearms or cannot afford firearms/training have no interest in supporting a special interest group that in no way benefits them directly.

    It’s hard to show someone the joys of shooting when guns are defacto banned in their area and they work 80 hours a week trying to put food on the table. It may be the 2nd Amendment but it isn’t the first priority of the poor. There is a simple reason the stereotypical fat middle class white guy with expendable income is pro-gun: Because he has the time and money to be such. That’s also from where the fear-mongering comes.

    All other factors equal, I’ve seen middle class people of all colors at NRA ranges.

  15. I went to last years NRA convention in Houston. Saw many African-Americans, Hispanics, and tons of women. By the way, I am Hispanic.

  16. This stinks of “diversity” initiatives at public universities, whereby they lower admissions standards and provide other incentives so that the campus has the exact ratio of ethnicities they want. Diversity is not 1 Asian 1 black and 1 Latino to every 4 whites, it’s just everyone doing their thing when and where they want to without racism. Most rural whites were raised around guns so it’s no surprise they support gun rights when they are old. What makes them all fat I don’t know, must be the country style home cooking. (talking about myself here too) A larger percentage or minorities were raised in cities where gun culture is not so prominent, or raised to believe that an upstanding black man stays away from guns, or raised in Mexico where they are illegal. It’s not that WE the OFWGs are excluding them (although Bundy and plenty others could use a few pointers on that) it’s that their culture and raising hasn’t included them. But as many white city dwellers and minorities etc have already learned, guns aren’t just for hunters and farmers, they’re for every law abiding person. So the question is not ‘how can we attract 40 Asians to next years meeting?” it’s “is everyone here being as welcoming as they could be and spreading the gospel of freedom to everyone they know?”.

    • I remember when the first [Non-Racial] Race [Quota Determining] Survey came out in the Service. I answered the “Race” question by selecting “Other” – Human. The PTB were NOT amused.

  17. As an evil old white man married to a beautiful black woman I officially don’t care if non-white people join the NRA. My wife has been a member. I talk to a lot of black folks about gun rights & down a man they say “Obama doesn’t want to take my guns or the NRA is racist”. I don’t try anymore. BTW Jewish ain’t black LOL.

    • “BTW Jewish ain’t black LOL.”

      He did not say he was ‘black.’ He actually said, “And I’m white.”

      He used the term African-American which is technically correct if he’s from Africa. There are many Africans that are not black. If they move to America, are they not to refer to their heritage?

      • Don’t forget when John Kerry was running for president, his wife, Teresa Heinz-Kerry, famously described herself as African-American. After all, she was born in what is now Mozambique.

    • And what do you have against people of Austro-Hungarian Empire heritage? We weren’t even mentioned.

  19. Well more diversity wouldn’t hurt. But oppression with it does no one any good. Seems to me that more often than not calls for ‘more diversity’ translates into someone having a problem with white people.

  20. Appoint minorities to leadership positions encourage minority speakers to make presentation,provide scholarships to low income for education. Invest in programs that promote economic growth or make fire arms/ ammo more accessible. Promote awareness campaigns.

  21. The NRA and shooting community in general need to find ways to get non traditional shooters out shooting. Shooting is fun and if you can get people out shooting, some of them will get hooked. Some of them will be good and then they will act as ambassadors in their communities. They will have the credibility and non boogey man status that the NRA almost certainly has. That and make the leadership of the NRA a little more diverse. The OFWG stereotype is there for a reason, most of the leaders in the shooting community are OFWGs and I think the NRA should change that within their organization in a substantive way.

    Legislative success for the 2A is a numbers game and right now, we are going to lose that numbers game in the long run. Lets widen the tent

    • It will not happen so long as NRA remains a de-facto right wing group (as defined by the politics of its membership), rather than a true single issue organization where all other issues simply don’t matter and aren’t routinely challenged.

  22. Expand programs of free shotguns, free safety training, and free self-defense law training for people in dangerous urban environments. I’d be happy to see some of my dues spent this way. And, yes, offer them free or deeply discounted memberships as part of the training. Some may resist, but they will have first-hand experience in what the NRA is really all about: empowering individuals.

    • You’re onto something.

      When the requirements for ownership or carry in some of these more non-OFWG areas includes such prohibitions as an 8 hour class at $200 a pop followed by an application fee upwards of $100 or more the ability of the working class or poorer neighborhood occupant to join the POG is severely restricted.

      I tried doing my part as an NRA instructor when living in one of those places by not charging a fee and making my time available whenever I was needed for them because for me more permits, more gun owners was the goal not cashing in on some imaginary nonsense trumped up by politicians and the OFWG board of a for far too long out of touch organization.

      People don’t typically go from non-gun owner to gun owner without somebody guiding them along. We need to guide them along wherever and whenever possible. If that means funding free or reduced costs classes/permits/guns then we should get on that ASAP.

      Making it so only richie-rich (relative scale) can get a permit just widens the divide.

  23. Robert Farago, would you attend a major NAACP convention to push gun rights, or even just to listen in?

      • Good, then comfort may no longer be such an obstacle.

        I suppose the answer is that the NRA, the gun industry, and we in the pro-gun community must do more to encourage and attract the interest of ALL non-OFWGs. Breaking through conditioned attitudes will not be easy.

  24. The NRA needs to play to the minority communities. You won’t win on arguments of founding fathers, constitution etc. You have to put it simply: African Americans, are you tired of being held hostage in your own urban neighborhoods? tired of living in constant fear of armed thugs? tired f just waiting of the day where you will be a victim? Arm yourselves, get concealed carry permits,

    Mexican Americans, do you want to be stuck there waiting for the police, praying they come when cartel drug violence breaks out in your border communities? Do you want to hope and pray the Government can save you from lawlessness like they do down in Mexico while being Slaughtered in the thousands? or do you want the power to defend yourselves and your families from violent criminals, beholden only to yourself and your neighbors for protection?

    The NRA needs to do a better job speaking the truth, the Mexican community is certainly ready for the Truth. Many urban African American communities are ready for it too, right now in Chicago you are seeing “some” black Aldermen coming out in favor of concealed carry because it gives their constituents a chance to defend themselves in crime ridden neighborhoods. The NRA needs to recruit the people who represent those groups.

  25. Until the NRA starts talking about the social issues that cause gun violence then it will have the image of a whites only group. That is my biggest beef with the NRA.

    • I disagree. The NRA doesn’t need to become a social/medical/law enforcement association just to be a 2A association.

      The social issues that cause violence are under the purview of social scientists and law enforcement. The mental issues that lead to violence are under the purview of the medical sciences. Each does a piss-poor job examining these issues and instead of rightly blaming themselves for their inadequacies they blame guns.

      • How do you figure? If the NRA is going to stand up for gun owner (instead of gun manufacturers) then they need to scream at the top of their lungs that lawful gun owners should not have their gun rights taken away because of black on black crime (see Chicago, Atlanta, etc), lawful gun owners should not have their gun rights taken away because of the War on Drugs or Illegal Immigration (see Eric Holder and the ATF), lawful gun owners should not have their gun rights taken away because firearm related suicides, crimes of passion or the mentally ill (see Columbine Newtown, Aurora, etc), AND the NRA needs to tell Bloomberg, Watts, Feinstein et al. that their fears do not trump our rights. The NRA should stand behind and help support initiatives like Father Gregory Boyle’s ‘Nothings Stops a Bullet Like a Job’ rather than just focusing on Eddie the Eagle. I think it is imperative that the NRA start addressing the causes of gun violence but that is a third rail for them. It is time for them to get a backbone.

        • If they want to play into the myth that “gun violence” is special or different than non-gun violence they could speak out. If a thug shoots another thug than the NRA needs to become a social worker, but if he just beats him to death then they don’t? Doesn’t make any sense.

        • A-Rod-you have stated a few things of note but the one that sticks with me is “….the NRA needs to tell Bloomberg, Watts, Feinstein et al. that their fears do not trump our rights.” Their fears DO NOT trump our rights. This resonates more with me than just about anything else. My next custom shirt will read-“Your fears do not trump MY rights……I am pro 2A Molon Labe. Thanks A-Rod.

  26. Any proactive efforts on the part of the NRA to be more “inclusive” and “embracing of diversity” are countered by the efforts of its opposition to paint it as some sort of racist organization.
    Case in point: The “Black folk don’t join the NRA” video of some months back.

  27. Seriously – I can’t get over how PC this blog just went. Maybe TTAG needs more Hispanic authors- you know, not because they write better, but because of their skin color. Assclowns.

  29. Why does the NRA not have more minority members? Seems that is a pretty easy answer. The NRA givens money to and primarily endorses Republican candidates. There is a very obvious reason for this: the Democratic Party is becoming more and more hostile towards the Second Amendment. As long as the NRA gives to and overwhelmingly supports Republican candidates(as it should, given the party’s much stronger support for the Second Amendment), it will probably have a really hard time attracting black members, as about 90% of black voters vote for Democrats. The same can be said for Latinos, although a greater percentage of them vote Republican.

    • I don’t think the NRA giving money to gun grabbing democrats will solve any issue with the skin color of it’s members.

      Btw, before TTAG runs an article like this, maybe they should actually ask the NRA for their skin color stats. It seems to mean a lot to RF.

  30. If you consider yourself an “OWFG” then I just want you to know that you are disgusting and should not present yourself in public. Besides, how do we “appeal” the the others races specifically? Have the NRA take a pro-amnesty position?

  31. This kinda sounds like two different things. Is it taking an issue and making it more ethnically diverse? Or is it using a proven method (blogs) and making it more relative to a younger crowd?

    It seems like the line between being entertainment and reporting is getting closer and less definitive. For example, I’m a younger guy and love sarcasm and pictures of hot chicks. (Israeli supermodel link) However, I also appreciate candid and well written posts about equipment that I would otherwise probably not ever get my hands on, and can understand why said links are not implemented for the greater good of spreading information and cause.

    That being said, it’s kinda like the Bundy Ranch. If you’re going to be making a point, how do you make it relevant to the majority of people viewing through a specific media type (aka younger people, who LIKE random and sometimes irrational methods ex. Youtube) without overstepping the lines of what make your point one of moral/ethical purpose?

    I don’t have an answer, but posting a pic of an OFWG, while talking about and working to make a subject more relative to non-OFWG’s (while funny /sarc #jokemofo) is appreciated… Does it accomplish the goal of taking very serious topics like the 1st and 2nd Amendments and make a younger crowd that would rather stare at a Kardashian Vajayjay more engaged?

    I dunno, but I like it, and I’m bored at work……

  32. The reason there aren’t any blacks there is because blacks, as their voting record shows, blacks oppose the 2nd Amee. Mostly because they hate whites in general and armed whites, even Hispanic whites like George Zimmerman, in particular. Blacks are unwilling and intellectually unable to get past their own racism. The sooner People of the Gun realize that the better.

    • You’d be surprised. I’m a young Black man that 100% supports gun rights unequivocally. I grew up in a very pro-gun city and ALL my Black neighbors owned a gun and weren’t afraid to use it, appropriately and safely of course. I honestly don’t care how diverse the NRA is as long as we can muster more members than the opposition can. Black people aren’t some monolithic borg-like life form that unanimously make decisions in robotic unison. There are varying opinions that you will find based on region and the culture in that region, just like anyone else.

  33. Tracing back to the organizations roots (arming and training former slaves to defend themselves) I think a community outreach program would be a good place to start. Participants would “trade” 1 hour of verified community service for 1 hour of self/home defense training, split equally between the classroom and the range. Within reason, the more time people donate to their communities, the more training they earn. After a minimum of 20 hours, they become eligible to purchase an 870 at an insanely discounted price. Of course this would be funded entirely through donations, although it would be nice to have our own billionaire to bankroll this.

    • Fine, but you just gave me an idea. The NRA should make a TV ad, nationally-distributed, showing how the NRA (in dramatized fashion) helped to arm Blacks who were denied the RKBA? Mr. Colion Noir would narrate, of course.

      Why do I feel they might not be too receptive to this idea?

      • Anybody at the convention want to hit up the big-wigs on this idea?

        A good time to ask might be at Happy Hour in the Vendor Hospitality Suite.

  34. Democrats literally deceive blacks into viewing the NRA and gun owners as racist and anti-black. They blame the black gun problem on us and our inability to care and give up our guns for them. Making them believe that if we give up our guns then suddenly all the gangster guns in the ghettos will disappear.

  35. The NRA can become less white if pro-2A politicians become less white. As the country becomes less white this will happen by itself.

    They need to narrowly focus support for pro-2A politicians, especially if said politicians are socially liberal. Like it or not, social liberalism is consistent with individual freedom from government and social conservatism is not.

    • Guess that’s why all those liberals support the 2A with their votes. (that’s sarcasm, if you couldn’t tell)

      • Social liberalism is not a political affiliation and is not the same as “liberals”. Think classical liberalism, like Ayn Rand.

        • NAH. Not that infantile, chain-smoking nymphomaniac again!

          Classical Liberalism is Jeffersonian, not Randian.

  36. I don’t mean this as a slam on the NRA, who do some great work. But they also get into some trouble at times.

    The one thing we need to remember is that the NRA supports the 2A, not the other way round. The NRA does not equal gun rights. Gun rights equal gun rights. We cannot fall into the trap of thinking one organization is the be-all and end-all. There are many gun-rights organizations. And while we all owe the NRA the largest debt for their work in the last 20 years, they haven’t always been so good, and they doubtlessly will revert at some point.

  37. I’m an fat white guy, but my shooting buddies right now are all Korean. I’m not sure what that means.

  38. The reason there aren’t many minorities in the NRA can be traced back to how many gun owners think. Read some of the comments above, imagine yourself as a minority, and ask yourself if you’d want to throw in with some of these people.

    It’s all I can do to put aside my personal views and stomach some of these characters for the greater good, and I’m a Carhartt-wearing rural white guy who grew up surrounded by people just as pale.

  39. I am sure Bundy would have some opinions on how the NRA could attract more Blacks.

    Maybe offer them jobs picking cotton and discounts on chickens and vegetable gardens.

  40. You’ve got this problem thoroughly reversed. It is not the NRA that is failing to attract minority’s but the minority’s who are failing to take an interest in their own liberty.

      • Paul, you do realize you really have a thing with chickens and cotton, don’t you? Chickens don’t eat cotton. And most plantations nowadays charge admission.

  41. The NRA’s only problem is how they market themseves. The NRA has a great message but their delivery is very poor which explains why they lack youth and diversity.

    They are old and outdated. Their website…Although it has been improved…is not that amazing.

    Look at Recoil magazine…then look at any nra publication. Wheres the fun?

    Does nra have an instagram yet? I’d love to get a constant feed of pics of famous people using guns safely. Instead of seeing pics of charlton heston shooting a holland and holland on my news feed I have to get my gun porn from dan bilzerian.

    The nra needs to focus on becoming young again. Let wayne lapierre run the show…but please never let that man in front of a camera again. If the NRA had half a brain they would have Colion Noir doing every interview on tv for at least the next 10 years.

    • “Let wayne lapierre run the show…but please never let that man in front of a camera again. If the NRA had half a brain they would have Colion Noir doing every interview on tv for at least the next 10 years.”

      I like that idea.

  42. The NRA is a bloated, fat, special interest machine. It’s no different than the Southern Poverty Law Center. As such, their current marketing campaign to “colorize” their message smacks of glib, spoon-fed, baby food. One can easily picture a bunch of nerdy white guys, (think Eddie Murphy on SNL) sitting in a cush NRA board room, slapping each other on the backs, smiles of satisfaction adorning their faces as they marvel at their “outreach” to non-whites.

    The amount of money the NRA will spend, thanks to its donors, will never justify the traction gained in their campaign to flip their image. It will only justify the yearly raises the NRA Board Members hand themselves. A striking similarity to our broken US Congress.

    The freedom to own firearms has nothing to do with skin color. It is a universal right enshrined in the constitution. We all know and agree on this.

    What’s the better usage of our time and money?

    Petition your local sheriff not to enforce any laws which infringe upon our constitutional rights. As the individual who has the final say as to which laws to enforce and which to not, the local sheriff is the absolute guardian of our constitutional rights. By doing this white gun owners will find their non-white gun-owners-in-arms.

    If your local sheriff is not for the protection of the second amendment then DTMF. Find a substitute worthy of the position. As an example, we have Detroit Police Chief James Craig. He’s only a stone throw away from being the county sheriff. That is, if the citizens of Wayne County want it to be.

    A black sheriff!?!

    And why not? It worked in Blazing Saddles.

    Freedom has nothing to do with skin color and everything to do with the right of self-determination. The NRA is just another cog in the f**k-the-masses machine called Washington DC. The true voices, concerns, outrages, of the people are lost within the Capital Beltway. The money is piled too high for us commoners to rise above. Stick to the local fight. Small pockets of resistance will always win out. We’ve seen it in Vietnam, Afghanistan, and now, in Connecticut and New York. Remember, we don’t need them, they need us.

    Здравствуй Революция!

    • Unless you’re from Mayberry or Concrete ND, the local sheriff is an elected official. That means that official is going to go the way the local political wind is blowing. And that wind is fanned by a machine nine times out of ten. You can become a local “name”, but expect a lot of jaywalking and littering tickets if you push the wrong buttons in the wrong places. And in the bigger cities it could become VERY ugly for you, because the sheriff is a pure figurehead.

  43. I have seen the demographics change over the last 20 years. There are many minorities that are attending gun shows and purchasing firearms. This is a opportunity to broaden the membership that we cannot afford to miss. Its outreach time.

  44. I said this in a post above but will say it again down here. The NRA has a message problem. If the NRA is going to stand up for gun owner (instead of gun manufacturers) then they need to scream at the top of their lungs that lawful gun owners should not have their gun rights taken away because of black on black crime (see Chicago, Atlanta, etc), lawful gun owners should not have their gun rights taken away because of the War on Drugs or Illegal Immigration (see Eric Holder and the ATF), lawful gun owners should not have their gun rights taken away because firearm related suicides, crimes of passion or the mentally ill (see Columbine Newtown, Aurora, etc), AND the NRA needs to tell Bloomberg, Watts, Feinstein et al. that their fears do not trump our rights. The NRA should stand behind and help support initiatives like Father Gregory Boyle’s ‘Nothings Stops a Bullet Like a Job’ rather than just focusing on Eddie the Eagle. I think it is imperative that the NRA start addressing the causes of gun violence but that is a third rail for them. It is time for them to get a backbone.

  45. Fear.

    I hate the say it, but show inner city mothers that they can protect their children from gang related activity with firearms, and that THEIR access to those firearms are what the NRA fights for.

    I’m from Detroit, and we are seeing a wonderful resurgence in lawful weapons use in self-defense situations. Quarterly crime rates are useless, as the trend matters, but we have had a slight dip in our violent crime rate ever since the chief of police told criminals that Detroit citizens were armed and ready to defend their land and lives.

    True urbanites? Not the ivory tower politicians that pass laws preventing citizens from exercising their RKBA? They know the cost of disarmament. They don’t need to be educated on the fact that criminals will always have guns. We live in fear of it every day. Show them that the NRA is willing to stand up for their ability to shoot back, and they will love them for it.

  46. Unless there are guards positioned at the doors of the Indiana Convention Center with orders to keep black people out, I think that the question is misplaced. The real question should be addressed to black people:

    “You’ve been NRA-hating Democrats for generations, but you’re still poor and living in fear of criminals. When are you going to smarten up?”

  47. It’s a culture thing. My immediate family is White, Black, Asian, and Latino.. We all grew up enjoying guns and shooting.. it really is all about culture, and to make it more complicated then that means people on either side just dont get it.

  48. Well, I admit it’s a long-term approach, but maybe we should give miscegenation a try. It’s not like there aren’t a bunch of hot non-anglo ladies out there.

  49. As a Spanish speaking certified NRA instructor I emailed them once asking when Spanish course material will be available. No reply guess I will do it again.

    • That would seem to be fairly inexpensive to do. And the payoff would be more than worth it.

    • There’s some legitimacy to this. I definitely got a weird look from an OFWG who was also carrying. It was indeed a funny reaction.

    • I expect you’re right. Especially if they are old enough, like me, to remember pictures of armed black students taking over the administration building of some university or other in the late 60s-early 70s. Wonder what today’s gun-grabbers would think of that?

    • I feel like that would produce tragic bullet-riddled proof that law enforcement is indeed racist.

  51. The author is correct: the “gun movement”, broadly defined, needs to expand its base. It needs more racial minorities, more women, greater participation by LGBT. If this community can ever be pinned down as a “white thing”, we’re hosed. Like it or lump it, the cry of “racism” still has a significant impact (see what happened to Clive Bundy), the cry of “homophobe” has a significant impact (Brendan Eich). And who can forget the “War on Women” meme from 2012? Guess what: as stupid as it was, the meme worked!

    The 2A belongs to all. Organizations working to protect our 2A should be, and are, open to all. But every organization dependent on memberships for survival must also practice strategic outreach. The author just made that point.

    BTW, in the 30+ years I’ve been in the U.S., I’ve never seen an NRA sign, TV commercial, or online ad in Spanish. The only time I’ve seen the NRA referenced has been in Spanish-language news, where it is framed as a Republican, Whites-only club that likes to see lots of dead children on the streets. The anti-gunners are receiving free air time, with no meaningful opposition, from the TV networks that inform virtually every VOTER in the nation’s fastest-growing ethnic group. Within our lifetimes, the U.S. will have a non-Caucasian majority. If we haven’t brought those masses of voters onto our side, if they don’t have any “skin in the game”, the 2A will join the 9A and 10A as un-enforced and un-enforceable relics.

    • BTW, in the 30+ years I’ve been in the U.S., I’ve never seen an NRA sign, TV commercial, or online ad in Spanish.

      Someone who lives in a country, but does not bother to learn the predominant language spoken in that country, is choosing to segregate themselves instead of assimilating and participating in the culture of that country.

      What is the point of making outreach attempts to people who don’t care enough to participate?

      • This a very pertinent point, rosignol. And it needs to be said. No one can make an ethnic group participate in American culture and language, when they mean to do the opposite: isolate themselves in cultural and linguistic enclaves in cities.

        Requiring an immigrant to learn a certain level of English proficiency within a certain number of years may be controversial, but it needs to be considered.

        I have no doubt that that requirement might serve to deter some from immigrating here. And that would seem to be a good thing. If you’re going to refuse to participate in our language and dominant culture in any significant way, it might be better if you stayed home.

        • Reminds me of that movie, El Norte, where the young, newly-arrived , ahhh, undocumented immigrant asks the older, been-here-for-awhile one, “where are all the white people?'” And the experienced one answers, of course, “Oh, they don’t want to associate with us.” And, of course, they are both speaking Spanish and don’t know a word of English, living in a barrio where any white person who walks by is suspected of being “la migra”. Full disclosure; I do speak Spanish, I associate with local Hispanics of various immigration status all the time, and I am convinced that Hispanics as a whole are the most courteous people on Earth. But sometimes they, like anybody else, “protest too much”. (in the Shakespearean sense.)

  52. The assumption is that a “balance” of race is needed. I deny that. Those who join the NRA are those who want to protect their gun rights, promote safe firearm practices, etc. Those who don’t join, don’t care about those things. How many of Asian extraction are members? How many native Americans? Latino?

    If you are worried about too many “Old Fat White Guys”, maybe the answer is for the OFWG’s to leave. Then the Young Arrogant White Guys can fix this racial imbalance. It seems like Old, Fat, White, and Guy are negative traits that many here cannot resist chipping their teeth about.
    Bye.

    • You miss the point. If NRA is a predominantly White club, then the question you should ask is why that is the case. Unless you think that affinity to guns is somehow hard wired into Caucasian genome, the answer may point to other issues that need fixing.

  54. While I understand why people are upset about the question, it is a fair question. I’d love to say skin color doesn’t matter. but for some it absolutely does.

    As long as the NRA is overwhelmingly perceived as older white guys with money … it can be attacked by other groups (younger folks, women, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, gays, atheists, etc.) because it is NOT THEM. It’s much easier to disregard, mock and ridicule something that “isn’t you.”

    It can also be attacked by politicians for the same reason. Conversely, if/when the NRA is a much more diverse group, it becomes much harder to attack, since you’d be attacking a group that represents many, many people. It is politically wise (and far better for the RKBA) if the NRA is more diverse.

    A few thoughts …

    * “Non-white guy” spokespersons help. With Natile Foster, Colion Noir, Gabby Franco, Chris Chen, and Nikki Turpeaux, the NRA is making progress with this. Even their “white guy” commentators – Dom Raso, Billy Johnson, Austin Weiss – aren’t the “old fat white guys.”

    * For the love of sanity, don’t blame video games and Hollywood. This only screams “I’m completely out of touch” to everyone.

    * Have someone other than an old white guy be the NRA spokesperson. Preferably someone with strong PR experience who can handle him/herself very well interacting with the media. Emily Miller would probably be a good choice .. Colion Noir is also worth considering.

    * When the media folks / gun-grabbers spread lies, refute them.

    * GET GUN RANGES INTO CITES. If the only exposure that city folks have to guns is in the form of gang violence, things will never change. There MUST be a way for them to receive positive exposure to guns. A driving time of 15 minutes to a rage outside the city is irrelevant to anyone who uses public transit to go anywhere.

    * Find local folks who will help. It’s harder to say “they’re not me” when it’s your neighbors who are involved. Having local religious and community leaders would be a plus.

    * Support ways to have free or discounted classes and/or equipment for those who need help. Support groups like the Armed Citizen Project and other similar efforts. It is simply too expensive for many people to become involved with firearms, and that is a big problem, especially since folks who live in not-so-good neighborhoods arguably have a stronger need to protect themselves with firearms.

    My 0.02.

    • Colion Noir’s rehearsed, rushed, rapid-fire delivery could be off-putting and not well-received. Don’t get me wrong, I like him, but I think that Emily Miller would be a much better spokesperson.

    • Just add one thing:

      * When the media folks / gun-grabbers spread lies, refute them. Quickly and succinctly.

  55. Two choices: either appeal to nonwhite fat guys (NWFG!) to shed their view of life as a race-based mentality OR go ahead and make special NRA memberships based on minority status. I would hate to see the latter but the former is a Mt. Everest to climb.

    • Great idea! I’m an OFWG in the DC Metro area, so I’m officially a minority. I want a rebate on my Life Membership.

      See how well special interest pricing works?

  56. “Would the NRA benefit from a more diverse image? HECK FREAKING YES!!!”. So would America, liberty, and personal freedom.

  57. I don’t care about the old and white aspect, but the fat…that can definitely go. No point in letting others in if the existing members are taking up all the convention floor space. 🙂

  58. Not white and not male; 20-something. And NRA member. No I don’t think it makes me “special”. (trust me, too much going on in life to sit around pondering being “special”) I also don’t feel incredibly “ethnic” so I’m not sure how much of a cultural bridge is really happening with me going from anti to pro gun in the last 3 years. Really, I just didn’t know until I was told. I was only casually anti in the first place, so I may not be a good test case. strange how that works.

    I do admit sometimes being an off-white (asian) female I’m gun culture it can get weird in the LGS, but that speaks more to “there’s one in every crowd, and they’re usually loud” than the target demo of the NRA.

    It should change but it should probably change on the ground, rather than through an overt act or something. I do think it’s happening more now though.

    As POTG , reaching out personally to the misinformed and classically “anti because that’s how I learned it” people in your life and informing them, is the way to go. In my circles that has ended up being younger, “”ethnically diverse”” people.

    What can the NRA “do to attract” non whites? That comes off immediately as weird to me. I can’t think of something anyone on earth could do that would “attract me, as a non-white person”. As in “Oh, that appeals to the part of me that has darker skin!” – I understand that the NRA and gun culture is traditionally OFWGs but I never saw anything that restricted me from entering it.

    This may be a marketing issue but I don’t know if it’s really a membership issue.

    Pure marketing would be if, for example, Colion Noir didn’t have a bunch of really good points. And the NRA started putting out rap songs about Eddie the eagle. See my above statement about “feeling weird”.

    Now if I started blogging and NRA ad revenue ended up paying off my new ddm4v7-lw, I wouldn’t exactly be screaming injustice, however.

  59. @Yellow Devil – you ever see a 350lb guy fire a .50bmg prone, at 1200fps slow mo? That’s an intriguing physics lesson, let-me-tell-you-hwat.

  61. It can not and should not even try, Race is not a issue here but , the bill of rights is the issue….the non whites that is their culture …. not all but many…. now we are seeing woman come to the NRA because of crime….and the fact that more people are seeing that the police can not help keep us safe…We need to teach all people that they need to be independent and take care of them self …and stop this looking for the government’s help… Free man do not need lots government….

  62. I’m a minority and believe in gun ownership like many other minorities out there. I’m a retired veteran with 20+ years of service and love my country. Where I find myself at odds with the NRA is that I believe the NRA politically oversteps beyond the 2nd amendment and wants to enter in other politics. So when I pay my dues I expect that they are supporting what was explained to me in my membership and that is it. I don’t pay dues to hear them complain about obama care etc, etc. Stick to the charter protection of the 2nd amendment and encourage “all” to be responsible gun owners.

    • This is the right answer, but it’s not happening because 90% of the NRA membership supports that “overstepping”. It is really unfortunate that gun rights are so strongly married to economic & social conservatism in this country for no good reason, but that’s the way things are.

  63. If you want to know the problem that the NRA has with attracting non-whites, spend like 5 minutes skimming the comments here.

  64. Some of the comments in this thread, that think reaching out to different bases to grow is somehow racist, is why its so hard for people like me (a black american anarcho-capitalist) to attract minorities to 2nd amendment groups.

    The loud idiots turn people off.

    I would think if the NRA and gun rights movements started going into black and latino communities that are hit with gun violence and start aiding them and reaching out to let them know that it is the lack of guns that make them victims, they would see some vocal support for them.

    A little secret a lot of white americans don’t realize is that while in public and politically blacks say they are anti-2nd amendment, in reality in their actions they are some of the most pro-2nd amendment bodies in this country. Most black homes and families have members with multiple guns, they just don’t tell people outside of family because of legal issues or the smart fact that they don’t want people to know what they have.

    There is a base there to reach out and grow with, but it will never happen with the loud bigots that currently populate the 2nd amendment movement that are tolerated by the majority

    • Which “legal issues”, David? Do you mean the guns are illegally owned? Somehow I think you would have said that if it were the case, but I’m not sure.

      • Yes I mean the guns are either illegal, sawed off shotguns, or being carried illegally or a person who has it shouldn’t legally have it.

        • I’ll say with no real backup that I believe 80 – 90% of the black american community in the US are gun owners and will publicly speak against it because that is what you are supposed to do, even the black politicians know differently.

          Its pretty much a open secret in the black US community, especially in the southeast.

          • This was a bit of an eye-opener for me. I had no idea of the extent of it. Thanks. I find some comfort in this that I didn’t expect to find.

    • “Some of the comments in this thread, that think reaching out to different bases to grow is somehow racist, is why its so hard for people like me (a black american anarcho-capitalist) to attract minorities to 2nd amendment groups. The loud idiots turn people off.”

      So true! With friends like them, who needs enemies? I don’t really care what issues people have in their own messed-up heads, but when they start impacting the RKBA outreach, they’re starting to look a lot like the enemy. How else does political lobbying measure success than by increasing the number of people in the tent of its cause? When you become a roadblock to that, you’re in the way. Some people help NRA/RKBA best by volunteering, some by donating, but some help best by putting a sock in it!!

  65. This is a great question.. The NRA cannot be painted as a wing of the Republican party, a white-only club and we don’t need to sacrifice philosophical integrity on RKBA to bring more people into the tent. I agree there’s an issue that we need to work harder to overcome – it’s prime activism that we can all be doing at a ground level.
    In response to the question, I’ve posted some outreach talking points on my site here, for what it’s worth:
    http://www.westsidelateshift.com/2014/04/outreach-talking-points.html

  66. I should make a point of this. Anyone living in a big city who is economically challenged regardless of color doesn’t really feel they have much to gain by voting or joining organizations. Things in the big city do not change and regardless of who one votes for it always feels the same. People with more to lose ( economically advantaged ) will vote more often because they feel the pressure coming down on their lifestyles via political “solutions”. I do know for a fact many of your urbanites in the big city are in favor of the 2nd amendment and against the police state. It is just that they aren’t involved or very vocal unless amongst themselves. I feel like organizations like The Armed Citizen Project are more likely to organize people. A respectful approach such as theirs is more likely to succeed.

    • Short version: the haves vote, the have-nots do not. Because they feel voting never changes anything. For this reason alone, they are smarter than the haves.

  67. Probably when various minorities leave behind their failed 3rd world cultures and start to adopt the traditional American culture so despised by Farago. Or we could actually start defending our borders and deporting these 3rd world invaders.

    • “the traditional American culture so despised by Farago.”

      (SIGH) Do you actually read the crap you write, or is it automatic writing?

    • Stop eating so goddamn much. And so often. Most days, I eat once, that’s it. Sometimes I’ll have a waffle with Greek Yoghurt for breakfast. It’s an acquired taste, I’ll admit.

  69. Do I get half points for being white and skinny? How about if I call myself European-American?

  70. Gun rights folk do need to reach out to minorities so that our rights remain protected. I am not sure how organizations like the NRA can do this though. I think it would be great if a GOP politician who could attract the Hispanic vote could talk with Hispanics about the importance of the RKBA and such, and explain it. Unfortunately, there is no one in the GOP capable of this right now unfortunately.

    90%+ of blacks vote Democratic party and the NRA is seen as a Republican organization, so attracting more blacks into that I think is going to difficult. But an eloquent GOPer who can speak to blacks on the importance of the RKBA I think could at least open the eyes of certain blacks where even if they disagree, they still understand the gun rights POV.

  71. Economic explanations are at the root of most social features. Minorities have a certain economic profile that makes them not seek NRA membership.

    1) Honest poor people generally cannot spend money on guns.
    2) True, many poor people have guns in gun-friendly areas, but minorities tend to live in cities and cities tend to make gun ownership cost waaaaay more due to fees and regulations.
    3) Why don’t inner cities produce many PGA players? No golf courses in the city. Regulations make setting up a gun range in the city even harder than setting up a golf course, so there are damned few gun hobbyists coming out of the places where minorities tend to live.

    For those who see minority outreach as race pandering or affirmative action, you misunderstand the battle you are in. It’s technically true that race shouldn’t matter to the mission of an organisation, but race matters to the fence sitters and this is a PR battle.

    Yes, Logically, race doesn’t matter, but all those people who decide on things based on emotions have the same number of votes as you. One each. You cannot afford to ignore them or their emotional thinking.

    Sun Tzu in the art of war said that to win war you needed to understand the terrain and know your enemy. The gun rights fight is a PR battle and it cannot be won except by tactics that utlize the PR terrain and nullify the PR weaponry of the anti-gun forces.

    Fighting any other way is how you lose.

    • Which is why the current anti-2A bogeyman is bankrolled by an old white billionaire and uses white women to demonstrate and pitch their bile. At least the NRA plays to its membership base.

  73. The very fact that the same type of demographics that the NRA appeals to were out in number on TTAG actually **defending*** the tone-deaf racist remarks made by Bundy is probably part of the problem the NRA is not attracting a more racially diverse base of support.

    • Do a count and tell me how many people commented favorably on Bundy’s remarks about black people.

      BTW, congrats on your canonization.

      • You can stick your head in the sand, if you want, just read through the massive amounts of comments and you will see just how many times his remarks were defended, excused and brushed off.

        • You have intentionally ignored the full quote and the full, unedited tape. It’s quite understandable. You have a job to do here, but I wonder if your bosses are happy with all this one-track yapping.

  75. I’ve been asking myself for YEARS here in Phoenix: “Where are all the black gun-owners?” (that is, why aren’t they collecting, buying, visiting the shows/events, etc.) The country is supposed to be about 17 percent Hispanic now, surpassing AA’s by a couple points. Well, I see plenty of Hispanic, and Asian folks at the shows and events….but so few blacks..Is there something, culturally, to explain this?

    • I am a slave to ca, but when I visited AZ there were two black guys working at a gun shop I visited. It was refreshing to see some diversity at gun shops.

  76. Personally I don’t think it matters about race , except the racebaiters wanting to make something of it . I am sure that there are some persons of other races that are members of the NRA , but if not instead of complaining about there not being many minorities in the NRA , why don’t we try to take the time to have a conversation with minorities to become members of the NRA , in this country we have lost touch with members of our communities , and just people in general , I am 58, when I was brought up I was taught to speak to people ,to at least tell folks to have a nice day , we have to learn to communicate with others , perhaps this could lead to better understandings between folks . Be prepared and ready . Keep your powder dry .

  77. Maybe some inexpensive firearms training in poor minority areas. It would help the NRA get a positive name out there among other ethnic groups and teach people about how firearms can be positively and safely used.

    The title should be how to be more diverse. Not less white. The NRA needs to be more everything! Some 5 million members in a country of around 300 million is just sad.

    • This could also save lives. A couple of us are thinking about becoming NRA “Home Firearms Safety” instructor certified and teaching the course for free or at cost.

  78. Just watched the speech by Sheriff David Clarke of Milwaukee County , Wisconsin , picked up the site from over on Survivalblog.com to Scoop , I am very impressed with this man , especially after his Interveiw last year with Judge Jannine Shapiro on Fox News . The NRA did real good having this man speak to the members . Be prepared and ready . Keep your powder dry .

    • I thin you mean Judge Jeanine Pirro.

      BTW, I knew her back in the day when she was the Westchester County DA. She was smoking hot.

  79. The NRA and gun rights movement as a whole will do better the more it talks about guns and self-defense instead of using other social issues to roil up its base (though the NRA isn’t too bad on this). Doing the latter can probably get a better short-term funding result but it plays right into the hands of anti-gunners who want to point to videos of people like Donald Trump and Ted Nugent to make it seem like being pro-gun requires a constellation of other beliefs that people just aren’t interested in.

    • Whoa! You are of the opinion that Donald Trump is pro-gun? How about a reference? Mr. Trump has no use for the Second Amendment. He has bodyguards.

  80. Demographics is destiny, so planning for when states like Texas flip to a white minority state is just planning ahead. Getting rid of Wayne La Pierre and having more women and minority in leadership positions would be a good start.

      • You may not want to recognize it, but without Wayne we would have lost on every anti-gun measure that the Senate Democrats tried to ram through after Newtown. Or have you already forgotten that we won?

  81. As a black man who is a member of the NRA, I must say that the question posed in this article is a valid one. What I believe Mr. Farrago is trying to say is that if the NRA was to have the support through membership of Black, Hispanic, Asian, Indian, and etc. it would be very difficult for the politicians to continue to attack the rights we are afforded by the second amendment. The answer in my opinion is not about catering to any race, or the need to have a seperate organization it is about whether the NRA sees the need and or wants to embrace other ethnicities besides the core.

    I am a member of the NRA because I support it’s mission to protect my rights to self defense, but I’d be lying if I said I agreed with the NRA’s approach most of the time. I’d also be lying if I said that I’d feel welcome at the NRA convention.
    The way to get other ethnicities to join the NRA would be to focus on the guns as a way to reduce crime. That along with teaching people how to become legal gun owners would be enough. I just wonder if the NRA membership became one that crossed party lines would the NRA be able to keepits membership ranks. If there are no more 2nd Amendment challenges to fight would people still pay dues? Or would the NRA become obsolete?

    • Might be too much baggage with the NRA.
      The GOA had a chance to be that new fresh single party group, but Larry Pratt killed that with his racist baggage and courting of white supremacists and anti-semites.

      • I’d like to see some evidence of this, David. I’m unaware of any of this.

        You needn’t need go to a bunch of trouble. Just point me in the right direction, and I’ll take it from there.

        And there’s always JPFO, you know.

        • general Larry Pratt ignorance and racism
          http://wonkette.com/541222/gun-guy-larry-pratt-wonders-why-our-blacks-cant-just-sing-and-be-happy-like-the-african-ones

          Larry Pratt connection to anti-semites and white supremacists
          http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/04/20/468146/fringe-gun-rights-advocate-with-ties-to-white-supremacists-helped-build-up-alec/

          “The idea reportedly caught on in 1992, when Pratt addressed a three-day meeting of neo-Nazis and Christian Adherents organized by white supremacist Pete Peters. He shared the stage with a former Ku Klux Klan leader and an Aryan Nation official.”

          • Thanks, David. In the interim, I did some poking around on the net. It did not take very long to see that you are correct. If find this very disturbing indeed.

            However, I noted that most of the sources came from Media Matters, Think Progress and similar pro-Socialist sites, people who would call Colion Noir a Neo-Nazi.

            Nevertheless, it does seem to be true. I have someone I’m going to take up this matter with. (Sorry, Matt in FL, I could not find a good way to avoid ending that with the dreaded preposition.)

            I appreciate you pointing this out.

        • No problem William, 2nd amendment advocates just need to look at how they present themselves, be pro 2nd amendment and inclusive.

          You have no idea in the south how often it is to see LGS with owners and workers with SS tats, rebel flag tats and etc. Even if some of them are friendly (the rebel flag guys, not all of them are racists, most aren’t) it is a divisive symbol that turns a lot of people away.

          • I do know. I live in the South. Well… Virginia. It’s more marginally “southern” that it was when I was growing up here. So many Northerners have moved here, it’s a pretty different place.

            I agree a lot of the Confederate Flag people are not really racists. They are just holding on to their “Southern Heritage” (or think they are) and hate to see it disappear.

            While I understand their feelings, it’s divisive because people who’ve moved here don’t understand it, and what it really means to them. People do cling to their symbolism, probably futilely.

        • I would take VA is a little bit more open than Alabama, but Huntsville and Birmingham are probably close to the typical modern liberal attitudes you would see from typical northerners.

  82. Well, there was a time in the past the only way to join the NRA was through another NRA member or sponsorship. I joined the NRA back in 1977 through captain in the Marine Corps. I have never heard of the NRA while growing up. My father was an advid hunter from his youth. Our family had a long standing tradition of gun ownership and hunting. My family is Hispanic and our stomping grounds were New Mexico and Arizona. The NRA was also not a pro-military firearm supporter until our gun rights were threatened. The NRA was pretty much a good ol’ boy hunting club. The NRA has come a long way from its beginnings. Women so largely ignored are now openly welcomed. I’m not sure on how to break that ol’ white boy club image but its not going to happen with good ol’ white boys making those decisions. It’s like lily white boys trying to come off as black gangsters. The NRA needs to hire a promotional company that understands the minority point of view. I understand that most gun laws were targeted at certain groups of people or races to control them. Be it from Tombstone to New York. Most minorities do not understand it.

  83. I don’t give money to the NRA because they pay morons like Pierre almost a million dollars in salary and 40% of every dollar goes to more fund raising.

    Also, they have built-in conflict of interest. If they do too good of a job, they cut off their own income. I think that explains Pierre’s lame response to the Sandy Hook shooting. Video games? Seriously? I think that was intentional. I think he said that to limit his effectiveness and to help keep the donations coming in.

    His idea of putting police in schools instead of arming staff was also utterly ignorant.

  84. Same way that all the young black guys rushed into golf: We need a Tiger Woods of shooting sports.

    Hell, we first need to popularize shooting sports…

    • Well, the Fear of Sandy Hook Linkage caused the demise of SONS OF GUNS and AMERICAN GUNS, so this is a tough row to hoe.

      I didn’t care much for either, but it’s kinda beside the point.

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