Fox NRA / Wayne LaPierre Commentary

[ack]

I remain a member but will never give a penny more while Peero is in..

 

[sestoppelman]

I just sent them a hundred bucks!

 

[CoElkHunter]

I am an NRA Life Member, and I have been since I was in HighSchool. I use to go to all the local events and have tons of stuff with the NRA logo on it. I got sick of all the calls and mailings wanting more money. I believe in the 2nd, but something needs to change at the NRA it seems

Yes, when I was 18 yoa in 1975, I saved my hard earned money and spent $200.00 to become a NRA Life Member! Now this! I really feel betrayed! I continue to support the NRA because what choice do we really have to protect our gun rights and the second amendment? None! With all due respect to the others here on AH from other countries, without the NRA and it’s support (money) here in the U.S., WE would have the same insanely restrictive gun laws (for HUNTERS) that perpetuate throughout the world! We tend to have short memory’s of history. I was going to expound on faded memories of WWs 1 and 2 with regards to gun ownership by civilians, but that is for another time/thread.

 

[Foxi]

Power corrupts.

Wheels,
we've had a lot of similar cases here in Germany where good people go crazy with good work all at once because they think they're unassailable.
But to take the woman's hairdresser with you at the expense of the organization is a special icing on the cake that shows absolute stupidity (where are the controls, were they silent because you took the maid with you ?).
As a European I am steeped in the spirit of legal but controlled weapons possession and always see with interest the controversy over the Second Amendment in the USA.
If I were an American, I would do everything I could to clean out the stable, but I would never turn my back on the NRA.
You have to fight for your rights and not leave it to others ,to decide what they grant us.
Si vis pacem para bellum.
Foxi

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

More drama as longtime outside legal counsel terminated/resigns.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...up-ousts-longtime-outside-counsel/2091478001/

 

[Wheels]

More drama as longtime outside legal counsel terminated/resigns.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...up-ousts-longtime-outside-counsel/2091478001/

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Cooper represented the NRA for the past three decades. He said in a statement provided to the Post: “At every turn, I have advised my client as to my best judgment of the steps that should be taken to advance and protect the best interest of the NRA itself.” He also said he had "adhered to the highest standards of professionalism and loyalty." And that his allegiance had been to the group itself “not to any individual officers or directors of the organization.”

Earlier this year, the infighting within the organization burst into public view when Oliver North, then the NRA's president, was forced outafter expressing concerns about the group's finances.

North was also reportedly involved in an effort to oust NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre, who has been facing pressure to resign,including from deep-pocketed donors concerned about the ongoing strife, according to a July New York Times report. "
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An individual with scruples and character would proffer their resignation in a situation like this. If only for the betterment and existence of the organization itself.

It seems as though LaPierre is consolidating power. I don't see this ending well.

 

[wesheltonj]

I am a life member and have been for several decades. I've seen the NRA through several ups and downs and we always bounce back up. When I was in the military, the first thing we were told when we went to a new duty station was to "train your replacement". The logic being no one is indispensable and we serve for a protracted term. The same holds true in any organization. La Pierre has served his term and it is time for new blood and a fresh outlook. I believe there are members on the board who are fully qualified to take the reins and carry on.
It might be time for the board to scrutinize the makeup of the organization and explore set terms for all executives. This would prevent one person from becoming too entrenched and powerful. A different perspective occasionally is a good thing.

Except his replacement "resigned".

 

[One Day...]

... It should be obvious to anyone that we are on the losing end of a geometric curve. Eventually, the dam will indeed break. If we maintain the position the AR 15 or nothing, eventually it will indeed be nothing. Population dynamics are inexorable...

I would suggest that this needs to be restated as it may have been lost in the shuffle. Please Red Leg, allow me to do so:

"We are on the losing end of a geometric curve. Population dynamics are inexorable..." (Red Leg).

If anyone has any doubt about this, and because this forum is about hunting in Africa, a re-read of the post WW II history of South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe is most interesting; and so are the post-colonial politics and power dynamics of most multi-ethnics African nations. World renown Africa history specialist Bernard Lugan calls it the "ethnomathematics."

In the "one person, one vote" logic, it all becomes a simple game of counting the votes ... and a game of time. Regardless of the continent, the country and the issue, on one end of the issue always seems to be a group of conservative views representing the weight of the millennium of western civilization history, and reproducing at a rate lower (1.7 or so) than the replacement fertility rate of 2.1 necessary to renew their population and assumedly their culture ... and on the other end of the issue, in general terms, always seems to be a diverse group of emerging influence reproducing at a much higher rate (up to 3.1) than the replacement fertility rate of 2.1.

Immigration influxes that displace populations from high reproductive, emerging influence areas to low reproductive, conservative areas accelerate the trend.

From there, it is indeed just mathematical, and the argument developed is neither ethnic, cultural nor religious, it is just biological and arithmetic. The "one person, one vote" system in the end means that political groups that harness the highest birth rate, and immigration influx (physical, or cultural: think growing anti-gun culture in the US), win over political groups that suffer the lowest birth rate and emigration drain (physical, or cultural: think shrinking hunting culture in the US). Period. It may take 100 years, or 50 years, or 25 years (the dynamics seem to be accelerating), but this is but an instant in time at the scale of history.

Inexorable indeed...

So, the options become very simple: either become extinct - with or without the various resistance iterations - or adapt (in term of political power in the framework of this discussion, but the concept obviously applies at much broader scale).

Adapting may imply a lot of different strategies, only one of which is sustainable in the long run: enlarging the political group by shifting to it part of the opposing political group. This generally implies adapting the political platform.

Apartheid was an expression of the "all or nothing" philosophy pushed to its extreme. It collapsed under the weight of demographics. History is littered with the political corps of those who ignored demographics...

 

[Red Leg]

I would suggest that this needs to be restated as it may have been lost in the shuffle. Please Red Leg, allow me to do so:

"We are on the losing end of a geometric curve. Population dynamics are inexorable..." (Red Leg).

If anyone has any doubt about this, and because this forum is about hunting in Africa, a re-read of the post WW II history of South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe is most interesting; and so are the post-colonial politics and power dynamics of most multi-ethnics African nations. World renown Africa history specialist Bernard Lugan calls it the "ethnomathematics."

In the "one person, one vote" logic, it all becomes a simple game of counting the votes ... and a game of time. Regardless of the continent, the country and the issue, on one end of the issue always seems to be a group of conservative views representing the weight of the millennium of western civilization history, and reproducing at a rate lower (1.7 or so) than the replacement fertility rate of 2.1 necessary to renew their population and assumedly their culture ... and on the other end of the issue, in general terms, always seems to be a diverse group of emerging influence reproducing at a much higher rate (up to 3.1) than the replacement fertility rate of 2.1.

Immigration influxes that displace populations from high reproductive, emerging influence areas to low reproductive, conservative areas accelerate the trend.

From there, it is indeed just mathematical, and the argument developed is neither ethnic, cultural nor religious, it is just biological and arithmetic. The "one person, one vote" system in the end means that political groups that harness the highest birth rate, and immigration influx (physical, or cultural: think growing anti-gun culture in the US), win over political groups that suffer the lowest birth rate and emigration drain (physical, or cultural: think shrinking hunting culture in the US). Period. It may take 100 years, or 50 years, or 25 years (the dynamics seem to be accelerating), but this is but an instant in time at the scale of history.

Inexorable indeed...

So, the options become very simple: either become extinct - with or without the various resistance iterations - or adapt (in term of political power in the framework of this discussion, but the concept obviously applies at much broader scale).

Adapting may imply a lot of different strategies, only one of which is sustainable in the long run: enlarging the political group by shifting to it part of the opposing political group. This generally implies adapting the political platform.

Apartheid was an expression of the "all or nothing" philosophy pushed to its extreme. It collapsed under the weight of demographics. History is littered with the political corps of those who ignored demographics...

Exactly

 

[K-man]

For all the people who feel Wayne should resign/leave/whatever from NRA, whoever has the president/CEO job wields a very large club, especially in an election year. From what I have read so far, it seems most have issue with the compensation and perk package he currently receives. My question is this: Have you Ever seen a new CEO take a job for less pay or perks than the existing one? It doesn't seem likely that without a major change of board leadership that any compensation changes will take place. I hope the current power to protect the 2nd amendment doesn't diminish.

 

[mdwest]

Have you Ever seen a new CEO take a job for less pay or perks than the existing one?.

Yes.

I am compensated a good bit less than my predecessor.

No complaints, and no regrets.

I wanted the job.. and the board offered me what both of us thought was fair for the position and what the level of responsibility was/is...

 

[K-man]

Yes.

what both of us thought was fair for the position and what the level of responsibility was/is...

Yes! Exactly! You and the board both agreed and it works for everyone.

 

[IdaRam]

For all the people who feel Wayne should resign/leave/whatever from NRA, whoever has the president/CEO job wields a very large club, especially in an election year. From what I have read so far, it seems most have issue with the compensation and perk package he currently receives. My question is this: Have you Ever seen a new CEO take a job for less pay or perks than the existing one? It doesn't seem likely that without a major change of board leadership that any compensation changes will take place. I hope the current power to protect the 2nd amendment doesn't diminish.

Hi K-man, interesting observation and question. I’ll take a stab at answering and clarifying my opinion and position, while also recognizing that I/we do not have all the facts. Does anyone really know all the details here? Quite probably not. Not likely to either.
So here goes; My issue is not with the compensation and perk package the CEO receives. My issues are with conduct, lack of transparency, and what appears to be a pervasive rot amongst the executive leadership and Board which has led to scandal and deep seated division throughout the organization and has now spread to a broad segment of the membership.
It appears that the actions, behaviors and decisions, or stated differently, the “How’s” not the “What’s”, are as much or actually more the issue for me. I am not really hung up on the amount of compensation, whatever it takes to secure the talent needed to most effectively execute that role. Get the best talent available and within reason compensate them adequately. So long as it is an equitable relationship and a demonstrably wise return on investment.
In my assessment there seems to be a truth that is self evident here. Regardless of the specific details of what went on in the organization (most of which we may never know) the actions, decisions and conduct of the leadership team and the Board have put the entire organization and it’s members in a very unappealing and compromised position. This has damaged the organizations ability at least in the short term (an extremely important time!) to most effectively carry out its mission. This is where much of my heartburn comes from.
I am a staunch supporter of the NRA and will continue to be. I am a life member and proud of it. But I also believe change is needed for a number of reasons. One of which is so that we do not find ourselves struggling to come to grips with situations like this in the future. The role of the organization is too vital to our Second Amendment liberties to have power struggles and the appearance of improprieties plaguing our existence and effectiveness.

 

[Newboomer]

I think it could be said that the board is as much at fault as anyone. After all, they set and approve salaries, allowances and expenses. One might ask why they let it go so far without question or are they as guilty of overindulgence? Power corrupts and the longer power is enjoyed the more it corrupts. It is human nature to grow power and compensation as much as possible for as long as possible. La Pierre is a classic example and as I posted before, he has overstayed his welcome.

Many say they are terminating their membership and/or not donating any more. To leave when things get a little tough is like rats leaving a sinking ship. Every organization has it's ups and downs. The NRA is having a little down right now--which will pass and we will emerge stronger for it-- if we hang together and help work through it.

I am a long time lifer and I will not tuck my tail and run. I am in it for just that--life, and will continue to fight to preserve my Constitutional rights through the NRA.