Adolphus Busch resigns from NRA

April 18, 2013

 

Mr. David A. Keene

President

National Rifle Association of America

11250 Waples Mill Road

Fairfax, VA 22030

 

Mr. Keene,

This letter shall serve as formal resignation of my life membership in the NRA. I ask that you immediately remove my name from your membership roles and provide me an acknowledgement of this action.

As most in your organization would admit, I have historically been a staunch defender of the NRA purpose and tradition in representing the interests of gun owners.  I have personally devoted countless financial resources and time to nurture an intelligent environmental policy that provided for the proud tradition of personal hunting for generations to come.   

It disturbs me greatly to see this rigid new direction of the NRA. As a starting point, one only has to ask why the NRA reversed its original position on background checks.  Was it not the NRA position to support background checks when Mr. LaPierre himself stated in 1999 that NRA saw checks as “reasonable”?  Furthermore, I fail to see how the NRA can disregard the overwhelming will of its members who see background checks as reasonable.  In fact, according to a Johns Hopkins University study, 74% say they support background checks.

I am simply unable to comprehend how assault weapons and large capacity magazines have a role in your vision. The NRA I see today has undermined the values upon which it was established. Your current strategic focus places a priority on the needs of gun and ammunition manufacturers while disregarding the opinions of your 4 million individual members.

One only has to look at the makeup of the 75-member board of directors, dominated by manufacturing interests, to confirm my point.  The NRA appears to have evolved into the lobby for gun and ammunition manufacturers rather than gun owners. 

In closing I find it important to extend my personal thanks to Chris Cox and David Lehman for their support of so many important environmental issues.  I will miss that level of friendship and support, but must take this action based upon my personal feelings toward the distorted values I see emerging within the NRA.

Sincerely,

Adolphus A. Busch, IV

 

I agree with his reasoning. I discontinued my membership for the same reasons.

chickaree wrote:

April 18, 2013

 

Mr. David A. Keene

President

National Rifle Association of America

11250 Waples Mill Road

Fairfax, VA 22030

 



Mr. Keene,

This letter shall serve as formal resignation of my life membership in the NRA. I ask that you immediately remove my name from your membership roles and provide me an acknowledgement of this action.

As most in your organization would admit, I have historically been a staunch defender of the NRA purpose and tradition in representing the interests of gun owners.  I have personally devoted countless financial resources and time to nurture an intelligent environmental policy that provided for the proud tradition of personal hunting for generations to come.   

It disturbs me greatly to see this rigid new direction of the NRA. As a starting point, one only has to ask why the NRA reversed its original position on background checks.  Was it not the NRA position to support background checks when Mr. LaPierre himself stated in 1999 that NRA saw checks as “reasonable”?  Furthermore, I fail to see how the NRA can disregard the overwhelming will of its members who see background checks as reasonable.  In fact, according to a Johns Hopkins University study, 74% say they support background checks.

I am simply unable to comprehend how assault weapons and large capacity magazines have a role in your vision. The NRA I see today has undermined the values upon which it was established. Your current strategic focus places a priority on the needs of gun and ammunition manufacturers while disregarding the opinions of your 4 million individual members.

One only has to look at the makeup of the 75-member board of directors, dominated by manufacturing interests, to confirm my point.  The NRA appears to have evolved into the lobby for gun and ammunition manufacturers rather than gun owners. 

In closing I find it important to extend my personal thanks to Chris Cox and David Lehman for their support of so many important environmental issues.  I will miss that level of friendship and support, but must take this action based upon my personal feelings toward the distorted values I see emerging within the NRA.

Sincerely,

Adolphus A. Busch, IV

 

I agree with his reasoning. I discontinued my membership for the same reasons.

'OUR LIVES BEGIN TO END, THE MOMENT WE ARE SILENT ABOUT THINGS THAT MATTER.".............

THIS is the definition of COURAGE........I applaud Busch and would fervently hope that OTHER powerful, monied individuals follow
his lead.

The NRA has morphed into a monster and it takes an INDEPENDENT thinking individual to stand up and say ENOUGH......I will NOT
allow you to manipulate me. JMO

So the definition of courage is attacking the constitution with feel good laws that do nothing, other than infringe on the rights of law abiding citizens?

The NRA is a very transparent member driven organization. They are doing exactly what we want them to do. Standing up for the 2nd amendment, which is a right...not a privilege.

Lose one member? Gain millions of new members & donations since Newton. NRA is ahead. They do have a money drive today in honor of the battle of Lexington & Concord if people want to donate some money. [url=http://www.nra-ila.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]www.nra-ila.com[/url], funds for their legislature lobbying branch.

Rene......I am of the opinion YOU are required to do MORE research.......when the NRA has ATTEMPTED/wanted to influence SCOTUS
assignments AND are in bed with the gun mfg........(BIG money begets BIG influence) I calll THAT manipulation. The 2nd Amend and
La Pierre are at odds.....I, too, want to UNDERSTAND LaPierre's 180 stance, just as Busch does. PLEASE, if you will Rene, EXPLAIN
the apparent disconnect from La Pierre.......it takes and INDEPENDENT MIND to look a the facts and discover the TRUTH.....following
blindly with the masses (2nd Amed outcry) is a "sheeple" mindset.

If you review Busch's ancestry, I believe you will find it interesting that the holocaust was a factor and YET, HE has decidedly and
with COURAGE come out against NRA/ LaPierre's position.....WHAT WOULD BE THE REASON FOR THAT DECISION......he will NOT allow
the NRA to manipulate him.......JMO

FredHayek wrote: Lose one member? Gain millions of new members & donations since Newton. NRA is ahead. They do have a money drive today in honor of the battle of Lexington & Concord if people want to donate some money. [url=http://www.nra-ila.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]http://www.nra-ila.com[/url], funds for their legislature lobbying branch.

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BUYING THE SCOTUS POSITIONS????????

If you let the NRA write or influence the background check bill, I think they will support it. But ram a bill created by uneducated politicians like Diana DeGette and you can see why they shut it down.

FredHayek wrote: If you let the NRA write or influence the background check bill, I think they will support it. But ram a bill created by uneducated politicians like Diana DeGette and you can see why they shut it down.

EXPLAIN LA'PIERRE'S turn around......I did NOT see NRA/LAPIERRE coming into this in a BI-PARTISAN way.....what I saw was a "leader"
(LaPierre) shouting out the "battle-cry" of the 2nd Amed. AND the "sheeple" following his "charge".......to the chagrin of ALL INDEPENDENT THINKERS.......


WHO is raking in billions in bills????? The GUN MFGS........WHO is funneling that money to the NRA????? WHO is "buying" SCOTUS
assignments????

AGAIN......WHY did LaPierrre's position change s-o-o radically.........FOLLOW THE MONEY.........(what a novel concept)JMO

Example of one sided gun bills written by ignorants? In New York they recently passed a bill that any gun sales, even between private parties have to have a background check performed on them. And it can't cost more than $10. The gun stores that do the background checks say they can't afford to do these for $10 so they simply won't. So private party sales will just go underground.

If they had actually hammered out a bill with input from industry people, they could have written a bill that actually works.

So, when Obamacare is used as an excuse to raise the price of pizzas on consumers, that makes sense, but having gun stores make someone who wants to purchase a weapon pay for their own background check is ignorant?

Are you okay with Monsanto writing the GMO food laws then?