NRA of America in London

[karen]

Certainly NRA UK should be there, in fact why is this such a surpise to them??

Because noone told us and we are not psychic? :cool2:

Love

karen

[IainWR]

Please, please remember when making comparisions between NRA of USA and NRA of GB:

The USA has the finest Constitution of any nation on Earth. It is the only one which explicitly sets out to stop the government doing stuff. Its strapline, if it had one, if it needed one, would be "We, the People ...". The NRA of America's primary task is the defence of the Second Amendment. That's a really simple, straightforward aim because the Second Amendment is a really simple, straightforward statement. It's not at all a straightforward task, for reasons that you all know.

The UK Constitution is a complex web of statute law, common law, custom, procedure, privelige and other assorted elements. It is not within the gift of anyone to argue a legal right for the permanence of any element. So the NRA of GB cannot do what the NRA of America does, even if it wanted to (possibly) and had the resources (definitely not).

The NRA of America has seven million members. Since its formation in the 1860s, eight of the 28 US Presidents have been members

Ulysses S. Grant - 18th - Republican
William H. Taft - 27th - Republican
Theodore Roosevelt - 32nd - Democratic
Dwight D. Eisenhower - 34th - Republican
John F. Kennedy - 35th - Democratic
Richard M. Nixon - 37th - Republican
Ronald W. Reagan - 40th - Republican
George H.W. Bush - 41st - Republican

The NRA of GB has less than seven thousand members. We have no roll of Prime Ministers who were Members, though several Kings have previously served as our President.

Our membership income is at a guess, 1/1000th of that of the NRA of the USA. They have a bloke who is V-P Membership with a staff of dozens. We have Heather, Nick and Sarah. They have literally hundreds of people paid to work on political campaigning. We have a vacant slot on a wiring diagram. They have fully employed lawyers. We have me - degree in Law, no formal experience (other than court-martialling a few drunken airmen who were unfortunate enough not to have mates to keep them out of trouble).

Comparing us to the NRA of America is not just pointless, it's stupid. They are a major political campaigning organisation with a massive popular support. We are a sport management charity with a vague link to the defence of the Realm, the unfocussed disapproval of much of the population and no money.

All that said, I would like to hear what they have to say, and I do believe we can learn from them. So I intend to go. I haven't had this at work so that may be as a private individual. But I will ask if I may go as the representative of the NRA of GB (assuming that nobody else is going and I just don't know - it may be that the Chairman is going and hasn't thought it necessary to communicate that intention outside of Council).

Iain

[Mike357]

Be good to find out the address of the video broadcast too!

[karen]

OK found this on Facebook

Mike Yardley's positiveshooting.com
NRA (USA) Debate (with Gun Control Network representative Dr Peter Squires) on UN Gun Control proposals London 5th March 2012

http://www.facebook.com/events/create/? ... 9790315104

I hope as many friends as possible will come to this...Should be very interesting, reasonable travel expenses will be paid and we can get together afterwards for a drink and further discussion ... Hollywood production company is filming.

London, Monday 5th March TV debate about UN gun control proposals - speakers Wayne La Pierre [Executive Vice President of US NRA] and Dr. Peter Squires of the Gun Control network. Please share.

Mike Yardley notes: "We need the fullest support possible for this most interesting and important event. Just for the record, and to dispel any potential confusion, we are not promoting US NRA policy in the UK, rather, we are facilitating the US NRA with this event because this UN gun control stuff affects all sportsman globally...it is a danger to all of us whatever national firearms control context."

"Stand up and be counted for British shooting, the issue, the creeping UN agenda on banning small arms affects all of us because they are confusing - perhaps deliberately - child soldiers with AKs in Africa and elsewhere with legitimate sportsman and women shooting for leisure purposes. The policy created by UN, though, as with that made in Brussels by EU, impacts on us shortly afterwards. Some of the stuff already on record is really worrying ..."

The debate starts at 18:30 (with free refreshments from 18:00). Spiffy city venue. Receipted travel expenses will be paid as noted, so why not come to London enjoy the debate and meet friends and have dinner afterwards?

To book your place contact Mike Wells SPORTSMAN'S ASSOCIATION
to book your place 020 8789 1211
sportsman.assn@me.com

[karen]

Well you probably couldn't get two more extreme sides in a debate - could be interesting for all the wrong reasons

[karen]

More

http://www.facebook.com/events/396999790315104/

The topic of the debate is: Should the US support the United Nations small arms treaty? But, a wide range of issues relating to gun control and restrictions will be discussed.

[Dangermouse]

I would have thought that out of decency that they would have contacted the GB NRA and let them know what they were planing on doing, when and where. Not to have done is disrespectful at the very least.
It only takes for a reporter to attend this meeting and report something out of context and our NRA will be tarnished.

In relation to size and power, I doubt that the NRA of America had any clout until it got to it's current level of membership and could not be ignored. We can not expect any Political party to pay too much consideration to our NRA with only 6-7000 members. To get the clout that we want our NRA to have, we all need to be members, it is a simple figures game which the MP's play to their advantage, or disadvantage!
If we were all members of the NRA then they could afford to have a PR & legal team and start to look for land in the North.
It is a bit of a chicken and egg scenario, but in this case the NRA needs members to be able to represent you better,

DM

[karen]

[EagerNoSkill]

Vote for me I will be pm :shakeshout:

[IainWR]

Err - you have to be British (or at least 50% like Churchill).

Actually that may be bo...cks - you have to get elected and that may be the only condition! Don't you just love the British Constitution. At least to be US President you have to be 40 and Born In The US Of A (they even wrote a song about it).

No disrespect, but can you meet the basics? If you can, my vote is available!

iain