It’s a question I get all the time: What happened to the National Rifle Association?
It’s a question that hunters ask all the time. First, there’s an important distinction. The problem is with the NRA's leadership, not their members. As friends of mine like to say, the NRA has a "Field and Stream" membership, but a "Soldier of Fortune" leadership.
Over the past several years, the leadership’s hard core, confrontational approach to policy has undermined our hunting heritage. I firmly believe the declining number of hunters is directly related to the unpopularity of the NRA. That’s unfortunate – and if hunting is going to be preserved in the U.S., it has to change.
The NRA used to care about hunters – and, just as importantly, about the lands on which we hunt. Now, the NRA leadership has adopted a conservative, right wing orthodoxy, that ignores the true interests of American hunters and shooters. As hunters, we care about our guns and are deeply committed to the Second Amendment, there is no question about that. But hunting is about more than guns, it's about our environment, public access, climate change and safe communities.
The "Soldier of Fortune" NRA leaders have become tools of conservative politicians who care more about raising money and fostering the right-wing agenda than hunting and shooting. Does anyone honestly think that NRA Board Member Grover Norquist cares about the needs of hunters or about public lands and public access? Hardly.
Over the years, I’ve asked – and was often asked -- who speaks for the moderate and progressive gun owners? No one has til now.
I’ve had enough. That’s why I started the American Hunters and Shooters Association. I want to take back the voice of hunters and shooters. We believe in the right of every law-abiding American to own firearms, however, unlike those who run the NRA, we believe all Americans have a civic responsibility to our communities. We also support law enforcement and keeping our families and neighborhoods safe. Most hunters gladly accept that responsibility. Of course, that’s heresy to the NRA honchos. Just think of it: a conservation, gun rights organization that is committed to keeping your communities safe. We think this is an approach that makes us all proud again.
The good news is we're making some headway. In a recent column in New West, outdoor journalist Wild Bill Schneider made his "Predictions for 2008". One of his top ten forecasts for the year was:
The National Rifle Association will continue supporting politicians who don’t represent the best interests of hunters and its rival, the American Hunters and Shooters Association, will continue to gain ground on the NRA.
I couldn’t have said it better myself. And, with your help, the American Hunters and Shooters Association will reclaim our proud American hunting heritage.