Video Highlights
- Washington President William Kirk discusses the criticism directed towards the NRA in a recent video.
- Kirk shares his personal experience as an NRA member, highlighting frequent requests for additional donations with limited benefits.
- Objective facts reveal the NRA's financial challenges, including bad breakups, accusations of wasteful spending, mounting debt, and unsuccessful bankruptcy filing.
- Financial analysis shows a significant decline in the NRA's net unrestricted assets from negative $30 million in 2017 to negative $50 million in 2019.
- However, the NRA has made a turnaround by cutting costs, particularly in program expenses for its members.
- The decrease in member services spending and lack of visible impact have led to criticism from gun rights supporters.
- Kirk encourages an open discussion to understand whether NRA members are satisfied with their investment or have shifted their support elsewhere.
Video Summary
In a recent video on Washington gun law TV, Washington President William Kirk addresses the growing criticism directed towards the National Rifle Association (NRA) within the gun rights community. Kirk aims to understand the source of this criticism and initiate a discussion among viewers to evaluate the return on investment that NRA membership provides. While acknowledging the NRA's historical significance, power, and resources, Kirk delves into his personal experience as an NRA member and presents objective facts about the organization's financial state.
Kirk begins by sharing his anecdotal experience as an NRA member, highlighting the frequent mailers and phone calls requesting additional donations. Although he acknowledges the existence of other benefits and reasons for joining the NRA, he acknowledges that many gun rights supporters express doubts about the value of their membership.
Moving on to objective facts, Kirk sheds light on the NRA's tumultuous period since 2016. The organization faced bad breakups with business partners, accusations of wasteful spending, mounting debt, and several lawsuits. The NRA's attempt to file for bankruptcy proved unsuccessful. Kirk emphasizes that these challenges led to a significant decline in the NRA's financial health, with net unrestricted assets plummeting from a negative $30 million in late 2017 to a negative $50 million by the end of 2019.
However, Kirk also highlights that the NRA deserves credit for its recent financial turnaround. The organization has managed to become significantly healthier compared to just four years ago. Interestingly, this recovery was not achieved through massive fundraising or increased membership numbers. Instead, the NRA accomplished it by cutting costs, particularly in program expenses for its members.
This reduction in program expenses and the perceived lack of benefits have been common criticisms among NRA members. Kirk cites the example of the NRA spending $75 million on members and member services in 2021, which was $53 million less than two years prior. This revelation further reinforces the sentiment expressed by many gun rights supporters who feel that their investment in the NRA does not provide adequate value.
Kirk urges viewers to participate in an open discussion and share their experiences and perspectives regarding the NRA's effectiveness as an organization. He invites them to evaluate whether they have witnessed a satisfactory return on their investment and if they have chosen to allocate their resources elsewhere. Kirk emphasizes the importance of supporting organizations that actively fight for Second Amendment rights, such as the Second Amendment Foundation, Gun Owners of America, and the Firearms Policy Coalition, which have been prominently involved in legal challenges. He notes that the NRA's involvement as a head plaintiff in such cases has been relatively limited.
In conclusion, Kirk encourages viewers to contribute to the discussion and provide insights into their experiences with the NRA. By fostering an open dialogue, the gun rights community can gain a better understanding of which organizations truly advocate for their civil liberties. Kirk reminds viewers to stay informed about the law and exercise their rights as responsible gun owners.
