NRA giving my membership info away to private organization

wahoowad

wahoowad

Member
My gun club is a private organization that requires me to be a member of the NRA. I am OK with this requirement. Today I get a letter from my gun club "because the NRA has informed the club that your NRA membership has lapsed."
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I had no idea the NRA contacted other private organizations to report the status of my membership. I forgot to renew, and I will be renewing, just now wondering who else they report my information to. And why. How did the NRA even know I was a member of that gun club? Unsettling.
 
An NRA affiliated gun club shares their membership information with the NRA as part of the affiliation. In turn the NRA notifies you and the gun club when your membership has lapsed. That fact does not mean that the NRA is sharing your information with anyone else. And your gun club receives additional NRA support that goes beyond just knowing if your NRA membership lapses.

It sounds like you knew being an NRA member is required in advance. No pay no shoot.
 
Dude, you just joined 2 days ago and already making snide remarks to existing members? I hope the 104 insightful posts you already made in just 2 days weren't the same.
 
Originally Posted By: wahoowadMy gun club is a private organization that requires me to be a member of the NRA. I am OK with this requirement. Today I get a letter from my gun club "because the NRA has informed the club that your NRA membership has lapsed."
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I had no idea the NRA contacted other private organizations to report the status of my membership. I forgot to renew, and I will be renewing, just now wondering who else they report my information to. And why. How did the NRA even know I was a member of that gun club? Unsettling.

I'm sure the NRA responded to a request from your club merely reporting your membership status.

Trust me, NRA will not/does not give out membership lists to any organization. I was chairman of our county Friends of NRA committee for eight or nine years and we could send an announcement of our annual fund raiser to all NRA members in the area, but NRA would not release the names of those members to the NRA area rep or any committee member. They insisted on us preparing the mailing and sending it to NRA headquarters where NRA addressed them and mailed them, then billed the committee for postage.

You can rest assured that your identity is safe w/NRA.

Regards,
hm
 
Originally Posted By: wahoowadDude, you just joined 2 days ago and already making snide remarks to existing members? I hope the 104 insightful posts you already made in just 2 days weren't the same. I just have to say hes been here for a month and 2 days, sorry I just had too.
 
Quote:That fact does not mean that the NRA is sharing your information with anyone else.....Unfortunately, the NRA does share your information with their commercial partners that are somewhat commercial sponsors....

When I signed up for the NRA, I registered using a misspelled form of my name intentionally and have received several offers of products or services, including my supplemental health insurance....It's been my way of tracking sources of things for which I request information or register for specific items...

In today's electronic society and mass marketing, it's not an unusual practice for most organizations,,,,but it does become a nuisance unless you can identify the sources and then opt out of their programs if you choose to do so...
 
I did not expect that my comments about an NRA affiliated gun club would cause you so much concern, but its obvious you're confused about far more than just that issue. Join one with no NRA affiliation and it won't happen again.

But that doesn't guarantee the NRA won't share it with others either. I do know you can opt out of their using your name. Maybe check the NRA web site. In reality, you'd be surprised what is routinely "shared" about any person in today's mass marketing society.

My goodness! Some testosterone levels here are extremely high. I can't wait till I get 1K+ posts so I can be totally confused too and I can tell a new guy how he should have answered my question. All because I have 1K+ posts. My my. It looks like more than your wahoo is in a wad.
 
OT, I too receive (way too) many insurance offers which are NRA "approved". I assume that these are handled the same as NRA treats their own affiliated groups such as Friends of NRA committees which operate under the authority of the NRA Foundation (a separate entity for tax exempt purposes, but still a branch of NRA). That is, I suspect NRA probably mails these offers using their membership lists but do not turn the names over to an outside entity. I do know that they refused to give us a list and let us handle the mailing ourselves.

Our annual fundraiser is tomorrow evening and you can be sure I'll ask our NRA rep. if that policy is still in effect.

I'll have to pay closer attention to the next insurance offer I receive, but IIRC most show NRA in the return address.

I do know our addresses are sold by many businesses and organizations, but have always felt safe in that regard as far as NRA was concerned.

Regards,
hm
 
Originally Posted By: hm1996Our annual fundraiser is tomorrow evening and you can be sure I'll ask our NRA rep. if that policy is still in effect.


As promised, I checked w/our NRA area rep and here is her reply:

Originally Posted By: South Texas NRA area rep.We do not sell membership lists. If a member has received something it has come from the NRA as a possible benefit or opportunity. Hope this helps.


As stated in my previous post above, I do know from personal experience that NRA will notshare their membership list, even within their own subdivisions (Friends of NRA).

Regards,
hm
 
I am with you Old Turtle. I am not buying it. If the NRA did not share information then it would be impossible for the gun club to know whether a person was or was not a member of the NRA. It is really that simple.

The real calamity here is does anyone actually think they have private information?? Realy??

Tom.
 
Originally Posted By: hm1996

As promised, I checked w/our NRA area rep and here is her reply:

South Texas NRA area rep. said:
We do not sell membership lists. If a member has received something it has come from the NRA as a possible benefit or opportunity. Hope this helps.




This is typical Democratic Party, Bill Clinton talk. "We do not sell" Does not mean we do not share. Or whatever they wish to do with that information. Words and phrases like the above are pure spin.

And to add more spin to it. Ask her to define "WE". Sort of the way Bill Clinton described the word "IS". Sorry to sound so cynical. But it is the world we live in. Tom.
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Originally Posted By: HOGGHEADOriginally Posted By: hm1996

As promised, I checked w/our NRA area rep and here is her reply:

South Texas NRA area rep. said:
We do not sell membership lists. If a member has received something it has come from the NRA as a possible benefit or opportunity. Hope this helps.


If the NRA did not share information then it would be impossible for the gun club to know whether a person was or was not a member of the NRA. It is really that simple.

This is typical Democratic Party, Bill Clinton talk. "We do not sell" Does not mean we do not share. Or whatever they wish to do with that information. Words and phrases like the above are pure spin.

And to add more spin to it. Ask her to define "WE". Sort of the way Bill Clinton described the word "IS". Sorry to sound so cynical. But it is the world we live in. Tom.

Well, Tom, I understand in this day and age it is easy to be somewhat paranoid about one's identity information, but, my point is that yes, NRA will share their list, that is, they may handle the mailing of your "offer", "newsletter", whatever for you, but , they do not provide you with their membership list. I know this for a fact, as I stated above, as they would not provide a fundraising committee operating under a branch of NRA (Friends of NRA operating under the NRA Foundation) a list of members living in the area in which we were holding a fund raising event for the benefit of NRA Foundation. If they will not release their list for their own benefit do you really think they will open up their membership rolls to any outside organization?
I am sure that the club in question queried the NRA as to membership status of their club member (since NRA membership was a condition of club membership) and provided NRA with the name of their member only . In response, NRA said yay or nay as to the particular person's membership. They would not release any address, etc. under these conditions.

I have yet to receive any mailings, other than (as stated too many) insurance offerings sent (I am sure) by NRA in partnership with said insurance companies (either for a % of their premium or for so much a name) that I can connect to NRA (and I can identify the name I used on my membership). I still feel confident that NRA safeguards their members identification.

Regards,
hm
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A Duck by any other name is still a Duck.

And I will stand by the statement I made. The only way the club could know is if the NRA shared that information. That is as simply as I can put it. You can spin it the way you want, and that lady can spin it the way she did. But the truth is the truth. And if the NRA verified to the club then it shared information. Sorry, but it is that simple.

Do you think the NRA is paid when a company asks the NRA to distribute paraphenelia for them?? Of course the NRA gets paid. So you call it what you want. And spin it however you wish. But the fact is that you were solicited because of your information given to the NRA.

I am not picking on the NRA here. Every single establishment in America does it. I just don't like people spinning it so that they try to make themselves seem high and mighty. Which is exactly what that lady did when she spun her comment about "we do not sell".

Probably one of the worst ones out there that sells your personal information is the State DMV when you buy your license. You would think you could trust the state!! Ya right. Just an opinion. Tom.
 
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If you are paranoid about all of this, the solution is to not join an NRA affiliated gun club that tells you up front when you join that membership in the NRA is a requirement for club membership.

That seems like a fairly simple thing when you think about it.
 
I've been a member of the NRA for nearly 40 years. To my knowledge they have not shared my info with anyone else. Maybe they have and I didn't know it but so what. My club requires us to be NRA members. It is a good thing IMO. I don't have to worry about NRA dues. It is included in my annual membership fee. I will always be an NRA member and will always be a member of my gun club.
 
Originally Posted By: RammerJust another reason why I quit giving money to the NRA.

They ain't perfect, but they are about all we got.

Until something, bigger, better, cheaper comes along, I reckon they'll still get my money.
 
Originally Posted By: HOGGHEADA Duck by any other name is still a Duck.

And I will stand by the statement I made. The only way the club could know is if the NRA shared that information. That is as simply as I can put it. You can spin it the way you want, and that lady can spin it the way she did. But the truth is the truth. And if the NRA verified to the club then it shared information. Sorry, but it is that simple.
NRA provided membership status to an NRA affiliated gun club of one of the gun club members when provided the name of that member by the club in order to establish eligibility of that individual to renew his club membership per club's terms of membership. In no way was that persons personal data (name and address) compromised.
Do you think the NRA is paid when a company asks the NRA to distribute paraphenelia for them?? Of course the NRA gets paid. Sure NRA benefits when they distribute mailings on behalf of commercial entities. This money goes into the coffers that help fight for our 2nd Amendment rights which have done quite well recently in spite of an anti-gun administration being in power. This fight is costly and I for one applaud the resourcefulness of NRA in funding this fight on our behalf. So you call it what you want. And spin it however you wish. But the fact is that you were solicited because of your information given to the NRA.

I am not picking on the NRA here. Every single establishment in America does it. I just don't like people spinning it so that they try to make themselves seem high and mighty. Which is exactly what that lady did when she spun her comment about "we do not sell".
You can call it spin if you wish, but, as stated, member's Name and address are protected. They do not deliver names and addresses to another entity. They do enter into "partnership" arrangements with commercial entities such as insurance companies to handle mailings on their behalf, and of course they do so with the intention of earning money for the NRA.

Probably one of the worst ones out there that sells your personal information is the State DMV when you buy your license. You would think you could trust the state!! Ya right. Just an opinion. Tom. Yep, Texas DMV does also. We all have a right to our opinion
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Regards,
hm




Originally Posted By: doggin coyotes

Originally Posted By: Rammer Just another reason why I quit giving money to the NRA.

They ain't perfect, but they are about all we got.

Until something, bigger, better, cheaper comes along, I reckon they'll still get my money.


You got that right, doggin! I've been a member since 1950 and feel very strongly that if it were not for the NRA, we would have lost our 2nd Amandment rights long ago. Look what happened in Australia recently.

What organization's name is mentioned when the media laments that some gun control scheme or another has been defeated due to the "gun lobby"? Yep, you guessed it, NRA, and with good reason:

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0407/3563.html

Is it worth the price of a box of cartridges to support your right to participate and enjoy your favorite passtime for a year, even if it does result in a bunch of junk mail? I can't speak for others, but I think so and will continue to do so as I have for over 60 years.

Regards,
hm
 
"Is it worth the price of a box of cartridges to support your right to participate and enjoy your favorite passtime for a year, even if it does result in a bunch of junk mail? I can't speak for others, but I think so and will continue to do so as I have for over 60 years."

I definitely think it is. The NRA IS the only reason we still have gun rights in this country. It is not perfect, but as was already said, it is all we have working for the pro-gun lobby that is effective in Washington DC. Any gun owner who is not a member for whatever reason they have arrived at is riding the coat tails of those who are. If we all lose our gun rights, a non-member has no one but himself to blame, but will probably blame the NRA instead. The NRA's strength is in its numbers as politicians well know.
 
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