JD> I think the NRA is well over 2 million strong at 
 JD> present, and was about 3 million before the 
 JD> unfortunate timing of the "Jackbooted Thugs" comment 
 JD> hitting right at the time that Tim McVeigh decided to 
 JD> do his thing.
 TR>   I don't think the timing had anything to do with it. Hiking dues in 
 TR> any organization will cause the un-committed to flake 
 TR> off. What we have now is a leaner NRA but one composed 
 TR> of interested individuals. The _only_ drawback IMO is 
 TR> a decidly UNcommitted leadership that failed to 
 TR> followup after the 'jack booted thug' opening shot and 
 TR> the 94' election massacre. Heston as public figure is 
 TR> all well and good, but I'd like to see some teeth.
Heston advocating live on radio that banning AK-47's is legal and acceptable 
represents a good public figure for NRA interests?  
"Monty Hall style" CCW permit law advocacy, to be able to claim numbers 
negotiated ahead of quality of results, isn't more than a small drawback?  
Besides replacing a stale ad agency, possibly learning how to run a sister 
entity ad agency to return commissionable rate percentages back in house, 
seeing at least one key officer primarily a fiscal conservative comptroller 
type, and another more serious about no compromises than the best of Neal 
Knox, Leroy Pyle, and Larry Pratt, what would you call "teeth"?  
I suspect that the nature of the fight is such that fresh blood is needed now 
and then in enough roles to make up for the effects where saying "don't let 
the bastards wear you down" isn't good enough, while an organization also 
needs enough stability to be clearly visible as having consistent causes, 
goals, and styles alongside shorter term efforts and occasional trial 
tactics.  
Terry
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