Editor Note: Please consider voting for Adam Kraut in the NRA 2019 NRA Board of Directors Election.

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- While at SHOT this year I ran into Fredy and Brian (the owners/editors) in the SHOT Show media room. Fredy told me that he was publishing articles from candidates soliciting votes from NRA Voting Members for the 2019 NRA Board of Directors election and did not have one from me. I was asked to write a short piece if I wanted something published.

This year, I have decided to take a different approach. I am not asking for your vote. For the past three election cycles I have published numerous articles and videos that contain my thoughts on various issues, ideas that I think the NRA should be pursuing, proposed bylaw changes to restore some accountability to the Board of Directors and positions on various actions taken by the NRA. Despite articles published by certain Board Members suggesting that the Nominating Committee is the only way to vet an individual’s intentions and qualifications, I believe that I have communicated them to the members at large for some time, so much so, that for three consecutive years, the Members have nominated me by petition.

Rather than asking for your vote, I am asking you to consider what you want for the NRA’s future.

One of the most disturbing observations I have made over the past year has been the blind allegiance or hatred of the NRA by gun owners. There are many NRA Members (along with Board Members) who are seemingly unable to accept that while the organization has done many good things, it has also failed in other respects. On the reverse side of the coin, there are many gun owners who want to focus on things the NRA has screwed up and ignore the contributions to gun rights and ownership that the organization has been a central part of.

Neither position is infallible. Most importantly, the blind allegiance of certain individuals means that issues which need to be corrected never will be. Since when did it become impermissible to question what the organization is doing while supporting its overall goal? Constructive criticism typically results in deficiencies being corrected, after all, that’s the point. Similarly, it is now en vogue, especially on social media, to relentlessly complain about the NRA. You can find that in the comments to almost any article on AmmoLand News which is related to the NRA. To be fair, some of those complaints are absolutely warranted and needed.

For example, NRA’s Carry Guard has become a disaster of a program. Everything from its inception to implementation has been marred with complications. NRA alienated and angered a number of NRA Instructors by taking away their potential trainees with the Carry Guard program. Numerous USCCA members were extremely upset that NRA would destroy the symbiotic relationship the two organizations had (recall NRA booting USCCA from its Annual Meeting in 2017). On top of that, it has now subjected the organization to litigation which has been nothing short of costly.

There have also been a number of articles posted in the past few months on various websites, including The Trace (the Bloomberg funded “unbiased” site) and Wall Street Journal, which have documented instances of self-dealing business relationships, promotions of individuals with questionable judgment and character and rather high salaries being paid to executives. While the source isn’t one that holds a lot of credibility amongst gun owners, the information is accurate. I’ve been told by several people and seen in the comments that “now is not the time to address these issues,” because of the political climate. If not now…when? Simply kicking the can down the road is not an acceptable answer and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the political climate isn’t going to be sunny any time soon.

Regardless of what anyone else tells you, it is entirely permissible to be a member of multiple gun rights organizations. Sometimes your state gun rights group is a more effective choice for issues that directly affect you. Many of you know that I work closely with the Firearms Policy Coalition, of which I am also a member.

Here is the bottom line…you can be a member of multiple organizations and it is ok to not send money to all of them.

I would urge people to join or retain their NRA membership for voting rights in order to vote for candidates (be it me or someone else) who represents them. That does not mean you need to donate money to the organization. In fact, if you are sending your funds elsewhere, allowing your NRA membership to expire, or joining another organization I would urge you to contact the Board to let them know why (information as to how will be at the end of this article).

I set out on this campaign three-years ago, not because I thought the NRA was doing everything right and only wanted to have a seat on the Board, as some have accused me of, but because I thought the NRA needed some help in the right direction and that I might be able to provide assistance in helping change course.

When you receive your ballot and cast your vote(s) this year, be sure to ask yourself “what do I want for the NRA?” If you want an NRA that is going to be lean, effective, and in touch with the next generation of gun owners, then be sure you are voting for people who reflect those ideals. Since the biographies included with the ballot are worthless when it comes to discerning what an individual candidate thinks, you may have to do some research. A great number of candidates have websites set up (such as mine www.adamkraut.com) or have solicited votes by posting articles on AmmoLand News. For those that do not, maybe they respond to inquiries from members.

At the end of the day, we all want the NRA to reflect our values, champion the Second Amendment, and be the 800-pound gorilla that no one wants to take on. In order for that to happen, it requires the Members to participate, not just in elections, but in pushing to preserve the Second Amendment as it was written.

~ Adam Kraut

NRA Board Contact Information

Unfortunately, because nothing can ever be simple, you’ll have to address the letter to the Board Member you wish for it to go to. I’d suggest Duane Liptak, Lt. Col. Robert Brown, Marion Hammer, Willes Lee, Timothy Knight, and Pete Brownell. However, you can choose from any of the individuals listed below. More info on contacting the NRA Board is found here.

Email : [email protected]

You'll need to include your 1) name, 2) address, and 3) membership number for them to pass along the message to board members.

OR snail mail.

***Name of Board Member***

NRA Office of the Secretary

11250 Waples Mill Road

Fairfax, VA 22030

Here is a list of the current 2018-2019 Board Members:

Joe M. Allbaugh, Oklahoma; Thomas P. Arvas, New Mexico; Paul Babaz, Georgia; Scott L. Bach, New Jersey; William A. Bachenberg, Pennsylvania; Bob Barr, Georgia; Ronnie G. Barrett, Tennessee; Clel Baudler, Iowa; J. Kenneth Blackwell, Ohio; Matt Blunt, Virginia; Dan Boren, Oklahoma; Robert K. Brown, Colorado; Pete R. Brownell, Iowa; Dave Butz, Illinois; Dean Cain, California; Ted W. Carter, Florida; Richard R. Childress, North Carolina; Patricia A. Clark, Connecticut; Allan D. Cors, Florida; Charles L. Cotton, Texas; David G. Coy, Michigan; Larry E. Craig, Idaho; John Cushman, New York; Edie P. Fleeman, North Carolina; Carol Frampton, South Carolina; Joel Friedman, Nevada; Sandra S. Froman, Arizona; Julie Golob, Missouri; Marion P. Hammer, Florida; Maria Heil, Pennsylvania; Graham Hill, Virginia; Susan Howard, Texas; Curtis S. Jenkins, Georgia; David A. Keene, Maryland; Tom King, New York; Timothy Knight, Tennessee; Herbert A. Lanford Jr., South Carolina; Willes K. Lee, Virginia; Carrie Lightfoot, Arizona; Duane Liptak Jr., Texas; Karl A. Malone, Louisiana; Sean Maloney, Ohio; Robert E. Mansell, Arizona; Carolyn D. Meadows, Georgia; Bill Miller, West Virginia; Owen Buz Mills, Arizona; Craig Morgan, Tennessee; Il Ling New, Idaho; Oliver L. North, Virginia; Robert A. Nosler, Oregon; Johnny Nugent, Indiana; Ted Nugent, Texas; Lance Olson, Iowa; Melanie Pepper, Texas; James W. Porter II, Alabama; Peter J. Printz, Montana; Todd J. Rathner, Arizona; Kim Rhode, California; Wayne Anthony Ross, Alaska; Carl T. Rowan Jr., Washington, D.C.; Don Saba, Arizona; William H. Satterfield, Alabama; Ronald L. Schmeits, New Mexico; Esther Q. Schneider, Texas; Steven C. Schreiner, Colorado; John C. Sigler, Delaware; Leroy Sisco, Texas; Bart Skelton, New Mexico; Kristy Titus, Oregon; Dwight D. Van Horn, Idaho; Blaine Wade, Tennessee; Linda L. Walker, Ohio; Howard J. Walter, North Carolina; Heidi E. Washington, Michigan; Allen B. West, Texas; Donald E. Young, Alaska.