Here are my votes for the
Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association. These votes are guided by criteria that I set forth below, in no particular order or unifying scheme. We could redefine online advocacy if we gunbloggers examine not just our votes for such things, but the philosophies or rationales behind those votes. We should advance something more coherent next year than I offer as a humble start here.
All mentions of NRA Director nominees below are personal preferences on the basis of my criteria, and represent no official position from the NRA. The NRA has, in fact, told you their preferences, right there in the magazine, printed on the ballot. I exercise my right to express my personal preferences here, and encourage you to share mine, or to express and explain your own. Anything I write here about specific named individuals I base on what they have written about themselves in the ballot package's biographies, and my responses to what I found in them. If you have any criticisms of my choices or criteria, put them in the comments and work with me to refine the criteria for next time around.
If you're an officer or Nominee of the NRA and you don't like my treatment of you or the subject,
tough. If you can't stand this pathetic heat you're unfit for the job of protecting my HK from Chucky Schumer.
* * * *
First of all, one's presence on the NRA Nominating Committee's list carries less than zero credibility with me. I undertook this line of thought upon the untimely passing of Neal Knox, who offered his own list of nominees in loyal opposition. Not having Neal's recommendations this time around, I offer my own and seek the counsel of likeminded fellows.
In that spirit, I want to see a gun blogger on the BOD, and after getting his permission, I ask you to write in
Jed Baer of unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado.
Next, a Director nominee should not tout his support of Operation Exile. That strikes Governor Gilmore.
Third, elected peace officers are OK in my book. Unelected cops, regrettably, are not. Sheriff Printz gets my vote, a bunch of Director nominees do not.
Fourth: professional lobbyists are not OK in my book. That strikes Mr Cors.
Fifth: if a nominee has taken the fight to the United Nations, he gets my vote. Hello Mr Dailey.
Sixth: if a nominee claims nothing more than competitive shooting or hunting in his
vita, he offers nothing to the future of RKBA. For example, nothing in Mr Lanford's bio reaches out and grabs me. Conversely, if a nominee contributed his time or risked his life at the bleeding edge of the RKBA, he gets my vote. Mr Friedman taught emergency gun safety during the East LA riots.
Seventh: the NRA alone will not succeed in protecting the RKBA. All gunbloggers will agree that other organizations are needed as well. It is fitting for a Director nominee to claim membership in other orgs, as Mr Hollandsworth does. Mr Hollandsworth is also at the bleeding edge, as it were, in point six.
Eighth: Hollywood is not our friend. With some ambivalence, I assert that we need to cultivate the few friends there that we do have. Milius and Selleck, yes.
Ninth: there are times to embrace "diversity," if the diverse candidates also pass muster in raw merit. If antis complain that the NRA looks too GOP, too white-European-male, slam them with women and minorities. So we vote for Mr Innis.
Tenth: Have you defended RKBA in court as an attorney? Mr Stern gets the vote.
Senator Miller: Not sure. I liked his speech, as a Democrat to the GOP. However,
Cathy Young's critique of that speech also must be considered. Enough doubt for me to withhold my vote.
Summary: In the order in which they appear on my ballot, I vote for Selleck, Innis, Abrams, Dailey, Bennett, Friedman, Printz, Milius, Cotton, Cushman, Hollandsworth, Coy, Stern, Clark. Write in Baer.
I feel no particular pressure to vote for all 25 nominees that I am allowed. If that dilutes my vote in comparison to others, so be it.
Jot down yours in a comparable post at your place, leave a link in my comments, and please be prepared to pick this topic up again, with more circumspection, next January. Put it in your Palm if necessary. Do background on the nominees so we have more to go by than their bios, if that's your talent. If you attend the meetings, the votes of present Directors would also be useful.
