Give the Best Gift You Can Give this Year: Freedom

The DSSA fights for crime control, not gun control.  (Photo: DSSA)

I recently offered a few suggestions for stocking stuffer gifts this Christmas. I’d like to add one more, at the top of that list – Freedom.

I try to limit myself to gun reviews and shooting activities and articles, rather than editorialize about the state of affairs in our never-ending battle for our civil right to own and use firearms; because frankly I know myself and I go from zero-to-rant in 0.2 seconds. That might make me passionate and possibly even entertaining, but not very informative or persuasive. So – I leave that very good work to the people who do it better, like S.H. Blannelberry right here on GunsAmerica.

But let me tell you who else is doing that good work – day after day – even when we’re not thinking about it. Local organizations at the state level who give voice to our rights in the state legislature. In Delaware, where I live it is the Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association (DSSA) that labors tirelessly to keep the wolf from the door. Nearly every state has a similar organization – many of whom are affiliates of the NRA (as DSSA is). Most of these groups are far smaller than they should be, and we need to fix that. Memberships are usually inexpensive (mine is just $25 per year), and there is no excuse not to join and renew every year.

If you are already doing what you can and belong to your state-level gun rights group, consider giving a membership to your family members or close friends as a gift. I am recommending this gift idea because if I give DSSA $100, it is certainly helpful and will be appreciated – but if I give 4 memberships as gifts they receive the same $100 and as important (maybe even more important) they have four new members on the roster. Why is this an important distinction? Because when your local advocacy group lobbies for your gun rights, the legislators want to know how many of their constituents are being represented. The bigger that number is, the more attention our cause receives. Plainly stated, it puts our lobbyists in a stronger negotiating position.

Here is a one-stop listing that will help you find your local organization:

https://clubs.nra.org/state-associations.aspx

Does it have to be an NRA affiliate? Not necessarily, there are many good organizations out there that are fighting hard for our rights. Joining and helping one of them is better than helping none. But I caution you to research any non-NRA affiliated group to be sure they really do represent pro-gun causes, and can demonstrate how they are doing that. The wolf sometimes dons the attire of the sheep.

The Bloomberg machine and similar groups have already been taking their well-funded propaganda to the state level because they know they are too weak nationally. They are patient and they know that we are vulnerable there. We know what is a stake here. For us, and for many generations to come. Make this a “must do” this Christmas!