TexasCHLforum.com

There are many Republicans (office holders and voters) out there that could really care less about firearms related issues either pro or con. My older sister for example has been a life-long Republican (she is now 75) and is, at best, ambivalent about guns and hunting. She once owned a gun for personal protection, but finally gave it to me as a couple of years ago as she was afraid someone would steal it and use it in a crime. THESE are the ones we need to educate and tell our side of the story. The only way to do that is professionally, courteously, logically, and with numbers! Those numbers need to be in membership in NRA/TSRA/GOA or whatever gun rights organization or organizations fits you. We do not need to threaten or be in their face, but do need to let them know our positions and that we will watch how they vote. Even with those critters called RINOs, they are better than anything we would get from a politician with a D after their name today.

According to statistics in a new book published by Karl Rehn, owner of KR Training, and titled "Strategies and Standards for Defensive Handgun Training" he states that Texas has a population of approximately 29 million with approximately 3.25 million gun owners (~11% of the population). Approximately 500,000 of those 3.25 million are NRA members and only 35,000 are members of TSRA. Those numbers show that of adult gun owners only 15% belong to NRA and only 1% are TSRA members. Vicki at TSRA may have more accurate figures, but I believe Karl's to be pretty close. Alice Tripp and her TSRA crew have been working every pro gun bill and working against every anti-gun bill in the Texas legislature, but with only 1% of Texas gun owners as members, it is a big stretch. Yes, they need more money to do their job of lobbying, but the first step is more MEMBERSHIP. Legislators react to numbers of voters and when only 1% of Texas gunowners are members of TSRA, I think they have done a pretty good job. Is this a pitch to join TSRA--YES, they, working with the NRA Lobbyist in Austin are our primary points of contact to ensure that we have people to testify at hearings, talk with legislators and staffs and get stuff done. Wouldn't it be great if TSRA could double their numbers by the next legislative session and represent at least 2% of the gun owners in Texas!