POST OFFICE BOX 400, ONALASKA, WA 98570
________________________________________
July 1, 2017
NRA Board Members
National Rifle Association
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
Dear NRA Board Members,
My name is Marty Hayes. I am a life member of the NRA (#***) and the President of the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc.
I find myself torn between being an ally and supporter of the NRA and being an adversary of and competitor to the NRA.
You see, with the introduction of NRA Carry Guard self defense insurance, the NRA has introduced a for-profit business enterprise that directly competes with the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network. My wife and I have put our heart and soul into building the very best organization for armed citizens to fight the unmeritorious prosecutions of legitimate acts of self defense, and that leaves me with this question: Do I continue to support an entity that, if successful, takes money out of my pocket, or do I reset our marketing and priorities to be a direct competitor to the NRA?
Why did you do this? Why has the NRA spent millions of dollars of NRA member money, contributions that were intended for fighting the fight against gun-prohibitions and other anti-gun efforts (including Michael Bloomberg), to promote Carry Guard? Well, what I was told at the NRA AM Board Meeting (I attended) was that the NRA wanted to “modernize the financial underpinnings” of the NRA. And Executive Vice President LaPierre believed that these efforts would bring in much needed revenue. But, I ask, revenue for what? For more advertising to gain more and more members? It certainly doesn’t seem that it is for fighting Bloomberg and his ilk. You see, I live in Washington State, where the NRA was ABSENT in the fight to stop Bloomberg’s Initiative 594, the “Universal background check” initiative.
Starting Carry Guard weakens the NRA by creating business adversaries, not strengthening it by bringing all of us together. Please understand that I will do whatever it takes to allow my business to grow and prosper. And as I see it, I will now be forced to point out to my potential customers, the problems (and there are many) which are imbedded into NRA Carry Guard. I don’t have the millions of dollars to spend on advertising like the NRA does, but I do have a bully pulpit where I get to speak directly to over 13,000 members of the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc. and I plan to use it.
Please understand that I do not want to weaken the NRA, but when given the choice between the NRA and my family, I will choose my family.
Respectfully,
/s/ Marty Hayes, J.D.
President, Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, Inc.
CC: All members of the National Rifle Association Board of Directors
Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice President
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