AN EXAMPLE OF VOTING RIGHTS
I was the President of a small gun club in South Mississippi. We had 46 members. I was able to lease an existing 600 yard range in another State, for $500 per year. At the time we had a large quantity of DCM .30 M2 ammo and .22 rf ammo. We also had DCM rifles but they were borrowed from the DCM on a bond from the Hartford Insurance Company. I was the bonded individual in charge of the program. .30 M2 ammo was given to club members to shoot at the range. We bagged up .30 M2 in 58 round packages and issued them on the line. I signed a statement to make the rifles safe from theft and not let ammunition leave the range, except for members going to a recognized shoot away from our range. They had to turn the brass back into the club so the club could sell it and pay to field a team to Camp Perry and bring back large quantities of free .30 M72 match ammo for our members. The members from out of State could not shoot on our teams but we took some of them to Camp Perry anyway, to shoot in the President's Match and National Individual Trophy Match. When the three team matches were fired, they pulled targets and acted as support personnel. That was the best we could do to treat non-voting members fairly.
Because the 600 yard range was the only 600 yard range between Beaumont, TX and Ft. Benning, GA, our membership increased to 250 members. Some of the new members joined because we offered a lower match fee and free ammo to them. They were not satisfied with firing the ammo and having a serviceable M1 to shoot free. They wanted the empty brass, clips, bandoleers,.50 cans and then wanted all the ammo split up amongst them. I invoked my authority as bond man and we refused to do what they wanted. I figured the range would be open only 2 or 3 years because of the inroads of civilization. We had a called meeting and voted to allow only Life Members to vote or hold office. We set up the life membership and set a price of $400 (in 1981 money) and there were very few new members that went for the $400 membership. Almost to a man, our existing members attained life membership. We were able to control the gun club. All this was approved by the NRA because that is how they determined who could vote in the NRA Annual Meeting.
For a local club, we had huge matches at the 600 yard range, sometimes 5 relays with 12 target carriers. We held the matches twice each month. At the same time we had to buy the property our home range was located on. With the extra income from the 600 yard range and the income from other disciplines shot at the home range, we paid for that facility.
The 600 yard range closed as I knew it would when a house was planned in the middle of the impact area 100 feet from our impact backstop.
About the time the range closed the DCM became the CMP and we were offered the option to buy our rifles from the CMP. The prices were VERY low and we accepted. We could dispose of the rifles after holding them 1 year. I was really happy we restricted voting and we kept our equipment. As the President of the club I received 20-30 calls a week asking when they could buy the rifles at such a great price. The rifles and equipment stayed put. The 80 life members voted on an amendment to allow the sale of club property, only if it were sold at fair market value and the members were allowed first option to purchase 30 days before putting it on the open market. All sales of any items would be approved by 2/3 vote of a quorum of Life Members (50) at a Called meeting.
This, my friends is a small example of voting rights. The non-voting members have all the rights to use club equipment, access to buy ammo at cost but no voting or right to hold office. They are not discriminated upon in any way.
If we had Universal Voting, our equipment would have been gone as well as our bank account, we would have lost the Home Range and we would not exist today. It would have been a MOB SCENE.
This is what is going to happen to the USA, if we do not protect our assets and Treasury.
I was the President of a small gun club in South Mississippi. We had 46 members. I was able to lease an existing 600 yard range in another State, for $500 per year. At the time we had a large quantity of DCM .30 M2 ammo and .22 rf ammo. We also had DCM rifles but they were borrowed from the DCM on a bond from the Hartford Insurance Company. I was the bonded individual in charge of the program. .30 M2 ammo was given to club members to shoot at the range. We bagged up .30 M2 in 58 round packages and issued them on the line. I signed a statement to make the rifles safe from theft and not let ammunition leave the range, except for members going to a recognized shoot away from our range. They had to turn the brass back into the club so the club could sell it and pay to field a team to Camp Perry and bring back large quantities of free .30 M72 match ammo for our members. The members from out of State could not shoot on our teams but we took some of them to Camp Perry anyway, to shoot in the President's Match and National Individual Trophy Match. When the three team matches were fired, they pulled targets and acted as support personnel. That was the best we could do to treat non-voting members fairly.
Because the 600 yard range was the only 600 yard range between Beaumont, TX and Ft. Benning, GA, our membership increased to 250 members. Some of the new members joined because we offered a lower match fee and free ammo to them. They were not satisfied with firing the ammo and having a serviceable M1 to shoot free. They wanted the empty brass, clips, bandoleers,.50 cans and then wanted all the ammo split up amongst them. I invoked my authority as bond man and we refused to do what they wanted. I figured the range would be open only 2 or 3 years because of the inroads of civilization. We had a called meeting and voted to allow only Life Members to vote or hold office. We set up the life membership and set a price of $400 (in 1981 money) and there were very few new members that went for the $400 membership. Almost to a man, our existing members attained life membership. We were able to control the gun club. All this was approved by the NRA because that is how they determined who could vote in the NRA Annual Meeting.
For a local club, we had huge matches at the 600 yard range, sometimes 5 relays with 12 target carriers. We held the matches twice each month. At the same time we had to buy the property our home range was located on. With the extra income from the 600 yard range and the income from other disciplines shot at the home range, we paid for that facility.
The 600 yard range closed as I knew it would when a house was planned in the middle of the impact area 100 feet from our impact backstop.
About the time the range closed the DCM became the CMP and we were offered the option to buy our rifles from the CMP. The prices were VERY low and we accepted. We could dispose of the rifles after holding them 1 year. I was really happy we restricted voting and we kept our equipment. As the President of the club I received 20-30 calls a week asking when they could buy the rifles at such a great price. The rifles and equipment stayed put. The 80 life members voted on an amendment to allow the sale of club property, only if it were sold at fair market value and the members were allowed first option to purchase 30 days before putting it on the open market. All sales of any items would be approved by 2/3 vote of a quorum of Life Members (50) at a Called meeting.
This, my friends is a small example of voting rights. The non-voting members have all the rights to use club equipment, access to buy ammo at cost but no voting or right to hold office. They are not discriminated upon in any way.
If we had Universal Voting, our equipment would have been gone as well as our bank account, we would have lost the Home Range and we would not exist today. It would have been a MOB SCENE.
This is what is going to happen to the USA, if we do not protect our assets and Treasury.
