The NRA is a Tax-Exempt Nonprofit Organization

[spanone]

This REALLY pisses me off.

The February 2018 shooting deaths of seventeen people at a high school in Parkland, Florida and a subsequent, charged town hall meeting about gun safety with some of the mass shooting’s survivors and their families has put the National Rifle Association under intense scrutiny for its opposition to gun control.

Against this background, many were surprised to discover that the NRA, despite being well known for its political lobbying and ties to the gun industry, is in fact a tax-exempt nonprofit organization. On 22 February 2018, the “Really American” Facebook page posted a meme that showed President Donald Trump holding a replica flintlock rifle, along with this message:

The NRA has non-profit, tax-exempt status. Even though they transformed from an organization for gun owners to an organization for gun manufacturers, and donate millions of dollars to politicians to make sure they vote the “right way.” Corruption in action.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/nra-tax-exempt-non-profit/

[EX500rider]

1. Well the 2nd is a right until ruled otherwise.

And they do fight for that right, you just don't like or agree with that right.

"The defense of civil rights secured by law is textbook social welfare activity, regardless of the size and extent of such activity"

[spanone]

2. let's say i'm a critic of the nra not the amendment...nice try though

The National Rifle Association is indeed a tax-exempt nonprofit organization. To be specific, it has 501(c)(4) status, meaning it is regarded as a “social welfare organization” by the Internal Revenue Service:

To be operated exclusively to promote social welfare, an organization must operate primarily to further the common good and general welfare of the people of the community (such as by bringing about civic betterment and social improvements.)
A 501(c)(4) organization like the NRA is allowed to engage in political lobbying and advocacy, but this cannot be its main activity, and it must be related to the group’s primary mission and the issue upon which its tax exemption is based, according to the IRS. Social welfare organizations may also get involved in political campaigns and elections, provided their involvement is related to the group’s mission, and again, only if this does not constitute their primary activity.

Critics of the NRA have claimed that the organization’s tax exemption should be taken away, because, roughly speaking, the NRA spends less time and money providing a genuine service to the public at large than it does on political lobbying, and because the NRA’s activities benefit the private gun industry.

[EX500rider]

4. And as they replied:

"Just as newspapers and other information sources incidentally benefit from the ACLU’s advocacy about the First Amendment, gun manufacturers incidentally benefit from the NRA’s advocacy about the Second."

Most firearm safety courses in the US are taught by NRA certified instructors.

[Hoyt]

25. That's a problem. WTF do we allow a white wing racist organization to

teach such courses. Christ, it's like letting the Klan teach diversity and tolerance.

[spanone]

33. incidentally

that’s funny

[Fred Sanders]

3. In a well regulated militia. Even the NRA left that part out in their edifice at national HQ.

Hmmmm, why would they do that? Why hide the sacred words, or distort them? Puzzling.

Have you heard, the Russians are coming...to join with the NRA!

[EX500rider]

5. The Supreme Court has already ruled on that, it is a right for the People, not just the militia.

The Bill of Rights guarantees the rights of the people.

That's why it's called the Bill of Rights.

If the 1st Amendment was worded:

"A well regulated Press, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to free speech, shall not be infringed."

Would only the press have free speech or the people? (of course you won't answer that because you can't)

Also even if you could abolish the 2nd, 44 States have a RKBA in their Constitutions also.

[pwb]

7. The second amendment is in the constitution not the bill of rights.

The right to bear arms could be the right to wear short sleeves.?

[EX500rider]

8. Wrong.

Bill of Rights

the first ten amendments to the US Constitution, ratified in 1791 and guaranteeing such rights as the freedoms of speech, assembly, and worship.
It's number 2 in the Bill of Rights.

[pwb]

11. Wrong

I have a copy of the constitution right in front of me. The bill of rights is a whole different document.

[EX500rider]

14. And what is the 2nd Amendment in the Bill of Rights?

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

[Fred Sanders]

27. A well regulated militia....yes! I am get behind that! NRA erased that from HQ.

[EX500rider]

29. Maybe keep up with Supreme Court decisions.

"State and federal courts historically have used two models to interpret the Second Amendment: the "individual rights" model, which holds that individuals hold the right to bear arms, and the "collective rights" model, which holds that the right is dependent on militia membership. The "collective rights" model has been rejected by the Supreme Court, in favor of the individual rights model."

They have the final say.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution#Supreme_Court_cases

And even before that decision at no time has the US required for one to be a militia member to own forearms.

[sarisataka]

16. You might want to consider

researching the Bill of Rights before continuing this thread

[pwb]

28. The bill of rights became part of the constitution.

There is no separation in the constitution of the 27 amendments. It doesn't say the bill of rights and then the other 17 amendments. It says there are twenty seven amendments to the constitution. It is one constitution. That's how I read it.
If the bill of rights was the constitution why was it part of amending the constitution ? The articles of the constitution never mention bearing arms. All of the amendments were added or they would not be called amendments . Again that's how I interpret it and we all have the right to our own interpretation .

[EX500rider]

30. The courts interpretation is the one that matters.

United States Bill of Rights

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Bill_of_Rights

[sarisataka]

31. When an Amendment is ratified

it is incorporated into the Constitution. The first ten Amendments are collectively known as the Bill of Rights

Your previous statements implied the 2nd Amendment was part of the original Constitution. You specifically claimed the Amendment was not a part of the Bill of Rights.

[pwb]

34. The constitution was originally only 7 Articles.

It was amended to include 27 amendments to the original 7 articles. The original 7 articles never mention bearing arms. So in fact the 10 parts of the bill of rights and the other 17 amendments are just what they say amendments. The 7 articles were the original constitution which was amended 27 times. Good talk.

[Ms. Toad]

24. Ouch.

http://www.letmegooglethat.com/?q=What+is+the+bill+of+rights&l=1

[Fred Sanders]

10. Why would the NRA leave any sacred words of the second amendment out of their edifice??

Just asking.

[EX500rider]

17. Ask them, maybe there wasn't room...or maybe they just posted the part they feel is pertinent.

[Fred Sanders]

18. You have all the answers, I am asking you. I think it is because they fear those words.

That is just me.

Wasn't room...made me laugh!

[Fred Sanders]

15. A well regulated press and freedom of speech are kind of contradictory. Analogy fail.

Your avatar of a angry kid holding a ray gun.....yeah.

[EX500rider]

19. Actually the wording in the Rhode Island Bill of Rights is similar:

"That the people have a right to freedom of speech, and of writing and publishing their sentiments. That freedom of the press is one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty, and ought not to be violated."

So do the people have freedom of speech or only the press in Rhode Island?

https://www.usconstitution.net/rat_ri.html

[EX500rider]

26. Your sig line..

....grumpy cat.......yeah.

[VOX]

20. No right is absolute. Not a single one.

Yelling “FIRE!” (as in flames) in a crowded theater, etc.

[EX500rider]

22. No one here has said it is.

There are lots of firearm restrictions in place and you are free to advocate for more.

[pwb]

6. And the devil, NRA head, Wayne Lapier is the highest paid non profit CEO. 5 million dollars a year.

And that doesn't come from dues paying members ! It come from weapons makers and people like the Koch's .

[EX500rider]

9. Not unusual:

About 2,700 employees of 501(c)(3) nonprofits received annual compensation of more than $1 million in 2014.

https://nonprofitquarterly.org/2017/03/08/million-dollar-compensation-nonprofit-ceos/

[Fred Sanders]

12. Is the primary activity of the NRA political activity or social welfare activity?

[EX500rider]

21. That would be up to the courts, not me.

But as they said:
"The defense of civil rights secured by law is textbook social welfare activity, regardless of the size and extent of such activity"

[Fred Sanders]

23. No quarrel with that. But the NRA PRIMARY activity majority political...direct campaign $$$$ and

$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ads is political activity. They will proudly say so! Look at any NRA meeting agenda...all political...who shows up at their convention? Politicians or social welfare activists?

Obviously, I am right.

[EX500rider]

32. "Obviously, I am right" Obviously you would think so anyway.

[pwb]

13. He is the highest paid.

[EX500rider]

35. I think trying to take away tax-exempt status from advocacy orgs you don't like could come back..

...to bite you in the ass when the other side does it ones you do.

[spanone]

36. advocacy for gun manufacturers and congressional legislation. that is called LOBBYING.

In general, no organization may qualify for section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying). A 501(c)(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status.

Legislation includes action by Congress, any state legislature, any local council, or similar governing body, with respect to acts, bills, resolutions, or similar items (such as legislative confirmation of appointive office), or by the public in referendum, ballot initiative, constitutional amendment, or similar procedure. It does not include actions by executive, judicial, or administrative bodies.

An organization will be regarded as attempting to influence legislation if it contacts, or urges the public to contact, members or employees of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing, supporting, or opposing legislation, or if the organization advocates the adoption or rejection of legislation.

Organizations may, however, involve themselves in issues of public policy without the activity being considered as lobbying. For example, organizations may conduct educational meetings, prepare and distribute educational materials, or otherwise consider public policy issues in an educational manner without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status.

https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/lobbying

[Jim Lane]

39. You quote the rules about 501(c)(3) organizations but the NRA is a 501(c)(4)

I think the NRA, like many other c4 organizations, maintains an affiliated c3 charitable organization, for donors who want a tax deduction. (Donations to a c3 are deductible. Donations to a c4 are not deductible.)

The rules about what a c3 is allowed to do are more restrictive. For example, endorsement of political candidates is permitted to a c4 but prohibited to a c3.

The usual setup is that the c4 organization identifies the things it wants to do that are permitted to a c3 organization, and has the c3 undertake those projects. A notable example is litigation, which can be very expensive but which a c3 is generally allowed to do.

[Progressive dog]

38. The NRA is a marketing organization,

not a charity and Remington Arms still went bankrupt. Trump has destroyed gun sales because those gun lovers armed against Obama.

[LeftInTX]

40. It isn't the NRA that is the bad one...

It is the two PACS that do it's dirty work.

Snopes is a good source, but it fails to mention the NRA Political Victory Fund (PVF) PAC and Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) who do the dirty work.

[sl8]

41. The PVF is a PAC, but the NRA-ILA is not, it's a division of the NRA. n/t