The American Hunters and Shooters Association

I've been looking for a group to take the place of the now hopelessly right-wing NRA for a long time, and AHSA looks like it fits the bill. (via Kevin Drum) The NRA used to be a sportsman's and shooter's group, and my family always belonged to it. I think my dad still might, but I quit a long time ago. In fact, I got kicked out of the Rivanna Rifle and Pistol Club for dropping my NRA membership. Their story is that the NRA provides them with insurance, so you have to be a member--and that's probably part of the story. But they were not happy when I questioned the NRA, and wouldn't even consider letting me pay for my own insurance to use the range. Since that was the only range within 50 miles, that meant virually no shooting for me for years.

For years after I quit, I'd get calls from the NRA trying to get me to renew, and I got into many arguments with the folks working their phone bank. One thing I'll say for them, they weren't hired flunkies, but true believers. Man, I don't think I've ever encountered folks who love fully-automatic weapons and hate Bill Clinton half that much. No kidding.