I figured my first post on this blog about the NRA Annual Meeting should be related to food.  And since I was so graciously invited by the NRA Office of Advancement to join a brunch celebrating the Ring of Freedom, I have perfect blog fodder.

The food was pretty typical convention center fare, but I was disappointed in the layout.  The lunch was on one side and breakfast was on the other.  I sat on the wrong side and didn’t notice.  I wanted breakfast.  Oh well.  On to the real content.

The key speaker throughout the brunch was Joe Gregory, a man who has put his money where his mouth is in a way most of us could only dream.

If the NRA raises $6 million in outright gifts and pledges of $25,000 or more, by May 19, 2009, the Gregorys will donate an astounding matching gift of $3 million.

The deadline is Tuesday.  I do hope the NRA team has already met that goal.  I’ll look forward to any announcements at later events about the status.

As I listened to him, I presumed that my readers wouldn’t be interested in some rich guy who gets a special yellow jacket to feel good about his donations.  Since the charge of elitism has been thrown around more than a few times, I figured this kind of speech definitely would not be of interest to most.  But his words were powerful.  Before anyone mocks a man who proudly wears his yellow jacket, I would suggest you consider his comments on the jacket and other tokens given to larger donors.  They are symbols.

Symbols are important in our culture.  I believe this jacket is a symbol about being a free man.  For me, it means that I’m taking a stand against tyranny.

I wholeheartedly agree.  I’ll never wear the yellow jacket since it’s reserved for those whose lifetime commitments to supporting NRA programs exceed a million dollars – the Golden Ring of Freedom.  But everyone has their own little symbol in this issue.  Whether they are funy and silly like the Paul Helmke Honorary Sad Panda that reminds us we’re winning the grassroots battles or the Unorganized Militia Propaganda Corps patches that grace the bags, hats, and jackets of pro-gun new media leaders.  But good for Joe Gregory for helping us find more wealthy donors who are willing to put up the cash to fund our fights for freedom, expand the shooting sports, and spread pro-Second Amendment messages.  For the rest of us, we have our own ways of fighting the battles and spreading the messages.

But, what you might notice about that picture of Joe Gregory is the shirt on one of the donors.  (Sorry for the crappy cell phone pic, Sebastian had the main camera.)  That’s the beauty of NRA.  In a brunch celebrating donors who have given at least $1,000 in the last year, you find people in business suits and shirts promoting their favorite EBRs.  You find women in their 20s (other than me!) and retired men.  I love our issue because of that.  You never know what you’ll find.

The rest of the brunch had a bit of a rah-rah speech from NRA President John Sigler.  They also pledged to ring a massive bell tonight at a Ring of Freedom reception as they induct 2 more members of the Golden Ring of Freedom.  That’s at least $2 million in new support for our rights and our traditions.  I’ll drink to that.

No obviously related posts.