I'm pro 2A, but vehemently anti-NRA. What a worthless organization it's become. It's no more than a fundraising arm for gun manufacturers. They don't give a squat about the regular gun owner. If I were a lifetime member of them, I'd tear up my card and mail it back to them.
Actually more a cheerleader section for gun manufacturers - the makers have been willing to concede more than the NRA. When you get past the political arm (ILA), they are all about hunting, shooting sports, gun handling safety, and training for people from kids to adults. I get American Rifleman for a while, and then when I get too tired of the politics, I switch over to American Hunter - excellent shooting sports magazine. Still some editorial content but very much mostly about hunting! I guess I could pay a little and get both....!!
And that shows the whole point about the mainstream media that the RWRE rants about - no matter what, they are gonna blast the NRA, just about like the RWRE blasts Obama and all things Democratic. It is only the last 40 or so years that they have become so polarized - in response to a huge threat to the 2nd. Quid pro quo....
You must have noticed how many people are talking about "common sense" gun control, then talk about getting machine guns off the streets, et al. Well, machine guns have been outlawed for general consumption since the 30's. There are NO stores, gun shows, or mail order where you can just walk in and out with a machine gun - there are many hoops to jump through, plus large fees, plus the fact that you no longer have the protection of requiring a warrant to search your place. ATF has the right to demand that you let them inspect the gun, and the place you keep it, any time, day or night - and you have to agree to that to get the permit.
As for worthless, well, you still have the right to own a firearm. Check out Canada, Australia, UK....
And if you have kids, or ever get them, and want them to have good training on gun handling and safety - realistically, NRA based materials and are the only reasonable solution.
George H W Bush did that - tore up his card and resigned his membership. Showed a wishy-washy mentality with a lack of commitment to his ideals, in exchange for some political expediency.