(KTVI) – Adolphus A. Busch, IV has submitted his resignation from the National Rifle Association. In a letter to the NRA, Busch stated he was resigning his lifetime membership over the NRA’s stand on background checks, which he says is support by a majority of NRA members. He further states that the NRA’s Vice President Wayne LaPierre supported reasonable background checks in 1999 and has now reversed his position.
Busch also lamented that the NRA has become a lobbyist organization for Gun and Ammo manufactures instead of a lobby for gun owners.
Adolphus A. Busch, IV Letter to the NRA
Adolphus A. Busch, IV
Belleau Farm
1600 Highway 79
O’Fallon, MO 63366
Delivered by UPS
April 18, 2013
Mr. David A. Keene
President
National Rifle Association of America
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
Mr. Keene,
This letter shall serve as formal resignation of my life membership in the NRA. I ask that you immediately remove my name from your membership roles and provide me an acknowledgement of this action.
As most in your organization would admit, I have historically been a staunch defender of the NRA purpose and tradition in representing the interests of gun owners. I have personally devoted countless financial resources and time to nurture an intelligent environmental policy that provided for the proud tradition of personal hunting for generations to come.
It disturbs me greatly to see this rigid new direction of the NRA. As a starting point, one only has to ask why the NRA reversed its original position on background checks. Was it not the NRA position to support background checks when Mr. LaPierre himself stated in 1999 that NRA saw checks as “reasonable”? Furthermore, I fail to see how the NRA can disregard the overwhelming will of its members who see background checks as reasonable. In fact, according to a Johns Hopkins University study, 74% say they support background checks.
I am simply unable to comprehend how assault weapons and large capacity magazines have a role in your vision. The NRA I see today has undermined the values upon which it was established. Your current strategic focus places a priority on the needs of gun and ammunition manufacturers while disregarding the opinions of your 4 million individual members.
One only has to look at the makeup of the 75-member board of directors, dominated by manufacturing interests, to confirm my point. The NRA appears to have evolved into the lobby for gun and ammunition manufacturers rather than gun owners.
In closing I find it important to extend my personal thanks to Chris Cox and David Lehman for their support of so many important environmental issues. I will miss that level of friendship and support, but must take this action based upon my personal feelings toward the distorted values I see emerging within the NRA.
Sincerely,
Adolphus A. Busch, IV
