Does anyone have any idea of how the AARP stands in relation to gun control? The reason I ask is that my wife shoved a membership card in my hand the other day and said she had signed me up. In the foggiest parts of my brain, I recall I had been avoiding AARP because of certain anti-gun affiliations I was made aware of a number of years ago. Any feedback would be appreciated.

de k8bor (dave)

They're generally for gun control, if I recall. It would be interesting to get an official position. I don't know how hard they push this.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Anti- gun!

Yes, anti-gun.

I cancelled my membership some years ago when the Board of Directors contributed funds to Handgun Control Inc. Stated with my cancellation that I was counting on the NRA to represent me on gun control issues and them for retirement issues.

Only response back was further solicitation to rejoin them.

Yup. My dad did the same thing. Resigned his membership in protest of their getting involved on the wrong side of the issue and questioned them wasting member funds in the issue on either side of the fence, since it is not a retirement issue.

Interesting that the section in the NRA publication that covers citizens that had used firearms definding themselves reflects the majority are older people that have been targeted and were able to defend themselves from serious injury by being armed.

AARP has an official position on guns, but you have to really, really dig to find it or get them to admit it.

They are firmly, adamantly and completely against gun ownership, period.

Like kdub, I cancelled my membership when they supported Hand Gun Control, and wrote them a letter descrbing my dis satisfaction.

Every time they send me an application, I mark it return to sender, and let them absorb the postage.

I returned several of their "join' letter stating my position on gun control and what I thought about their's. I think they have finally given up on me.
AARP is very much in favor of gun control.

I absolutely refuse to join AARP. Remember reading where at one point in Clinton's administration they were the largest single donor to anti gun groups in DC.

Several years ago, I went to AARP's site, and read their official position statement. They are solidly anti-gun, and are active in their support of the anti-gunners.

As a result of reading that, I sent them a letter of resignation, and asked for the balance of my unused dues be returned. I did point out to them that they are supposed to support the "old folks" who aren't strong enough to defend themselves as they had been in their younger years-they were selling out the very people they were supposed to be helping.

There'll be no AARP for me, they won't get a dime for anything. I don't need 'em for retirement stuff, and I refuse to help them further the anti-gun movement by being a member that they can point to and say "We have this many members....."

I can't support any federal lobby and that is all they are. I do round -up on my midway orders for NRA but I am not a member. Can't stay on top of what the position of any lobby group is and they do not have to notify you if their position changes.

It is like buying stock. If you don't have the time to keep up with it all the time you best buy a mutual fund and then you better know the administrator very well. At least they should notify you when their position changes.

from the AARP website:

Gun Control
AARP believes in the Constitutional right to bear arms. But to make the nation safer, we must do what we can to keep guns out of hands of children and criminals. AARP supported the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which went into law in 1994 with bi-partisan support, but was allowed to expire this year.

AARP supports measures to eliminate firearm possession by juveniles, convicted domestic abusers and those under domestic violence restraining orders.

Anti gun rights.

I dealt with those people on behalf of my elderly mother. Mostly brain dead morons, interested in older people's issues only as long as they generate membership revenue. If a member of AARP's board crossed the street in front of me, I'm not sure I would even brake...

I joined them once to take advantage of some discounts for a pending trip. When renewal time came around I asked for their position on "gun control" and never got an answer. Every time I got another renewal notice in the mail I would return it with a copy of my letter asking for their position. never got an answer, but they did stop sending me renewal notices. I wonder how many members AARP has? I wonder if enough of us joined if we could stage a coup and have it become a pro-gun organization? Naw, just help out the NRA and GOA and the 2nd Amendment Foundation and so on.