Greetings! 2025 in particular is exciting to me for the future of our gun communities, let me tell you why!
I had the honor of spending an afternoon trap shooting with an outstanding young man,Michael Gates from Marlow, OK, an accomplished high school sophomore. His journey started with his Dad taking him to shoot trap, and then discovering his talent and passion.What excites me is how Michael embodies the values of our nation, the NRA, and the ORA.Our future revolves around bringing exciting opportunities to young men like Michael through our community, network, programs, competitions, and grants.
You may ask, what are these values anyway? To me, the NRA not only supports our civil right to keep and bear arms, but it is also about building communities. You see me use the phrase firearm community many times, and that is because connection is a critical part of our existence as humans. We need community, we need to gather together, we need to be challenged with activities. What we need to realize is all this is found in the competitions, matches, and programs taking place in our clubs and associations. The more we grow and support our firearm communities, the healthier our nation can become.
Another value of the NRA is in supporting the grassroots. This points to our duty as individuals to engage in our civic duties— not just complaining online or sending nasty notes to legislators, but to be positive and proactive in our approach by visiting lawmakers at the capitol, showing our appreciation, and building relationships so our voice is well-received.
And finally, there is the value that everything we do now needs to be sustained not just for 1 year or even the next 5 years, but for the generations ahead. The Iroquoise Nation has a seven-generation principal, that their actions are to be considered for what will last for seven generations. That big picture view means we connect, engage, and invest in youth. They need us to lead the way in how to be good citizens, to teach them to love the outdoors and get away from their screens, to open up opportunity that will give them a solid foundation in life, and to pass on the heritage and legacy of firearms and our freedom surrounding firearms.
2025 is going to be an exciting year with a 2A friendly administration in the White House and the NRA’s renewed focus on mission. This should thrill each of us, but also spark our involvement. It is these values and our continued effort that ensures our community, sport, and passion will move forward for seven more generations.
