My time for AARP is a comin'....alternatives to AARP that don't involve dying?

[level0]

I'm starting to get AARP junk mail, and I know my time is coming. I'm of the opinion that AARP does not represent my values and beliefs with regard to the Constitution, self defense, and defense of my home and hearth.

Looking for someone to refute my AARP beliefs, or suggest an alternative old timers organization. I want some of the benefits of being an old coot, but not at the cost of usurping my own values.

 

[Slider]

AMAC?

 

[SteveM4A1]

I'm starting to get AARP junk mail, and I know my time is coming. I'm of the opinion that AARP does not represent my values and beliefs with regard to the Constitution, self defense, and defense of my home and hearth.

Looking for someone to refute my AARP beliefs, or suggest an alternative old timers organization. I want some of the benefits of being an old coot, but not at the cost of usurping my own values.

I don't consider them to represent myself either, but I get a free membership (I'm only 29 too) and use their discounts at a lot of places. For me, I get at least 10x the membership fee ($16 a year, less if you pay for 3 and 5 years) back in discounts each year, so it is a win for me.

 

[spec4]

I hold my nose and subscribe. $16 a year and I always recoup that with various discounts out there. AFAIK the cover of their magazine is virtually always a liberal. They definitely are a bunch of libs.

 

[SteveM4A1]

I hold my nose and subscribe. $16 a year and I always recoup that with various discounts out there. AFAIK the cover of their magazine is virtually always a liberal. They definitely are a bunch of libs.

I use their magazine as charcoal starter in my chimney starter I opened it and read a couple sentences the first time I received it, and then realized I had better uses for it.

 

[bwframe]

AARP is a huge backer of Obamacare, (against their memberships wishes.) They'll never see a dime of my money.

There are lots of ways to shop and save money without supporting such an organization.

 

[pudly]

Today I learned on INGO that supporting the NRA is bad because you don't agree with everything that they have done, but giving money to AARP despite their ongoing support of causes that you abhor is okay.

 

[KittySlayer]

AARP is a huge backer of Obamacare, (against their memberships wishes.) They'll never see a dime of my money.

There are lots of ways to shop and save money without supporting such an organization.

I view it much like NRA membership fees. I doubt the NRA or AARP really make all that much money off of membership fees. In fact with all the junk mail they both send out memberships are probably a loss leader. It's the corporate kickbacks/funding that fills their coffers. What both organizations get from their membership is their Hammer. Mr. Politician, we represent 324 gazillion members, you have to listen to us. This is why I send membership fees to the NRA, while I don't agree with everything they do the NRA does keep Congress from messing with my 2A rights. With the AARP, they don't give a crap about their members beyond the influence the numbers give them for their agenda, otherwise the AARP would never have supported Obamacare.

NRA Member - yes.
AARP Member - no f'n way.

 

[SSGSAD]

NRA Member - yes.
AARP Member - no f'n way.

ME, TOO !!!!!

 

[1911ly]

AARP is is dead to me. The junk mail I get from them gets deposited in the trash bin on my way back from the mail box.

 

[Leo]

AARP is is dead to me. The junk mail I get from them gets deposited in the trash bin on my way back from the mail box.

Same. here

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

AMAC?

Anybody joined AMAC? I've heard their commercials on the radio and wondered if they'd have the incentives AARP does. (I threw the AARP stuff I got in the mail and never gave it a second though).

 

[level0]

I'm slow to support about anything, I'm still not an NRA member...after all these years....erg. I'll pony up next time I see a lifetime sale.

 

[level0]

Anybody joined AMAC? I've heard their commercials on the radio and wondered if they'd have the incentives AARP does. (I threw the AARP stuff I got in the mail and never gave it a second though).

Don't know about incentives, but here is their stance on the Second Amendment from http://amac.us/about-us/our-stance-on-the-issues/:

"Second Amendment

AMAC supports the Constitution of the United States of America and our Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment. Exercising the right to keep and bear arms demands the utmost responsibility, but we believe the Second Amendment guarantees our inalienable right to keep and bear arms. We urge all gun owners and users to be safe and responsible. Of course, firearms should only be obtained and used legally. We believe that all gun owners and users should attend courses led by certified instructors to learn the safe and proper use of firearms."

 

[jcj54]

AARP actively worked to get Obamacare enacted.
AARP lobbies for more gun control.
Therefore, regardless of the discounts, I will never join.
AMAC is the same price and has discounts too:
Benefits - AMAC, Inc. AMAC, Inc.
When I get to that age I will be joining AMAC.

 

[oldpink]

Yes, it's unquestionably true that AARP was one of the chief backers of Obamacare.
That goes against the wishes of the majority of Americans, including the elderly who compose their membership.
The likelihood of the average INGOer agreeing with them on that particular issue is probably at best a 60/40 issue, but what should be nearly a 100% against issue is the AARP stance on guns, which is most decidely anti-gun.
That's the reason that my late grandparents refused to join, and that's the reason that my parents are right now members of an organization for elders that truly represents them on nearly all issues, especially guns, and that organization is AMAC.
I can't believe that anyone who believes in the Second Amendment would ever give AARP a dime.

 

[oldpink]

Don't know about incentives, but here is their stance on the Second Amendment from http://amac.us/about-us/our-stance-on-the-issues/:

"Second Amendment

AMAC supports the Constitution of the United States of America and our Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment. Exercising the right to keep and bear arms demands the utmost responsibility, but we believe the Second Amendment guarantees our inalienable right to keep and bear arms. We urge all gun owners and users to be safe and responsible. Of course, firearms should only be obtained and used legally. We believe that all gun owners and users should attend courses led by certified instructors to learn the safe and proper use of firearms."

That's their published statement, quite different from how they have behaved regarding gun laws in practice.
Also, that little part at the end of their official statement should be a decision of the gun owner, not that of the government, as they imply.

American Rifleman | Does the AARP Still Want Your Guns?

Two excerpts:
That was back in 2007. Here’s what their website said at the time: “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. AARP supports measures to eliminate firearm possession by juveniles, convicted domestic abusers and those under domestic violence restraining orders.”

Their current statement:
“However, respected research continues to indicate that the use of firearms in assaults and robbery-particularly handguns-is directly linked to the high death rate from interpersonal violence in the USA compared with other industrialized countries. The prevalence of random violence featuring handguns in some neighborhoods has resulted in numbers of older people becoming virtual prisoners in their homes. Increasingly, families are suffering the loss of children and grandchildren who are the victims of violent crimes and senseless shootings. While registration requirements do not eliminate criminal or psychotic misuse of handguns, such requirements reduce the availability of guns, just as laws do not eliminate but do reduce the availability of illegal narcotics. Reduced availability to inappropriate users means lives saved. While you may disagree with the Board on this particular policy, we hope that many other issues, objectives, and services of AARP so beneficial to older Americans encourage you to remain or become a valued member of the association.”

Why in the HELL would a gun owner ever give these bastards a thin dime?
SMH

 

[bwframe]

Can you actually save more money in AARP discounts than you could by skillfully shopping?

 

[oldpink]

Can you actually save more money in AARP discounts than you could by skillfully shopping?

Debatable, but why worry when there is at least one organization with similar benefits that is pro-gun?

 

[bwframe]

Debatable, but why worry when there is at least one organization with similar benefits that is pro-gun?

My argument is why one would feel that they needed to join any "organization" on the idea that they were saving money they couldn't otherwise?

While 2A support is the number one issue, there are lots of other things that "organizations" could be supporting with or without the membership's knowledge. What are this other organization's positions on other hot issues of the day? Immigration? RFRA? Planned Parenthood?