Here comes the rant
I feel like there's a few in this sub that have hate boners so big for the NRA that its blocking the obvious.
Theres not may ways this can go down, as I have pointed out in other posts:
Change MJs DEA classification. And as I have pointed out, not the NRAs battle.
Challenge the prohibited persons laws solely and entirely for MJ only.
Make the "I have a card but I don't smoke" argument to the courts(addressed later and explained why this should not be an NRA battle and why it is still bad and dangerous even in victory - this MUST be an ACLU battle)
Fighting #1 is not the NRAs battle - plain and simple.
Fight #2 and you get stuck in an argument loop of #1 and 2.
"I dont think MJ should apply to prohibited persons",
-so you think it should be reclassified??
"No, I don't think it should apply"
-why?
"because it is MJ and MJ is not dangerous"
-OK, so you think it should be reclassified?
"I just don't think it should apply because its not dangerous"
-but its classification is because it is dangerous, which is it? Is it not dangerous and should be reclassified or is it dangerous but deservers an exception just because you want it???????
You have to say it needs to be reclassified because its not dangerous, or you have to agree its dangerous but you feel that "dangerous drug users"(in quotes because we all know its not really dangerous) should have access to firearms and that leads to attacks of "NRA says dangerous drug users should be allowed access to firearms" which is suicide.
Some don't get why it's suicide and feel "bad press is fine they should do it anyway" - even if you truly believe that(which I think is ridiculous) the NRA will still implode. Too much of its user base and income are conservative and anti drug, or are police or police unions who are anti MJ, or are just anti drug and guns being mixed - not much of its user base is liberals so this issue is suicide. Combine the member base hit, the donation income hit and the bad publicity hit and the NRA takes a fuck load of damage for taking this case on.
And ya know what, the NRA is "bad"! It sucks their membership will split over this issue, it sucks they are so conservative, but they are our most valuable enemy! We lose them and we lose - its the end game... Imagine how wet Hillary gets thinking about damaging the NRA like that. I don't like a lot of the NRA but I am smart enough to appreciate the good shit they have done for you and I(all of us in here). Damaging them is not an option right now and right now it is easy to see they are stuck on this issue. It's not their problem and it's better fought by other groups.
But wait there's more! So lets say the NRA just goes stupid and does it: They take the hit no matter what the outcome but whats the outcome going to be??? Just run it through your head - we know in most states where this is an option the 9th says "fuck you" so thats done. The NRA takes the hit just to get told "fuck you!" by the 9th.
Thats not worth it to the NRA and its not worth it to gun owners that value the 2nd regardless of your opinion of the NRA. They take the hit and lose, we all lose in that outcome. Even if you hate the NRA, they are a necessary evil for us. I hate much about them too, but that's what it is right now. I hate them, but we need them.
Lets go crazier and say they take it in DC or they challenge the 9th and get it to SCOTUS, this is where shit gets fucked for sure. SCOTUS is too divided on these two issues: The judges that are Pro Gun are Anti MJ. The judges that are Pro MJ are Anti Gun. Its fucked in the SCOTUS and the pro gun judges are showing this now by already refusing to hear bullshit from the 9th - they know that current gun issues(just gun issues alone) are a dangerous game right now, the mix of guns and MJ is a no go right now. Play it out in your head, the NRA loses in SCOTUS and also takes the hit as well - its a lose lose for them and a loss for the 2nd. Once again, this is not a gun issue and should not be approached as one(it is bigger than that, more on that point later), by attacking it as a gun issue you damage its already small chances in SCOTUS. Keep the NRA out of this fight, it's the smart move.
Its been discussed many times in many subs - the only solution is to get MJ descheduled. This will need to be the President and|or Congress(maybe the DEA but I will admit I am not 100% sure they can do it as Congress made it Schedule 1 not the DEA and the DEA says "not our issue, look at congress"). That is NOT the NRA's business... Be pissed at your Congress rep or more importantly be pissed at Obama! Seriously Obama saw a petition to do this, was in a good position to act, and he literally laughed and clowned on the people who asked for it, BUT no, its the NRAs fault in here! Its not Obama in here, who had the chance, was asked, and said fuck you(to your fuckin faces on TV) to those that wanted it. NORML who should be doing it, is saying "not our problem its a gun issue"(despite it NOT being a gun issue - it's bigger than that) and they get the pass but the NRA saying "Not our problem it's a MJ issue" and its FUCK THE NRA. You cant go both ways(if its the NRAs fault, its also NORML,ACLU,...)
I know many in here feel "The NRA should challenge it, so what if they lose!" and this results in a weakened NRA which while they suck with a lot of things, they are an extremely valuable enemy to us. Weaken them and were slowly fucked.
Sadly, its not going to happen and just can't happen right now. We need to get MJ changed federally for it to work.
#3 Is to try and take the argument "having a card does not mean they actively use MJ." Once again, this is an MJ issue not a gun issue as the argument to make is "I have a card, that doesn't mean I use MJ" nowhere in that argument did I mention firearms(or even should) so again, not an NRA issue - just like having the card doesn't mean you use MJ for work/employment/car insurance,... - this problem goes beyond the 2nd and is not a 2nd amendment issue so its not the NRAs fight and once again if you insist it is, play it out in your head to SCOTUS(assuming it even makes it), SCOTUS is not pro gun AND pro MJ enough to pass it. Just by making it a gun issue, you hurt its already small chances.
It can not be brought to SCOTUS as a gun issue. That is a guaranteed loss.
Theres just no way the NRA can do it and not pay a huge price for what is a guaranteed loss. BUT take it as a different case(not gun related) and MAYBE you can win but thats up to the ACLU at this point - this is their case! Its a case for them to go on the attack of because as I pointed out this affects employment, insurance, probation(really a fuck ton of legal issues), health... but HuffPo and anti gun High Times are telling us "NRA BAD!!!" and let NORML and the ALCU off the hook even though at its core it is their problem.
So lets play out a win for "I have a card, I don't smoke" some in here are saying we should do, lets go full retard and say it gets won by the ALCU; it is still illegal to posses the gun because you didn't fight the actual necessary battle(get MJ declassified), all you accomplished is putting people in danger of getting busted as in CA and HI they have registries and they will hassle and target those people - If you won that, you still didn't fix the problem!
Admit it, most people buying guns with MJ cards probably have guns and smoke MJ(and theres nothing wrong with that, but the battle is getting others to realize that), winning that case still leaves the person a felon(you fixed nothing!!!!!!!), you just made it easier for them to become one!! THIS IS NOT A GUN ISSUE!!! This is a MJ issue and the only way to win is to get it declassified as that is the real problem here.
If you want someone to argue this point look at the ACLU and have them take it as a non gun related issue, it will have better chances that way. If it wins, well congrats, you created the Democrats next "loophole" to attack as they are still felons if you win #3. Get ready for the Dems to waste a lot of money and political capital on the next new loophole.
Sorry this is such a long rant but it plays out the options and explains why they are not the NRAs problem and why they should not be treated as a NRA problem. To the person I am relying to, you are correct, you can not have it both ways especially when you realize it really isn't and shouldn't be a gun issue in the courts. just by making it a gun issue, you hurt its chances. PLEASE /r/liberalgunowners lets pick the right battles here and we can attack the NRA next time they put out another hideous video.