What would you do?

[Scorpio64 5,146]

18 minutes ago, samiam said:

Suddenly, a huge ad for an organization I had never heard of pops up in the middle of forum topic, from a user

You will have to forgive Rosey, aka Smokin .50.  He's very passionate about the fight for 2A and he comes in hot sometimes.  Actually, he comes in hot all the time.  Spend enough time here and you will get used to it.  He means well.

 

[Krdshrk 3,877]

1 hour ago, samiam said:

I'm pretty new here. I don't spend all day on the forums, and I have no easy way to know which users are associated with what organizations. Suddenly, a huge ad for an organization I had never heard of pops up in the middle of forum topic, from a user I am completely unfamiliar with, exhorting me to join the organization. I don't think that a bit of questioning is out of place in that situation. Frankly, if a request for an org's  bone fides is resented, that can be a potential sign of potential trouble. Your loyalty is commendable, but the whole point of 501(C)3 orgs makiing their financial documents public is so that a potential donor doesn't need to rely completely on word of mouth to assess the conduct of the org. I was the treasurer for a 501(c)3 long ago, and I never had an issue with fulfilling such a request. Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) is a very sound and reputable outfit that has done a tremendous amount to advance the cause of the Second Amendment in that state. I examined their documents before joining and contributing, and no officer or member resented that.. 

We've had NJ2AS established from the NJ Gun Forums way in the past - Unfortunately there was a big change in leadership there and some of the members created CNJFO from the ashes.  NJ2AS still exists but they are not the grassroots 2A org that they used to be, and visibility and accountability is a big reason why a lot of NJ2AS members left the organization.

That's where CNJFO comes in - We do events all over the state - from Tony Simon's The 2nd is for Everyone (2A4E) Diversity shoots, to our own youth education shoots, social events, hunting events, sporting clays tournaments, etc.  CNJFO works hand in hand with the big names in the state (ANJRPC, SAF, GOA, etc.) as well as the big lawsuits out there (as Rosey mentioned in his big copy/paste from one of the CNJFO press releases).

I'm certain our treasurer would fulfill your request... 

After being a member for several years, I've actually stepped up to become an Executive Board member of CNJFO fairly recently.  We're all in it for the proper fight!  The money that comes in goes out 100% to support 2A education and fighting the legislation!

[CAL. .30 M1 2,101]

11 hours ago, Scorpio64 said:

You will have to forgive Rosey, aka Smokin .50.  He's very passionate about the fight for 2A and he comes in hot sometimes.  Actually, he comes in hot all the time.  Spend enough time here and you will get used to it.  He means well.

 

Well he does drive the 'war machine'...

[Krdshrk 3,877]

2 hours ago, CAL. .30 M1 said:

Well he does drive the 'war machine'...

Rosey's War Wagon even has hazmat stickers - he carts around black powder so it's liable to explode if rear ended

[Grima Squeakersen 478]

***DELETED***

[Krdshrk 3,877]

2 minutes ago, samiam said:

OK, thank you! Actual background information about the organization is reassuring. The suggestion that I should not be questioning anything about it before joining or contributing was not. I will look into it further. Part of my surprise at the post was that I had seen dozens of references to ANJRPC in the month or so that I have been here, but that big, insistent post was the first reference I have noticed for CNJFO. 

You're welcome!  Glad to see you're looking into CNJFO more.

ANJRPC is definitely the big dog in the room.  That being said, CNJFO is the largest Grassroots pro-2A org in the state.  While ANJRPC is putting in the lawsuits and doing the big work, we're supporting them by bringing funding, as well as educating new shooters and bringing more people into the fold to become part of the fight.

[Smokin .50 1,907]

On 8/23/2022 at 6:53 PM, samiam said:

I'm pretty new here. I don't spend all day on the forums, and I have no easy way to know which users are associated with what organizations. Suddenly, a huge ad for an organization I had never heard of pops up in the middle of forum topic, from a user I am completely unfamiliar with, exhorting me to join the organization. I don't think that a bit of questioning is out of place in that situation. Frankly, if a request for an org's  bone fides is resented, that can be a potential sign of potential trouble. Your loyalty is commendable, but the whole point of 501(C)3 orgs makiing their financial documents public is so that a potential donor doesn't need to rely completely on word of mouth to assess the conduct of the org. I was the treasurer for a 501(c)3 long ago, and I never had an issue with fulfilling such a request. Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) is a very sound and reputable outfit that has done a tremendous amount to advance the cause of the Second Amendment in that state. I examined their documents before joining and contributing, and no officer or member resented that.. 

@samiam First let me say a hearty "WELCOME TO THE FIGHT"!  I didn't mean to ruffle feathers, so I apologize if I did. VCDL is a great organization and several CNJFO members supported the protest in Richmond, VA by being there (took the Metroliner from Jersey) conducting interviews, writing news stories and covering the event with both stills and videos. We (myself personally AND the Coalition of New Jersey Firearm Owners--CNJFO) have made friends with several of their high ranking members and others known throughout Virginia as 2A leaders. Jill S. McDaniel of Mom At Arms, LLC and the Virginia State Director of The DC Project--Women for Gun Rights knows us and is a Facebook friend that shares our views and commitment to the cause. 

CNJFO strongly supports The DC Project, and will be sponsoring most of the catering expense at their next NJ Fundraiser on Saturday Oct. 22nd in Mays Landing, NJ. These powerful women get appointments with legislators both here in NJ and at their DC offices, and give heart-wrenching evidence describing how their lives were changed by violence and HOW they wish to defend themselves and their families with firearms. They get into places that old fat white guys like me aren't welcome. And they do us all a great service by doing so. Several of their national  and regional officers are Facebook friends and we share each others' content.

CNJFO attends the Executive Board meetings of ANJRPC, our NJ state NRA Affiliate (pre-covid before the 'Rona) and has donated over $5K to their Rogers lawsuit. Then we did a "Matching Funds" Campaign for over 11 grand to the Cheeseman-Jillard lawsuit (case #19-27) that paid for an amicus brief for SCOTUS. We're an all-volunteer 501(c)3 organization (both NJ & federal) with bylaws and a dissolution amendment. I or @Krdshrk can put you in touch with our Treasurer for any documentation you desire.

With the Bruen case causing a "massive disruption in The Force" (think Star Wars), sometimes I spend an 18 hour day doing 2A work as a volunteer. As such, I rarely get on this forum long enough to type as much as I did the other day (or now). Last night Krdshrk, I and 2 other CNJFO members trained Newbies at Tony Simon's, "The 2nd is for Everyone: Diversity Shoot" held at Recoil-NJ in Monroe Twp., NJ.

Rest assured your membership, your time, talent and treasure mean a lot to us fighting for all gun owners in NJ! I can make myself available for a phone call to quell any fears. Here's some pix of stuff we've done:

 

 

Let me know if I can be of any help to you in your decision on who (what group(s) you support.

Thanks for your time! Sincerely,

Rosey

[Smokin .50 1,907]

@samiam If you haven't been completely pissed-off by yours truly (dry humor--take no offense!), here's a speech I gave about three years ago to a great group of South Jersey Patriots attending a NJ Constitutional Republicans meeting pre-'Rona. Mark Cheeseman, Jay Factor, Sen. Mike Testa (before he became Senator!), and my good friend Theresa Inacker all spoke.

 

 

[Grima Squeakersen 478]

***DELETED***

[JackDaWack 2,895]

18 hours ago, samiam said:

No apology is necessary. Your passion is commendable. You did catch me a little off-guard In my experience in numerous other fora (not all focused on firearms), all too frequently when a post exhorting immediate action on something or other, particularly where money is involved, drops out of the blue (I understand your post did not fit that description to the veterans here, but, as a recent subscriber, it did for me) it turns out to be from someone who only joined the board to try and liberate funds from the members in some sort of "hit and run" effort. I apologize for speculating that your post could be of that nature, but I can be pretty cynical, and I didn't know any better, then. You have more than convinced me that CNJFO is a legitimate and worthwhile organization, and I plan to join very shortly. I would leave you with the thought, however, that making those documents I mentioned available to potential members is a very good idea, for any number of reasons, even with an articulate, passionate, spokesman like you on hand. Anyway, thanks for the information...

Rest assured, there are plenty of people on here who will immediately negatively critique anyone or association promoting themselves if it's warranted and even when it's not. The BIG NJ associations are all pretty solid. ANJRPC CNJFO, NJ2AS. They are all nonprofits and MUST disclose publicly their 990's, and are published on the IRS website I beleive.