As we do every year, a bunch of us went to the "Friends of the NRA" fundraising banquet at the Red Clay Room. Proceeds benefit youth gun safety, hunting and target shooting programs. The organizers are very good at separating guests from their money, offering all kinds of raffles like the "Wall of Guns." Over the years, we've learned to bring a limited amount of cash and to leave the credit cards at home.
This event, which is always an almost immediate sell-out, attracts the full spectrum of people, everyone from guys in full camo with sidearms to hipsters sporting truly amazing beards. Almost everybody dressed casually, although I did see one woman in a miniskirt and high-heeled red satin sandals. At our table were three military veterans, a yoga instructor, an NRA-certified weapons instructor (a female!), and an investment advisor. At the beginning of the evening, when everyone in the room stood for the Pledge of Allegiance, the men removed their baseball caps or cowboy hats.
When I've written about the NRA dinner before, some readers have expressed concerns that I would write about and financially support a group they find immoral. My response is this: if I only attended events sponsored by groups whose philosophy and actions I agreed 100% with, I'd be spending a lot more quiet nights at home.
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