Just out of curiosity, if annual members are viewed as 2nd class citizens - or apparently, by some, not as citizens at all - why are annual memberships even available?

We are not 2nd class at all, we are all equal 1st class annual members that get the bennifits listed in the annual member description. It's a great deal, one of the best available for gun enthusiasts!

"I became a life member to show my dedication and support." - Perhaps, but for others it may have been an economic calculation

John, one does not have to become a Life Member in order to demonstrate/show their dedication and support to the PGCA and for what it stands. And (I) we respect that. I suggest that there's been enough discussion of this subject. For those non Life Members who feel they should be entitled to all the rights and privileges extended to Life Members such as they are, I would suggest they make their claim(s) in a more proscribed manner and submit to the Board of Directors but cease with this string of complaining in the Forum. And if anyone has a problem with what I have just said, please just send me a pm and not post it public. We've had enough in my view. Have a good day all. The Boz Scaggs concert last night at the Wilbur Theatre was terrific and left me in a very good mood.

I have not really paid too much attention to this thread since the beginning since it started out just being about the home page photo. But then I wondered why it had so many pages of posts so i just caught up on it.

I guess i do not have too much to lend to the topic of weather or not annual members should be allowed to vote or not. Maybe the ability to hold a board position and the ability to vote for those nominated for board positions is one of the advantages of becoming a Life Member.

The advantages of being a life member cannot just be a one sided deal like saving a younger member money in the long term. There has to be more to it than that. And, anyone who knows better realizes that organizations actually loose money off life members in the long run. For the annual member the advantages are the private sections of the forum and the Parker Pages. For Life members it is the ability to vote and the ability to serve on the board. And maybe save some money long term.

I became a Life member this past year because i am plenty young enough to bennefit from it financially. And i am commited to the organization and the Parker Gun long term. I also thought that i MIGHT want to be more involved in the organization down the road by serving on the board. And i needed to be a life member if i ever wanted to be able to do that. Little did i know that someone would nominate me for a position in my first year as a Life member. I did not accept the nomination since i am not currently in the position personally to dedicate the time needed for the service. But i am thankful for the nomination.

OK, I understand why Life Membership has prevented some members from running for office. I will pay the Life Membership fee for two members who will run for BOD positions if they will give the cost of life membership as the reason they would not otherwise run for this office. Yes, $600.00 if they can't pay the freight. No problem. Let's see who will come forward if the Life Membership is not an impediment. If some of my figures are incorrect, I will still pay the "differerence". Good luck.

And if some cant come up with the money, they can always start a go-fund-me or a kickstarter Campeign.

Boz's "Down Two, Then Left" is one of the greatest albums of that era.

Boz played 2 encores. Boz and his band were unbelievable. A great concert in an old and relatively small theatre in downtown Boston. He played all his greats including ones from that album.

The old 'Wilbur Theater' is fabulous. I went to see Harvard University's rendition of "Hair" there decades ago... WOW!.... (sheesh :shock:)

Kevin, the Life Member fee these days is $500 as it was when I jumped in a decade ago when I really couldn't afford it, yet couldn't afford not to do it.





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