“My vision for the NRA version 2.0 begins with completing the purge of the legacy of corruption we saw under previous leadership.  That change began with senior officials but must include those remaining members of the Board of Directors who were present during Wayne LaPierre’s last years of leadership.  Any member of the Board of Directors who did not actively oppose what was going on in those days should be replaced.  Period.  Then, we must return the NRA to its original missions – support of the 2^nd Amendment and support of the shooting sports.  Other gun rights groups have led the recent fight against 2^nd Amendment restrictions but as the largest gun rights organization in the country, the new NRA must retake the leadership position in this fight.  We must also invest more time, money, and effort in continuing our tradition of firearms ownership and practical use by emphasizing programs to draw our nation’s youth into our culture.  Moving our youth from a computer screen or Game Boy toward outdoor activities to include shooting and hunting will go far to repair the degradation of our society.”

Richard Dick Fairburn has more than 40 years of public safety experience in both Law Enforcement and the Fire Service, holding jobs from Deputy Sheriff to Chief of Police. An NRA member since 1974, Mr. Fairburn has worked his way up to Benefactor Member.

For over 20 years, he served as a program manager at the Illinois State Police Academy, overseeing the Firearms Training and Critical Incident Response Training sections. He retired in 2021 as the Public Safety Director for Canton, IL where he led the Police Department, Professional Fire Department, and 911 center.

A prolific writer for numerous police periodicals and websites for over 30 years, he wrote primarily on firearms and firearms training topics. A passionate outdoorsman, Mr. Fairburn is a big game hunter, and an avid competitive shooter, founding the first IPSC/USPC club east of the Mississippi River in 1979

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