When I retired from the Military and went into LE and became a LE Firearms Instructor I attended NRA Instructors courses and was very impressed by the classes and the quality of the instructors. One was a former Secret Service Agent and another was a former SAS Sergeant Major. Both knew their material and conducted the classes without making themselves the center of attention. (We have all attended classes where the instructor constantly talked about themselves, and it leaned way to much toward bragging.) I have no problem with an instructor sharing an anecdote that illustrates a point in the lesson, ties in, but when they spend valuable classroom time bragging, you lost me.
In all my classes I handed out applications for the NRA but warned the students that they would try and get them to donate. I told them to ignore the dunning letters and enjoy the magazines, the opportunities for training, competition, and education. They could donate, and participate in the political side if they so chose.
I wrote letters or emails when "I" chose to.
I did eventually call NRA HQ and speak to a rep about the constant "Harassment" of new members and explained that I had students from my academy classes and my private CCW classes that joined, but didn't renew because the cards, letters, and more importantly the phone calls. When they asked NOT to be called any more they calls kept coming. The rep said he would pass that along. Nothing changed. I eventually told students NOT to put phone numbers on the apps.
I still enjoy the publications, I delete the dunning emails.
I hang up on the callers.
I write letters when I feel it's necessary, not because I'm told to.