2015 Nashville Annual Meetings

78,865 Members Attend The Annual Meetings & Exhibits In Music City

The music went beyond the streets in Nashville, Tenn., in April as thousands of National Rifle Association members inside Music City Center were following the drumbeat of a cherished American freedom.

The message was simple: Responsible gun owners don't want more government limitations on our right to bear arms, and we need pro-gun political leadership.

"When it comes to those elitists looking down their noses and telling us how to live, it's time they got the message loud and clear," outgoing NRA President James W. Porter II told a packed house at the Members Meeting. "You elitists live however you want. But when it comes to us, get your hands off our freedom and leave us the hell alone."

The 2015 Annual Meetings & Exhibits came as the 2016 political field was starting to take shape. In light of the importance of preserving our Second Amendment-protected rights, 78,865 NRA members attended.

Rightly so, the future direction of this country's national politics was a dominant force, and the NRA Institute for Legislative Action Leadership Forum featured speeches by some of the top contenders for the Republican nomination. You can read more about what they had to say on the following pages. But it was more than that.

It was a chance to see the latest offerings from more than 550 companies at the MidwayUSA-sponsored exhibit hall. It was a chance for family fun at the Pyramyd Air indoor air gun range and Youth Day events.

It was a chance to attend a slew of seminars, ranging from how to prepare wild game to firearms in the Falkland Islands War and more.

It was a chance for music, with Country Jam V (pictured below and sponsored by Bushnell and Folds of Honor), the Freedom Festival (presented by Beretta) and the "Keepin' It Country" tour with Alan Jackson and Jeff Foxworthy.

The 2015 Annual Meetings & Exhibits came as the 2016 political field was starting to take shape. In light of the importance of preserving our Second Amendment-protected rights, 78,865 NRA members attended.

And it was a chance to get re-energized by being around people who share the same values, whether at the Prayer Breakfast, the Members Meeting or other events.

The May 2016 Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Louisville, Ky., is sure to be a big draw, too. Start making your plans to attend now by going to nraam.org.

Wayne LaPierre
"I vow on this day, NRA members will stand shoulder-to-shoulder. We will stand and we will fight ... and in 2016, by God, we will elect our next great president of the United States of America, and it will not be Hillary Rodham Clinton!"

Sen. Marco Rubio
"A strong Second Amendment will ensure a strong America for your family, for my family and for every family in this nation. So thank you for what you do. Thank you for your work. God bless our country."

Sen. Ted Cruz
"We are seeing an unprecedented threat to our liberties each and every day ... yet I want to tell you I am inspired, I am optimistic, I am hopeful, because of each and every one of you. NRA, the men and women here are men and women of action. You are leaders who stand and fight for your constitutional rights."

Gov. Scott Walker
"When we signed into law concealed carry ... it was about freedom. When we signed into law Castle Doctrine ... it was ultimately about freedom. Because we wanted to give people in our state the right to stand up and protect themselves, their family, their loved ones and their property."

Gov. Bobby Jindal
"Freedom is the right of every individual but it is not a guarantee ... it has to be defended by a selfless people willing to fight and willing to take action. That's why all of you are here today. That is why the National Rifle Association is the most effective civil rights organization in our country."

Former Gov. Jeb Bush
"The Second Amendment is one area where the Obama administration has run into a wall. And that wall is the Kevlar-covered wall of the NRA. Because you all have stayed informed on the issues, you've organized and you've made your voices heard."

Former Gov. Rick Perry
"When the historians look back at this era, let them remark that a group of patriots rose up in the challenge of our time, that we did not flinch in the face of threats to freedom ... and we protected the liberty guaranteed to every American."

Former Sen. Rick Santorum
"The lie we tell ourselves as Americans is, 'Yeah, America's changing, but what can I do? I'm only one person.' ... You can fight. You can stand up and you can fight."

Sheriff David A. Clarke
"Bloomberg tried to take me out with his wallet in my re-election. And only because of your help was I able to kick him out of Dodge, so to speak ... and I want to thank you, because if not for your efforts and the help of the NRA, Bloomberg probably prevails."

S.E. Cupp
"As a new mom, my determination to protect my family is greater than ever. And that's why I find it so offensive when other men—invariably, liberal Democrats—think they can tell me how best to defend myself against other men. Whether that's on a college campus, or some other gun-free zone, or in my own home."

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee
"We owe it to our children and our grandchildren ... that we will not disarm and America will never fall. It will not fall because we will not let it! God bless you! And God bless the NRA!"

Sen. Lindsey Graham
"When any bill comes up—for the Second Amendment or against the Second Amendment—the NRA legislative team, led by Chris, is there on your behalf. ... Thanks to the NRA, we've beaten back the most aggressive gun control agenda, I think, in the history of the country. And I'm proud to say that without the NRA, we would not be able to do it."

Donald Trump
"It's a great honor to be here. I love the NRA. I love the Second Amendment. And it's really something, having a room like this, and having so many great Americans, great taxpayers, wonderful people and hard workers."

Dr. Benjamin Carson
"Freedom is not free. You have to fight for it every single day. The people who founded this nation understood that concept ... and what we must now recognize is that the baton of freedom is in our hands."

Watch Videos From 2015 Nashville Annual Meetings

See You In Louisville!

If you live outside the Louisville area and are planning to attend the show, make sure you book early as rooms fill up fast! We're happy to be able to offer our members special low hotel rates, easy reservation booking and superior customer service. You can also save time when you arrive by pre-registering and having your badges shipped directly to you for free.