*** -Help BladeForums become an AKTI Platinum Member! - ***

M

Mike Turber

Feedback: +0 / =0 / -0
Joined
Oct 2, 1998
Messages
5,461
I just thought about this... BladeForums is NOT a member of AKTI. Sure we host their forum and insert flyers into orders but that is not enough.

Let's make BladeForums a Platinum member!

Here is how you can help make this happen.

Below is a order form. You can help us become a member of AKTI by donating to the cause in $5 increments.

The goal is to get $1,000 in the pool by October 2nd which is our 2nd year anniversary!
Hopefully we will make our goal. If not, we will give all the funds raised to AKTI and settle for what ever membership we land on.

I will keep you up to date on how much we raise.
Also help me keep this thread at the top
smile.gif


If you pay by credit card, we will not bill you until October 2nd.
Select "Non Product Order" on our shopping cart so you are not billed for shipping.

Thanks Guys! Let's make this happen!


PRODUCT: AKT-BFC-MEMBERSHIP -- $5.00
-----
<a href="http://onestopknifeshop.com/cgi-bin/sc/order.cgi?storeid=onestopknife&dbname=products&itemnum=3106&function=add"><img src="http://onestopknifeshop.com/store/media/buynow.gif" width=55 height=14 alt="Buy Now!" hspace=3 vspace=0 border=0></a>

<a href="http://onestopknifeshop.com/cgi-bin/sc/order.cgi?storeid=onestopknife&function=show"><img src="http://onestopknifeshop.com/store/media/checkout.gif" width=55 height=14 alt="Check Out" hspace=3 vspace=0 border=0></a>


------------------
Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!
Show Your Support -Visit Our Sponsors - Click On The Banners!
Visit www.onestopknifeshop.com
Sales from 1 Stop Knife Shop help support this site!
Also check out our new auction promo site.
www.wow-direct.com
 
You are kidding right, Wright?

Maybe you don't want to show your support for AKTI but I do and this is a way that others can join in, if they have not already, for a lower cost and help a great cause.

I am sure you are aware of AKTI but if not here is the web site www.akti.org and we host their forum here if you have any questions for them.

------------------
Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!
Show Your Support -Visit Our Sponsors - Click On The Banners!
Visit www.onestopknifeshop.com
Sales from 1 Stop Knife Shop help support this site!
Also check out our new auction promo site.
www.wow-direct.com
 
BTW, I will be matching dollars to get us to the next level depending on where we land.



------------------
Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!
Show Your Support -Visit Our Sponsors - Click On The Banners!
Visit www.onestopknifeshop.com
Sales from 1 Stop Knife Shop help support this site!
Also check out our new auction promo site.
www.wow-direct.com
 
I know what the AKTI is and, no I wasn't kidding, Turber.

Most forumites are already AKTI members and now you want us to pay your way too.

If you want to join, join. Just don't ask the forumites to pay your dues.

------------------
Dennis Wright
Wright Knife & Sporting Goods
La Mesa, CA
(Don't click, just call)
1-800-400-1980
wrightknife@ixpres.com
("Have a knife day!")
 
Maybe you miss read what I put and I sense animosity.

I am not trying to get them to pay my dues, I am giving them an alternate way to support AKTI. Is there something I should know about Dennis? Maybe you and I need to go to email to find out what your beef is or you can air it out here in public.

Either way you completely missed the point of the drive. It is to raise funds for AKTI and I will be adding my own matching dollars to get to the next level. But maybe I am talking to a wall here? If I am mistaken please advise but at this point that is how I see it.

------------------
Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!
Show Your Support -Visit Our Sponsors - Click On The Banners!
Visit www.onestopknifeshop.com
Sales from 1 Stop Knife Shop help support this site!
Also check out our new auction promo site.
www.wow-direct.com
 
Mike, I think it is A great idea! That is good of you to match $$ also. You can count me in. I will payapal it soon. Thanks, Brian

------------------
Ghosthunting
AKTI# A000991
 
It sounded to me like you were soliciting again, this time for members to buy your AKTI membership for you. If I was mistaken, sorry 'bout that.

The reply was sent in the same tone as your question to me so you tell me if there's animosity.

As for the AKTI, not interested. We have enough crusades looking for causes out there. I prefer to use my lobbying resources in a more direct manner.

My e-mail address is clearly posted, as well as my 800 number. Take it to whichever level you want.




------------------
Dennis Wright
Wright Knife & Sporting Goods
La Mesa, CA
(Don't click, just call)
1-800-400-1980
wrightknife@ixpres.com
("Have a knife day!")
 
Let me get this straight. You are in the knife industry and make a living, or at least part of your living, from selling knives, yet you do not want to have anything to do with, or you in no way want to support AKTI?

I am not trying to start fight with you Dennis, it is just that I am at a loss as to why you would not want to support such an organization who, in effect and in reality, is helping your business.

You do have the right to choose who and what you support, as do I. So when I make a post, like I did, to help support AKTI and you asked "Why" you really through me off. Now that you have shown what your position, is in regards to AKTI, I would suggest you stay clear of my posts supporting them, please.

Thank you.

------------------
Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!
Show Your Support -Visit Our Sponsors - Click On The Banners!
Visit www.onestopknifeshop.com
Sales from 1 Stop Knife Shop help support this site!
Also check out our new auction promo site.
www.wow-direct.com
 
BTW, I am not asking you to become a member of AKTI. What I am asking you is to not mess with me while I recruit members for them or raise money for them. If my soliciting funds for this site or AKTI offends you then there is not much I can do or say.



------------------
Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!
Show Your Support -Visit Our Sponsors - Click On The Banners!
Visit www.onestopknifeshop.com
Sales from 1 Stop Knife Shop help support this site!
Also check out our new auction promo site.
www.wow-direct.com
 
Recruit all you want. Solicit all you want. It's your site.

Let me get this straight. You are in the knife industry and make a living, or at least part of your living, from selling knives, yet you do not want to have anything to do with, or you in no way want to support AKTI?"
Click to expand...

Since you asked, I haven't seen anything yet where the AKTI is "helping my business". In fact, I haven't seen anything that they have done, period.

I realize that it's a relatively new organization but just what have they accomplished so far? I'm serious. What's the record? For what reason should we join, other than to add an AKTI Member number next our name in the signature block?

You seem incredulous that someone who is in the industry (yes, I make my living, all of it, selling knives) would not jump right on the bandwagon of yet another organization that is going to "save our rights" without any more reason than that they exist. Why? Are we all expected to blindly fall in line when someone (anyone) raises their voice saying "You're in trouble and I'll save you. Leave it to me."?

As for not wanting to have anything to do with AKTI or in no way wanting to support them, you are reading a lot into the phrase "not interested". Maybe I should have said "not convinced". I see no reason to do that, at this time.

I've been around too long to fall for every scheme or group that comes along asking for money so they can "be my voice in washington" or wherever. I am not of the herd mentality that relys on others to make my opinions known simply so they will have a reason to exist.

It's been my experiance that crusaders and missionarys usually cause more problems than they fix and, in some cases, they'll create problems where none existed before just to justify their efforts.

I'm not saying that this is the case here, yet, but do we ignore the fact that once they become established and the money starts rolling in they will have a vested interest in keeping the conflict alive? That if the war is won, they will no longer have a reason to exist?

Look at the NRA. (I'm a life member BTW.) If the second amendment is ever truly affirmed for what it is, they are out of business. They will no longer have a reason to solicit contributions to "fight the enemies of freedom". They are there, always warning, always soliciting, always winning just enough to ensure continued support but never quite managing to vanquish the "enemy".

Is that what you hope to become? A self perpetuating bureaucracy that always stops just short of victory to ensure that there is another battle to fight?

Actually, when you think about it, if our knife rights are truly at risk here, then the NRA should be the one to fight for us. No one ever said that the 2nd Amendment was just about guns.

So far, all I have seen is solicitations and, when someone has the temerity to ask questions or disagree with the concept, indignation and attacks. I haven't seen anything, yet, that convinces me that we need an "NRA of the knife world" or that I should cough up $200.00 per year to put an AKTI sticker on my store window.

I am not "messing with you". If all the members want to send you $5.00 or whatever, that's their business and a reflection of your ability to sell the program. I am simply asking WHY? If you consider that to be interference, too bad. It's a serious question so don't give me the "if you have to ask, you wouldn't understand" bit.

If the organization can't stand in the light and answer the challenge, then maybe everyone needs to take a closer look.

Like I said, show me some results, real accomplishments, that might change my mind. Show me where they have "helped my business".


------------------
Dennis Wright
Wright Knife & Sporting Goods
La Mesa, CA
(Don't click, just call)
1-800-400-1980
wrightknife@ixpres.com
("Have a knife day!")
 
Yet another reason I struck Wright Knife & Sporting Goods from the list of dealers I will support.
frown.gif
eek.gif
confused.gif


------------------

ralph
 
People who don't know Dennis Wright might suspect he's really an alter ego of Mike's setting up straw men to be knocked over. Now he's set up the perfect opportunity to talk about the laws AKTI has already succeeded in amending and forestalling entirely in its short history, and even set up an opportunity to give the NRA a plug, too, by explaining what it did before serious attacks on the second amendment ever got started.... Dennis Wright is a real person, though ... no one could make him up ... no one has that much imagination....

Remember you asked us to keep kicking this thread to the top, Mike....
smile.gif


-Cougar :{)
 
Yup, they're off my list of dealers also.

------------------
Dave (Phil.4:13)
I Can Do All Things Through Him Who Strengthens Me
 
Dennis brings up valid points folks.

The sad thing is he did not research AKTI enough to find out what they have already accomplished. This is the part that is sad, especially since he is in the same industry.

He has admitted being a member of the NRA, lifetime at that, and then goes on to some some lame ass argument about them only accomplishing enough to keep up the membership? So why the hell is he still a member of the NRA? And since his income comes from the knife industry, why can't he throw $200 a year their direction?

Dennis, using your own argument, drop the NRA and support AKTI!

Am I missing something? If anyone sees this as an attack against Dennis I assure you it is not. I am just floored at this point.

Dennis,

Do me and your self a favor. Go here: http://www.akti.org/legal.html

And here: http://www.bladeforums.com/ubb/Forum30/HTML/000076.html

And here: http://www.akti.org/success.html

Dennis,

AKTI is new, less than a few years old. I am CERTAIN that when the NRA was new they had growing pains and a hard time justifying their existence. Now they are one of, if not the most, powerful lobbying efforts around.

I tell you this my friend, they will have to pry my knives from my cold dead hands!

------------------
Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!
Show Your Support -Visit Our Sponsors - Click On The Banners!
Visit www.onestopknifeshop.com
Sales from 1 Stop Knife Shop help support this site!
Also check out our new auction promo site.
www.wow-direct.com
 
I don'think that I can do much in the sell/solicit/money part of this thread, but I can comment on the "accomplishment" part.

Dennis. AKTI has been formed. This alone is not a simple task. All of the legal registrations, insurances required, govt forms, address, web site, accounting firms, etc. At least as difficult as beginning a small business.

We had to find someone of Jan's calbre and integrity, hire them, make up job descriptions, make up rules of incorporation, come up with the goals, officers of each grouping, travel to meetings, attend shows, etc.

We've made new laws being formed available for all to see so they can get involved in their own cities and towns.

ALL DONE WITH VOLUNTEERS! There is only one employee at AKTI. We'll have two (marketing communicator) when enough people join so we can pay them.

We need more volunteers. The purpose of AKTI now is to try to get more people involved. It is only from involved people will be able to get the volunteers needed to "get more done". You are still in the "What's in it for me?" and "They" are a self serving group type of thinking.

Not so. The current volunteers on the board of regents are trying to serve the industry. What do you want AKTI to do? Whatever it is, we need your input and your involvement. You are bright, experienced, mature. Become part of AKTI and help us get done whatever it is you think an organized body of knife people need to have done.

We've isolated, education & teaching, marketing (spread the word), recruitment and legal involvement. Where can you help?

sal
 
Sal,

As usual you have my full suport and I offer my services. Via email, let me know what I can do. I officially volunteer.




------------------
Best Regards,
Mike Turber
BladeForums Site Owner and Administrator
Do it! Do it right! Do it right NOW!
Show Your Support -Visit Our Sponsors - Click On The Banners!
Visit www.onestopknifeshop.com
Sales from 1 Stop Knife Shop help support this site!
Also check out our new auction promo site.
www.wow-direct.com
 
Well said Sal.

Mike thanks for the support. Dennis thanks for being honest and straightforward...however...

A house divided against itself will not prevail. The NRA has made more progress as an association since Bill Clinton came to office(and Charlton Heston has also made a tremendous impact)and given a common foe to so many.

I do not believe NRA officials have any fear that their gun battles will ever be over and do not agree with Dennis' point to that effect.

I will say that I would love nothing better than to end the knife legislation issues and get back to my day job of running a corporation. I know I speak for all the board of regents when I say that.

There is a certain base amount of money needed just to keep an association's essence intact. All money over that can be devoted to the cause. We have spent over $30 grand (we AKTI) to head off legislation in california that would have been focused on making one hand knives illegal to help police disarm gangs and youth criminals.

We hired a lobbyist and worked with the california district atty's association on crafting legislation that was reasonable in its scope. This accomplished two things.

First we get legislation we can live with and law enforcement can go back to their constituents and say they are doing something to control crime.

Second we are starting a non-adversarial relationship with CDA. They will contact us in the future when these issues come up and we can have input. They are asking for our input. We did not get to this position by ranting, raving and making lude hand gestures. We got here by being rational, attentive and demonstrating our willingnes to seek a common solution.

Nothing is a sure thing in politics but AKTI is in an incredible position to influence CA legislation.

If AKTI had not gotten involved there would have been legislation targeting one handed knives and who knows how it would be written. We were unable to get new legislation passed as legislature just ran out of time and we will be discussing at our next board meeting how much more we can invest into this effort. We may even end up tapping into our own pockets again if we must.

Let me assure you that no one on the board of regents is getting any expenses paid or any renumeration of any kind from AKTI.

Now we are trying to hire a communications person to better communicate what we are, what we are doing and what we will do. These steps cause overhead and put pressure on fund raising but are nec if we are to grow and command more influence with key legislators.

The part we all must keep in mind is that the future of our industry is in the hands of non knife users. We had better educate them and reduce their fear of knives.

done with my soapbox.....



------------------
CJ Buck
Buck Knives, Inc.
AKTI Member #PR00003


 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top