Does CRA really stand for Cigar Rights of America?

Depending on what in generation you were born in, CRA can have many different meanings.

Civil Rights Act.

Community Reinvestment Act.

And now Cigar Rights of America... or so many people would believe.

I recall when this organization first started up with major enrollment parties and a few founding members famous in the industry in three major Cities: New York, Chicago, and Miami.  And I was fairly interested in what they had to offer.  However, living in New York, I was given the option to enroll at a party hosted at Terrace on the Hudson for a whopping sum of ~$300, and to that I say no thank you.  How about something a little more affordable for the other 98% of the cigar smoking population in New York?

Then the organization offered a yearly membership at $35, and with that a little more interest had boiled over into an email inquiring about what they had planned.  Email as follows, sent on August 12, 2008.

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Dear Sir and/or Madam

I am an avid cigar smoker and as such am very interested in your organization.  So in that aspect, I have a few inquiries about your organization.

1) How do you plan to oppose the smoking bans, and hopefully cease the limitations on our private freedoms, ultimately lifting the mandatory bans against smoking in public places.

2) What is your plan of action to oppose SCHIP and any other possible bills that might be proposed with the same methods of increasing tobacco taxes?

3) Do you have any lobbyists or politicians who directly endorse your company?  I see the videos posted on your

website, but I don't see anywhere on your website which directly claims your organization has any political pull to discourage the further limitations of our smoking rights.  If there is such a reference, please refer me to it.

4) On the website http://www.coronacigar.com/products/Cigar_Rights_of_America_Freedom_Tour_Orlando_Stop_pid546_cid20.html the Corona Cigar Company claims that your organization is a non-profit entity.  If that is the case then please justify the
price of admission including a full disclosure of what the membership fees are going towards. If it is not a non-profit entity, then would you please contact the Corona Cigar Company to change the wording of their advertisement.

5) Why is there such a discrepancy in prices of admission on the events between cities, NY especially.  In contrast to your outreach goals, the method of charging $300 for NYC is simply too outrageous, especially when compared to other cities.  The price of the event itself is a form of discrimination towards the average cigar smoker in NYC, especially if you really plan to encourage membership from the casual cigar smoker to the true aficionado.  What justifies the price and why pick such a high class location knowing that it will limit your overall member relationship?

Thank you for your time, hope to hear from you soon.



David Man

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As of yet, no response to my questions, they do have my email address as I do seldom receive updates from them.

Last e-mail I received was on June 30, 2010, concerning the victory in Pennsylvania, and prior to that June 26, 2009 about an overturn in Legislation in South Dakota on an implementation by the Citizens for Individual Freedom coalition.

So, with very little information at hand, I had to take direct action and talk to two different CRA Ambassadors, and they had interesting ideas, but no quantifiable answers to any questions, especially concerning a goal or mission statement.  In fact, the one thing they have both said to me numerous times is "we need more members, we need more money". 

Now I totally understand the need for numerical representation and capital to make political waves, but how about some transparency on where the money is going?  A casual smoker I was talking to on the subject told me an interesting opinion on the matter... "It's all fine if the Cigar Rights of America is focused on collecting money and throwing parties, but why only do the parties in major cities?  What about the guys who smoke cigars in the middle of Ohio?"

All I'm left with is questions and now doubts and skepticism about the entire organization.  I look at the CRA
site, and rarely do I see any activity other than the few and far inbetween positives.  Yes, I'm glad for
Pennsylvania, but I live in New York, what about the condition of tobacco taxes in New York? 

No, I am not a member of Cigar Rights of America, and so far they have not given me enough reason to be one.  I don't feel the urge to freely give my money to a clandestine organization under the guise of making smoking opportunites more available to me when in fact I don't even know where the money is going, who in the political realm is on board with the organization, and their laughable premise and mission statement.

A few more thoughts here because who knows if the Cigar Rights of America will even read their email, let alone respond to a few questions.

1) Cigar Rights of America is foolish to only focus on the cigar smoking community and exclude the rest of the
tobacco niches.  What about pipes and cigarettes?  Surely there are more cigarette smokers than cigar smokers, and numbers is the primary motivation for politicians to push bills.

2) $35 for a year membership?  $100 for a 10 cigar sampler of cigars with a secondary CRA band?  $10 for CRA tee shirts?  They need money, here is my suggestion.  Throw a party, or in this case a Herf (read cigar smoking party).  You have many reputed cigar companies on board, as well as tobacconists in your ranks, get some donations in, raffle them off, and you will be surprised how much money will come through.  I'm thinking 50 states, 50 cities, the companies donate whatever they can, and the minimum raffle price is $35 for the 1 year CRA membership plus 20 chances to win some of the nice cigars or swag, and the attendees who can buy more raffle tickets at $5 each.  If there is one thing I noticed at herfs which involve raffles and raising money, cigar smokers are not cheap when they feel their money is going towards something substantial.

3) Again... $100 for a 10 cigar sampler of cigars with a secondary CRA band?  $10 for CRA tee shirts?  Selling promotional items borders on ridiculous to me, as the main point of having a tee shirt with your logo on it is to promote it.  So I give you $100 for cigars that I already smoked before, and $10 for a tee shirt so I can walk around advertising your cause?  Really?  REALLY???!!!

4) CRA is a consumer-based, non-profit public advocacy organization that works at the local, state, and federal level of government to protect the freedoms of cigar enthusiasts. - Quote taken right off the Mission Statement.  You know what rallies government officials (politicians) more than letters and phonecalls from random people?  A direct meeting with their benefactors.  So how bout instead of an email telling us to send letters to a politician in a different state, organize a direct meeting where we can show up in person so we can objectively offer our thoughts and have these local, state, and federal officials see who we are, know that we do have a voice, and are not just random letters, emails, and phonecalls.  I hear townhall meetings are popular.

Civil Rights Act... CRA yes.

Community Reinvestment Act.. CRA yes.

Cigar Rights of America... more like CRAp.