Galen Greer posted a thoughtful article over at his blog, and I ended up writing a fairly lengthy comment that I thought I'd re-post here. Go read Galen's article first, then come back for this:
Thoughtful comments, Galen. I think you may have a point about image, but as I'm already seeing from the couple of comments on your story, I don't think it accounts for the majority of people's negative perceptions.
On the image: The highest levels of the NRA focus on what's happening at the highest levels of government, and in those circles the suit-n-tie is still required, so they've continued wearing that uniform. Realize that much of the communication to the membership from the top is also expected to be seen by, and influence, the highest levels of government. I don't see any change happening here—dreadful memories of Jimmy Carter's fireside chats are dancing in my head.
On other causes: Gun owners are pretty independent folks, and it's very difficult to get them to march together. Add a little misunderstanding—or a healthy paranoia towards large organizations—and it's easy for the NRA to come out on the wrong end of someone's opinion.
For example, the first "Anonymous" comment attributes Zumbo's and Cooper's problems to the NRA, while the reality is the NRA had nothing to do with either incident. Zumbo wrote on the Outdoor Life website that anyone who used black rifles was a terrorist, and USA Today reported that Cooper gave to Obama's presidential campaign at a time when many people were concerned that Obama was going to be very anti-gun.
Zumbo's aspersions against all good gun owners who happen to enjoy a rifle he doesn't received the backlash they deserved—but a backlash that was driven, not by the NRA, but by modern Internet communications. Similarly, Cooper's actions were seen as backstabbing and threatened the viability of the company he built. To continue as a viable business, Cooper Arms was forced to ask for his resignation; to do otherwise would invite the kind of backlash that was the downfall of the old, British-owned Smith & Wesson. Again, none of this backlash was orchestrated or promoted by the NRA, despite "Anonymous'" perception to the contrary.
Both "Anonymous" and Tovar decry the fact that the NRA works hard to present a consistent message. I don't see how the NRA can be effective otherwise. The NRA isn't a debating society. It's an organization who's members pay it to be the most effective advocate possible for our Second Amendment rights. A disjointed, uncommitted message would be like throwing red meat in front of the wolfish anti-gunners. "See!" they'd cry, "even the NRA can't agree that [name your favorite infringement here] isn't common sense gun control." If that ever happens, all gun owners lose.
And, as I'm wont to do, I'll remind folks that the NRA is nothing more than an organization of members. If you don't like the way the NRA is doing things, become a member and vote to change they way they do things! Remember it wasn't so long ago that the NRA was an ineffectual advocate, hiding its head in the sand. Marion Hammer got fed up with it and revolutionized the organization during the 1998 Philadelphia 1977 Cincinnati convention. You could do the same.