Posted on 11/13/2008 4:46:41 PM PST by Neil E. Wright
Last Sunday I gave callers 30 minutes to whine, complain, worry, snivel, posture, and generally go through whatever stages of grief worked for them following the election results putting Senator Obama into the White House. After all, we need time to "process" and "deal with it," don't we? (If you missed the show, you can download it at www.guntalk.libsyn.com)
Are you kidding? Suck it up! I have a plan. Many gun owners are living in a fantasy world, meaning they don't know what's going on, don't know how to put it into perspective, and don't have a clue about what is the most effective course of action.
Note the word "effective." Burying your guns is just plain stupid. It's like volunteering to give your guns to the banners, and they don't even have to take action. Give me a break. What's your plan? Dig them back up when tanks are coming down the street? Yeah, right. Time to quit indulging in fantasies, reach in your pocket for some dollars, and buy a clue.
Defense does not win. Hiding does not win. Only going on the offensive will win. But first, some perspective. I started debating this issue in 1967, but it goes back much farther. I have a copy of an article in "This Week" magazine from 1955 titled "Get Rid of That Gun!" It starts out, "The pistol, unregulated and unchecked, is dangerously out of control. Two thirds of all the homicides committed in the United States now involve firearms." It goes on, but it's the same stuff you read today. That was more than a half-century ago!
Why bring this up? Just to show that this is an ongoing battle. This latest setback isn't the end, but it sure is serious. It does mean that we are faced with certain assault on gun rights, and those attacks are likely to come quickly. We have to launch our own broad-based action to beat back the efforts of those who have detailed plans to 1. ban the sale of the most popular rifles being sold (they call them "assault weapons") and used for hunting, competition and personal protection; 2. remove protections against junk lawsuits against gun makers; 3. close gun shows. Their plans were laid out in the web site the Obama transition team put up only hours after the election. Once I started talking about it on the air, though, they took it down. Now, I'm not claiming they did this because of Gun Talk Radio, but then again . . .
Not to worry. We've found the page they took down...Click Here to view (scroll down to the "Crime and Law Enforcement" section). Go take a look at what they don't want you to know.
ACTION PLAN
So, what do we do? I've always believed that we ultimately win the gun culture war by showing the public that firearms ownership is normal, safe, and that we gun owners are responsible neighbors. That's still my belief, but we don't have time for that right now. This new group of gun banners (Hey, Obama's chief of staff was the gun control point man for Bill Clinton!) are going to move quickly.
How can we fight it? Simple. We scare them. I don't really care if they respect us as long as they fear us. I'm talking about putting those elected folks in fear for their careers. There are enough elected Democrats in Congress that can be defeated if they vote for gun bans to stop this movement.
How do we do that? I can come up with only one way. We have to double, then triple, the membership in the NRA. Please, don't bore me with the "But the NRA sends me too much mail." Look, you're in or you're out. If you are out, you are part of the problem. If you are in, you are part of the solution. Get off your butt and join. Buy memberships for all the members of your family.
WE MAKE IT EASY
Click the "Join NRA" button above and you can join or buy memberships for others. BONUS! We've negotiated a deal for you. The regular price is $35 a year. You can get it for only $25 a year through our link. Also, you can get youth memberships and associate memberships. That last one is important. Other members of your family might be sharing your NRA magazines, and you may not want to duplicate that, so the associate membership is only $10, and the member doesn't get the magazine.
Why is this important? If Chris Cox, head of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, walks into a Congressman's office backed by three million members, it's one thing. When he walks in backed by 10 million, the reception is totally different. This is pure representative politics. You are sending someone to Washington to represent you. It is the heart of the democratic process in the United States. Right now, the message needs to be clear, and it needs to be backed with political muscle. This is hard ball. It's a knife fight in a phone booth. To lose is to die. We lose our gun rights if the gun banners succeed in the coming battle.
That message we must deliver is, "If you vote for a gun ban, or these other measures, we will send you back home at the next election." Period. We did it in 1994, and regained control of Congress after a 40-year reign by the Democrats, and it was because of their votes for Clinton's gun ban. They need to know we will do it again.
You've heard me say this before. If you are not an NRA member, you are sitting in the wagon, and the rest of us are having to pull your load. We need the help. We need for you to spend the cost of a single box of steel shot magnum loads and join. Then we need you to get your friends to join, or to sign them up.
My new rule. I require everyone I introduce to shooting to join the NRA on the spot. That's right. Hand me twenty-five bucks and I'll go online at www.guntalk.com and sign them up. Anytime someone mentions to me that he or she is a gun owner, I ask if they are an NRA member. If they are not, I embarrass them (if necessary), or do whatever is needed to get them to join.
I'll have more action items for you later, but this is important. This must happen immediately. Sure, you are buying guns, ammo, magazines, etc. So, invest a few bucks to make sure you can keep them!
Do it today.
And...stand by for more incoming.
Tom Gresham
I was a member of the NRA. I joined during the first Bush campaign. But, then I got tired of requests for funding, besides membership.
Thank you.
Since the election we have heard a lot of panic and seen a lot of people running out to buy "Wednesday Morning Specials". We need to keep it real and impress upon the non-shooting, non-gun-owning public that we are not a bunch of kooks plotting some kind of civil war but rational people exercising our, and their, constitutionally protected rights.
What I would like to see on FR is fewer posts asking "What kind of gun should I buy" (Are you familiar with firearms? Have you taken any safety training? Do you not know anyone who will take you shooting and let you try a couple of different types of gun?) and more presentation of talking points that can be used in letters to politicians and letters to the editor. And DO join the NRA. Opt out of all of their fund raising calls and mailings if you want to keep your sanity but do join. For all its flaws the NRA is the largest and most effective lobbying organization in support of the second amendment that we have. A number of other pro firearms organizations have been mentioned here as well. I don't know of anything wrong with any of them. Join them too. The more involved we all are the better. Also consider supporting other second amendment related conservative organizations that support the constitution such as The Heritage Foundation and others.
This is a political struggle for our fundamental rights. We need to mobilize politically, support organizations that promote our freedoms and start preparing for the elections in 2010 by supporting pro second amendment candidates at the local, state and federal levels at the earliest possible date.
Ditto.
You can opt out of mailings and phone calls when you join up. There is no "Opt Out" check box on the online membership application (I just looked) so you will have to call 1-877-672-2000 and join over the phone. Just let them know that if you can't opt out of everything but the magazine you won't join.
I didn't opt out of anything when I first joined and ended up calling and threatening to cancel my membership if they didn't stop calling me and mailing me all of their... fundraising stuff. The NRA is a fundraising organization first and a lobbying organization second. That said, they are still the most effective voice we have.
Is there a minefield between you and the trashcan? Claymores? Barbed wire?
Patriots died to give you freedom and you can’t pick up an envelope and throw it away let alone endorse a check?
I do belong to a lot of them, though. I'm especially impressed with JPFO--I love Aaron Zelman's "in your face" approach.
Also, what would help is to take to the range friends or family that have never shot before. We need to spread the love that we may have for the shooting sports to new people. My wife and I have had two people in the past week ask if they could accompany us to the range. Both have never shot before and one is “against guns” yeah wait until we get back from the range, we’ll have another on our side.
There is strength in numbers.
From that standpoint, GOA is HARDLY "equivalent".
They ARE, however, more hardline and uncompromising, so...
Join BOTH organizations, and more (JFPO, CCRKBA, etc.).
I did exactly that with a guy at work a couple of years ago. Problem is, this is San Francisco. He got married a couple of months after that and still, after nearly two years of marriage and the purchase of about $1000 worth of weaponry, hasn’t told his wife he owns guns. The net result is, I have two SIGs and a Mossberg 590 of his in my closet that do not belong to me.
My upstairs neighbor (oh the joys of duplex life) is a macho lesbian woman who think I’m in a rock band because I carry my Mossberg 500 in a case that to her apparently resembles one you would use for a headless base. I haven’t chosen to dispel her assumptions because I don’t like letting people around here know that I own guns.
All this make for furtive trips to the local indoor range, which happens to be named Jackson Arms. Jim and I are both concerned that some day my neighbor might start asking questions about why I’m carrying two guitars around with me and his wife will find out he’s meeting some guy at a place called Jackson arms.
That's a WEAK excuse to give up on supporting our freedoms, friend.
Just think if our military gave up so easily?
FIGHT the anti-gun fanatics (including putting your money where your mouth is - it's EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE to run ads in the media, go to congress and state houses to fight anti-gun legislation, etc.) or we'll ALL lose our freedoms.
Or, do you just want to sit in the cart and let us pull the load?
That's a WEAK excuse to give up on supporting our freedoms, friend.
Just think if our military gave up so easily?
FIGHT the anti-gun fanatics (including putting your money where your mouth is - it's EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE to run ads in the media, go to congress and state houses to fight anti-gun legislation, etc.) or we'll ALL lose our freedoms.
Or, do you just want to sit in the cart and let us pull the load?
For many years, I refused to join the NRA... ***
A little late to the party arent you. I’ve been fighting this war since 1967 when you could still walk into any gun store, clothing store, gas station, grocery store and hardware store anywhere in the US and buy a gun, no questions asked.
In the steam rolling panic after the murder of MLK and Robert Kennedy, the NRA was the lightning rod and managed to deflect one of the worst laws proposed, get it watered down from total registration and government control to where we still could buy, and own, firearms in the US.
They then went to work and got the 1968 GCL modified to allow us more freedom to again buy across state lines. They haven’t won all fights but they have constantly chipped away at them to get them modified and rights restored.
Just a note: In 1968 the NRA had less than 1/2 million members and no lobbying arm. After the 1968 GCA became law it went above one million for the first time.
Great point. So many people have a irrational fear of guns -due in large part from negative messages in the media, schools, and people with an agenda. You can’t explain the thrill the shooting sports can provide to someone in a social situation. Only experiencing the fun first hand can illustrate the true joy of the perfect shot (or at least a good one).
Kind of like riding a ATV - But better!
Bookmark
I always say, “ It’s my golf, some people play golf some go shooting.”
I hate to say it but one of the problems with shooters are themselves. We all know or have seen stereotypical “Gun nut”. We as shooters need to promote our sport as like any other sport with our best foot forward. Back in the 1890’s the shooting sports were as big of an event as football is today. It was considered a gentleman’s sport. We need to bring that image back and that takes promotion.
“My new rule. I require everyone I introduce to shooting to join the NRA on the spot.”
My out-of-town brothers and I (as well as a couple of the younger nephews) go to the local indoor range over Thanksgiving. First we started just punching paper; the last couple of years they’ve been doing the fun shoots (IDPA/IPSC-style shoot & move). Plus it’s been good for getting in trouble with the wimmenfolk (although several of them are now very much more interested - maybe ladies’ day this year, too.)
I’m adding this to the mix this year (they sign up, I’ll buy the ammo). Especially with the new pricing.
I’m even willing to go as far as throwing in cleaning the guns and providing the beer as part of the deal...
Tom Gresham has a good radio show. He had a lot of very concerned callers last week, some of whom have never owned a gun.
We are in the fight of our lives for freedom.
Much like the writer stated, various issues ( including the incessant dunning for money, unemployment, etc. ) caused me to drop my NRA membership, as well as some others.
Soon as Duh!1© got the election in the bag ( and yes, I suspect it was bought, and stolen ) I dug into the grocery money and re-upped the NRA, GOA, and the 2nd Amendment Foundation.
Zero should never have slithered in to office- but he'll be there soon, and all you people need to get cracking and defend what's left of our liberties.
I can Damn Well assure you that no matter what we do, there will be fewer of them in the near future, so you all had better get busy, now.
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