| March 3, 2003 - It has been suspected for quite some time that gun owners were generally all mouth and no action. But, we really didn't understand the gravity of the situation until we received an email from John Brantuk, 2002 candidate for the 56th Assembly District in Southern California. John is upset, and he has every right to be. John had a shot of winning his district had he received the pro-gun vote. Southern Californians don't need to be told how pro-Second Amendment John is. Suffice it to say, he's one of those rare types who makes protecting our Second Amendment rights a top priority in his personal and public life. But, the information he sent in his email is the type of information that makes the hearts soar of gun grabber Don Perata and other liberals of his ilk in Sacramento. It is the kind of information liberals know about, but very few pro-gun types are willing to acknowledge. So who got the pro-gun vote instead of John Brantuk? The answer is most disappointing. John took a look at a list of people that regularly attended gun shows in his district. He compared the attendee list to voter registration lists to determine how many of the 12,000 gun show attendees were registered to vote. Do you want to guess the results? Would you say only half are registered? You would be considered an eternal optimist if that was your guess. How about 30%? Well, you're getting closer, but you still have a long, long way to go. How about 10%. No, you're still too high. No... I'm not kidding. Try about 670 people. That's a whopping 5.6% of gun show attendees are registered to vote. Now, of those 670, an optimistic number of those who voted would probably range at about 50%. That means of the 12,000 gun show attendees only about 335 probably voted. Ok, that's being a little harsh. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that all 670 voted. Somehow inflating the number won't make most feel all that much better about the whole thing. The problem is, there is no pro-gun vote in California. John didn't get the pro-gun vote, but neither did anyone else! It doesn't exist because the overwhelming majority of gun owners don't vote. And the liberals know it and act upon it with impunity. They don't fear California gun owners! Why would they? Gun owners certainly won't vote them out of office! Are John Brantuk's results indicative of the rest of California? Sure they are. In fact, most professional pollsters use around 1000 people to achieve very accurate results. John had 12,000 gun owners on a list and registered voting lists that simply don't lie. This is pure data. Not thoughts, not polls, not desires. It's the real thing, and unfortunately it is fact! The bottom line is gun owners could own California if they vote. John Brantuk would be in the state assembly this very day protecting gun owner's rights along with dozens of other newly elected pro-gun legislators. Instead, gun owners lament the demise of Second Amendment rights and take NO ACTION to resolve it. Gun owners are the problem in California. They're all bark and no bite. Gun owners avail themselves of the right to participate in freedom of speech on the net, but do nothing to preserve it. They complain endlessly about erosion of Second Amendment rights, but do nothing to change it. Gun owners claim they'll have to pry their guns from their 'cold dead hands' before allowing them to be confiscated. But, gun owners don't vote because they're afraid to be on a government list? California gun owners aren't scaring anyone with their bravado, least of all liberal politicians. If gun owners can't demand their rights in the voting booth, it is easily assumed they'll fold like the paper tiger they're perceived to be when they come knocking for their guns. On the other hand, those who do vote deserve a medal because they're a rare breed of people. Very rare as the numbers go. They are so out of the mainstream they could almost be classified as a radical fringe group. Those who don't vote deserve a bigger medal hung around they're neck and a short plank into the Pacific because that's all they're worth... fish food. A lot of people think erroneously that California is hopeless because liberals outnumber conservatives. It's clear gun owners outnumber themselves. Gun owners are engaged in an act of self-flagellation. They love victims and they are it. They wallow in their own self-pity claiming this or that pro-gun group, Northern California liberals, or the Brady Bunch are their downfall. Here it is point blank. There is no one else to blame. 'We have met the enemy and it is us.' Only when gun owners finally take charge of their destiny will all this anti-gun nonsense come to an end. Until then, hope and pray gun owners take action at the polls before they knock on your door demanding your firearms. If California reaches that point, it's too late because most of you cannot be depended on to do anything. You've already proven that. John Brantuk is going to run again in 2004. For the life of me, I can't imagine why he would waste his time if he can't count on gun owners to get him into office. But John is a driven man with a vision of saving gun rights in California. If you are inclined, there are few people in this state that deserve gun owner's support more than John. Visit his site and donate. Then register to vote online using the link below and start participating in the only process that will make a difference. VOTE! One final comment. Can you imagine John's shock as he matched up gun show attendees to voter lists and recognized fellow gun owners in the community who "support" him, only to find the people who talk a good game aren't even registered to vote? A lesser person would have thrown in the towel and called it quits. Don't be a big mouth spouting about how no one in California is protecting your rights. It starts with you. If you can't do anything about it, don't expect your neighbors to do something. They probably aren't voting either so it's up to you, the individual gun owner to make a difference. Make your check or money order payable to "Brantuk For Assembly" and mail it to:
Brantuk For Assembly
P.O. Box 171
Whittier, CA 90608
Or donate online at:
www.BrantukForAssembly.org
(562) 698-2870 Phone
(562) 698-2810 Fax
Do something useful with your life and register, then vote!
Register to vote on-line
Your comments are welcome: rweller@cris.com
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providing credit is given to GunNewsDaily.com as the originating source.
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