Join the NRA

UPDATE: October 23, 2020

I finally bit the bullet and did it. I joined another gun-rights organization. I'm still a proud member of the NRA, bit the 2nd Amendment crowd needs to put its eggs in more than one basket.

Wayne LaPierre has overstayed his welcome. The State of New York has some legitimate claims against the NRA's top brass and definitely wants to neuter the organization. But the NRA is made up of million's of members and is a multi-faceted group that offers much value to its members and other fellow citizens.

But there are other organizations that are better at providing more targeted services for our natural right, and they are smaller and more nimble and are able to move quickly.

One such organization is the Second Amendment Foundation. As of last week, they are one stronger.

But again, the NRA is still vastly important. They provide tons of safety training, sponsor many events where gun owners exercise their rights, actively lobby legislatures, and make legal challenges to unconstitutional laws. I'm still a member. You too should maintain your membership or join the NRA. 

ORIGINAL POST: January, 2013

You might not like everything the NRA says. You might not like what Wayne LaPierre said about video games. You might not like that the NRA wants the federal government to fund putting police in every school on a short-term basis. You may want the NRA to help with mental-health research. There's a lot you might not like about the NRA, or that you want the NRA to do something, but the NRA is the 800-lb gorilla for gun rights.

I put a note on my calendar to ask my wife tonight to get an NRA membership. She hadn't had one for a while. I didn't have to ask. The NRA is now 4,300,001 strong.

And I'll be joining my second gun-rights organization shortly.

Obama threw down the gauntlet and sniped at gun owners right after Sandy Hook. The NRA launched the first real volley. Now Obama has loosed his return fire in this pitched battle, throwing one of the NRA's missiles back at us ("school resource officers", "a police officer in every school").

The NRA is a special-interest group, no doubt. It is my special-interest group. It defends a vital natural right enumerated in the Bill of Rights. I defend a vital natural right.

I am the NRA.

Time to write some letters, again. Congress, state house, governor, sheriff, etc, etc, etc.

Democrat Gun-Control Nuts

Also posted on Hoplotarian

The crop of Democratic presidential candidates that are jockeying for also-ran positions seem to be quite obsessed with virtue signalling their gun-control stances. Cory Booker just released his gun-control wish list, and it just begs for a response.

Once again, the lunatic demands for control on the federal (central government) level might just lead to nullification on all levels.

What do you think?

Democrats Go After Black Rifles - Again, and Again, and Again

Democrats repeatedly go after AR-style rifles. Why?

1. ARs look evil. They are dark, sinister, unnatural. 
2. They are easy targets, because they are less prevalent than other weapons. But of course, that is changing. 
3. Democrats can easily confuse fellow citizens by calling them: "assault weapons" and "military-style weapons."
4. Democrats lie about the weapons by overstating or mischaracterizing the capabilities of certain features, accessories, and the overall weapons. 
5. Democrats constantly call ARs inappropriate for sporting use, while they act like they are avid hunters. 
6. Democrats ignore that ARs are the exact military-style weapons that the founders of the United States and authors of our Constitution wanted civilians to possess. 
7. AND FINALLY Democrats exaggerate the impact illegal use of ARs has on us. For example, deaths from rifles in the USA is a small percentage of overall gun deaths. That makes gun deaths from ARs even less significant. Not to mention that all murders are NOT committed with guns in the USA.

Original post on SteemIt

Bandoleered Bookworm on SteemIt

Obama Complains About Guns, Again

credit: The Blaze

“As long as you can go in some neighborhoods and it is easier for you to buy a firearm than it is for you to buy a book, there are neighborhoods where it is easier for you to buy a handgun and clips than it is for you to buy a fresh vegetable, as long as that’s the case, we’re going to continue to see unnecessary violence,” Obama said in a response to a question at the town hall meeting at Benedict College. - "Obama Complains It's Easier to Buy a Gun Than a Book or Fresh Vegetable" by Fred Lucas, The Blaze

A disingenuous, stupid lie. Really, the Administration is following the well-worn format of a cheap reality show. You're more likely to refute a "fact" purported by the Administration with a quick Internet search than to forget to eat all day long.

My Reasoning for Black Listing Anti-Gun Organizations

Some companies discriminate against gunmakers, distributors, retailers, and firearm shoppers and owners. This is a problem that I have witnessed for decades. While I was living out west, there was a gun dealer that sold primarily black rifles - before black rifles were popular. The local branch of a national bank declined to open a checking account for the company. They settled out of court, and the gun dealer signed a nondisclosure agreement. I almost switched banks, but the bank was convenient.

But since Obama won his first election, the political environment has definitely changed. There were harbingers of a renewed politically correct move against the firearms industry within the last year. I vaguely remember that several months ago after Aurora and before Sandy Hook, Bank of America closed the account of a stock manufacturer, because the bank manager handling the account said that BoA did not approve of what the company sold. But now there is a wave of companies forming new internal policies or discoverying old internal policies that restrict the companies involvement in the free-trade of arms.

I've slowly been accumulating info about such companies. I'm doing so because I've read that some lists, such as the NRA's, are possibly inaccurate, outdated, and incomplete. Also, I wanted more detailed information of the extent of the discrimination against the free market of private arms and the proof for the accusations.

I respect the right of private companies to choose who they do business with - that is their right. But I do have a problem with government entities and corporations discriminating against the private-arms community. And I feel that is it my duty to direct my business away from companies that discriminate against those who are exercising their rights enumerated in the Second Amendment.

Oly Arms Stops Sales to NY Government Orgs

Another strong response to the NY SAFE Act.

Olympic Arms, maker of ARs and pistols - including some interesting looking pistol-caliber carbines - announced that it will no longer sell or provide services to the NYS government, law-enforcement agencies, and police or other first responders in that state.

In a press release posted on Facebook by President Brian Schuetz, Olympic Arms is following in the footsteps of LaRue Tactical. But Olympic Arms is taking its response one step further. LaRue had stated that they would limit sales to NY LEO to what is available to non-LEO civilians in NY.



Now we just need to see one of the big gun companies follow suit.

Couple People Destroying Arguments For Gun Control

Bill Stevens, Newtown resident, and parent of girl that survived the Sandy Hook murders, speaking before a "working group" in the Connecticut General Assembly.

"I’m not here to cite crime statistics, lives saved with guns, or the economic impact of the proposed asinine legislation – some of these gun control bills you have proposed – I will, however, read from the Connecticut state constitution. Section 15 reads very clearly – we all know what the Second Amendment says – but Section 15 in the state constitution says very clearly 'every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself and the state.' There’s no registration, there’s no permitting, there’s no background checks. It’s quite clear."

- Bill Stevens

And then there was Ted Nugent, being interviewed by Piers Morgan.

"I care about all death." - Piers Morgan

"I don't think you do. I think you care about guns. You're obsessed with guns ... Would you leave us the hell alone?" - Ted Nugent

Thanks to Walls of the City blog for the transcript.

Resistance to New York SAFE Act is Public

Some western New York citizens appear bound to disobey New York State's new draconian gun statutes.

New York citizens asked lots of questions, made lots of statements, and apparently got no real answers from state officials at a meeting in Erie, New York on 1/29/13 about the NY SAFE Act.



When a bunch of regular guys start laughing when a state official says that "if you have an illegal gun or [normal-capacity] magazine then you have to dispose of those things," and when one of those regular guys says:

"When angry people get together they form militias, folks. This country, this western New York area is prime for something like that."

And when the crowd of regular guys cheer and clap in response to that statement, then you know that the NY state legislature has just stuck their foot in a mess of crap. This is a mess bigger than forgetting to exempt police from the new gun statute.

Open Letter To Sturm Ruger & Company

Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) has informed the public that its member mayors are looking at ways to punish firearms and ammunition manufacturers for opposing additional gun control. I think firearm-industry companies should preempt such discriminatory actions by the MAIG mayors, city councils, and city regulatory agencies.

Here is what I wrote to Ruger CEO Michael Fifer:

February 1, 2013

Sturm Ruger & Co.

Attn: CEO Michael O Fifer

Southport, Connecticut

Re: Proposed Procurement Discrimination By Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Dear Mr. Fifer:

First, let me thank Ruger for its effort to make it easier for gun owners and 2^nd amendment proponents to contact their elected officials about proposed gun statutes. Though I had already been contacting politicians, I appreciate your effort to help preserve our natural right.

I was disappointed in the past by Bill Ruger’s tacit clear support of magazine restrictions. But I have been and am a proud owner of Ruger firearms, and I was glad to see that Ruger has changed its political stance since that time. I owned an SP101 and 10/22, before I moved to NYC a little over a decade ago and sold my guns, because of NYC’s draconian gun laws. Since moving to North Carolina, I acquired a P95. Ruger makes great guns.

It is my opinion that the gun industry should preempt any action the mayors take based on Mayors Against Illegal Guns’s threat to punish gun-industry companies for opposing additional gun control. I am writing under the assumption that the governments of those cities need the gun industry more than the gun industry needs their business.

I think Barrett did it best.  After California’s .50-cal ban, Barrett told agencies in California that Barrett would no longer sell nor service guns owned by those agencies. I don’t know that the best approach is to be confrontational, but in that vein, I have attached a model letter.

Another alternative, which I think the gun industry should seriously consider, is to actively encourage citizens to purchase firearms – even helping with the licensing process – in restrictive “gun free” cities, and even if it means that the de facto firearms are “double-barrel shotguns”.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

CR Cobb

Proud American, NRA Member, and Ruger Owner

cc: open letter

MODEL LETTER TO MAYORS

(DATE)________

Re: Proposed Procurement Changes By Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Dear Mayor______:

Based on the recent statements by Mayors Against Illegal Guns in your name, [company] has decided to end any business relationship we have with your municipality. Since we oppose any additional gun-control statutes, we accept that you intend to proceed with discriminatory procurement practices against [company].

We are suspending all transfer of goods or services to your city, including but not limited to firearms, components, parts, ammunition, ammunition components, test data, and literature – excluding anything that would comprise a firearm- or ammunition-safety recall or safety literature.

If [company] has a contractual relationship with your city, then we will determine whether we are legally bound to maintain that relationship and proceed accordingly.

Due to our commitment to rank-and-file peace officers, we will continue maintaining relationships with individual officers, if those officers have or will acquire their duty weapons and ammunition privately and maintain private ownership.

Sincerely,

[CEO/Owner]

Feinstein: Military-Style Weapons Are For the Police And Military - Not You, the 2nd Ammendent's Intended Bearer of Arms

If someone could sit through this whole video, then I commend you.

Feinstein rails against military-style weapons in civilian hands, but that is what the founding fathers intended. Feinstein plans to gut the 2nd Amendment by pushing the "sporting purpose" definition, while ignoring the THREAT of gun-free zones. There is no evidence that the founding fathers intended that the 2nd Amendment should ONLY protect the sporting use of arms.

I've gotten 10:31 minutes into the news conference, and there is already a lot of fiction, exaggeration, and lies by omission. www.c-spanvideo.org/program/310581-1

Today's Tinfoil Hatter is Tomorrow's Well-Informed Citizen

To paraphrase Ron Paul on InfoWars with Alex Jones: What was thought to be crackpot prophecy a decade ago has come to pass in reference to what our government is doing with monetary policy and our person freedoms.


So when there is semi-concern for being a tinfoil hatter on blogs like The Smallest Minority, I am bothered and comforted at the same time. It is easy to see a massive government conspiracy, and it is easy to see plain-old business as usual. The truth is most likely somewhere in between. So be scared, be critical, and keep thinking.

Side Note:
I am still on the fence about DHS and other agencies purchasing so much ammo. Maybe they will shoot it all up practicing. But on the flip side, the Department of Education has no need for SWAT teams. Also, most other agencies have no legitimate reason for LEOs. We have too many agencies running around enforcing statutes (unlaws) for victimless crimes. And if the agencies stop practicing for long enough, then they will have a shitload of ammo.

Larry Correia's Opinion on Gun Control

I haven't read the whole post yet, but I am certain that it is worth reading.

http://larrycorreia.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/an-opinion-on-gun-control/

I am also exhausted debating against gun-control nuts.

The gun-control fundamentalists act as if they hold the moral high ground, but they don't. They are anti-individual rights. They are pro-"collective rights." "Collective rights" paved the road to totalitarianism over and over, because they are treated as privileges that the collective can revoke.

Rights are inherent to our being, not invented by the collective.

Is It Morally Reprehensible To Advocate Gun Control?

My hypothesis: It is morally reprehensible to advocate gun control.

Gun control addresses tools, not criminal behavior. It criminalizes legitimate behavior, like taking responsibility for yourself, your loved ones, the weak, infirm, young, and old. It attempts to create zones of peace and safety, but actually creates places of vulnerability and destruction.

Gun control regulations (illegitimate laws) threaten the natural rights of people to be secure in their property, whether they use weapons to defend their property, or the property is the gun, or the property is themselves.

Gun control attempts to make self defense illegal, but illegitimate laws are never legal; they are regulations that violate everyone's rights. Gun control puts your safety in the hands of the police, but the courts have repeatedly informed us that the police are not liable for your safety.

Those who advocate for more gun control after the Sandy Hook murders are making another attempt to turn us all into sheep. Gun control advocates attempt to portray the government as a good shepherd. But if we're lucky, the government includes a small collection of sheepdogs. And those sheepdogs are only worth a damn when they are directly guarding the flock. There were sheepdogs at Sandy Hook, to be sure. They were the teachers. They were armed with their wit and courage. They should have been armed with weapons, too.

It is morally reprehensible to advocate gun control, because it only stops people who want to offer protection - not the selfish asshole who wants to violate our rights to the nth degree.