OK- here goes my non-controversial attempt to inform board members about 1) how to contact/join/support the NRA, 2) how to contact your elected officials, and 3) any other legitimate local or national pro-gun organization that you care to list.

 This IS NOT a debate thread, and I WILL NOT respond to any trolls, troublemakers, or asscrickets. (in this thread anyhow) [;)]
Please bring this sort of fun to: [url]www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?id=130093[/url]


[b]PROGUN ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU SHOULD ALREADY BELONG TO IF YOU'RE SERIOUS ABOUT EVER DEFEATING THE CURRENT AND FUTURE AWB:[/b]
 [url]www.nra.org[/url] (try this link later, they are working on the site now)

Join the NRA:
[url]www.yaworski.com/nra[/url]

NRA Institute for Legislative Action:
[url]www.nraila.org[/url]

Gun Owners of America (GOA)
[url]www.gunowners.org[/url]

To bitch, moan, or complain about the NRA: [url]www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?id=130093[/url]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[b]YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS- CONTACT THEM EARLY, CONTACT THEM OFTEN- BE SURE TO MENTION THE NRA AND THE FACT THAT YOU DON'T COMPROMISE ON GUN CONTROL ISSUES.[/b]
[url]www.whitehouse.gov/contact[/url]

EMAIL THE PRESIDENT AND VICEPRESIDENT...then call and write as well
-----------

Who are your Senators? Find out here easily:
[url]www.askjeeves.com/main/followup.asp?aj_ques=snapshot%3DJeeves%26kbid%3D13503&aj_logid=B2F2E14C55A63D46891A4058ADD48F55&aj_rank=1&aj_score=3.6&aj_list1=1270597-2509726&back=ask%3Dhow%2Bdo%2BI%2Bfind%2Bmy%2Bcongressman%253F%26o%3D0&en=ka&qid=E5F64BB3D0578F49B4CB9070C3F9E4AC&frames=1&adcat=jeev&ac=24&ask=how+do+I+find+my+congressman%3F&x=22&y=10[/url]



Who are your Representatives? Find out here quickly and easily: [url]www.askjeeves.com/main/followup.asp?aj_ques=snapshot%3DJeeves%26kbid%3D13503&aj_logid=B2F2E14C55A63D46891A4058ADD48F55&aj_rank=1&aj_score=3.6&aj_list1=1270597-1270599&back=ask%3Dhow%2Bdo%2BI%2Bfind%2Bmy%2Bcongressman%253F%26o%3D0&en=ka&qid=E5F64BB3D0578F49B4CB9070C3F9E4AC&frames=1&adcat=jeev&ac=24&ask=how+do+I+find+my+congressman%3F&x=14&y=10[/url]



----------

Now, let's get to work!

Could this please be tacked?

From now on, my response to this thread will be "TB."  Which of course, as we all know stands for "Tack a Brother."  
 Just a little mid-afternoon ebonics humor there for you.

I love whatever MOD tacked this--- thanks for the "TB!"

Very good info, but don't forget to join the JPFO as well.  [url]www.jpfo.org[/url]

Ultimately, being a gun owner is going to be a PR battle.  We're demonized in almost every form of news and media in this country, and we do NOTHING to stop it.  We're never seen as the generous, commpassionate people we are because we never show it outside of gun circles.  Think about how scary it is that the modern gun control crowd has used the same tactics the Nazis used to demonize Jews, gypsies, and other undesirables in post-WWI Germany.

I'd love to see a group of AR-15.com/NRA/GOA t-shirt wearing guys working at a Habitat for Humanity build site, donating food to or working at the food bank, or any other such activity.  The lack of that presence is how liberal groups were able to convince people they had the market on compassion cornered and the rest of us, especially right leaning gun owners, were uncaring, insensitive, evil bastards.

If we continue to be xenophobic and stick to gun only issues, we will ultimately lose.  Right now the anti-gunners are on the run post 9-11 because many people realize a gun can offer safety and protection in these times.  So, they're backing away from gun control as a national political agenda and are working on a much more localized agenda.  Since the VPC, Bradys and others are working at the local level, it is imperitive that we get out there as well and do not allow them to demonize us.  If we stop them at the city/state level we effectively cut off their base of power and they having nothing to stand on.  And the way to cut off that power is to get involved in your community and let everyone know that you're a proud gun owner and not some evil monster.

Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

Aside from the active political lobbying efforts, I try to take as many non-shooters to the range as often as possible. The more non-gunner, fence-sitters that can be recruited to support the efforts, the better off we will be in the polls.

It's usually a pretty easy sell once they get to shoot. We can offer fun, camraderie, cool toys, self defense, etc... What do the anti's have to offer? NADA

FYI: [url]www.nralive.com/index2.cfm[/url]

If Congress and The Senate Sees A Growing NRA,
5 to 6 million Plus Members by 2003, A Large Voting Block.

Time to Defeat AWB is Now.

Good Job, Leading The Charge, dissipator556.

^[size=1]
[url]www.cures-not-wars.org/[/url] Truth Will Liberate Earth.
[url]www.RKBA.org/antis/hci-master[/url]Allege 1993 feinstein/hci master plan
PRETEXT for TOTAL Gun Confiscation Dis-Armament.
[url]http://www.DigitalAngel.net/[/url]Revelation 13:18  ID-GPS-MONEY Human Implant Micro-chip

Never Again, Never Forget
Seek the Truth , Liberate Your Mind
We Are At WAR
[/size=1]
FIXED BAYONETS

VX

Thanks again to the mod/staff that provided the TB--- every visitor to this site should be reading this thread and utilizing the info to contact their elected officials.

I think the GOA site is [url]www.gunowners.org[/url].

I just joined the JPFO and GOA.  Thanks for the kick in the seat dissipator556...I should have done this a long time ago.

Hey Chimbo- No problem there pal.   I'm just glad to see that a few more good people are getting moving on this issue.  

 Great to hear it!

I think all of us should show up at the capital with our AW'S on the day it expires. Once they realized how many of us have them. They would shit their pants. And let it expire. Only problem is we can't legally take them into DC.

Carbine10- I would still love to see the looks on their faces!  

The day of expiration is way too long to wait to send the politicians a message.   Decisions on these matters are made far in advance of the actual voting dates.  

 

 

I think image counts for a lot too.  People need to understand that a lot of gun owners are middle class, educated, well dressed people.  I think the general impression that a lot of people have is that gun owners are just a bunch of ignorant rednecks who like shooting up stop signs and plotting against the government.  Unfortunately I think the "The government can have my guns when they pry them from my cold, dead hands" rhetoric hurts us.  While you might feel that way, you probably don't win over a lot of people on the fence when you say that.  Just like a politician, you have to be aware of your audience and speak accordingly.  There are even a lot of gun owners who seem to fear "assault weapons."  We need to make them understand that "assault weapons" are no more dangerous than their bolt actions.  I think we would have a great chance at putting the AWB down for good if we could get all gun owners in the fight.

I am a member of the NRA, and I contact Sen. John Ensign via mail and phone every couple of months.(Harry "Pinko" Reid is not worth my stamp or dime, we know he'll vote against gun owners every time and not sweat it, due to the old people voting block that works in his favor) Hope I'm doing my part.

Also, Sen. Ensign responds to my letters and phone calls. Each time he affirms his support for gun owners.

If the 1994 AWB does not get voted on, doesn't it go away ?

Id work on a habitat for humanity house here in central FL in a second with some pro 2nd brothers. Ill be getting together with the central FL glock group later this month and bring the idea to thier attention.
Think AR-15.com would donate some shirts if we got it together?

A suggestion.

I know that MY Senators AND my Congressman WILL NEVER VOTE AGAINST THE BAN (and the same is so of some of yours' out there, too).
So, I suggest this:

Find out who the "Moderates" are who might be swayed one way or the other.  Contact them.  Hound them. It doesn't matter that they're not yours.

Cincinnatus,
Your sig says, "FORTES FORTUNA JUVAT".  Please forgive my ingorance.  What does this mean in english?  I'm a little rusty on my latin.

thanks

Fortune Favors the Bold
[img]http://members.aol.com/hatch101/13.jpg[/img]
(not spelled correctly in the pic)
(knuckleheads...)

you forgot another very important step.

[b]VOTE[/b]

Yes--especially the Senators with presidential aspirations.

I am willing to send out letters to alot of Senators but, I cant write worth crap!

Can someone produce a good common letter that could be readdressed to several different Senators?

Could someone make up a poster with a LEO 20" A2, circling the flash hider and bayonet lug with "Why are these parts illegal for civilians to own?" underneath.  A bliss ninny might make the connection with "telestock = Only criminals want one", so the rifle probably shouldnt have one. I'm not very good with photoshop, and I cant find a suitable image to use.

Kharn

kharn,

I dont understand the part about the telestock.
Are you suggesting we dont need them or that they should remain banned?

I would much rather have a telestock than flashhidder.

Please explain

He's probably saying that doing such a poster with a tele-stock AR would invite the 'Well at least ban the tele-stock, cause the only use for it is to help you stuff the gun in your jacket' comment....

Of course, I'd invite anyone who believes that to try and stuff a M4 with stock collapsed under their coat without being obvious about what's there... It would probably end up like the pol who tried to quick-unlock a trigger locked gun (and was still fumbling with it at the end of the press conference)...

The best hope (imho) for the death of the AWB is to have the renewal killed by parlimentary procedure. I have a personal interest here, since similar tactics killed CCW (Passed the Assembly, but the dang dem-run senate didn't let it get a vote) in the WI legislature this spring. Would be nice to see the US house return the favor on the AWB (since a renewal requires the same bill passing the house and senate before getting to the pres).

 Just got a couple hand-written notes back from one Senator and two Reps--- we need as many AR15.COM friends and family to write/call/email as many elected officials as possible, especially moderates and conservatives.
Also, the ultra-liberal should not be neglected, since they need to know that we exist in large numbers and that we are willing to be politically active.  However, moderates should be our first goal to reach, then conservatives...then liberals, just to rub their noses in it!

PLEASE keep up the great work!  

Mzzlebrk: I am speaking only of the poster design.  In my mind, the poster is to point out the incredibly stupid parts of the AW ban, parts that even a bliss ninny could understand as being stupid (to us, all of it is stupid, but not to them).  Such an anti might not make the rational conclusion that a telestock does not change the ballistics coming out the muzzle, so it should be left out.  Also, lots of people know that the military carries the full-sized, solid stocked M16, I doubt many know about the M4 or 11.5" rifles or about the military's use of telestocks.

Kharn

the date is set, [url=www.stanley2002.org/index.html] July 04 2003, [/url]

be there or be a liberal..

FINALLY!!! i suggested doing this months ago, and got ignored.

can some ar15ers PLEASE post drafts they've sent to politicians so others can copy paste. Kharn, i will, in the next couple of weeks get together with some people that can write and i'll post it here for you & others to use. and PLEASE post the responses you get.

we gotta do this folks! i fear we won't be able to have our black rifles 5 years from now.

FYI :  [url]www.rkba.org/letters/[/url]

^[size=1]
[url]www.cures-not-wars.org/[/url] Truth Will Liberate Earth.
[url]www.RKBA.org/antis/hci-master[/url]Allege 1993 feinstein/hci master plan
PRETEXT for TOTAL Gun Confiscation Dis-Armament.
[url]http://www.DigitalAngel.net/[/url]Revelation 13:18  ID-GPS-MONEY Human Implant Micro-chip

Never Again, Never Forget
Seek the Truth , Liberate Your Mind
We Are At WAR
[/size=1]
FIXED BAYONETS

VX

Great to see all the enthusiasm on this topic!   Looking forward to the day that the AWB is a thing of the past, and further progress can be made.

A few thoughts on how to rid ourselves of the AW ban...

- The battle to make sure that the 94 AW ban is not made permanent, or replaced with something much more restrictive will take place in the [b]U.S. House of Representatives[/b]; plain and simple!

Make no mistake... Pres. Bush [b]will[/b] sign a new & improved AW ban if one makes it to his desk. He is on record as saying that he supports the ban, and his post 9/11 track record of disregard for our Constitutional protections should make even the staunchest Bush backers realize that when the chips are down, "the shrub" will not be a friend of the Second Amendment.  

The U.S. Senate will pass a new AW ban regardless of which party is in control come 04, so once again...
All of our efforts should be aimed at sending a clear and concise message to Congress that… [b] When the AW ban dies, it stays dead, otherwise the Reps. lose their jobs ASAP!  They must understand in no uncertain terms that we will no longer tolerate the infringement of that which "...shall not be infringed."[/b]


- In any effort to influence our elected Reps.,"snail mail" still reigns supreme. Good old typed and hand signed letters sent via first class mail make    
Congresscritters take notice of your opinion because they understand that a letter takes time and effort to compose. They realize that if you are passionate enough about an issue to take the time away from your family and career to write them, you are damn sure going to show up on Election Day to help vote them out of office!    

- Don't just write to a Reps. Washington offices... Send copies of your letter to 1 or 2 of their home district offices (you can always find these addresses on a particular Reps. web site.)  I doubt they cross-reference the names on the letters, so this tactic is a good force multiplier.

- [b]Follow up is very important!!![/b] Sending a couple of letters is just the beginning. A few weeks after I send out letters, I like to fax an identical copy of the letter to the Reps. office as a pleasant reminder that the issue is still important and that I am not going away.
A couple of weeks later, follow up with a polite phone call to your friendly Rep. Ask for their position on the issue. Voice your opinion, tell them how you want them to vote, and thank them for their time.  

Wait a few weeks, and [b]start the process over again![/b]  Keep the pressure on!!!  

*Notice I didn’t recommend sending E-mails... many of them are deleted unread &/or ignored by Congressional staff members.
 

Hope some of this helps.  

The Second Amendment: A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the PEOPLE to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

This, the second amendment, was put in place so that we the PEOPLE, would always be able to get equal weapons to any the government has. That way it is possable for the government to be overthrown by us, the PEOPLE.

Now, thanks to the government we had the NFA, and ATF slowly strip our gun rights away, and it would be impossable for us the people to overthrow the government, we no longer live in a free state, the government can do anything thay want and thanks to the NFA, and ATF, we cant do anything about it.

We have semi-autos, thay have full-autos. we have a .50BMG thay have a tank with 105mm cannon...... starting to understand this yet?

Yea I think i got it, The reason we are losing is because thousands to Morons march in washington to ban guns, voted a governer to president because of his View's anti-gun, feels good do it. MOST of what we do is complain, and send contributions to the NRA that pocket's most of our money. we vote, write letter's etc!
while the enemy march's and send contribution's right were it talks most.

The so-called "assault weapon" and "high-capacity" magazine bans sunset on September 13, 2004, less than two months before the next Presidential election.  This means that the people who are elected to Congress in November will determine the fate of the ban,  whether it is extended, made permanent, or allowed to sunset.  Gun owners need 50% + 1 members in the House or the Senate who are sympathetic to this cause.  At this point, the House looks like our best bet for getting a pro-gun majority, and every member of the House is up for re-election.

So, here's what everyone here needs to do.  Investigate the people running for the House in your district.  If there's an obviously good pro-gun candidate who has a chance of winning (as an aside, Libertarians are great, but face facts - they're not going to win any Congressional races in 2002), help that candidate's campaign.  Volunteer your time, make a donation, anything you can.  Make sure that candidate ***knows exactly why*** you're helping him win – believe me, he will remember when it's time to vote on this issue.  This goes for both Republicans and Democrats – pro-RKBA Democrats do exist!

If all of the candidates in your area are bad, keep an eye on the GOA and NRA alerts about the close races throughout the country, and donate to the pro-gun candidate in that race.  A little goes a long way.  Similarly, if your representative is an incumbent with a good record on this issue, and he has little or no opposition, donate to a pro-gun candidate somewhere else who is in a tight race.

Our goal is 50%+1 in the House who are pro-gun after the next election.  If we get it, the ban dies.

In Galls magizine, they sell (or did) Red Man Training Gear.  they are solid rubber (bright red) guns.  so lets all buy some and bring them to D.C.  therefor, they can still see the affect, without the danger.  i think the M16 is about $174.00  they also have many pistols and others.

Pistols: $45.99

Government .45  
Glock 20/21
Glock 19/23
Glock 17/22
Glock 26/27
Beretta 9mm/.40 Compact Trainer
Beretta 9mm/.40
S&W .40
S&W 9mm
SIG 228/229
SIG 220/226 9mm & .45
Sigma 380
S&W J frame
S&W K Frame
H&K USP 9mm/.40
S&W Sigma
Glock 10mm
SIG 239
H&K USP 9mm/.40
Training police radio
flashlight
knife

OTHERS:

Remington 870   $174:99
H&K MP5
M16
Colt SMG

[url]www.galls.com[/url]

Of course they exist but that is, at least partially, irrelevant.  The fact is, the overwhelming majority of democrats want to take your guns.  If you vote in a democrat that happens to be pro-RKBA that's great, maybe he'll vote against any new proposed bans.  The problem is that by voting in a democrat you are increasing the chance that the democrats will have a majority--and we all know that the leaders of the party are anti-2nd:  Daschle, gephardt, etc.  Even if you vote in a democrat, he isn't the one who will be running the democratic members of congress.  It's people like Daschle who get to choose what legislation is even looked at, so by voting in democrats you are voting for him.

However, there is another side to this. If your state has OPEN PRIMARIES (as we do in WI (for state elections, anyhow), and there's a pro-RKBA Democrat in them, vote for that guy in the primary. I have no intention of voting for, say, Gary George for WI Governor, but I will vote for him in the primary because he said he'd sign CCW. The same goes for the congressional races. If you can help make it Pro RKBA on both sides (or at least try, and let the local party know WHY you want a certain guy to win the primary), then all the better...

This makes even more sense in a 'Democrat' state, where you know one of them will get in, but the question is 'which one, and who's the least harmful'.

Great to see that this thread has survived the site upgrade!  Please continue on with the good work.

Keep the thunder rolling- just got another batch of letters sent out!   Good job so far, but let's step things up a bit--- keep writing those letters and encouraging others to do the same.

Why can someone can use common sense that a semi-auto is NOT an assault weapon? If it was an automatic like all military weapons, then it should be known as one.