Yesterday I was fortunate enough to take part in the bill signing ceremony for HF517. I stood by Meredith and Natalie Gibson as Governor Branstad signed the bill into law. Watching the tears of joy roll down Meredith's face was something I'll never forget. Today I'm seeing pictures and video posted to Facebook of parents legally teaching their kids to shoot all over Iowa. I'm certain the full weight of what we've just accomplished has not hit me yet, but if I'm being 100% honest, seeing these families, people I don't know and may never now, exercising their rights together and passing the shooting sports from one generation to another and instilling a love of freedom in the process gets me a bit teary. I'll proudly and fully admit to that.

Iowans are more free now than they were when we started this journey and that's because of the tireless and often thankless work of selfless freedom lovers. I want to thank you guys, the Iowa Hometown Forum specifically, for your support. Back in 2013 when we ran our first suppressor bill I was an ARFCOMer who liked guns and was irritated by illogical anti-gunners. There was talk about legalizing suppressors in Iowa and even though suppressors didn't really appeal to me I saw no reason why they shouldn't be legal in my state. So I tried to do my part. I wrote a couple emails to my local legislators and few to other key legislators in Iowa. Then I posted my emails here so others could do the same and we could track the response we were getting. That lead to a few visits with Michael and not long after that I was running IFC's outreach program and the rest was history, as they say. Since then we've not only legalized suppressors, but also SBRs and SBSs, we've passed Stand Your Ground, we've restored parent's right to teach their kids to shoot handguns, we've made it illegal for the media to harvest the personal information of Permit to Carry holders and we've insured that Iowans will never face gun confiscations during a declared state of emergency like the New Orleans dealt with did during Hurricane Katrina. Oh, and by the way in the process we also defeated the likes of Steve Sodders and Mike Gronstal, put Rob Hogg in the minority AND forced him to go on the Senate floor and try to explain that he's not actually anti-gun (that was especially sweet).

I take a lot of pride in what we've done in the last couple of years and ARFCOM still holds a special place for me. I don't spend as much time here as I used it, but it's still one of the first places I turn to when I know we need a quick response. You guys are capable and dependable, and for that I'm extremely grateful.

We've still got plenty to get done. Constitutional Carry and adding a Right to Keep and Bear Arms provision to the Iowa Constitution are top priorities for IFC. If we keep doing what we've been doing and keep spreading the word I'm confident we'll get that done as well. But in the mean time thank you guys. Thank you for doing what you do. Thank you for being so passionate about this issue. Thank you for supporting IFC. And thank you for helping us pass the biggest pro-Second Amendment bill in state history!

Kurt Liske
Vice President
Iowa Firearms Coalition

No. Thank you.

Thanks

Thank You ! From a Minnesota IFC member who crosses the border daily.

Thank You

Kurt:

You and the rest of IFC's leadership team should be very proud of what you have accomplished. Not only did you effectively push through legislation in the Iowa House year after year, but when it died in the Iowa Senate multiple times, you; and the rest of the IFC team were able to flip the Iowa Senate from anti-gun liberal leadership to conservative pro-gun leadership. More importantly, you and IFC were able to neuter Arron Door and his group IGO, possibly the biggest scammer in Iowa this side of Nigeria.

I'm proud be be a member of IFC.

Dave Funk

IFC really pulled through and helped make Iowa great again .

I should have done it much earlier, but I am now a proud member of IFC. I never thought we would end up getting SBR's, let alone everything else in this bill. Great work IFC, and everyone involved with getting this through.

Thank you for all of your hard work.  Gun rights is a winning issue in Iowa and for the most part, the rest of the United States. 

Now I have to make the decision as to what to SBR...

You guys keep doing what you do and we will keep calling and writing and informing friends and co-workers and family of what's going on, and even harnessing the power of GD when we need to.

I am still pretty young but am so happy with participating in this process in my own way and watching things unfold positively.

If we all keep it up I am sure we will not fail. I am still not tired of winning myself

Not much I can say that others have not already stated...so simply  Thank you!

I'm a horrible sales person but here goes... if you guys aren't IFC members yet I highly encourage you to join. It's the best way to show your support (and help further "the cause"). Plus, we're giving away a SilencerCo Omega to an IFC member at the end of the month -- Michael and CCA have even stepped up to cover the cost of your tax stamp. I'd love to see an ARFCOM member win.

Shameless membership plug aside, I really do appreciate the kind word guys. We've still got plenty of battles ahead of us. Most notably fixing the Iowa Constitution's distinct lack of a Right to Keep and Bear Arms clause...

thanks kurt!

thanks IFC members!

thanks arfcommers!

thanks iowans!

i'll admit it really hasn't sunk in for me.  it was such a tough session and required more effort and time than any time in the past, that i'm simply worn out.  i need a few weeks to get some rest, but i'm so far behind in the shop, that may not happen anytime soon.  lol.

i'm really tickled the code was changed in ways that benefit all us iowans and actually include freedoms again, instead of restrictions.  frankly, that doesn't happen often in our state, others, or at the federal level.  it's pretty special that this bill among others went through this year.  

good times!

like kurt said too, this doesn't get done without you guys being engaged and your membership.  thanks all!

-michael

I just got my renewal in the mail I think Friday.  IFC is a great organization and I'm pleased to support them.  This would not have happened without them.