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The NRA had one—count it one—news conference following the sea-change spree killing at Sandy Hook. Once the Code Pink protestors got tossed, NRA Veep Wayne LaPierre tried and failed to communicate sympathy, resolve and a coherent plan of action. As expected, the media wailed on Wayne as an out-of-touch gun clinger. Mind you, that’s the PR side of the coin. Down in the trenches, The NRA has had great success with their lobbying campaigns. They’re the guys walking down the corridors of power making the pols pay attention to your Constitutionally protected right to keep and are bear arms. The issue I am seeing: the NRA is still in reactive mode . . .

As soon as civilian disarmament legislation is proposed or, God forbid, passed, the NRA’s lobbyists and lawyers spring into action. They do what they can to defend the Second Amendment. Even though we live in dark and dangerous times, the NRA has made solid gains over the last few decades. They’ve stopped bad bills before. With our help, with help of all the other gun rights orgs and activists, they’ll stop them again.

The NRA’s recent victory in Illinois, for example, was one of the most important successes the gun rights movement has ever achieved. But just because a specific bill has been stopped, why should the NRA? The citizen disarmament groups certainly don’t. The NRA should be educating, spreading the good word, promoting defensive gun uses in the media (news and advertisements), taking journalists to the range.

All of these activities help to normalize guns within society. If someone is educated about guns, if they know what they can and cannot do, it’s harder for disarmament advocates to  fill their minds with fear and misinformation.

Since none of the major organizations have taken the initiative to begin the pro active process, Guns Across America and a few other intrepid souls have launched their own campaigns. The Guns Across America protest is planned for state capitals across the nation on January 19th. It will take place at 12:00 noon in your time zone.

These “Guns Saves Lives” protests by grass roots organizations are taking up the challenge left on the table by the NRA. In and of themselves they will not do the heavy lifting required to protect our gun rights. But they will help educate us on how to frame the argument. There’s nothing wrong with the NRA’s collective power. But the right to keep and bear arms is an individual right. It’s up to us, individually, to make our case.

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51 COMMENTS

  1. The central problem the NRA has is that it is located in, and the senior people reside in the DC area.

    The DC area is an intellectual malarial swamp: Filled with contagious fevers of the mind, the fountain of supreme stupidity and with a raging white-water river of mendacity running through the middle of it.

    It is nigh on impossible to think clearly when one lives and does business in that environment.

  2. Thats why we who also should be in the NRA and also support all progun Reps Senators and other progun groups too we must be intend. As shown in Illinois we can win this… and should!

  3. And people think Alex Jones is a lousy ambassador. Wayne “Fifth Column” Lapierre has all the witty charm of a frozen codfish.

  4. I failed, yet again, at making it all the way through one of his videos. Good God man!

    There was some really good info in there. I heard it as I skipped through the length of the video. I think if all the good info was distilled out and all the repetition was eliminated, that’d make a really good 4-5 minute video.

    • That is nothing! You should have seen the 4 part series after Newtown. Each segment was over an hour. I made it through 40 minutes of the first (because I was playing video games while it played on the ipad) then shut it off because it was distracting me.

      Don’t get me wrong, I love Nutnfancy, but he does not know the meaning of concise.

  5. How many legit gun keepers that have used a firearm in self defense have found themselves staring at a wall throughout a long stretch sentence still ringing in their ears after a “Guilty” verdict is found for “Manslaughter”.

    The NRA is pantomime in my opinion, and it expects the crowd once on stage to be one issuing boo’s and hisses.

  6. FYI-
    PA – Harrisburg – Jan 23 11:00a start. Citizens March. check pafoa.org
    hundreds committed so far. lets make it thousands.

  7. I apologize if this is a repeat. The NRA managed to get this into the Affordable Care Act. We all owe them a debt of gratitude for it:

    “(c) Protection of Second Amendment Gun Rights.–
    “(1) Wellness and prevention programs.–A wellness and
    health promotion activity implemented under subsection (a)(1)(D)
    may not require the disclosure or collection of any information
    relating to–
    “(A) the presence or storage of a lawfully-
    possessed firearm or ammunition in the residence or on
    the property of an individual; or
    “(B) the lawful use, possession, or storage of a
    firearm or ammunition by an individual.
    “(2) Limitation on data collection.–None of the
    authorities provided to the Secretary under the Patient
    Protection and Affordable Care Act or an amendment made by that
    Act shall be construed to authorize or may be used for the
    collection of any information relating to–
    “(A) the lawful ownership or possession of a
    firearm or ammunition;
    “(B) the lawful use of a firearm or ammunition; or
    “(C) the lawful storage of a firearm or ammunition.
    “(3) Limitation on databases or data banks.–None of the
    authorities provided to the Secretary under the Patient
    Protection and Affordable Care Act or an amendment made by that
    Act shall be construed to authorize or may be used to maintain
    records of individual ownership or possession of a firearm or
    ammunition.
    “(4) Limitation on determination of premium rates or
    eligibility for health insurance.–A premium rate may not be
    increased, health insurance coverage may not be denied, and a
    discount, rebate, or reward offered for participation in a
    wellness program may not be reduced or withheld under any health
    benefit plan issued pursuant to or in accordance with the
    Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or an amendment made
    by that Act on the basis of, or on reliance upon–
    “(A) the lawful ownership or possession of a
    firearm or ammunition; or
    “(B) the lawful use or storage of a firearm or
    ammunition.
    “(5) Limitation on data collection requirements for
    individuals.–No individual shall be required to disclose any
    information under any data collection activity authorized under
    the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or an amendment
    made by that Act relating to–
    “(A) the lawful ownership or possession of a
    firearm or ammunition; or
    “(B) the lawful use, possession, or storage of a
    firearm or ammunition.”.

  8. The NRA is a bunch of hypocrites. They have been involved in all the anti-gun legislation since the 1934 National Firearms Act, including the 1968 Gun Control Act which mimics the Nazi Germany Gun Control Act of, I believe it was 1938. What they tell you is that they are there to prevent it from being worse. Well, that’s BS. The NRA is no friend to gun owners they have praised Senator Reid as an NRA good guy. The NRA, as far as I’m concerned, is a bunch of miserable, two-faced asses! But that is just my opinion, you don’t have to agree with it but do the historical research.

    I may be all wet but I’m partial to Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR).

  9. Everyone make sure to show up! I don’t want to get to the Capitol and see 3 guys and a truck picketing, I want a sea of pissed off gun owners

  10. I am all for this, but this had one date, another forum posted a different date for a PA group, and Facebook has been passing one around for Feb. If we can’t be more organized on one date it won’t be very effective

      • not confused…just frustrating. I just don’t think a few small showings aren’t as effective as if the organization’s worked together and we had a real big show of support. If we’re all for the same thing then we should work together more efficiently. A mass crowd made of several gun rights/2A groups would be impressive.

  11. I keep reading reviews online that Wayne did a lousy job. Wayne lacks good oratory skills, charisma, and more yet something else occurred and I’m not sure what it is. People — average American citizens — are responding positively to his call that our children deserve armed secure protection and the mass across the board level of violence in entertainment has gone too far. Wayne struck a cord when he pointed out how America provides money internationally ie to train Iraqi police, and to protect American politicians and their kids yet America ignores the rest of America’s children. I think he broke open the truth to many Americans how we have a class of commoners and a class of elites or royalty.

    In the long run, I think his message will be known more than his tone of voice remembered.

  12. Nutnfancy has some good points in this video. Dont show up in camp or a VTAC t-shirt that says “Trample the weak, hurdle the dead” (love my t-shirt). If you do you will play right into the lefts stereotypes of gun owners. Alex Jones did more to harm pro-gun rights then he did to help. He looked like a nut job and played right into their plan.

    All gun owners should show up and peacefully organize. Be professional, carry signs with quotes from our founding fathers.

    “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty”

  13. PS: for all the Gadsden Flags and general Pro 2A paraphernalia I used to see at Tea Party rallies their current silence is deafening as well.

  14. I am tired of the anti-gun rhetoric. I am tired of being demonized for the actions of a sick and criminal few. I am tired of being vilified because I choose to adhere to the Second Amendment and openly praise its purpose (which is to give citizens the ability to defend themselves from criminals, foreign invaders, and their own government’s tyranny in whatever form it shows itself).
    I am not a bad person. I am not a criminal. I am not a monster. I am a friend.
    I am a neighbor.
    I am a gun owner.
    In another time I might have been one to use my tools to defend your lives and your rights if they were in jeopardy….but now, the way that myself and all other gun owners have been turned into social pariahs….now I am no longer so sure.
    If they try to take my rights from me then whats to stop them from taking yours?
    You can be damned sure when the day comes I won’t lift a hand to help those who chastised, who insulted, who denigrated…
    If you feel that my words are too strong then that’s your prerogative. But my words are protected by the First which is afforded to me to be always protected by the Second….
    But WE do need to TAKE A STAND AND MARCH! Show them all how many of us there are and maybe then they will think twice of trying to demonize us any longer.

  15. I’m going out on a limb here (/sarcasm), but I predict that there will be not one single incident of gun violence at any of these rallies. Or violence of any type, for that matter.

  16. Wayne failed to communicate this and that? I listened to the press conference. I’m not sure that there was a single thing he said that wasn’t true. I thought it was for the most part, right on target. I suspect he only failed to communicate with those that chose not to hear, those with their minds made up already that the NRA is somehow bad or evil. Do not let the anti’s divide and conquer. Our grandchildren will curse us if we do.

  17. Danial Silverman,
    Editor,
    Please note one of the links in your story in unreleated to the “Guns Across America” event planned for Jan 19 2013 at high Noon in every State Capitol to demonstrate support to the Second Amendment. The “gunsacrossamerica . COM” site is NOT connected to the event on Jan 19. The correct link you have also shown for the event is “guncontrolmorecrime . com . Thank you for posting this story. I hope your many readers will take action on this event. Good luck.

  18. We have to all help protect “our”rights,write,call,ore-mail your Senators and Representatives,let them know how you feel about our rights.Keep up the pressure,I do everyday,I am the fly that keeps flitting on them.We have to stand together,not just say well someone else will do something,we are talking about freedom,if they take this right what about the next one?The left wants all the guns,no matter what they are.Lets not let them push us around,they work for us,Some of them have forgotten that.Keep your powder dry.

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