We highlighted West Virginia Democrat Senator Joe “NRA A-Rated” Manchin’s post-Newtown come-to-Jesus epiphany on the need for common sense gun control laws earlier this week. But not long after basking in the approval of media outlets everywhere for his level-headedness on the issue, he tried to walk the whole thing back. As he backpeddled furiously, mediaite.com reports that he was heard shouting, “’I’m not supporting a ban on anything,’ Manchin said. He instead reinforced his praise of the gun lobby group, saying, ‘I’m so proud of the NRA, I’m so pleased they agreed to be part of this.’” But Mountain Staters weren’t having any of it and gathered yesterday to let Tailgunner Joe know how much he’s appreciated back home. Reader Bill Bargo was on hand and estimated the crowd outside Manchin’s Charleston office numbered about 200. Bill took a few snaps along with some video (after the jump), including a brief speech by WVCDL president Keith Morgan. He even managed to locate and document the lone Manchin supporter who was on hand, too . . .
http://youtu.be/UR1pIa3oF8k
 
After seeing this, Good luck with a confiscation program.
Honestly, I kinda hope they push confiscation. Two reasons – 1) the odds of it passing are essentially zero 2) if it DOES pass, well we’ll get round two of a fight that started 150 years ago – only this time the rebels will be much better armed and the entire Midwest and South would likely secede together.
WTF? 2nd Amendment preservation and reviving the Confederacy are pretty much the same thing? Great. Great.
No, it’s about standing up to an oppressive government. Like it or not, the Confederacy had every right to leave the Union. They could have left peacefully, but Lincoln was too much of a power hungry SOB to let them leave.
Seriously, read the letters Lincoln wrote to leaders of the Confederacy. He was a racist and had no problem with slavery and he even told the Confederates that he would let them keep slavery as long as they came back and acknowledged his supreme power – but if they refused, he would destroy them. That’s the reason why he issued the emancipation proclamation (freeing slaves in the Confederacy) and then rammed the 13th amendment through Congress before the war was over and the southern states would have a say in the vote on ratifying the 13th amendment.
I’m somewhat familiar with those Lincoln writings you mention. He was a man of his day. I, for one, am glad he succeeded in holding the United States together against the will of some in the southern states. Does that make me some kind of freak among shooters? Hope not.
There is an exotic phrase that the community of law-abiding gun owners would do well to meditate on when glib, emotional talk of secession and civil war begins swirling: Check yo’self before you wreck yo’self. Word.
Well you’re free to think that, just remember that it means that you believe murdering people who just want to peacefully go their own way is acceptable if it results in further power going to the Federal government.
Imagine if Lincoln had just left the Confederates alone – instead of having these endless political attacks against the Second Amendment, we might be able to just drive a few hundred miles south and move to a new country that respects our rights.
I’m glad the top photo was not just one featuring OFWGs though I have no idea what the mass media selected to report.
Didnt Romney get a NRA endorsement too?
I’m starting to think any older white man can get an NRA endorsement.
Politicians are less about standing for something and more about standing for themselves. They are hardly our best and brightest in most cases.
Considering he became a lifetime member, I believe he did. Not so much as his time during his governorship, but rather from the strong party platform the GOP adopted, plus having Ryan who is a hunter, and gun owner, pretty much puts him as an A rating, or at least close to it.
Lets think about this..
200 here 300 there, 150 over there. All ready to stand up against this ban and possible confiscation. It would turn ugly pretty quickly…
Think a outright ban would start a war. And I think with support like this and GOP House not happening.
Reagan’s 1986 back-room deal with Congress made it impossible to buy new select-fire rifles, Bush Senior made it so I could not buy a new semi-auto HK FAL, and and Clinton tried to take away virtually everything that went bang via AWB and harassing FFLs. When are people going to wake up and realize that a 3rd party is the answer? Vote Libertarian and don’t look back.
The old arguments that the GOP is “still better” are fading fast in light of the complicity to shred our Constitution.
I won’t even go into the Patriot Act, which should be more troubling than any AWB.
+1
I am torn on this. My reasoning in supporting Walker in Wis was that I can now defend my life. All else is a distant second from that. I differ greatly from GOP thinking on most issues except if the Dems are going to be so stupid as to start the gun sh.t up again I will probably vote Repub national also. Right now I don’t have political party, Randy
I was torn for years as well. Finally decided to vote on principle as opposed to pragmatism.
Honestly, I’d really like to. I think libertarians are right about a lot of things, including the futility of the war on drugs. The problem is that there aren’t enough libertarians at all levels of government, so even if we could elect a libertarian president, he’d face major obstacles from Republicans and Democrats alike.
The NRA made major inroads by spending less money lobbying in D.C. and instead focusing on the states. This strategy is a big part of why we have concealed carry almost nationwide. I think the libertarians would be wise to do the same. Instead of focusing on getting a libertarian POTUS, they need to start at the bottom and work their way up. A grassroots movement is always stronger than one that is top-down.
Hear, hear!
Does anybody remember when Bush No.1 tore up his NRA card on account of the “jackbooted thugs” rhethoric the NRA was rightfully using describing Waco and Ruby Ridge?
After that the NRA noticeably fell in line with TPTB.
Not sure what WV expected. This is the same state that kept sending Byrd and Rockefeller back to Washington every single year.
Amazing, isn’t it?
Sad is what it is.
If this AWB starts to look like a real possibility I think the NRA and other pro gun groups should plan a 10 Million man/woman march on DC and Congress. Maybe then DC would get the message. That’s the ONE protest I would bother getting on an airplane, bus, train, etc. for.
Of course the danger in doing something like that people don’t show up. Which knowing gun owners, I don’t suspect would be much of a risk.
I know I would gladly take a vacation day for that. Maybe schedule it around an NRA meeting, some pro gun conferences, a big gun show (oh yea, it’s DC – nothing more than a sharp pen allowed), etc. Bring the city to a screeching halt.
We could let them know afterwards if they proceed down the path to more gun controls the next visit wouldn’t be so friendly.
Not a bad idea, but you realize all attendees would have to go into the cesspool of DC disarmed?
Sometimes you just need to man up.
Unfortunately, yes. But in this case it would be worth it. If enough of us showed up and we would it might settle this argument for sure. Maybe for dramatic effect we all go dressed with our empty holsters just so they don’t mistake who we are with the anti-2nd amendment crowd.
I would drive home the point that we are actually a fairly diverse crowd: Mothers, Fathers, Blacks, whites, men, women, gays, straights, Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, etc. Maybe have some pins that say I’m a ……. and a gun supporter.
Or go armed – what are they going to do, arrest millions of armed people? Please, the DC police and SS couldn’t take on that many, not to mention if a firefight broke out, they’d be on the losing side of it.
Plan the march to pass through NYC with all 10 million (especially non-NYS/NYC residents) armed, good luck making that many arrests and getting the taxpayers ro back prosecution. Good luck justifying military ocupation and martial law for a peaceful demonstration.
+1
Does WV have a recall provision for senators?
Again, Byrd and Rockefeller voted for the last AWB. Byrd died in office. Rockefeller is still there. As a whole WV doesn’t care and its sad.
West Virginia is a State in flux. What comes out the other side might surprise you.
State in flux how? It’s been like this for decades.
Look at the presidential elections for one thing, the protest that was held as another.
This would not have happened 20 years ago. Hell back then they would have had the UMWA counter protesting. Things are changing in WV and for the better.
I hope every congressman and woman who turns their back on the second amendment gets the same treatment back in their home district.
Sadly out long time pro-gun Republican senator in Ohio (Rob Portman) recently said that he’d consider supporting a scary looking weapons ban “if there’s evidence it would work” (or something like that). Hopefully enough Ohioans write to let him know that he’ll be out of a job in a couple years if he votes for such a thing.
No truer portrait of a politician-thing has ever been exhibited, other than the one he himself painted. Of himself.
If you are not already a member and you own a gun or even if you do not own a gun but believe in liberty, join the NRA. There are an estimated 90 million gun owners and only 4 million NRA members. If the politicians and media think the NRA is a strong lobbying organization now, just think what they would think if it had 10 or 20 times its current membership. Send a message to these elitists and join the NRA.
Amen!!!!!!!!!
no thanx.
If I was in the firearms business I would, as they are first and foremost a business lobby.
I prefer the stance and work of GOA & SAF.
YMMV
Finally RF gives some good news. I think signs like this and polls show Gun Bans dont have BIG support nor gun control is really revived. May we all do what they do and win this fight.
Thank you to the W Virgina gun owners!!
Had I known this was going on I would have been there right along side. NRA member already but WVCDL will be joined today. Excellent.
Only twee buwetts!!
Ha, Ha!
I have to get that shirt!
Isn’t it great to have a senator who doesn’t have a clue why the
Second Amendment is even IN the Constitution?
BUY A CLUE, JOE:
The Second Amendment was not included in the
Constitution to protect hunters or target shooters.
The founders wanted to guarantee
that America would always have a WELL ARMED CITIZENRY.
If you want to argue that it is talking about the militia,
who was the militia?
Tenche Cox, Pennsylvanian delegate to the
Continental Congress tells us:
“The militia of these free commonwealths,
entitled and accustomed to their arms,
when compared with any possible army,
must be tremendous and irresistible.
Who are the militia? Are they not ourselves?
Is it feared, then, that we shall turn
our arms each man against his own bosom.
Congress have no power to disarm
the militia. Their swords,
and every other terrible implement of the soldier,
are the birth-right of an American …
the unlimited power of the sword is not in
the hands of either the federal or state governments,
but, where I trust in God
it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.”
This is from Feb 2012, so it’s dated. I would guess that the numbers will have changed by now and will continue through 2013 depending on the outcome of any AWB:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/152459/mississippi-conservative-state-liberal.aspx
WV is trending towards being more conservative//