National Rifle Association Selected to Produce Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, PA
After the flap that ensued from the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show earlier this year following the decision by Reed Exhibitions, managers of the NSSF SHOT Show, to ban the sale or display of modern sporting rifles, many thought that it might be a death knell for the show. Fear not, fans of the outdoor sporting show – the National Rifle Association has stepped in to continue the Harisburg tradition with a new name and less knee-jerk anti-rights attitude:
National Rifle Association Selected to Produce Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, PA
FAIRFAX, VA – The Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex & Expo Center has selected the National Rifle Association to continue its 65-year tradition of hosting a sport show in Harrisburg, PA, starting in 2014.
Recognized as the largest consumer sports and outdoor show in the country, the renamed Great American Outdoor Show will debut February 1-9, 2014. Attendees and exhibitors can anticipate an event filled with everything you have come to expect from the NRA. Hundreds of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy nine days of shooting, hunting, fishing, camping and boating exhibits, plus seminars, demonstrations, and evening entertainment. Continue reading
Illinois Second Amendment Victory is a Good Start
IL General Assembly has 180 days to craft new concealed carry legislation
Given the anti-gun image that Illinois has, thanks in large part to Chicago/Cook County, people may not have had very high hopes when the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) filed suit in May 2011, suing the state over the prohibition of carrying firearms for self defense. Gun rights proponents and US Constitution/Bill of Rights fans got good news this week when the decision in Moore et al v. Madigan et al was handed down.
The lawsuit alleged that the statutes which ban carrying handguns for self defense are “inconsistent with the Second Amendment.” SAF executive VP Alan Gottleib pointed out that “Illinois is currently the only state in the country that imposes a complete prohibition on the carrying of firearms for personal protection by its citizens.” SAF attorney David Jensen said that it was “incredible that this situation has persisted even in light of the Supreme Court’s rulings in Heller and McDonald”
The 7th US Court of Appeals this week issued a ruling which stated Continue reading
UN Arms Trade Treat is a Bust…For Now
The UN conference on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) has broken down and will not be submitting a draft of treaty to member nations and ABC News says “some diplomats and supporters blamed the United States for the unraveling of the monthlong negotiating conference.” Good job, United States! Amnesty International USA executive directory Suzanne Nossel was quoted: “This was stunning cowardice by the Obama administration, which at the last minute did an about-face and scuttled progress toward a global arms treaty.”
Always one to toot their own horns, the National Rifle Association (NRA) was quick to release an article, subtly entitled “NRA Stops U.N. Arms Trade Treaty.” While the gun rights lobbying group no doubt played a part in working against the measure, taking credit for the breakdown of the negotiations seems like a bit of a stretch given the hard work and grass-roots efforts of many gun rights organizations and individuals who helped spread the word, contacted representatives and did other behind-the-scenes work to protect American sovereignty when it comes to governing firearms.
This small victory, however, is certainly not cause to stop being vigilant when it comes to protecting gun rights. Conference chariman, Ambassador Roberto Garcia Moritan, a supporter of the treaty, said “we certainly are going to have a treaty in 2012.” This comes on the heels of several democratic senators attempting to slip gun control measures (S.A. 2575) into a cybersecurity bill that would make illegal the transfer or possession of ammunition feeding devices which hold more than 10 rounds. In case you couldn’t guess the list of “usual suspects” behind this measure, they include Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).
If you’re already involved in organizations and activities to support your second amendment rights, keep up the great work. If not, there’s no time like the present to get started. Check out this link for a good starting point or visit the GunLink forums.
NRA-ILA Seeking Nominations for 2011 Volunteer Awards
Do you know a person or volunteer organization that really fights for our Second Amendment rights? Here is your opportunity to allow them to be recognized for their efforts with the NRA-ILA “Jay M. Littlefield Memorial Volunteer of the Year Award” or the “NRA-ILA Volunteer Organization of the Year Award.”
The Littlefield award is an annual honor that recognizes an NRA member who demonstrates exceptionally meritorious activism in defense of our Second Amendment rights while the Volunteer Organization award is given to a group that really shines in defending and promoting our gun rights over the past year.
If you know a person or organization who fits this bill, you can submit your nominations by mail to:
NRA-ILA Volunteer Awards
c/o Miranda Bond
NRA-ILA Grassroots Division
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, VA, 22030
by fax to Miranda at (703) 267-3918 or by email to mbond@nrahq.org.
Nominations must be submitted by current NRA members and be accompanied by a one-page description of why the nominee is deserving, based on his or her 2011 activities in defense of Second Amendment rights and must be received on or before July 13, 2012. Winners will be selected by NRA-ILA staff and will be acknowledged at this Fall’s NRA Board of Directors Meeting.
Latest Drop in U.S. Murder Rate Will Confound Critics of Self-Defense Laws
From NRA-ILA:
Giving a positive character to the old expression, “same old stuff,” this week the FBI preliminarily reported that violent crime has dropped yet again – for the 18th time in the last 20 years. According to the report, the estimated annual number of murders dropped 1.9 percent from 2010 to 2011 which, given the increase in the U.S. population during the year, would translate into a drop of between 2.5-3 percent in the per capita rate of murders.
The FBI is expected to report the final 2011 figures around the end of the summer. Assuming those figures match the current estimates, the nation’s murder rate has been cut by about 53 percent and the total violent crime rate has been cut by about 49 percent since 1991, when violent crime hit an all-time high. Stated another way, the nation’s murder rate has fallen to about a 48-year low, and the nation’s total violent crime rate has fallen to about a 41-year low. Continue reading
Looking for National Gun Rights Organizations? You Have Options.
A while back, a member of the GunLink Forums posted a message asking about pro-gun organizations that might not be quite as well known as others. There are a number of national gun rights organizations which, for various reasons, some gun owners feel contempt for. Whether it is because they feel that these organizations have made too many compromises with anti-gun politicians, don’t get enough done, send too much junk mail, ask for too much money or for other reasons, these gun owners are left with a bad taste in their mouth and a feeling that they don’t have anyone on their side who can get anything done for gun rights.
There is hope, however. There are numerous national organizations fighting for our second amendment rights and many, many smaller regional or local organizations fighting on a grassroots level. No matter what your personal feelings are about a particular organization, there is almost certainly one out there with which you can align yourself. Throwing your hands up in frustration and walking away from the fight is exactly what anti-gunners want you to do and it will allow our rights to be trampled on even more than they already have been.
Take a look at these national gun rights organizations and see what they have to offer: Continue reading
