DC Project, Round 2

I met champion shooter Dianna Muller at the 2016 SHOT Show when she was just getting the DC Project off the ground. The goal was to have 50 women, one from every state, go to Capitol Hill and lobby Congress on issues surrounding the Second Amendment. She partnered with A Girl and A Gun as a way to spread the message.

I don't remember if they hit the one from every state objective but there were a largish group of women who stormed Washington in support of gun rights. My friend Cheryl Todd of Gun Freedom Radio in Arizona was one of those women. I remember her telling me how some legislators listened and some like Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) lectured them on the evils of guns.

The DC Project is now heading back to Capitol Hill in a few weeks for round two. From their list of delegates, it appears they now have representatives from 41 states. They still need representatives from Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, North and South Dakota, and Vermont. I can see Hawaii, the Dakotas, and Montana but 2A women in Delaware and New England need to step up. If you are a woman who believes in gun rights from one of those states, you need to contact Robyn Sandoval at robyn@agirlandagunclub.org ASAP.

Below is their official release on the event.

Women to Rally in DC in Nonpartisan Support of Gun Ownership

AUSTIN TX — Women from around the country are preparing to travel to the U.S. Capitol as part of the DC Project, a nonpartisan initiative that brings 50 women, one from each state, to Washington, DC, to meet with their legislators about issues addressing the Second Amendment. The women, who will be meeting with Congressional members and staff from June 12-17, 2017, have diverse professional experiences, ethnicity, and political beliefs, but share a common interest centered on the appreciation of America’s gun culture.

The DC Project was started by Dianna Muller to encourage female shooters to meet with legislators in order to give politicians a direct connection to the fastest growing demographic of gun owners. Females provide unique stories and perspectives on the attraction of the 2nd Amendment, including competition shooting sports, commerce, self-defense, hunting, and conservation. “The Second Amendment is part of the United States Constitution and does not belong to one party,” said Muller. “Female gun owners are diverse, and have individualized stories and accounts of why this Amendment is so important to them. These stories need to be shared as they are representative of many within legislators’ constituencies.”

Muller reached out to A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League (AG & AG) to assist with the project. With a nationwide network of firearms instructors and female gun owners, AG & AG is a strong voice for the Second Amendment. Robyn Sandoval, Executive Director, is one of the participants meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

“A Girl & A Gun is honored to be a part of this initiative. As a person who previously was pro-regulation, I now devote my life to empowering women with the safe use and storage of firearms,” said Sandoval. “It is important that our lawmakers learn our stories and have access to our resources for education on gun-related issues.”

The DC Project will host a rally on the West Senate Lawn of the U.S. Capitol on Friday, June 16, 2017, at 2PM. Speakers will include Dianna Muller, Nikki Goeser, Robyn Sandoval, Amanda Johnson, Dakota Overland, Holly Sullivan, and other women of the firearms industry as they address the rising demographic of female gun ownership; the value of the 2nd Amendment in today’s society; and the importance of the preservation of America’s gun culture, from conservation and commerce to competitive sports, hunting, and self-defense.

For more information on the DC Project visit: http://dcproject.info

Happy Memorial Day

I like the gungrams from my friend Charlie Cook. For today he has something a little different for him.




Memorial Day is to honor the ultimate sacrifice of those who served our nation in the armed services. Traditionally, it is used to honor those who died while serving. That said, I think we need to honor those died at a later date - even a much later date - from wounds and diseases they contracted while serving.

What brings this to mind is that I had a client who died two weeks ago. He had developed heart issues later in life related to his exposure to Agent Orange while serving in South Vietnam. I knew him as a nurse but as a teenager he had been given the choice of juvenile hall or the Army. He used his brother's birth certificate to join the Army at 16 and ended up in the 1st Air Cav. He came home after serving more or less in one piece. He did leave a finger tip in the Ia Drang Valley but that's another story. The discipline the Army instilled served him well as he got his act together, went to nursing school, became a registered nurse, and had a long career. However, Agent Orange was lurking in the background and his days in South Vietnam came back to take his life in the end.

It is he who I will be thinking about on this Memorial Day.

Legal Or Illegal?

I saw this the other day on the Interwebs  It does serve to put the whole debate over what is and isn't legal into perspective.

I Forgot My Own Blog-iversary!

What can I say - I forgot my own blog-iversary. A post by Prof. David Yamane at the Gun Culture 2.0 blog about the 5th anniversary of the starting of his own blog prodded my memory cells. Congratulations to David on this milestone and on his always informative blog.

As to me, I started No Lawyers - Only Guns and Money on May 19th, 2010. This after 4,761 posts, approximately 4.6 million pageviews, and 1,898,996 visitors if StatCounter is correct.

Looking back at those seven tumultuous years, we have seen a lot of changes. Alan Gura won both the McDonald and Ezell cases bringing the Second Amendment as an individual right to the nation and Chicago respectfully. Both Wisconsin and Illinois have passed shall-issue concealed carry. Instead of just Vermont having constitutional carry, there are now a total of 13 states with permitless concealed carry. Gun owners may have been the winning margin for an ostensibly pro-gun President Trump whom no one could have predicted would win the election. We have seen a surge in gun sales which became a tidal wave after the Newtown school shooting. The same goes for suppressor sales even though they require a $200 tax stamp and an interminable wait.

On the downside, we have seen more and more Federal judges parsing the Heller decision to denigrate the Second Amendment as an individual right. The Supreme Court has allowed this to continue as they haven't taken another Second Amendment case since McDonald. My own 4th Circuit is now battling the 9th Circuit in terms of disrespect for the Second Amendment. Finally, among other things, we are now seeing a well-funded attack by gun prohibitionists on civil rights thanks to Mike Bloomberg.

The only excuse I can give for forgetting my own blog-iversary is that I've been busy with work and getting my late mother's house ready for closing. So far, I've forgotten the anniversary of her death nine years ago and that of my dad 36 years ago.

However, I won't be forgetting the anniversary of my wedding to the Complementary Spouse. My trick and one that I encourage other men to follow is to make it your ATM pin number. It's a number you need to remember and one that you don't have on papers in your wallet. It's a win-win.

Trotting Out A Dusty Old Canard

I got an email yesterday from the Brady Campaign. Now that in and of itself is not unusual. They are usually begging for money almost as frequently as Gabby Gifford's American for Responsible Solutions.

No, what I found intriguing was the depths that these people will sink to in order to push their anti-rights agenda. I shouldn't be surprised given how in the Paul Helmke era they tried to portray a young James D'Cruz as an unhinged kid who would shoot up a school. That would be the same Mr. D'Cruz who just graduated this month from Harvard Law School.

This time Dan Gross and his advertising minions are now labeling national carry reciprocity as "the Zimmerman Bill". They say it will give felons, domestic abusers, and fugitives an open license to carry like that "criminal George Zimmerman". Yes, they actually referred to George as a criminal even though a jury of his peers found him not guilty. This is outright defamation. I have met George, spoken with George, and have seen how his life will never be the same after he defended himself. He is not an evil man. He is merely a guy who was attacked by a wannabe thug with evil intent who had to defend himself.

There is another subtle message that the Brady Campaign is implying by bringing George Zimmerman into the conversation about concealed carry. The message is that concealed carry will allow whites to kill blacks with impunity. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth but then expecting truth from the gun prohibitionists is an exercise in futility.

I have reposted the Brady Campaign's email below so you see for yourself the depths to which they will go.

It may seem all eyes are on Trump’s Russia drama right now, but the gun industry has stayed laser-focused on profits and pushing the myth that more guns make the country safer.

You and I both know that’s a lie. But their latest attempt to put guns in the hands of every American -- no matter how dangerous -- is perhaps their most outrageous yet.

Trump and the gun industry have pushed Congress to introduce the Zimmerman Bill -- what they call "concealed carry reciprocity.” This dangerous bill would roll back gun safety laws in nearly every state, forcing states with strong state laws to accept anyone with permission or a permit to carry a concealed gun, including criminals like George Zimmerman. This bill would create a system with no standards, no rules and no borders.

If the Zimmerman Bill becomes law, states working hard to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people would be at the mercy of states that do nothing to stop felons, domestic abusers, fugitives and people who are a danger to themselves or others from carrying loaded, hidden guns in public.

This bill already has nearly 200 cosponsors in the House of Representatives. But we can stop it! Sign our petition opposing the Zimmerman Bill today and stand together for a safer country.

Thank you for all you do,

Dan

Andrew Branca & LOSD Seminar Coming To NC In June

Attorney Andrew Branca will be bringing his Law of Self Defense Seminars to North Carolina on June 10 and 11. The classes are being sponsored by Grass Roots North Carolina and will be held at the Triangle Shooting Academy in Raleigh.

More info below in the alert from GRNC.

DISCOUNTED FOR YOU: ANDREW BRANCA'S 'LAW OF SELF-DEFENSE' SEMINARS

You carry a gun so you're hard to kill. Know the law so you're hard to convict. . .

Do you know the law of self defense? I mean, REALLY know the law? What good does it do to defend your life if you make some small legal mistake that ends up putting you in prison for the rest of your life?

At the Grass Roots North Carolina Annual Meeting two years ago in Charlotte, Attorney Andrew Branca taught an incredible Law of Self-Defense seminar that focused entirely on North Carolina's laws. Most of us have taken a Concealed Handgun Permit course, which has 4 hours of legal instruction. But AndrewBranca's class goes much deeper. 

It's everything you need to know before you have to use force in self-defense.  Not just the black letter law, but also the judges' legal decisions and self-defense jury instructions. This class is so detailed that if you're a lawyer, it counts toward Continuing Legal Education. But don't think it's dry and boring like your CHP class was.

Andrew is a fantastic presenter, taking complex legal discussions and turning them into simple concepts and delivering them with his trademark wit.

Enroll Now and Receive a GRNC Discount

Through a special agreement with Andrew, Grass Roots North Carolina can offer you a discount (for a limited time) on these Raleigh Law of Self-Defense seminars.

Before May 28, Use discount code "GRNC" at checkout and receive 10% off one or both of these essential classes. 

But act now, because the classes are filling up quickly, and as of May 28th, the price of the classes goes up. 

The seminars will be held at
Triangle Shooting Academy

in Raleigh, NC
 

Level 1 Seminar
Saturday, June 10th, 2017

9:00 AM 

Level 2 Seminar
(available to those who have taken Level 1, or will take it on June 10)
Sunday, June 11th, 2017

10:00 AM 

Sign up online at: 

Level 1 Seminar: http://lawofselfdefense.com/event/law-of-self-defense-level-1-class-nc-61017/

Level 2 Seminar (prerequisite-Level 1):
http://lawofselfdefense.com/event/law-of-self-defense-level-2-class-nc-61117/

And remember to use discount code "GRNC" at checkout to show your support for Grass Roots North Carolina, and also to save 10%. Class is open only to pre-registered students, so sign up right away before the price increase.

Here, Let Me Rewrite That For You

Imagine you recently got this email. It came from either the buggy-whip manufacturer's association or Earth First. Either way, they were anti-automobile because cars don't fit their agenda. In other words, while they are being chauffeured around in stretch limos, they don't want the roads crowded with the likes of you.

Here's the email:

For the first time in a decade, auto sales are down in the United States.

So it’s no wonder deregulating mufflers is at the top of the automobile manufacturers lobby’s agenda. They need to find new ways to make money, regardless of the cost to our communities, and making this policy priority a legislative reality would mean big business for auto manufacturers.

But here’s the dangerous truth: if mufflers were deregulated and sold without any oversight, they could be sold without background checks. And when that happens, they can easily get into the hands of dangerous people. That puts us all at risk, because mufflers make it more difficult for law enforcement to locate speeders, and easier for criminals to quietly escape.

But it appears Congress may move forward on the deregulation of mufflers anyway. But before they do, we have a chance to make our voices heard:

Sign our petition calling on Congress to REJECT any legislation that would deregulate the sale of automobile mufflers.

Automobile mufflers can cost anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to up to $2,500 for the most expensive muffler sold by Quiet Cars. This is big business.

But the profits to a few manufacturers will never be as important as the safety of our communities across the country. That’s why making your voice heard is so important.

You are probably thinking that mufflers are a good thing and you'd be right. Among other things they reduce noise pollution. You won't be woken up in the middle of your afternoon nap anymore when an unmuffled car drives by your house.

Of course, the real email from Mark Kelly aka Mr. Gabby Giffords of Americans for Responsible Solutions (sic) is talking about silencers and suppressors for firearms. My rewriting of his email was to show just how ridiculousness of his position. I could go on but I think you get it.

That Shoulder Thing That Goes Up

Former Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) was asked many years ago by Tucker Carlson if she could define a barrel shroud which was mentioned in her assault weapons (sic) ban bill. She replied that it was that shoulder thing that goes up. We in the gun culture just shook our collective heads at her ignorance yet realized that even stupid stuff can be enacted into law.

State Sen. Antonio Munoz (D-Chicago) who is the Assistant Majority Leader in the Illinois Senate introduced an amendment to a bill (SB 556) that was intended to make technical corrections to Illinois criminal laws. Amendment 1 contains, in part, language intended to institute an assault weapons (sic) ban in the state of Illinois. One wonders if Sen. Munoz picked this bill because of its purpose or its number.

(14) Carries or possesses on or about his or her
person, in any vehicle, or concealed on or about his or her
person any semi-automatic assault weapon.
In this paragraph (14), "semi-automatic assault weapon" means:
(A) any of the firearms or types, replicas, or duplicates regardless of caliber, known as:
(i) Norinco, Mitchell, and Poly Technologies Avtomat Kalashnikovs (all models);
(ii) Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil;
(iii) Beretta AR-70 (SC-70);
(iv) Colt AR-15;
(v) Fabrique Nationale FN/FAL, FN/LAR, and FNC;
(vi) SWD M-10, M-11, M-11/9, and M-12;
(vii) Steyr AUG;
(viii) INTRATEC TEC-9, TEC-DC9, and TEC-22; or
(ix) any shotgun which contains its ammunition in a revolving cylinder, such as (but not limited to) the Street Sweeper and Striker 12;

(B) a semi-automatic rifle or pump action rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has any of the following:
(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
(ii) a pistol grip or thumbhole stock;
(iii) a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles the barrel, and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned;

(C) a semi-automatic pistol that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has any of the following:
(i) a folding, telescoping, or thumbhole stock;
(ii) a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles the barrel, and that permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned; an ammunition magazine that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip;
(iii) a manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded; or
(iv) a semi-automatic version of an automatic firearm;

(D) a semi-automatic rifle or pistol with a fixed magazine that has the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition;

(E) a semi-automatic shotgun that has any of the following:
(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
(ii) a pistol grip or thumbhole stock;
(iii) a fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds; or
(iv) an ability to accept a detachable magazine.

"Semi-automatic assault weapon" does not include:
(A) any firearm that:
(i) is manually prepared by bolt, pump, lever, or slide action;
(ii) is an unserviceable firearm or has been made permanently inoperable;
(iii) is an antique firearm; or
(iv) is a rifle with a fixed tubular magazine located under the barrel that is only capable of holding rounds of ammunition placed end to end; or (B) any air rifle as defined in Section 24.8-0.1 of this Code.

Illinois Carry has issued a call for witness slips to counter this amendment.

Urgent Call to Action Witness Slips Needed Witness Slip Instructions Earlier this evening Amendment 1 to SB556 Criminal Law Tech was scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow morning at 10:30 AM. If this bill becomes law, it will arbitrarily define and ban possession of “assault weapons” throughout the State of Illinois. Witness Slips Are Needed Now! Please take a moment tonight or early tomorrow morning to show your opposition to this ban on the some of the most commonly owned, modern firearms. And, if you haven't already filed a witness slip against SB1657 Gun Dealer Licensing, please see the instructions in our IllinoisCarry Forum Alert.  File these slips before tomorrow morning as well! File Witness Slips Now! To avoid having to complete each field manually, Log on to your ILGA Dashboard (or Create a New Account if you have not already done so) then return to this email and click on the links for each witness slip. If you do not wish to create an account, simply click on each witness slip link and complete the required fields manually: I, IDENTIFICATION: Enter your personal information. Enter "NA" for the Firm/Business or Agency and Title fields unless you are officially representing an organization. II. REPRESENTATION: Enter "Myself" unless representing an organization. III. POSITION: Unless instructed otherwise for a particular bill leave the description field at its default value "Original Bill". Indicate your position by selecting the "Proponent" or "Opponent" radio button. IV. TESTIMONY: Select the "Record of Appearance Only" radio button. If filing manually, complete the Captcha challenge and agree to the ILGA Terms of Agreement. Then click Create Slip. Oppose SB556 Criminal Law Tech SFA1  - OPPOSE Witness slips can be tracked here.

UPDATE: The Illinois State Rifle Association has also released an alert on this requesting witness slips for both this bill and SB 1657. As I've said elsewhere, there is a lot wrong with Illinois politics but I do like the concept of witness slips. A trip to your state capitol during a work week is not doable for most people. Witness slips puts your opposition or approval to a bill in the public record.

From ISRA:

Action Alert - Summary - Two witness slips for Tuesday: SENATE: File a witness slip now through Tuesday 10:30 am (May 16) against SB556, as amended with Senate Floor Amendment 1 (SFA1).  The amendment turns this bill into a semi-auto ban, attempting to ban your favorite rifles and pistols.  Follow carefully any steps in BOLDFACE as they may differ slightly that you may usually see. If you look up this bill on the ILGA website, you have to view the text of the amendment (links provided below) to see that the bill is being converted from a shell bill ("makes a technical change...") into a gun ban. HOUSE:  If you have not already done so, file Witness Slips NOW Through Tuesday 11:00 am (May 16) against SB1657, Illinois Gun Dealer Licensing. Last month you were also asked to submit a witness slip against this bill, but that was when the bill was in the Senate.  This is for a HOUSE hearing. So please submit a slip again, opposing this bill in the next hearing. Also, please call your Illinois State Representative and politely remind the person that answers the phone that you are urging your representative not to support Illinois Gun Dealer Licensing, SB1657.

SB556  Munoz - SFA1 - Semi-auto and magazine ban This is a ban of your favorite semi-auto firearms and magazines.  This is done by amending an empty piece of legislation ("shell" bill) that has already progressed in the Senate.  If you look up the bill, you have to read the amendment (SFA1) to see its impact. The status page of the bill will not show the new intent of the bill.   Make your voice be heard by submitting a witness slip against this bill in this committee hearing: Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing - 10:30 am on May 16, 2017 SB556  SFA1 Munoz - Semi-auto ban SB1657  Willis - GUN DEALER LICENSING This is the Senate version of the legislation that would force your favorite gun store to close under a mountain of new regulations.  This bill will affect your ability to buy firearms or ammunition in Illinois.  Never mind the weight of all the federal regulations that gun dealers and gun owners must deal with, your retailer and you will have more Illinois regulations and fees now too.    The bill as amended passed out of the Senate on a 30-21 vote and is now headed to a committee hearing in the Illinois House of Representatives. Your continued action is needed against SB1657, make your voice be heard by submitting a witness slip against this bill in this committee hearing: House: Judiciary Criminal Committee Hearing - 11:00 am on May 16, 2017  SB1657  Willis - GUN DEALER LICENSING How to create your witness slips: If you have an account already at my.ilga.gov, go there and login now. If you do not have an account, you are encouraged to do so, to make it easier to fill in witness slips in the future.   At this point, logged in or not, you click on this link to create your witness slip against SB556 SFA1: http://my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/Create/100498?committeeHearingId=14966&LegislationId=100498 If you are logged in, you get to skip to step III. I. IDENTIFICATION: Enter your personal information. Enter "NA" for the Firm/Business or Agency and Title fields unless you are officially representing an organization.   II. REPRESENTATION: Enter "Myself" unless representing an organization.   III. POSITION: 1. Under description, Make sure that SFA1 is selected.  2. Indicate your position by selecting the "Opponent" radio button.    IV. TESTIMONY: Select the "Record of Appearance Only" radio button.   If filing without a login, complete the Captcha challenge and agree to the ILGA Terms of Agreement.   Then click "Create Slip."  At this point, logged in or not, you click on this link to create your witness slip against SB1657: http://my.ilga.gov/WitnessSlip/Create/104404?committeeHearingId=14949&LegislationId=104404 If you are logged in, you get to skip to step III. I. IDENTIFICATION: Enter your personal information. Enter "NA" for the Firm/Business or Agency and Title fields unless you are officially representing an organization.   II. REPRESENTATION: Enter "Myself" unless representing an organization.   III. POSITION: Indicate your position by selecting the "Opponent" radio button.    IV. TESTIMONY: Select the "Record of Appearance Only" radio button.   If filing without a login, complete the Captcha challenge and agree to the ILGA Terms of Agreement.   Then click "Create Slip." Afterwards, you can track witness slip activity for these bills/hearings: SB556   click here  SB1657 click here Contact your State Representaive and politely tell him/her that you are a law-abiding gun owner and that you expect them to vote against SB1657 even if it is amended. To verify who your State Resresentative is, use the lookup apps available at the Illinois State Board of Elections website. (click here)  Even if you prefer email, also contact them at their Springfield and district offices.  Email can be ignored, but phones must be answered.  Remember, the person who answers the phone is usually a state employee reporting to the legislator,  and is just doing their job.

Help Needed In Illinois To Defeat SB1657 Gun Dealer Licensing

The gun banners in the state of Illinois are trying to add another level of bureaucracy to firearms dealers. SB 1657 would require anyone selling more than nine guns a year to be licensed as a dealer. Dealers are already federally regulated by the BATFE. Despite the many questionable things done by BATFE, they do have the experience to work with FFLs to do inspections. I sincerely doubt that anyone at the Illinois State Police or any of the local police and sheriffs' departments could say the same thing.

Illinois Carry released this alert this afternoon. If you live in Illinois and care about your gun rights, I'd suggest jumping on it.

Call to Action

Witness Slips & Phone Calls Needed

Witness Slip Instructions

The time is here. It is now. We stand at a crossroads in Illinois. To one side, the freedoms guaranteed in the Constitution. To the other, the oppression in SB1657 Gun Dealer Licensing, a bill designed to close Illinois gun stores and, with them, foreclose our rights as citizens.

You know the reasons to oppose this bill:

> Individuals transferring a modest number of firearms must be licensed

> License fees are undefined and unlimited - as high as $5,000 per year by some estimates

> Carve outs for “big box” stores, making them exempt from this law, virtually guarantee the demise of family owned gun stores

> Permission to operate a gun store is required from the local Sheriff, meaning no gun stores in Cook County, and none in other counties if their demographics change

> Contrary to Ezell v Chicago, stores are not allowed within 500” of schools and day-care facilities

The list is long. Longer than included here, but one thing is clear. Every page, every line, every word in this bill is designed to eliminate existing gun stores and prevent new stores from opening. And, in so doing, this bill is meant to strike a fatal blow to the Second Amendment in Illinois.

You must make a choice

Will you join thousands of other Illinois gun owners and fight for your rights? Will you spread the word to fellow gun owners, family, and friends? Will you file witness slips and make phone calls opposing this bill?

Choose what is right. Choose action now!

Call Your State Representative!

Beginning tomorrow please call your Illinois House Representatives to express your opposition to any form of state licensing of gun dealers. Politely ask them to Vote No on SB1657, should it come to a vote.

Contact information can be found here.​

Witness Slips Needed!

 

In addition to phone calls, please file witness slips opposing SB1657 Gun Dealer Licensing. This bill is scheduled to be heard in committee the morning of May 16.

File Witness Slips Now!

To avoid having to complete each field manually, Log on to your ILGA Dashboard (or Create a New Account if you have not already done so) then return to this email and click on the links for each witness slip. If you do not wish to create an account, simply click on each witness slip link and complete the required fields manually:

I, IDENTIFICATION: Enter your personal information. Enter "NA" for the Firm/Business or Agency and Title fields unless you are officially representing an organization.

II. REPRESENTATION: Enter "Myself" unless representing an organization.

III. POSITION: Unless instructed otherwise for a particular bill leave the description field at its default value "Original Bill". Indicate your position by selecting the "Proponent" or "Opponent" radio button.

IV. TESTIMONY: Select the "Record of Appearance Only" radio button.

If filing manually, complete the Captcha challenge and agree to the ILGA Terms of Agreement.

Then click Create Slip.

Oppose

SB1657 Gun Dealer Licensing – OPPONENT

Witness slips can be tracked here.

Let's face it - the goal of this bill is to drive the mom and pop gun stores out of business. After that is done, they will go after the big boxes to make it undesirable for them to sell guns and they will fold like a deck of cards.

Bob's Obituary

Bob Owens' obituary has been published. Over and above his friends in the gun culture, he leaves behind a wife, two daughters, and his parents. In other words, he left behind a lot of folks who loved him.

Fuquay-Varina - Robert "Bob" Eugene Owens, 46, passed away on Monday, May 8, 2017. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Bob is survived by his wife of 18 years, Christine Zamzow Owens; daughters, Maya Owens and Kate Owens of the home; parents, Eugene Alan and Nancy Barbee Owens of Greenville, NC; brothers, Richard Glenn Owens and wife, Farrah of Winterville, NC and Sean Christopher Owens and wife, Laura of Winterville, NC; father-in-law, Carl Zamzow, III and wife, Regina of Fuquay-Varina, NC; brother-in-law, Carl Zamzow, IV and wife, Kelly of Cary, NC; sister-in-law, Anitra DeRosa and husband, Scott of Fuquay-Varina, NC; eight nieces and nephews.

The Bob Owens Family and College Fund has been set up on GoFundMe. It has raised a little over $27,000 in the last two days. The goal is an ambitious $250,000 and it is going to take a lot more donations to hit the goal. I have donated. If you liked and respected Bob's work. I'd encourage you to do the same.

GRNC - Time To Wake Up The Republicans In The NC General Assembly

Grass Roots North Carolina sent out an alert last night requesting that people call Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) between 9am and 11am this morning. They are also asking people to send an email to him asking them where is the progress on gun rights.

From GRNC:

Republicans in power-induced lackadaisical mode

Are Republicans lost in the spoils of power, just laying back and enjoying their super majority at the expense of good gun bills being left to languish?  Why the reluctance to move on anything pro-Second Amendment?  These are good questions to ask of House Speaker Tim Moore. GRNC President Paul Valone has hand delivered the following letter to Speaker Moore.  Please see the link below regarding his disappointment on the lack of follow through on pro-gun bills. https://www.grnc.org/pauls-blog/924-open-letter-to-speaker-tim-moore What’s going on with Pro Second Amendment bills? If you are scratching your head and wondering the same; it’s time to pass that question along to Speaker Moore.

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!
EMAIL AND CALL SPEAKER TIM MOORE: Please make the phone calls on THURSDAY, BETWEEN 9 AND 11:00 AM, if at all possible. If not, call whenever you can. Ask the Speaker, “What’s going on with our pro-Second Amendment legislation? Have the Republicans gotten so lax in their power, that they’re writing off the gun voters who put them there?” Email him at: tim.Moore@ncleg.net and call using this number: 919-733-3451. Use the copy/paste text provided below to send the email. When calling, if you are sent to voicemail, please leave a message.
DELIVER THIS MESSAGE
Suggested Subject: "What’s going on with pro Second Amendment legislation?"   Dear Speaker Moore: Now that Republicans are enjoying their super-majority spoils, it seems the legislature has become lackadaisical in pushing through any pro-Second Amendment legislation.  This is deeply disappointing to me as a gun rights voter.  We expect our representatives to display the same character and conviction in Raleigh that they claim to have while on the campaign trail. As other states move forward on pro-gun bills such as constitutional and campus carry, North Carolina seems to have dropped the ball on these very same issues.  Why is that? The need for passing House Bills 438, 588 and 746 is obvious, and the window of opportunity is closing! Fourteen states now have Constitutional Carry without any dire consequences.  New Hampshire became “Lucky 13”, beating North Carolina to the finish line.  Georgia Governor Nathan Deal recently signed campus carry legislation into law, so once again, another state passes North Carolina. The naysayers continue to be proven wrong in their dire predictions regarding the results of pro-gun legislation.  As you rest on your laurels, other states are moving forward and advancing gun rights.  So I ask of you, “What is happening with pro-Second Amendment legislation in our state?” I will be monitoring your actions through Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts. Respectfully,

S. 1092 - The Interstate Transport Act Protects Knifeowners

The Interstate Transport Act, S. 1092, was introduced in Congress yesterday by Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY). The bill would protect lawful knifeowners as they travel. It is akin to the the safe passage provisions of the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986. If you were traveling from home where your knife is legal to an end destination where your knife is legal, you would be protected as you travel through states and localities with their patchwork of knife laws where your knife might not be legal.

This is a truly bi-partisan bill as it has three Republican sponsors/co-sponsors and three Democrat co-sponsors. Currently, the co-sponsors include Senators Steve Daines (R-MT), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Joe Manchin (D-WV), James Risch (R-ID), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). I plan to ask my two senators to sign on as co-sponsors and I would humbly request you do the same.

The American Knife & Tool Institute issued this statement on S. 1092.

May 10, 2017 - Cody, WY - The American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI) today announced the introduction of the Interstate Transport Act (ITA), sponsored by Senators Mike Enzi, R-WY, and Ron Wyden, D-OR. The bill will ensure federal protection for lawful knife owners traveling through the current patchwork of state and local knife laws. It is the continuation of an effort AKTI has lead for many years to better protect lawful knife owners traveling across the country.

"Growing up in Wyoming, I know that knives are an essential tool for hunters, ranchers, farmers and other various everyday uses," said Senator Enzi. "But with conflicting knife laws across the country, it can make it difficult for responsible knife owners to know if they are violating the law if they are travelling with a knife. This bill would help fix that by ensuring that if you're traveling from point A to point C with a knife that is legal in both locations, you shouldn't have to worry about being charged with a knife possession crime in between at point B."

"The Interstate Transport Act provides common-sense protections for knife owners traveling through the United States," Senator Wyden said. "Our bipartisan bill would protect public safety, respect states' rights and ensure knife owners who are following the law are not punished for traveling between places where knives are legal."

At AKTI, we believe that most people who carry a knife do so for common, everyday purposes. People engaged in the building and agricultural trades, for example, carry knives on a daily basis. Knives are also essential for many outdoor activities, including hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, boating and other such activities. Our goal is to ensure that law-abiding citizens feel knowledgeable and confident in their ability to carry the tools they use for their daily and recreational lives.

Under current U.S. code, lawful gun owners are allowed to transport firearms legally in both the state of origin and the state of destination, provided they are properly stored and in accordance with all federal restrictions. However, no such protection exists for knife owners wishing to transport knives to and from states in which they are legal, but through jurisdictions with varying requirements. ITA would allow legal interstate travel for knives, provided the knives are transported to and from states where the law allows possession of said knives, and they are transported in locked containers. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and is co-sponsored by Senators Daines, R-MT, Heinrich, D-NM, Risch, R-ID, and Manchin, D-WV.

"For nearly 20 years, AKTI has served as the go-to resource for knife owners looking to ensure that they comply with all local, state, and federal laws related to knives," said AKTI President CJ Buck. "One of the biggest complaints and points of confusion AKTI hears about from lawful knife owners involves the interstate transport of knives. While citizens are making every effort to comply with patchwork state and local laws, it has become clear that there is the need for a federal protection for sportsmen, hunters, and other law-abiding knife owners that does not interfere with state and local restrictions on knife use. We thank Senators Enzi and Wyden for leading the efforts to correct this."

It Isn't Just CSGV Who Are Ghouls

I would like to say that the only ones posting negative things about Bob Owens and how he died at his own hand were the gun prohibitionists. Don't get me wrong, CSGV and their followers are spewing their nonsense as Miguel makes clear. However, I can't say that.

A splinter group called California Right to Carry which advocates for open carry posted a nasty and vicious take on Bob's suicide.

The ignorance and viciousness shown in this post just disgusts me. That's all that needs to be said.

The position of the Catholic Church that the author posits is one from another time. Actually, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, while acknowledging that suicide is contrary to the love of self and to the love of God, states that allowances are made for "psychological disturbances" and "anguish". Moreover, it goes on to state that we should not "despair of the eternal salvation of persons who have taken their own lives. By ways known to him alone, God can provide the opportunity for salutary repentance. the Church prays for persons who have taken their own lives." (Sections 2280 through 2283)

Volunteers Needed For GRNC Booth In Asheville

The Asheville Gun Show will be this coming weekend at the WNC Ag Center in Fletcher. Volunteers are needed to work the Grass Roots North Carolina booth.

ASHEVILLE GUN SHOW NEEDS VOLUNTEERS!

Volunteers are needed to help man the GRNC table at the upcoming MK Shows, in Fletcher, on May 13th and 14th, 2017. The show will be held at the WNC Agricultural Center, located at 1301 Fanning Bridge Rd., Fletcher, NC 28732. Help defend Second Amendment freedom and join GRNC in expanding North Carolina gun rights! Potential Volunteers should contact John Hammond by email at johndhammond@msn.com or by phone at 828-699-3117.

No experience is needed - only a desire to advance gun rights in the state of North Carolina!

In Memory Of A Friend Who Died Today

I had a friend who posted a somewhat strange message on Facebook earlier today. I saw it at the time and just thought it a bit unusual. Within the last hour I found out that he had taken his own life sometime after that post. All I can feel is immense sadness that he felt this was the only way out of whatever was plaguing his soul.

What came to mind when I found out was this excerpt from John Donne's Meditation XVII.

No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bells tolls; it tolls for thee.

I am diminished.


UPDATE: The friend in question was Bob Owens who was the editor of BearingArms.com. He was found dead shortly after he posted the Facebook message I referred to above. I didn't want mention his name before it really became public knowledge.

I was a longtime reader of Bob's from his Confederate Yankee blog days and was excited for him when he was named editor of BearingArms.com. I first met Bob at the Lucky Gunner Bloggershoot in 2011 and would always see him at the NRA Annual Meeting. I spoke to him a few times over the weekend at the recent NRA Annual Meeting in Atlanta and he seemed like the Bob I had known for years. Reading what others have written and especially that of Jenn Jacques, I get the impression that whatever was plaguing Bob's soul was well hidden.

Pray for Bob's family and especially for his wife and daughters. They will need all of God's love to get through this tragic period.

Andrew Branca has mentioned setting up a college fund for Bob's daughters. When I know more about that, I will post about it.

If you feel that suicide is the only way out, reach out for help. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline number is 1-800-273-8255. Alternatively, email or message me. I'm not a trained psychologist but I am a good listener.

UPDATE II: A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for Bob's widow and daughters.

Less Diverse Than The NRA Annual Meeting

The Complementary Spouse and I spent the weekend helping her brother and sister-in-law out at the Mother Earth News Fair. They had a booth as she is a consultant for Usborne children's books.

Larry and I primarily helped with the set-up and take-down while the Complementary Spouse and Jan did all the selling of books. The Fair attracts a number of families who bring their children with them as well as a significant number of grandparents looking for educational books for their grandkids.

As I noted a couple of years ago, these events are not as granola as you might expect. For every one person wearing dreadlocks you saw probably 10-20 folks with gray hair. These events attract a lot of homesteaders, preppers, farmers, and everyday folks interested in self-reliance.

Larry and I attended workshops on sausage making, whole animal butchery, "wildcrafted" cocktails, and reusing wood pallets. I also attended a workshop on charcuterie while he went to the one on bastes, rubs, and marinades for BBQ. If we had the room, I might have attended others dealing making your own wood-fired pizza oven or on keeping goats.

I did come home with an autographed copy of The Wildcrafted Cocktail and a nice bushcrafter knife from L.T. Wright Knives.

One of the criticisms of the NRA - and it is fairly valid - is that they don't attract enough minorities and women. That said, the recent NRA Annual Meeting in Atlanta featured a much more heterogeneous mix of people than this Mother Earth News Fair. I don't know whether it was the location, the subject matter, or the decidedly rural flavor of the fair but the attendees were almost uniformly white.

So the next time someone says the NRA is only for old white guys, I'll respond, "Have you been to the Mother Earth News Fair?" The sad part is that both events had things of interest to all people, of all colors, and in all walks of life.

Some Good Gun News Out Of Illinois

Hearing positive gun rights news out of the Prairie State is usually the exception instead of the norm. Yesterday was the exception. The Illinois Senate passed a bill allowing active-duty military members based in Illinois and their spouses to apply for non-resident carry permits. Moreover, they would only be charged the in-state rate of $150 instead of the out-of-state resident rate of $300.

As some might know, while Illinois will issue carry permits to out-of-state residents, the law limits it to residents of those states which the State Police find have "substantially similar" requirements. Thus, only residents of Hawaii, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Virginia qualify to apply for an out-of-state resident carry permit in Illinois. SB 1524 says that this limitation does not apply to active-duty military members and their spouses stationed in Illinois.

Now for the really good news. SB 1524 passed the Illinois Senate on a 53 yea, 0 nay vote. Now on to the State House.

The text of SB 1524 as it passed the Illinois Senate can be found here.

The Second Amendment Foundation's lawsuit against Illinois on behalf of out-of-state residents with carry permits who are precluded from applying to obtain an Illinois permit is currently on appeal to the 7th Circuit. If the bill above passes, the lead plaintiff in Culp et al v. Madigan et al, Col. Kevin Culp may have to be removed from the case if he is still stationed at Scott Air Force Base.