July 4Th Week - Teach A Friend To Shoot Week

Virginia Citizens Defense League

Covington VA --(Ammoland.com)- Our own Executive member Patricia Webb, who is also the Virginia Coordinator for the Second Amendment Sisters, is starting an annual campaign for every July 4th week to “Teach a friend to shoot” week.

This is an excellent idea and a way to expand the ranks of gun owners significantly. Once exposed to the fun of shooting, your friends will be hooked for life!

BBBWWAAAHAAHAAHAA! (Evil laugh for the benefit of the antis, who are recoiling in horror at the thought of this campaign.)

Here is Pat’s thoughts – let’s turn them into action!

I am proposing a campaign to make July National Firearms Heritage Month and the first week of July “Teach A Friend To Shoot” week.

The concept behind this is that July 4th is Independence Day and the birth of our country would have been impossible if the RKBA did not exist.

This right is still important today to keep us safe as a Nation and to preserve our form of government and the unique liberties we enjoy as a nation of free men and women. Over the years I have found, as many of you have, that the best cure for fear of firearms is a day at the range. In addition, it is highly evident that college students and women in particular are a voting demographic who’s knowledge of guns and the shooting sports is limited to what they see on TV, movies and the evening news. In addition, students are often influenced by teachers and professors who are rabidly against self defense. Not a flattering view at all.

If each of the grassroots RKBA organizations launches a program to promote this idea we could have a positive impact on the general public’s view of gun owners. It would mean a coordinated effort in contacting gun stores, ranges and general memberships. The ranges and gun stores could offer promotions at their discretion and individuals could teach friends to shoot or introduce them to their favorite shooting sport by taking them to a match.

Private ranges could have a “Welcome Day” where they invite the community in to see what shooting sports are all about or offer firearms safety courses, concealed carry courses, etc. It would be up to each range, store, or person exactly how to celebrate, but they should all be encouraged to report back about the events and the responses.

Individuals can and will play an instrumental role in the promotion of this by encouraging their local gun stores and clubs to participate and pointing out that it will mean increased sales and a greater voting base when new firearms laws are proposed. Education is always the key, in so many ways. Safety is paramount and a firearms safety course is the perfect place to start.

Public perception is our biggest friend and also our biggest enemy. This would offer a viable and inexpensive way to positively effect that perception.

About:
Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc. (VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right. Visit: www.vcdl.org

2ndamendmentpatriots.org

Indianapolis, IN --(Ammoland.com)- The announcement that the Indiana Supreme Court has taken a major step in crushing one of our sacred Amendments contained in our Bill of Rights came our of nowhere.

Just reading the reports that states people have no right to resist police officers who illegally enter their homes, is a hard hit between the eyes. In the same week the Court also ruled that officers serving warrants can enter a persons house without knocking.

In the past 4 months here in Indiana we worked very hard to remove the infringement of our Second Amendment that has occurred by local governments over the past several decades, and we succeeded. Then in the same week that those two gun bills were signed by the Governor, we turn around and see the Fourth Amendment takes a hit.

While some are in complete disbelief of what’s happened, many citizens I’m sure will continue on with their daily routines with not even a raised eyebrow.

We’re coming up on a anniversary of 220 years since our Bill Of Rights have been adopted. They’ve lasted a long time, but I guess nothing lasts forever. It’s my observation that a great deal of society has no real affection to the Constitution or Bill Of Rights until they find themselves in need of a particular element that could serve them.

I know that those regular readers are people who understand the significance of those documents and truly appreciate them to the point of doing anything in their power to protect them.

Margie and I are very blessed to come to know all of you, even if we have never personally met, we know we are all a kindred spirit.

At this moment I’m not sure exactly what steps can be taken to address this new attack, but I will once again encourage us all to STAY UNITED and I hope that those who have not attended our Patriot meetings for some time might consider to join us for our next meeting. The more compatriots that stand together the easier our victory will be.

I was told months back that the chances of me getting SB 506 and especially SB 292 passed was slim and that I should expect to have to try again next year. I didn’t accept that and we did succeed, but it did not come easy. Let’s not be the generation that surrenders the rights we inherited and deprive those who come after us from their inheritance.

“The first maxim of a man who loves liberty, should be never to grant to rulers an atom of power that is not most clearly and indispensably necessary for the safety and well being of society” Richard Henry Lee

About:
The Second Amendment Patriots are a local group of citizens dedicated to preserving the rights, freedoms, and civil liberties of every American by educating the American public of the founding and history of this country and its founding fathers by explaining the role, functions and purpose of the U.S. Government; and by teaching the need and importance of an armed American public, in order to allow for a more prosperous and respectful country consisting of American citizens with a pledge of allegiance to their country and who will at the same time, voice their demand to take back the present overwhelming power of the U.S. Government and deliver it into the hands of the people to which it belongs.

“If Holder Is So Ignorant About Gunrunner Scandal, He Should Resign” – CCRKBA

CCRKBA.org

Bellevue, Wa -(Ammoland.com)-  Following a second day of Capitol Hill hearings in which he professed little or no knowledge about the controversial Project Gunrunner, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms today called for the resignation of Attorney General Eric Holder.

“For the second day in a row, Attorney General Holder has stated on the record that he didn’t know about one of the most egregious government scandals in memory,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “This country cannot afford the luxury of having its top law enforcement officer confess ignorance of an operation that may have allowed thousands of guns to be illegally exported to Mexico. This operation happened on his watch, and apparently right under his nose, and apparently cost the life of at least one law enforcement officer.”

Gottlieb called it an “outrage” that Holder has been unable to answer critical questions about the bungled operation, conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. ATF whistleblowers have told Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) that Project Gunrunner, and its off-shoot, Operation Fast and Furious, apparently funneled nearly 2,000 guns into the illicit gun trafficking pipeline to Mexican drug cartels.

“It is simply unbelievable that the attorney general can act as though he never heard of an operation that has been exposed on national television by CBS News,” Gottlieb stated. “How could he not know, almost six months after the slaying of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry, that guns recovered at the scene are linked directly to the Gunrunner sting?

“Holder is either monumentally stupid,” he added, “or he is telling a monumental lie. Either way, it is obvious that Holder is either hiding something or he is hiding from something. For the attorney general to not know about Gunrunner and its direct link to the Terry slaying is a sign of gross incompetence.

“It’s time for Eric Holder to go home and write his memoirs,” Gottlieb said.

About CCRKBA:
With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is one of the nation’s premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States. The Citizens Committee can be reached by phone at (425) 454-4911, on the Internet at www.ccrkba.org or by email to InformationRequest@ccrkba.org.

The Life Of A Gun Bill

Pertinacious: holding firmly to some purpose, belief, or action, often stubbornly or obstinately, hard to get rid of; unyielding; persistent. That’s a good word. It might describe events that took place in my first session as a freshman Indiana state senator.

2ndamendmentpatriots.org

Indianapolis, IN - -(Ammoland.com)- I had hoped to just observe the process on my first term, but was encouraged to introduce some bills.

So I did. Indiana is a very gun friendly state, but there can always be improvement.

I introduced two bills; SB 292, which is a preemption measure which not only will prohibit local units of government from enacting any gun laws that are outside of state law, but will remove all those that already exist. The other was SB 506 which will provide for citizens that do not have a handgun carry license to transport a handgun in their vehicle to designated places.

Though SB 292 was filed first, SB 506 was the first to get passed. It was a significant piece of legislation and probably would have received more resistance than what it did had it not been for the former.

The following is the course that SB 292 endured through the legislative process. First it starts out as an idea; one that I felt was long overdue. The idea is presented to what is called LSA, (Legislative Services Agency). This is a non partisan body of attorneys that put an idea into a form of a bill.

The bill was then filed in the clerk’s office. The senate leadership then decides if the bill merits a hearing called a first reading, if so it will be assigned a committee hearing. In this case the bill was assigned to a committee that I was a member.

This is referred to as a “hearing” at which public testimony is accepted. I presented the bill and those who oppose or support the bill may speak on it. Then a vote is taken, if it passes, which in this case it did, it will move to its second reading in front of the full senate. At this point there is much debate and dialog. This is where the author of the bill must explain the purpose of the bill and be able to counter all of the opposition from senate members who hope to defeat the bill or amend it.

There were no amendments added to the bill in the second reading and it was then scheduled for a third reading where the author explains the bill briefly and it still can be debated but no changes can be made generally and is then put up for a roll call vote. The bill passed 38 to 12 out of the Senate and then it heads for the House and starts the whole process all over again.

A state representative who is willing to sponsor the bill on the House side will take it from there. In this case the bill received a lot of amendments. By this time SB 292 had received a lot of media attention as well as opposition from several groups who did not want this bill to pass. I even got called by Alan Colmes from New York and interviewed by the New York Times. This bill became very controversial. It’s noteworthy to note that there was much support for the bill as well including some teacher’s organization that sent e-mails to legislators asking them to support SB 292 in its original form.

When the bill came back to me from the House with all those amendments I dissented on it because there was no way I would shove that off onto the citizens.

The bill then was assigned to a conference committee where it once again was open for public testimony. Afterwards the changes are worked out. The bill was put into its original form with one exception. Then the bill is sent to a rules committee and this was on the final day of the session with just hours before the end of session also called sine die. Once again I had to bring the bill before the Senate for one last time and explain the bill and what changes it may have received. Again it is open for debate and those in the senate who oppose it have one last chance to kill the bill. Another roll call vote is made and in this case it passed 40 to 10.

The bill is now passed over to the House for a final vote. The hope is that it will make it before the clock runs out. SB 292 passed the House 70 to 24. As I write this letter I am hoping that the bill will be signed by the Governor.

The lesson in all this is that gun owners must be persistent and never submit to those negative comments that “nothing can be done” or “it will never happen.”

I never once was willing to back down on what I knew was the right thing to do.

About:
The Second Amendment Patriots are a local group of citizens dedicated to preserving the rights, freedoms, and civil liberties of every American by educating the American public of the founding and history of this country and its founding fathers by explaining the role, functions and purpose of the U.S. Government; and by teaching the need and importance of an armed American public, in order to allow for a more prosperous and respectful country consisting of American citizens with a pledge of allegiance to their country and who will at the same time, voice their demand to take back the present overwhelming power of the U.S. Government and deliver it into the hands of the people to which it belongs.

This letter to the editor is in response to a recent OpEd in the Sun Sentinel of Fort Lauderdale, FL: RE: Editorial “Setting up gun fund as sacred cow is poor budget management”

Letters to the AmmoLand Editor: Got something on your mind? Let us know and you can see it here.

Fort Lauderdale, FL - -(AmmoLand.com)- Poor budget management is robbing trust funds period.

For years the legislature fought gun owners over paying for a statewide licensing program that would provide uniformity and fairness to gun owners. Legislators did not want taxpayers to fund a gun program. Gun owners are tax payers too and wanted tax dollars to fund the program.

In 1987, the concealed firearms licensing law passed with a financial contingency.

The legislature insisted that the gun owner program not be dependent upon General Revenue or any government funding whatever.

The NRA, Unified Sportsmen of Florida and gun owners, insisted upon only being responsible for funding the program. They insisted that licensing fees only be an amount necessary to administer the program, no more, no less. Further, they insisted that the fees be held in a trust fund and used solely for the benefit of and administration of the program and never used for any other purpose.

That was the agreement. Language was put in the bill to insure that the terms of the agreement were met.

Gun owners have kept their part of the agreement. In the 22 plus years that this program has been in effect, not one single dime has ever come from general revenue or any other government fund — 100% of the funding has come from gun owners.

In keeping with good management practices, the trust fund is allowed to build funds in excess of current needs so that when the massive computers, both hardware and software, need to be repaired or replaced, and other equipment is needed to provide efficient administration of the program, money will be available. That is the only way to run the program without raising license fees.

Now the other half of the agreement needs to be kept.

Last year when the program needed to use trust fund money to hire new employees to keep up with the dramatic increase of license applications and clear the backlog of unprocessed applications, the legislature attempted to take $6 million from the trust fund. That not only would have crippled the program but it violated the agreement, the spirit of the law and the trust of gun owners.

Governor Charlie Crist stepped up and vetoed the raid on that trust fund, protecting the program and the agreement. No other trust fund has the same agreement and requirements as this one.

Further, there are legal ramifications that go beyond the agreement. This specific trust fund facilitates the exercise of a constitutional right.

• When government takes citizen money for general use by government, it’s a tax.
• When government confiscates user fees from trust funds intended to be used to administer specific programs and converts it to government use for other purposes, it’s a tax.
• When government leaders claim to oppose tax increases and promise not to create new taxes but then raid trust funds, they have created a new tax.

If the Legislature raids the concealed firearms licensing trust fund, they have created a tax on the exercise of the Second Amendment right.

Courts have ruled that states may not tax the exercise of a right protected by the federal constitution.  Passing this new legislation to insure that this trust fund is protected is appropriate.

About:
Marion P. Hammer is past president of the National Rifle Association and Executive Director of Unified Sportsmen of Florida. She has represented gun owners in Florida
for 35 years.

Supreme Court

Down Range TV with Michael Blain

Howard, KS - -(AmmoLand.com)- Today and tomorrow, Down Range TV will be covering the McDonald v. City of Chicago Oral Arguments with commentaries from Michael Bane, Jim Shepherd, Dave Kopel and Dave Hardy.

Down Range Radio will also have the oral arguments as one of the topics in this week’s edition airing from midnight.

http://www.downrange.tv/blog/?cat=354

About:
DOWN RANGE Television (DRTV) has quickly become the gold standard for Internet firearms sites. Founded in February 2007 by television personality and journalist Michael Bane and his partner Marshal Halloway founder of the first Internet firearms social community — CAS City — in 1995, DRTV offers original short-form video, original articles, moderated forums, gun giveaways, links to blogs and original weekly audio podcasts.

2ndamendmentpatriots.org

Indianapolis, IN --(AmmoLand.com)- It seems like things are getting ugly with getting HB 1065, the carry to the workplace bill, moved to passage.

HB 1065 has been in the meat grinder going on two months now and it was supposed to get a second reading in the senate Monday. Weather was a factor on Monday’s postponement.

Pro Tem Sen. Long did not let Sen. Steele proceed with the bill because of some technicality, which has me concerned about the effect the Chamber of Commerce lobbyists and their unrelenting pressure they are applying on senators is having.

The bill is now scheduled to be heard on Thursday. The situation is that the longer it’s delayed the more time the C of C and various business opponents have to brow beat some senators into submission. You may ask where our side is. Well, first let me say that the NRA lobbyist, Ashley Varner, has almost taken up residence in the State House over the past several weeks. She’s been keeping me posted on the proceedings. Also, our good friends with the ISRP have been updating us.

It’s now getting real nasty with the opposition demanding ridiculous amendments and consuming time, with our friends working to deny them or remove those amendments. For those fighting to kill this bill with chains of burdensome amendments it’s gone beyond logic, reason and prudence.

I might ask what have each of us has done for the cause. Have you made a call into your particular senator and encouraged them to pass this bill? It just takes a simple toll free call that will use up all of two minutes to do. These guys have got to know that this thing is being watched by people other that C of C lobbyists. You have no idea the power you hold. All you have to do is use it. The number is 1-800-382-9467 and I’ll bet your phone is as close as your pocket.

I was told by one of our sources last night that Governor Daniels was speaking to a group of Chamber of Commerce people in Bloomington. In all of the questions and issues he fielded someone asked him about HB 1065. I was told that his response was that if the bill would come to his desk he’s not sure if he would sign it because it’s a situation where property rights meet individual rights.

There are two things to consider here. First, there was Constitution long before there was Chamber of Commerce. I fully support property rights, but in this case the rights are being extended beyond the property in question because polices prohibiting a person from exercising their Constitutional right to have a firearm locked in their vehicle while at work means they are bound to be in transit to and from the workplace unarmed. Secondly, Constitutional rights trumps arbitrary individual policies.

Now, if the Governor does not want to commit to supporting this bill because he’s standing in the waters of people who oppose it, that would be his prerogative. A friendly call or e-mail to the Governor’s office to support this bill would be very helpful. If he chooses not to sign this bill it’s one thing, just so he doesn’t veto it. If the bill does make it to his desk and he chooses not to sign it and he takes no action, on the eighth day after it’s presented to him it automatically will become law. It will then be filed with the Secretary of State within 10 days of presentment and even if it’s failed to be filed, it will still become law.

I’ve received a report that the Senate Democrats walked out Tuesday over a controversial spending bill introduced by Sen. Errington (D) and did not return to session and may not come back Thursday which would push HB 1065 farther down the calendar.

About:
The Second Amendment Patriots are a local group of citizens dedicated to preserving the rights, freedoms, and civil liberties of every American by educating the American public of the founding and history of this country and its founding fathers by explaining the role, functions and purpose of the U.S. Government; and by teaching the need and importance of an armed American public, in order to allow for a more prosperous and respectful country consisting of American citizens with a pledge of allegiance to their country and who will at the same time, voice their demand to take back the present overwhelming power of the U.S. Government and deliver it into the hands of the people to which it belongs.

Second Amendment March

Michigan - -(AmmoLand.com)-  Well, folks, the Second Amendment March is now less than 100 days away, and I can feel the momentum building, swelling, growing like a live organism beneath my feet. I feel as if I’ve been pushing on a giant rock for the past ten months, pushing as hard as I can for all I’m worth. Pushing when I’m tired. Pushing when I’m sore. And pushing when I’m discouraged.

But I have good news for you. Last week I pushed and the rock moved. And not just a little, but a lot!

Last week we added our first two corporate sponsors: United States Concealed Carry Association and Front Sight Firearms Institute.

I’d like all of you to consider joining United States Concealed Carry Association. They have a top-of-the-line magazine plus email tips and great articles to help you in your concealed carry journey through life. They are a great organization with a great radio show as well. (www.armedamericanradio.com) Check them out at www.usconcealedcarry.com.

If you need firearms training, then you should consider taking an excellent course from Front Sight near Las Vegas, Nevada. Check out their website at www.frontsight.com. Front Sight gives excellent training and you can get a great price if you purchase one of our training class certificates through the Second Amendment March online store. (http://secondamendmentmarch.americommerce.com)

I’d also like to take a moment to thank Larry Pratt from Gun Owners of America for all the help he’s given us. (www.gunowners.org) GOA is the premier no-compromise gun rights organization in America. You can join and also help out Second Amendment March in the process by going to our online store.

So, as you can see, the rock moved last week, and next week I expect it to move even further. I’ll be at the infamous SHOT show (www.shotshow.org) all next week talking to the movers and shakers of the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoors Trade industry, trying to glean even more support for the Second Amendment March. If any of you will be there and wish to meet up for coffee, just give me a call at 269-838-5586.

God bless you all and thanks again for helping me move that giant rock!

About:
The mission of the Second Amendment March is to galvanize the courage and resolve of Americans; to petition our elected officials against establishing anti-gun legislation; and to remind America that the Second Amendment is necessary to maintain our right to self defense. Visit: www.secondamendmentmarch.com

National Rifle Association

Trenton, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)- Yesterday, the New Jersey Assembly voted unanimously (73-0-3) to approve S3104/A4361.

These bills were drafted in response to recommendations put forth by the Firearms Task Force created after the midnight passage of New Jersey’s gun rationing law.

S3104/A4361 now head to the desk of Governor Jon Corzine (D) for his consideration.

While NRA attempted to create a more robust exemption for gun owners, these requests fell upon deaf ears and the bill passed as written without creating changes beneficial to New Jersey’s law-abiding firearm owners as promised by the Firearms Task Force.

Proponents contend this measure would address the problems with New Jersey’s “one-gun-a-month” law; however, it falls far short. While it would, in limited circumstances, allow a law-abiding person to purchase multiple handguns, an individual would only be able to do so after filing a formal application with the State Police. In addition, the individual would need to justify their “need” to purchase these firearms together and why it would not be “feasible or practical” to purchase the firearms separately.

Thanks to all of the NRA members who contacted their legislators requesting that they broaden the exemptions to New Jersey’s “one-gun-a-month” law and for continuing the fight against further encroachment of our Second Amendment rights and freedoms in the Garden State.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit: www.nra.org

Michigan - -(AmmoLand.com)-  A short while ago we learned that the TEA Party Patriots would be holding a march in Washington DC on April 15th, 2010, 4 days before our own event.

Concerned that this would affect the attendance at our own march, the Board of Directors spent a week gathering information. We were concerned that people would not be able to make two trips to DC because of time and money constraints.

However, we discovered that the TEA party will not be one HUGE event to be held in Washington DC, but rather would be held in hundreds of cities all across the country. That means that many, many people will likely spend April 15th in their home town TEA party and hence would still be able to attend the April 19th Second Amendment March.

Other deciding factors were:

• Many people had already made plans for April 19th by asking time off work and making travel arrangements.
• It became apparent that we would not be able to work out all the logistical headaches involved with changing the date.
• Some of our speakers would not be able to accommodate the change.
• Some of the State Capitol Rallies had already chosen their dates and changing the date of the DC rally would have complicated their efforts.
• Concerns over the lack of availability of lodging if both events were held simultaneously.

Many of you sent us personal emails voicing a variety of opinions and I want to assure you that we appreciate all your input.

So now, let us look to the future and the task at hand. We have a lot of money to raise and a lot of work to do if we are to make the Second Amendment March a huge success!

Thanks again, and I’ll see you in DC on April 19th, 2010!

About:
The mission of the Second Amendment March is to galvanize the courage and resolve of Americans; to petition our elected officials against establishing anti-gun legislation; and to remind America that the Second Amendment is necessary to maintain our right to self defense. Visit: www.secondamendmentmarch.com

Jews For The Preservation Of Firearms Ownership

Hartford, WI - -(AmmoLand.com)- To: Members of Congress and Appointed Bureaucrats.

As Bill of Rights Day approaches, Americans’ personal freedoms are waning rapidly. Our nation has been invaded and infiltrated in front of our eyes, while, at the same time, actual American citizens have seen our own most fundamental unalienable rights denigrated and eroded. You have done absolutely nothing effective or meaningful to stop it. A preponderance of the blame can be laid directly at your feet.

Why? Because many of you are, unequivocally, deceivers and liars.

How can I call you liars? It’s actually quite clear and simple. Upon your election or appointment here’s what you promised us:

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me G-d.”*

(*Out of respect, Jews do not spell out the name of the Almighty in secular texts.)

Are you a “domestic” enemy as described in your oath? Your oath of office is a contract, both verbal and signed. If you are in breach of that contract you are now both a liar and a criminal.

If you are in breach of that contract you are now both a liar and a criminal.

Additionally, are you knowingly, or unwittingly a traitor? This is not simply a rhetorical or overblown question. It is fundamental to what is happening within our nation today.

A traitor commits treason. Here’s how the Constitution defines “treason”:

Article III Section 3
“Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.”

The first thing to notice is that the Constitutional definition of treason is specific and limited. The word “only” means what it means. So, Constitutionally, there are only two types of people who can be traitors, those who physically levy war against the people of any of the States of the Union … and those who give “aid and comfort” to those who are levying war.

Also implicit within this definition would be the obvious fact that one must first be an American before one can commit treason. Foreign nationals waging terrorism on American soil are not traitors. They are, quite obviously “enemies, foreign” (see your oath of office). Are you aiding and abetting them intentionally?

Are you aiding and abetting them intentionally?

Have your lax, pandering stances on illegal aliens allowed our “enemies foreign” to burrow into our nation? Have your disgusting politically correct policies about “racism” and “hate speech” given virulent Muslim extremists, who hate and want to murder Christians and Jews, the very cloak and cover that no amount of planning and money could buy?

What immediate convenience or passing luxury could lure so many of you into your present and insane politically correct points of view? It must be asked: Are you taking bribes? Are you being blackmailed? What is the promise or price being offered for you to so transparently betray America?

If you’re not taking bribes, or under some secret duress, what perverse reasoning blinds you to your betrayal of those you have sworn to serve?

You were not elected or appointed to bow to the whims of foreign nationals. You were elected or appointed to serve Americans, and only Americans. If you want to serve foreign nationals go get a job with the U.N. or some global charity.

You need to be reminded that the victim of treason as defined in the Constitution is not some conglomerate entity known as “The United States” in the sense of a nation. In the definition of treason the words “them” and “their” distinctly refer to the individual States in their separateness and sovereignty, and, most importantly the People of those States. Please refresh your memory of this essential detail by reading the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the Constitution.

The Founders knew that your corrupting and dangerous species would rise up and fester within our nation. To counteract this inevitability, on top of the “checks and balances” of a three branched form of government, in their wisdom the designers of the American Experiment penned a Bill of Rights.

The Bill of Rights is a “No Trespassing” sign meant for you, not for those of us you have falsely sworn to serve.

The Bill of Rights is a “No Trespassing” sign meant for you, not for those of us you have falsely sworn to serve.

You should stand on this December 15th, Bill of Rights Day, right hand raised once again, and re-take your oath of office … and mean it.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans have shed their blood and died to defend our nation from the very evils you have embraced. Your laws now destroy our rights instead of defending them.

Your actions, under the clear and simple “litmus test” of the Bill of Rights have been revealed as poison to our freedoms. You allow a literal invasion of thirty million illegal aliens (many of whom hate, and would destroy, American culture) while, at the same time take every effort to neutralize decent Americans with your victim disarmament “gun control” schemes.

You call those of us who would attempt to preserve the American Experiment “intolerant” or “xenophobic” (or even “domestic terrorists”) the moment we open our mouths in protest against your blatant sabotage of this nation. You would actually pass laws that prohibit our protests, and would jail us for speaking our minds. It appears you view the First Amendment as an exclusive vehicle to further your malevolent agenda.

You breed bureaucracies brimming with criminal intent against The People of the States. A perfect example: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

There is not one facet of the Constitution you have not ground down and defiled with either your stupidity, arrogance, or blatant dishonesty.

Show integrity and guts. Demonstrate just a fragment of the courage that founded and forged this nation, the greatest testament to individual liberty in the history of the human race. There is still time for you to defend the American way by embracing the Bill of Rights, and repeal any and all laws that desecrate the spirit of that document.

Because, if you don’t change course, how long do you think the American people are going to tolerate your charade of loyalty?

About:
Jews For The Preservation Of Firearms Ownership Mission is to destroy “gun control” and to encourage Americans to understand and defend all of the Bill of Rights for everyone. Those are the twin goals of Wisconsin-based Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (JPFO). Founded by Jews and initially aimed at educating the Jewish community about the historical evils that Jews have suffered when they have been disarmed, JPFO has always welcomed persons of all religious beliefs who share a common goal of opposing and reversing victim disarmament policies while advancing liberty for all.

JPFO is a non-profit tax-exempt educational civil rights organization, not a lobby. JPFO’s products and programs reach out to as many segments of the American people as possible, using bold tactics without compromise on fundamental principles. Visit www.JPFO.org

National Rifle Association

FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA --(AmmoLand.com)- NRA News’ investigative reporter Ginny Simone takes a look at the global gun control goals of the United Nations.

By pushing for a binding international treaty aimed at superseding the U.S. Constitution, the United Nations is committed to rendering Americans’ Second Amendment rights to own a firearm meaningless.

Simone interviews past and current U.N. officials and politicians and examines the debates at the United Nations Small Arms Summit to expose the international anti-gun agenda.

View the video above or follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDMeDmV0ufU

What is IANSA?
International Action Network on Small Arms says they are “The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) is the global movement against gun violence – a network of 800 civil society organizations working in 120 countries to stop the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW).”

What they really are is a well organized, well funded group of anti-gun partner organizations, including the Brady Campaign” from around the world, funded by governments that hate and fear the freedoms of the USA.

IANSA has one goal….to take a way the right of free Americans to own guns.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.

National Rifle Association of America

New York State Rifle and Pistol Association

TROY, NY --(AmmoLand.com)- All freedom-loving New Yorkers are invited for a day to celebrate and advocate for 2nd Amendment civil rights in the State legislature. The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association and Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb announce a day of celebration and advocacy of the 2nd Amendment in Albany with NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre.

This event will take place on January 12, 2010 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM in the Well of the Legislative Office Building at South Swan and State Streets.

Call your State Assemblyman and State Senator to make an appointment to meet with them in their offices on January 12th. Assembly switchboard: (518)455-4100; Senate switchboard: (518)455-2800. Then call Assemblyman Kolb’s office and let him know you’re coming: (518)455-4751.

Each year New Yorkers Against Gun Violence and members of the legislature hold Gun Control Day to promote anti-gun, anti-freedom legislation and blame YOU for crime and violence. It is time to fire back and celebrate our freedoms! See you in Albany!

About:
The New York State Rifle & Pistol Association is the state’s largest and oldest firearms advocacy organization. Since 1871, our organization has been dedicated to the preservation of Second Amendment rights, firearm safety, education and training, and the shooting sports. Our membership consists of individuals and clubs throughout the state. We are a not-for-profit 501(c)4 organization and the official NRA-affiliated State Association in New York. Visit:  www.nysrpa.org

National Rifle Association

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- Is your name the same as, or similar to, that of someone on the FBI’s “terrorist watchlist?” Or, have you been erroneously placed on the watchlist?

You can’t find out because the FBI won’t say exactly why people get watchlisted, won’t say who has been watchlisted, and therefore doesn’t offer watchlisted people the chance to clear their names immediately. In fact, small children, federal air marshals, military personnel who have fought terrorists overseas, the late Sen.

Edward Kennedy, members of Congress, and many other good Americans have even been stopped from boarding commercial aircraft for this reason. The government has reported that there were 700,000 names in the watchlist as of April 2007, and the ACLU estimates that the number has since risen to 1.3 million.

Obviously, these people are not all terrorists. However, politicians who hate the Second Amendment know that some of the good Americans who are erroneously on the list, or who get incorrectly flagged by the list, are gun owners. And, because the FBI won’t reveal its watchlisting criteria, those politicians think that more gun owners can be placed on the list over time, by like-minded bureaucrats making arbitrary determinations about who ought to have guns.

One such politician is Michael Bloomberg, whose hobbies include being mayor of New York City and raising intellectually deficient complaints about gun laws. Never one to concern himself with the facts when there is a chance to get his name in the paper, Bloomberg recently claimed that the recent murders on Ft. Hood would have been prevented if the FBI hadn’t been required to erase NICS-approved gun purchase records after 24 hours.

Mischaracterizing events related to the Ft. Hood murders for political reasons shows disrespect to the lives that were lost there and is crass to the extreme. That said, the reason that the FBI didn’t know about the Ft. Hood suspect’s gun purchase is not that his NICS record was erased after 24 hours. Rather, it’s that he wasn’t on the watchlist in the first place, as NICS checks the list and alerts the FBI if a listed person tries to buy a gun.

Another such politician is Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), author of legislation Bloomberg supports (S. 1317, H.R. 2159 in the House), which would allow the Attorney General to stop watchlisted people from buying guns through NICS. It would also prevent those people from contesting their rejections in a full and open hearing in court. Obviously, that scheme would violate not only the Second Amendment, but also the Fourteenth Amendment’s protection against deprivation of liberty without due process of law.

This week Lautenberg introduced a separate bill (S. 2820), calling for NICS firearm transaction records to be retained for 10 years on a person suspected of being a member of a terrorist organization. That, however, is a smokescreen for another provision in the same bill, to retain NICS records of approved firearm transfers for 180 days for other gun buyers.

While Lautenberg introduced S. 2820 in the wake of Ft. Hood (with terrorism fresh on Americans’ minds), gun control supporters have wanted NICS records retained for longer than 24 hours since NICS’ inception. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), a co-sponsor of the Lautenberg bill, argued in favor of a 180-day retention back in 2001. After all, the Brady Act, as passed by Congress, required that NICS “destroy” the records of approved firearm purchases.

Along with the Lautenberg bills described above, gun control supporters are concurrently campaigning for a law to force all private gun sales to be run through NICS. Connecting the dots is a simple task. The goal shared by gun control supporters and by government entities for whom no amount of knowledge about American citizens is too much, is to incrementally increase the amount of information the government possesses on gun owners who, through no fault of their own, end up on a secret government list.

Action: Please call your U.S. Senators and urge them to oppose S. 1317 and S. 2820. You can call your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.

Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus (CSC) Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Caucus Vice-Chair Sen. Jon Tester, along with CSC House Vice-Chair Rep. Mike Ross, and Rep. Mark Souder, joined together with 58 Senators and 251 House members in filing a bipartisan, bicameral amicus curiae brief asking the Supreme Court to hold the Second Amendment applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment in the case McDonald v. City of Chicago.

“The Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus really stepped up to the plate in further protecting our Second Amendment rights by working across party lines in filing this landmark brief,” said Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation President Jeff Crane.

The McDonald v. City of Chicago case will decide whether the Second Amendment is a fundamental individual right that applies to states in the same way the Supreme Court found that it applied to the Federal government in last year’s District of Columbia v. Heller decision.

“Working together, we’re making our gun rights in this country stronger,” said Sen. Tester. “This isn’t about partisan politics. It’s about the rights all law-abiding Americans have under our Constitution, and those rights are always worth fighting for.”

CSC Senate Co-Chairs, Sen. Ben Nelson and Sen. Mike Crapo, and CSC House Co-Chairs Rep. Dan Boren and Rep. Paul Ryan led an effort to urge fellow members of the Congressional Sportsman’s Caucus to sign on to the brief.

“As an avid hunter, I believe the government has a limited role in regulating the ownership of guns,” said Nelson.

Last year, members of the Caucus joined in the filing a similar amicus brief in the District of Columbia v. Heller case in support of the Court upholding the Second Amendment as a fundamental, individual right.

“Banning guns will not keep guns out of the hands of criminals, but it will keep guns out of the hands of those trying to defend themselves against criminals,” said Rep. Ross. “The Supreme Court’s recent decision in District of Columbia v. Heller affirmed the right of D.C. residents to own and bear arms and I am optimistic these same rights will be extended to the law abiding citizens of Chicago and across the United States in McDonald v. the City of Chicago.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case in February 2010.

About:
We can have the best wildlife habitat imaginable and a record number of people who buy fishing and hunting licenses, but it won’t matter if misguided laws and regulations are made at the federal and state levels that negatively impact our outdoor traditions. Keeping sportsmen’s issues front and center is what the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation does. Day in and day out, our sole focus is on providing a voice for sportsmen in the political arena. Serving as the first line of defense in protecting America’s outdoor traditions as well as promoting the sportsmen’s agenda through the collective muscle of sportsmen’s caucuses. Visit: www.sportsmenslink.org

National Rifle Association

Washington, DC - -(AmmoLand.com)- As we reported last week, on November 16, the NRA filed its brief with the U.S. Supreme Court as Respondent in Support of Petitioner in McDonald v. City of Chicago.

The NRA brief asks the U.S. Supreme Court to hold that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments through the Fourteenth Amendment.

The McDonald case is one of several that were filed immediately after last year’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, in which the Court upheld the Second Amendment as an individual right and invalidated Washington, D.C.’s ban on handgun possession, as well as the capital city’s ban on keeping loaded, operable firearms for self-defense in the home.

In September, the Supreme Court agreed to consider the McDonald case, on appeal from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. That court incorrectly claimed that prior Supreme Court precedent prevented it from holding in favor of incorporation of the Second Amendment.

As we argued at the time, the Seventh Circuit should have followed the lead of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Nordyke v. King, which found that Supreme Court precedent does not prevent the Second Amendment from applying to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.

Texas State Rifle Association

Texas --(AmmoLand.com)- Governor Rick Perry and Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst head a list of nearly 900 State Legislators initiating a brief to the U.S. Supreme Court again seeking to secure Constitutional rights for all citizens, the right to keep and bear arms.

The list includes two governors, Rick Perry of Texas and Charlie Crist of Florida. In Texas the list of Texas Senators and Texas House Members reflects a bi-partisan consensus of support.

The thrust of the friends of the court brief, signed by 890 state legislators representing all 50 states, is to allow States’ Legislatures to clear up uncertain legal boundaries surrounding gun rights ownership and allow State Legislators to pass effective and Constitutionally compliant legislation in their respective state.

This brief adds depth to other briefs including one initiated in Texas by Attorney General Greg Abbott. This document bears the signatures of 75 percent of America’s state attorneys general in further support of a favorable outcome in the U.S. Supreme Court case, Otis T. McDonald v the City of Chicago and Village of Oak Park, Ill.

Other supporting briefs include one joined by the Texas State Rifle Association and other NRA state affiliate associations from across the country and a brief initiated and signed by Texas U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison with 56 additional members of the U.S. Senate and 249 additional members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

For more information on this and other pro-Second Amendment Issues go to www.tsra.com

Please up-grade or renew your TSRA membership TODAY. As with voting, only numbers count!

About:
The Mission of the Texas State Rifle Association is to protect and defend the inalienable rights of the individual Texan to acquire, possess, transport, carry, transfer ownership and enjoy the right to lawful use of firearms for self preservation, for the defense of family and property and the common defense of the Republic and the individual liberties of the people. Visit: www.TSRA.com

Anchorage Second Amendment Task Force

Anchorage, AK --(AmmoLand.com)- You, the citizens of the great State of Alaska, are cordially invited to participate in A Rally of Patriots in support of our unalienable right to keep and bear arms as affirmed by our constitution! This rally will take place on Monday April 19th, 2010, statewide, in a city near you.

The date April 19th has been chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the Revolutionary War Battles of Lexington and Concord. On this date, also, in Washington D.C., a million-person-plus participant march is scheduled to take place at the Washington Monument. Further information on the Washington D.C. event can be found online at http://secondamendmentmarch.com

Following the rally, there will be a parade of patriots. We encourage all to participate. The open carry of weapons, as always, is your choice and responsibility.

There are no age restrictions for this event, and parents are strongly encouraged to bring their children of all ages for their memorable participation, even though this date may be a school day.

Revolutionary War era clothing and costumes are encouraged! We respectfully discourage the wearing of camouflage, BDU, or other para-military clothing or uniform items out of respect for our uniformed military members.

After the rally and parade, there will be a potluck/covered dish cookout for guests and event participants.

Free copies of our Constitution and other pertinent information will also be available. These will be provided to empower and inform Alaskans as to their unalienable Second Amendment and Citizens’ rights.

The purpose and goal of this inaugural rally will be to reacquaint Alaskans with the intent of our forefathers when the Second Amendment was added to our Constitution, and to familiarize citizens with current state laws concerning open and concealed weapons carry.

As citizens, we understand the carry of weapons is a right to be exercised in a safe and lawful manner and that each of us is accountable for our individual actions. We respectfully request you share this vision with the children and all other potential event guests and participants.

Representative journalists from the print, audio, and video mediums will receive written invitations to these events, but you are also encouraged to write your own letters to the editor and otherwise pass the word about the important April 19, 2010 events.

Please direct your event RSVPs, and/or questions to the Anchorage 2nd Amendment Task Force, with an e-address of: anchorage2atf@gmail.com . The Alaska State event point of contact for the day’s activities will be Len Betts, kl7lb@yahoo.com, 907-373-5413.

About:
The mission of The Anchorage Second Amendment Task Force is to provide Alaskans with the knowledge of the meaning and true purpose of the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution, with which they may conduct themselves as responsible citizens of our republic. Visit: www.anchorage2atf.com

Gunlaws.com

Washington, DC - -(AmmoLand.com)- Should individual states be required to honor your guarantees under the Bill of Rights?

Phoenix-based Bloomfield Press has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to say yes, in an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief just filed.

The goal is to require states to be bound by the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. They are not currently obligated to do so. This principle is up for review in McDonald v. Chicago, expected to be argued at the High Court in February, 2010, and decided by June. See the filing here — http://www.gunlaws.com/supreme.htm

The Bill of Rights was adopted in 1791 only to control Congress (e.g., “Congress shall make no law…”), and the High Court has only applied the Bill to the states in bits and pieces. Studies have shown most people are unaware of this.

The 14th Amendment in 1868 said states cannot abridge the privileges or immunities of the citizens, or deprive or deny the rights of the people, but it provided few details — and the High Court has been evaluating that since then.

Working piecemeal, the Court has declared states cannot deny free speech, protection against unreasonable searches, the right to counsel in a criminal trial and more. This principle is now on trial in what may be the highest-profile case of its kind — the right to arms in the Second Amendment.

Chicago has flatly banned this right, leaving its citizens defenseless, and insists it has the power to do so. The city’s ban does little to disarm hardened criminals who simply roam free, carrying guns illegally at will.

“The core issue is whether a state has legitimate power to deny any fundamental right to its people,” says Alan Korwin, author of eight books on gun law and the publisher at Bloomfield Press, the nation’s largest producer and distributor of gun-law books. “This issue is so broad and crucial to America that pro-rights and even anti-rights people on the gun issue are aligned to overturn Chicago’s blanket denial of a fundamental right,” he says.

The avowedly anti-gun-rights Washington Post observed that,

“Lawyers from both the left and right of the political spectrum will present strong arguments that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments.”

That sentiment was echoed in the similarly anti-rights LA Times, which stated editorially,

“It’s tempting to hope that the court will rule that states aren’t bound by the Second Amendment,” but continued, “Allowing the states and cities to ignore this part of the Bill of Rights could undermine the requirement that they abide by others… this is no time for the Court to start picking and choosing when it comes to the Bill of Rights.”

Bloomfield Press joins 34 California DAs, eight Nevada DAs, former Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack (the hero of the successful Brady-bill case that set 10th Amendment limits on federal invasion of states’ rights), several law-enforcement associations, and citizens’ rights groups in Arizona, California, Texas and Virginia in the amicus filing.

Mr. Korwin’s extensive research and material appears throughout the brief, drafted by California attorney Chuck Michel of Michel and Associates.

The main points argued include:

1. The right of the people to keep and bear arms is a deeply rooted “fundamental right” and thus properly applied to the states;
2. The Due Process clause of the 14th Amendment necessarily incorporates the Second Amendment to apply against the states;
3. The right to armed self defense is a fundamental right recognized repeatedly by the Supreme Court dating back to the 19th century;
4. The right to self defense, in addition to the right to arms, has been well established as fundamental for centuries in state constitutions, and in federal law and state law;
5. Firearms are and have always been recognized as essential to exercise the right to self defense, with each one reliant upon the other; and
6. Federalism (states rights) presents no obstacle to incorporating a fundamental right of the people.

The entire brief may be downloaded here
(it will be on the Supreme Court website shortly).

http://www.gunlaws.com/supreme.htm

——–

The 14th Amendment, Section 1: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

The amici include the Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL), The Texas Concealed Handgun Association (TCHA), and The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), all easily googled. The complete list of amici with descriptions of their interests are in the brief.

National Rifle Association

Washington, DC - -(AmmoLand.com)- On November 16, the NRA filed its brief with the U.S. Supreme Court as Respondent in Support of Petitioner in McDonald v. City of Chicago. The NRA brief asks the U.S. Supreme Court to hold that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments through the Fourteenth Amendment.

The McDonald case is one of several that were filed immediately after last year’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, in which the Court upheld the Second Amendment as an individual right and struck down Washington, D.C.’s ban on handgun possession, as well as the capital city’s ban on keeping loaded, operable firearms for self-defense in the home.

The follow-up cases were filed by NRA and other organizations against Chicago and several of its suburbs. Each of these suits was aimed at the same goal: establishing that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments as well as the federal government.

In September, the Supreme Court agreed to consider the McDonald case, on appeal from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. That court incorrectly claimed that prior Supreme Court precedent prevented it from holding in favor of incorporation of the Second Amendment. As we argued at the time, the Seventh Circuit should have followed the lead of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Nordyke v. King, which found that Supreme Court precedent does not prevent the Second Amendment from applying to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause.

As a party in McDonald, the NRA is actively involved in this case and we believe our brief makes a clear and strong case in favor of incorporation of the Second Amendment

The McDonald case will be argued in February 2010. NRA members should be proud of our efforts to bring this issue to the court’s attention through the many lawsuits we brought to overturn local bans on gun ownership and self-defense immediately after Heller. We are hopeful that McDonald v. Chicago will achieve another major victory for gun owners’ rights.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.

Second Amendment March

Michigan - -(AmmoLand.com)- Things are going well with the Second Amendment March. We now have 29 State Coordinators and website traffic is holding steady at 45,000 unique visitors per week. Donations were up slightly last month but still painfully short of what we’ll need to pull this event off. I hate to beg, but even five dollars per person would be a great help in organizing efforts.

Dennis Sanford, our Field Representative, will be sending out the official letters to the gun industry next week asking for monetary and logistical support. We’re hoping that during these times of record firearm and ammo sales that the gun industry will help us out. If you have any leads on corporations or businesses (large or small) who would like to support the march, please email me at skip@secondamendmentmarch.com with all the details and I’ll follow up.

Also, I’ve recently mailed letters to Chris Cox and Wayne LaPierre of the National Rifle Association officially asking for their support. They have a lot of resources at their command and it would be great to get their help. Already, many NRA members are helping us out, but it is NRA headquarters who controls the assets we need to help publicize the march. Feel free to call or write the NRA asking that they support the Second Amendment March in some capacity. Gun Owners of America has already pledged their support to the Second Amendment March. You can tell Larry Pratt thank you by going to www.gunownersofamerica.org.

A new and improved Second Amendment March website will be up and running in a few weeks. More details will follow in next week’s newsletter.

Your Board of Directors meets every Wednesday night to discuss and organize the march. Also, your State Coordinators meet every other Thursday to share plans and concerns as they organize on a state level.

Lately we’ve been getting a lot of help from nine-twelvers and TEA party folks. This is great because they are highly motivated and organized and they’ve already done a successful march on DC. We are learning from them everyday, and we appreciate their help.

I would like to do more radio interviews to publicize the march, so please have your local radio station contact me at 269-838-5586 to set it up. No radio station is too large or too small.

We’ve been working on a new online store and that should be up and running in two weeks. Stay tuned for details in next week’s newlsetter.

If any of you have concerns, comments, or suggestions or wish to volunteer to help promote the march, please email me at skip@secondamendmentmarch.com and we can talk. Many people feel unqualified to lead or to organize, but it’s not that tough. I can relate because I don’t feel qualified to lead either, but someone has to do it. Why not you? Contact me if you are willing to help.

About:
The mission of the Second Amendment March is to galvanize the courage and resolve of Americans; to petition our elected officials against establishing anti-gun legislation; and to remind America that the Second Amendment is necessary to maintain our right to self defense. Visit: www.secondamendmentmarch.com

National Rifle Association

FAIRFAX, VA –-(AmmoLand.com)- As a critical Second Amendment case goes before the United States Supreme Court, U.S. Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Jon Tester (D-MT), and Congressmen Mike Ross (D-AR) and Mark Souder (R-IN) are gathering signatures for an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief by Members of Congress.

And we need your support for this important effort next week.

The case is McDonald v. City of Chicago, and it will answer the question of whether the Second Amendment applies to the states-as the Congress clearly intended in the 1860s, when it adopted the Fourteenth Amendment to protect constitutional rights against abuse by state and local governments.

This brief is an opportunity for today’s Congress to show just as clearly that it respects the Second Amendment’s importance to all Americans-not just residents of the District of Columbia and other federal territories.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.

Ohioans For Concealed Carry

Ohio --(AmmoLand.com)- The 8th Ohio District Court of Appeals has overturned the trial court’s decision and ruled that Ohio Revised Code 9.68, which provided for statewide preemption of gun laws, to be unconstitutional as it pertains to rifles and shotguns and open carry. The 8th District court feels it applies only to concealed carry licensing laws.

Cleveland sued the State in March 2007 alleging that the preemption law violated home rule and that they should be able to ban “assault weapons,” prohibit open carry of firearms, maintain a gun registration scheme, and pass any such gun ordinance they wished. Ohioans For Concealed Carry and the National Rifle Association filed a joint motion to intervene, but that motion was denied and Cleveland lost at the trial court level on the strength of the Ohioans For Concealed Carry v. City of Clyde case where the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that R.C. 9.68 was constitutional because it was a “general law that is part of a comprehensive statewide legislative enactment.” Cleveland appealed their loss, and OFCC and the NRA appealed the denial to intervene.

In this ruling, the 8th District found that R.C. 9.68 was unconstitutional partially on the grounds of the 1993 Ohio Supreme Court case Arnold v. Cleveland which upheld an assault weapons ban, a case decided thirteen years before R.C. 9.68 was passed preempting such laws.

The Court agreed with Cleveland’s assertion that R.C. 9.68 violated the Home Rule provision of the Ohio Constitution which states:

Municipalities shall have authority to exercise all powers of local self-government and to adopt and enforce within their limits such local police, sanitary and other similar regulations, as are not in conflict with general laws.

Cleveland argued that R.C. 9.68 is unconstitutional because it is not a general law, despite the findings of the Ohio Supreme Court, and attempts to curtail the City’s police powers in matters other than the concealed carry of firearms.

In particular, they were concerned about Cleveland Codified Ordinance (C.C.O.) 627.08, possession of firearms by minors; C.C.O. 627.09, possessing deadly weapons on public property; C.C.O. 627.10, possessing certain weapons at or about public places; C.C.O. 627A.02, access to firearms, prohibiting children access to firearms; C.C.O. 628.03, unlawful conduct, prohibiting possession and sale of assault weapons; and C.C.O. 674.05, registration of handguns.

The State of Ohio countered that R.C. 9.68 read in conjunction with Substitute House Bill 347 did in fact demonstrate a comprehensive scheme to regulate firearms, as previously ruled in the OFCC v. Clyde case. The 8th District Court disagreed, saying that the OSC ruling only applies to concealed carry and that the Clyde case only referred to Section 9 of H.B. 12 (the original concealed carry bill) and not R.C. 9.68., though admitted that “the Clyde court impliedly upheld R.C. 9.68 as it relates to handguns.”

Therefore, the 8th District Court felt comfortable ignoring the Clyde ruling and applied R.C. 9.68 only to concealed carry laws because it was not “comprehensive” enough to be a General Law in their opinion because it “leaves unregulated: (1) the discharge of firearms, (2) the possession and sale of assault weapons, (3) the open carry of firearms on public property and public places, (4) the possession and use of firearms by minors, (5) the registration of handguns as required by the City, (6) the registrations and licensure of firearms dealers, (7) permit or licensing requirements before an individual purchases a handgun, and (8) background checks before the purchase or transfer of firearms.”

O.R.C. 9.68 reads:

The individual right to keep and bear arms, being a fundamental individual right that predates the United States Constitution and Ohio Constitution, and being a constitutionally protected right in every part of Ohio, the general assembly finds the need to provide uniform laws throughout the state regulating the ownership, possession, purchase, other acquisition, transport, storage, carrying, sale, or other transfer of firearms, their components, and their ammunition. Except as specifically provided by the United States Constitution, Ohio Constitution, state law, or federal law, a person, without further license, permission, restriction, delay, or process, may own, possess, purchase, sell, transfer, transport, store, or keep any firearm, part of a firearm, its components, and its ammunition.

The 8th District ignored “the general assembly finds the need to provide uniform laws throughout the state regulating the ownership, possession, purchase, other acquisition, transport, storage, carrying, sale, or other transfer of firearms, their components, and their ammunition” and only focused on the next sentence which left off the word “carrying.” The Court does not believe that “possess” and “transport” applies to carrying a firearm, therefore found that the City prohibiting open carry is legal.

The 8th District also found that “R.C. 9.68 does not establish police regulations but instead limits legislative power of municipal corporations” and “attempts to curtail the City’s home-rule police powers without enacting legislation to remedy the purported ill of a confusing ‘patchwork’ of municipal regulations involving firearms.” Citing this shortfall, the Court found that 9.68 is not comprehensive and does “little to fill in the gaps” in what they see for laws regarding “firearm possession, use, transfer, and ownership” and “does not prescribe a rule of conduct upon citizens generally.”

Taking all of that into account, the 8th District ruled that “R.C. 9.68 fails to satisfy the general law test” and “that it is not a general law.” In another section, they ruled that it was an abuse of legislative power because it awarded attorney fees to any citizen who challenged a City ordinance if that ordinance was found to be violation of R.C. 9.68.

Ohioans For Concealed Carry strongly believes that the 8th District used flawed logic in determining that R.C. 9.68 is unconstitutional and that the Ohio legislature rightfully and legally passed R.C. 9.68 with the intention of not only preempting local laws regarding concealed carry, but all firearms laws in the state while lawfully granting municipalities the ability to regulate firearms discharges and zoning laws for commercial firearms sales.

The Ohio legislature was quite explicit that carrying firearms is a protected right as noted in the Ohio Constitution which states in Article 1 Section 4 that “the people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security.”

OFCC expects that Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray will appeal the 8th District’s faulty decision to the Ohio Supreme Court and that the OSC will correctly rule that Statewide Preemption is a Constitutional and General law and halt the attempts of anti-gun administrations from denying gun rights to their citizens. OFCC will also continue our fight to not be shut out in our attempts to intervene and defend the gun rights of Ohio citizens.

About:
Ohioans for Concealed Carry, founded in 1999, is a grassroots political activist organization. When founded, the primary goal of OFCC was getting concealed carry passed into law in Ohio. With that accomplished, our mission became to refine the concealed carry law and to expand and preserve the rights of all gun owners in Ohio. Visit: Ohioccw.org

National Association for Gun Rights

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- Make no mistake! Our Founders were onto something when they enshrined the right to keep and bear arms as the Second Amendment to our nation’s founding document, the United States Constitution.

Because the Second Amendment is part of our nation’s supreme law, attacking gun rights means attacking the very foundation of the country.

The gun grabbers know they have to deal with this supreme law at some point if they’re going to push their radical agenda through.

And so they’ve decided to rewrite the Bill of Rights to best suit their plans.

That’s right. In an attempt to circumvent our nation’s fundamental law, Barack Obama has rewritten his own version of the Bill of Rights and posted it on the White House website.

According to Obama, “The Second Amendment gives citizens the right to bear arms.”

I don’t know about you, but my right to defend myself comes from my Creator — not from government, not from some bureaucrat or politician, but from my very nature as a human being.

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that redefining a fundamental right as a privilege is a very dangerous path to start down.

A right is inherent in our humanity and can never be taken away.

A privilege can be removed at the whim of one’s rulers.

But the President’s redefinition of our nation’s fundamental law isn’t enough for some anti-freedom zealots.

Gun grabbers in our government-run education system are now seeking to brainwash your children into accepting their anti-gun agenda — also by rewriting the Bill of Rights.

Lesson plans in Garland, Texas, (Texas?! Really?!) now teach the Second Amendment by summarizing as follows, “Amendment 2: We can get permission to own weapons to protect ourselves.”

This couldn’t be any further from what the Second Amendment clearly states!

“The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.”

(NOTE: The Garland Independent School District has admitted that this was a mistake and says they are taking steps to ensure proper education on the second amendment.)

I want you to call the White House and the Garland Independent School District and demand they restore the original language to the Second Amendment.

The White House Comment Line: 202-456-1111
GISD Superintendent Curtis Culwell: 972-487–3023

Tell them you will not stand for revisionist history or the weakening of our nation’s fundamental law. The Founding Fathers wrote it that way for a reason!

Leyla Myers Va State Coordinator Second Amendment March

Second Amendment March

Virginia --(AmmoLand.com)-We all have various milestones in our lives. I have had a number of them since May 2001 when I came to this country on the employment visa. November 18, 2009 will be another milestone in my life – I am required to take a two hour civics test and English language knowledge test as part of my naturalization process.

I got a notice from USCIS in August 2009 that I am now eligible to apply for a U.S. citizenship. I jumped for joy, to say the least. The next thing I did was to ask my lawyer which form I have to file and how much is the application fee? Next action item was to download the civics test flash cards – a sample of questions (available on USCIS website) you should expect to be asked during the test. I felt well prepared already. I’ve been preparing for a number of years – even before I got my “green card”. During last eight years, I have visited Mt. Vernon twice, went to the National Archives, as well as Philadelphia, Colonial Williamsburg, Monticello, Ash Lawn-Highland, The Hermitage, Bull Run and Petersburg battlefield grounds, and Appomattox; I met the impersonators of Gen. Washington and Patrick Henry.

I also found out that as a foreigner, I cannot contact my state’s senator or representative and ask for a pass to tour the Capitol, but if I present my foreign passport and go through multiple of the Capitol building’s security check points, I could be allowed to sit in the gallery during the session of either of the chambers. I did so with my mother while she was visiting me, who was just as surprised and excited to get this opportunity.

When my husband and I sat down one evening on our front porch and I asked him to read the 100 questions from the flash cards, I answered most of them without hesitation. Note to the developers of the flash cards – the federal government has the power “to coin Money” (Art. 1, Sec. 8), it does not have the power to print money (as the test’s suggested answer implies). We know too well what “printing money” leads to.

There were few wrong answers on my part, and one great surprise. Turned out I wrongly assumed that the right to vote was in the Bill of Rights. It could be considered as a granted right and there are 4 separate amendments that cover this subject and make sure people are not discriminated or denied a right to vote for various reasons.

But one suggested answer that brought a feeling of pleasant surprise to both of us was to the question “What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?” (The question expects you to name just two rights, although we know there are more; and the potential list of answers is not limited to just two answers.) ‘The right to bear arms’ was not the answer I expected to see. Nevertheless, there it was, on the list of correct answers. Hah! I just found the explanation to why we have such a large number of people in the anti-gun-owners movement. I can only guess that very few of them ever took the naturalization test. If they did, they would at once stop arguing with 2A activists and defenders. Let’s propose and pass a new amendment regarding voting right – that everyone has to pass a civics test before they can register to vote.

Now, I am not trying to come across as know-it-all sort of person. To the contrary, until about 2004 I had no clue that “right to keep and bear arms” was an actual language of the Second Amendment. Fact is, I did not care to know much about it, much less to exercise it. And look at me now – I am a member of VCDL, and a life-time member of the Second Amendment Sisters.

I am also a Virginia State Coordinator for the Second Amendment March which is set to take place in Washington, D.C. on April 19, 2010. If you have not heard about it yet, I urge you to visit our website and consider volunteering and supporting our mission. We need all the help we can get. We are all volunteers and can only be as successful as your willingness to help us. The mission of the Second Amendment March is to galvanize the courage and resolve of Americans; to petition our elected officials against establishing anti-gun legislation; and to remind America that the Second Amendment is necessary to maintain our right to self defense. It is the one right that protects all others.

As I travel across Virginia and spread the word about the March, every once in a while someone would ask me a question, “Do you think we can lose our right? Do you think government can take it away?” Well, the Second Amendment states that “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”. Today there are thousands of laws on the books, regulating and restricting individuals from owning certain types of arms, carrying them in certain places, etc. How is that for not infringing on the right? You have already lost so much, and sure will lose more unless you stand up and fight any new restrictions or regulations. They will take it, one step at a time, unless we make our voices heard.

That one test question is amazing for yet another reason. “What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?” Are we to assume there is not a single living soul left today in Chicago, California, New York and Washington, D.C., except for police, politicians and celebrities? If you don’t get the irony of the question, look up the gun laws in those places.

I will update you on the results of my test and other developments on my way to citizenship. Meanwhile, I leave you with a trivia question – “Who was the President to appoint the most number of judges to the Supreme Court?”

About:
The mission of the Second Amendment March is to galvanize the courage and resolve of Americans; to petition our elected officials against establishing anti-gun legislation; and to remind America that the Second Amendment is necessary to maintain our right to self defense.

Maryland Shall Issue.org

Maryland --(AmmoLand.com)-MSI will be teaming up with Gun Owners of America in issuance of an amicus in support of the McDonald v Chicago case that the Supreme Court will be looking at.

This so-called “Heller II” case could be the one that defines the right to keep and bear arms as a fundamental right and, thus, opening up the possibility of breaking the gridlock that we’ve faced here in Maryland for years.

MSI has pledged a minimum of $1000.00 towards this effort, though we will give more if we have it. In keeping with our long standing practice, we do not solicit funds between membership drives unless we have a specific project that is in excess of our regular expenses. We now need your additional support and are asking for the membership to donate in order to advance this effort.

When MSI joined the amicus for “Heller I” in 2008, you responded generously and raised over $2500.00 in just a week. Let’s repeat that effort to get us quickly to the $1000.00 mark so that we can show that Maryland citizens are serious about their 2nd amendment rights.

You can donate via USPS at the PO Box at the bottom of the Update or go to marylandshallissue.org to donate electronically.

About:
Maryland Shall Issue is an all volunteer, non-partisan effort dedicated to the preservation and advancement of all gunowners’ rights in Maryland, with a primary goal of CCW reform to allow all law-abiding citizens the right to carry a concealed weapon; and to the education of the community to the awareness that ’shall issue’ laws have, in all cases, resulted in decreased rates of violent crime.”

2ndamendmentpatriots.org

Indianapolis, IN --(AmmoLand.com)-Last night Margie and I attended the Posey County Lincoln Day Dinner. I was asked to speak about the 2nd Amendment Patriots. Afterwards all of the candidates for office who were present were invited up to introduce themselves.

I,too, was invited because I had made it known that I’ve taken steps to run for the Indiana State Senate seat in District 49 on the Republican ticket. This office is currently being held by Democrat Bob Deig.

There will be a Republican primary for this race so Margie and I hope that we can get help in this endeavor.

I campaigned in 2004 for a House race and we clearly remember the effort and commitment it took. I don’t make this decision lightly and Margie and I intend to put forth the same level of work now as we did 5 years ago. We sincerely hope that all of you will keep us in your prayers and any help will be appreciated. We thank you.

I’ll have more to report at our 2nd Amendment Patriot meeting on Saturday Oct. 31st and in future letters.

Speaking of Patriot meeting you won’t want to miss this one. I think there is going to be an interesting visitor.

Unrelated to the visitor we may have at our next meeting I did receive a letter from Congressman Ellsworth’s scheduler this week. She wrote to say that the Congressman has received several requests from members of the 2nd Amendment Patriots to attend a meeting. She was asking about the October meeting and the date of our November meeting. I don’t know yet when we can expect him, but I will let you know as soon as I hear back. The postcards that you all filled out at our last meeting at least got their attention.

Lastly, I want to mention that Mike Sandefur with the Freedom Maker Organization is looking for help at manning the table at the Owensboro, KY gun show this weekend.
The show starts at 9:00 AM on Sat and Sun. The location is Sportscenter, just off W. Parrish Ave. behind the National Guard Armory. If you can help call Mike at 812-449-5695. Thanks.

We look forward to seeing all of you at the next 2nd Amendment Patriots meeting on Oct. 31st at 6 PM at the West Side Sportsman’s Club. Margie said it will soup night or something to go with it. No chili, that will be for another time.

About:
The Second Amendment Patriots are a local group of citizens dedicated to preserving the rights, freedoms, and civil liberties of every American by educating the American public of the founding and history of this country and its founding fathers by explaining the role, functions and purpose of the U.S. Government; and by teaching the need and importance of an armed American public, in order to allow for a more prosperous and respectful country consisting of American citizens with a pledge of allegiance to their country and who will at the same time, voice their demand to take back the present overwhelming power of the U.S. Government and deliver it into the hands of the people to which it belongs.

Anchorage Second Amendment Task Force

Anchorage, AK --(AmmoLand.com)- The turnout was super for our dinner at Sourdough on Saturday evening. Thanks to the 70 or so of you who attended. We were busting at the seams in that room!

It was great to see the faces and talk to so many people who are behind a common cause. We hope everyone enjoyed themselves.

As we mentioned, Mayor Sullivan has been receptive to our requests to remove the illegal “no firearms” signs from municipal buildings but we know there are some buildings which still have them in place.

The more eyes we have looking out for these signs, the more chance we will catch them all. Please keep a lookout, and send us an email with the building name (and address is possible) whenever you see such a sign.

We hope to get working on our Second Amendment scholarship soon, so if you are interested in being on the committee to put this program together, let us know.

A final reminder:
If you won a door prize, please call or send a thank you to the donating business (listed below). And to all of you, please thank these companies for their support of the second amendment by doing business with them.

• Alaska Tactical–Muldoon
• Boondocks Sporting Goods–Eagle River
• Gun Runners–Northern Lights Blvd
• Gun Traders–Muldoon
• Martin’s Sharpening–Mobile Service
• Northern Security–Old Seward Hwy
• Stan’s Machine Shop–Klatt Rd
• Top Of The World Graphics–King Street

Don’t forget to sign up for the Anchorage 2ATF Newsletter
www.anchorage2atf.com

About:
The mission of The Anchorage Second Amendment Task Force is to provide Alaskans with the knowledge of the meaning and true purpose of the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution, with which they may conduct themselves as responsible citizens of our republic.

Second Amendment Sisters

Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)-What a perfect day for a protest! The weather was not too cold, not too hot and overcast most of the day but it did not rain on our parade. I heard estimates throughout the day of numbers in attendance ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 million. Our local news reported thousands on one channel and tens of thousands on another. I was told that MSNBC reported 2 million!

We filled up 3 busses leaving from Beaverdam, VA with a total of 146 passengers. The trip up was uneventful, with only minor traffic delays beginning at Springfield and continuing for the rest of the way into DC. We disembarked at 6th and Constitution at about 10:30 and the march was already well under way with massive amounts of people filling Pennsylvania Avenue for as far as the eye could see. We fell in with the marchers and headed for the Capital.

My first encounter with law enforcement was when I left my family sitting on a wall and went around a corner to get a better vantage point for my pictures. I entered a cordoned off area thru a gate and was taking pictures when a Capital Police Officer approached me and said that he noticed the empty holster I was wearing and asked if I had a weapon to go with it. I responded that I didn’t, since guns were not allowed in DC and he thanked me and left me alone.

My next exchange with LE was at the National Museum of Art; we had gone inside to use the restrooms and were told that our flags and signs were not allowed in the building and our bags must be inspected. It was obvious that this was a temporary checkpoint, as the “guard station” consisted of two folding tables and no permanent structures.

We carried our things outside and some of us waited there with the bags, signs and flags while the rest of the group went in to the restrooms. When the others returned, my husband and I went back in and questioned the guard about the policy on the signs. We were told that the flags were not allowed because they had points on them.these are the small 4 x 6 inch flags on a stick maybe 12 inches long with a little wooden or plastic tip at the top. The guard informed us that non-folding umbrellas were not allowed either and that the points could damage the artwork! Then I asked about the reason for not allowing signs and the response was that they did not want to support any one opinion, so they ban all signs. We asked about the buttons and stickers on our shirts and were told that they were permissible!

Later on, I walked away from the demonstration to meet a friend and fellow Second Amendment Sister a few blocks away. While we were standing on the sidewalk taking, two LEOs approached me, one of them, I think a DHS officer, was bending over sideways to look at my holster. He asked me to come over to where he was so he could “talk to me” so our whole group moved closer to him.

He didn’t like that much, but he asked me if I had a weapon and I responded that I was aware of the prohibition on guns in DC. I explained that the holster was a “silent protest” to the gun ban in DC. He then said that he would have to ask me to remove my holster and I got the distinct feeling that he intended to confiscate it. When my husband pulled the video camera out of the bag, he changed his tone only slightly and asked me again to remove the holster, this time saying that I needed to “put it away”. I asked him why and he told me that it was illegal to have “gun paraphernalia”. I told him that I had no guns, no ammunition and no magazines and that the holster was only a piece of leather and not against the law. He again insisted that I take the holster off, this time stating that it made it look like I had a gun.

He said that he was pro-gun but still insisted that I need to take the holster off. I asked him why, since it was not against the law and he said that someone might see it and, thinking I had a gun, shoot me! One of my companions asked him how that could happen, since guns were not allowed in DC! As the situation progressed, the other LEO, either DC or Capital police, pulled out his cell phone and took my picture or videotaped portions of the incident.

By then, we were drawing a small crowd of people wondering why these two cops were having this exchange with us. The crowd was telling the DC cop that they should quit harassing us and he told them that I was a “threat”! In the mean time, my friend from SAS had pulled out her camera and was blatant about recording the encounter. The DHS officer asked her to [sic] get that camera out of his face, which of course she did not comply with. As time progressed, the officer gradually backed down from demanding to requesting that I remove my holster until he was “advising” me that it was in my best interest to comply.

Finally he conceded that he could not make me remove my holster but warned me that if I persisted that I *would* be detained and possibly arrested or shot, that not every LEO was “pro-gun” like he was! I will upload the video when I get it from my friend in SAS. Until then, stay safe!

Please let us know if you were there and what the experience was like for you!

About:
Second Amendment Sisters. Founded by 5 women from across the country, SAS has now grown to thousands of members across our Great Nation. We have taken on many functions. We teach and advocate for women to have the right to life – that is, we work to protect our basic human right to self-defense. Our members span the ages from the very young to the mature. We are a grassroots national organization with representation in all 50 states. Second Amendment Sisters, also known as SAS, was formed in response to the Million Mom March.

Visit: www.2asisters.org

Anchorage Second Amendment Task Force

Anchorage, AK --(AmmoLand.com)- The Anchorage Second Amendment Task Force members are meeting together on Saturday October 17 for dinner and camaraderie.

Join us at the Sourdough Mining Company (Anchorage) in the side room at 6:30pm.

Special speaker will be constitutional scholar and Presidential Candidate Michael Badnarik coming all the way from Texas.

Bring your family and friends and enjoy the company of hunters, shooters and those concerned with the 2nd Amendment.

This is an excellent opportunity to network with like-minded folks. Dinner will be at your own expense, ordered off the menu. See you there!

Admission is free you pay for your own meal Great door Prizes and Guest Speaker Michael Badnarik.

Don’t forget to sign up for the Anchorage 2ATF Newsletter
www.anchorage2atf.com

About:
The mission of The Anchorage Second Amendment Task Force is to provide Alaskans with the knowledge of the meaning and true purpose of the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution, with which they may conduct themselves as responsible citizens of our republic.

Illinois State Rifle Association

Illinois --(AmmoLand.com)-As you may already know, the campaign to restore your 2nd Amendment rights took a big step forward yesterday when the U.S. Supreme Court decided to hear McDonald v. Chicago – the Illinois State Rifle Association’s lawsuit to overturn Chicago’s handgun ban.

The road ahead for McDonald v. Chicago will be long and tedious. Here are what we believe will be important milestones:

1. By late November 2009, briefs from our side must be submitted to the court.

2. Chicago will be given time to offer its reply and we will be given the opportunity to rebut Chicago’s reply.

3. Oral arguments in the case are expected to commence in January 2010.

4. A decision in the case is expected sometime in June of 2010.

Regardless of how the Supreme Court rules in this case, the battle to preserve and protect your right to keep and bear arms will not be over. If the Supreme Court rules in our favor, the gun control movement will surely respond by trying to pass all sorts of gun control laws that they will claim are “reasonable” and keeping with the spirit of the Supreme Court’s decision.

If the Supreme Court rules against us in this case, you better believe that the gun control movement will pull out all the stops in its campaign to obliterate the Second Amendment and your right to own guns for lawful purposes. They will be emboldened, motivated, well funded, and eager to come take your guns away from you.

No matter how the court rules, a strong and united gun-owning public is the best defense against the extremist gun control movement.

Here are the things that YOU need to do, NOW, to preserve and protect your gun rights.

1. Join the Illinois State Rifle Association (http://isra.org/join/) today, and convince at least one friend to join as well.

2. Make a generous donation so that we may continue the fight to protect your gun rights tomorrow, and in the years to come, remember, the fight for freedom, isn’t free!
Donate on-line here, or over the phone at 815-635-8198. If you would like to mail or fax a donation, we have a printable form here.

3. Stay tuned for further articles on this topic.

4. Post this article to all internet blogs and bulletin boards to which you belong. Also, pass this article on to your gun owning friends and fellow sporting club members. Ask them to forward this article to their friend far and wide. Although the suit targets the local ordinance in Chicago, the implications of incorporation of the 2nd Amendment are national in scope.

About:
The mission of the Illinois State Rifle Association has not changed – only the challenges have become more taxing. One of the greater challenges, on the foreign front especially, is the way our enemies go about attacking us. The most troubling though are our domestic adversaries – they want to disarm the civilians of Illinois and to prevent us from shooting, hunting, collecting, or even owning a firearm.

The ISRA stands at the threshold of our second century, we are continuing to promote marksmanship and gun safety, but our role is widening beyond our Founders’ wildest dreams.

IllinoisCarry.com

Illinois --(AmmoLand.com)-Today the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will hear an appeal of the case of the McDonald vs Chicago lawsuit concerning Chicago’s ban on handguns . The lawsuit was filed over a year ago on June 26, 2008 on the heels of a favorable ruling by SCOTUS in the Washington, DC vs Heller case . In that case the Court ruled the Washington, DC handgun ban unconstitutional.

The Illinois State Rifle Association and the Second Amendment Foundation filed the lawsuit on behalf of four Chicago residents, Otis McDonald, Adam Orlov, and Colleen and David Lawson. The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ban and the case was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The case, now known as McDonald vs Chicago, is being viewed by many Second Amendment supporters as a possible historic landmark in the battle for the right to keep and bear arms. The Second Amendment is the only amendment listed in the Bill of Rights that the Court has not applied to the states or what is known as “incorporated” to the states. States and local governments have interpreted that lack of incorporation to mean they can issue any restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms they deem appropriate – up to and including outright bans on whole classes of firearms such as handguns.

McDonald vs Chicago offers the U.S. Supreme Court the opportunity to not only strike down the Chicago handgun ban but also makes it possible for the Court to incorporate the Second Amendment to the states. The Heller case didn’t call for a ruling on the issue of incorporation because that case involved a federal entity, Washington, DC, and did not involve a state or local government.

If incorporation takes place, state and local governments will be called to recognize the Second Amendment and law-abiding citizens will then begin to have a reasonable expectation of exercising their right to keep and bear arms.

Congratulations to the Illinois State Rifle Association, the Second Amendment Foundation, and the plaintiffs in bringing this case before the U.S. Supreme Court. You can follow the case at ChicagoGunCase.com.

About:
The IllinoisCarry forum was started in April 2004. The idea was that Illinois needed a central location to communicate ideas and information regarding 2nd Amendment issues in Illinois. There are many organizations in Illinois working to protect our 2nd Amendment Rights. Working with these groups IllinoisCarry has become the central location for information and Action Alerts. IllinoisCarry will not endorse political candidates. We simply provide information so voters can make informed decisions. Our goal is to join the other 48 states that allow their citizens to carry concealed firearms. We encourage you to register on our forum and join the fight for your 2nd Amendment Rights in Illinois.

Ohioans For Concealed Carry

Ohio --(AmmoLand.com)-During this summer’s Firearms Legal Seminar at the Annual NRA Meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, a central question was whether or not the U.S. Supreme Court would hear the Second Amendment incorporation issue.

Today that question has been answered in the affirmative.

Why is this case important?
Courts have always held that the Bill of Rights in the United States Constitution applies only to the Federal Government. (E.g., “CONGRESS shall make no law…”) The fundamental freedoms only protect citizens from their states when the Supreme Court incorporates those rights, or rules that the Fourteenth Amendment rights to Due Process of Law or Privileges and Immunities (which specifically refer to the states), encompass those rights.

To date, each of the rights contained in the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution have been incorporated through the Fourteenth Amendment except for the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms and the right to be indicted by a grand jury in felony cases, an important part of the Fifth Amendment.

Last year, the case of District of Columbia v. Heller recognized that the Second Amendment is a right held by individual citizens, not some amorphous group of “the People.” Today, the Supreme Court of the United States announced that it will hear an appeal in the case of McDonald v. City of Chicago to determine whether that federal right also offers protection from states and municipalities.

The Plaintiff in McDonald is a Chicago resident who asked the courts to overturn the city’s substantial regime of gun control. He lost at trial in the United States District Court, and also lost on appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

This will be the first time Justice Sandra Sotomayor will rule on a firearms issue as a member of the nation’s highest court.

About:
Ohioans for Concealed Carry, founded in 1999, is a grassroots political activist organization. When founded, the primary goal of OFCC was getting concealed carry passed into law in Ohio. With that accomplished, our mission became to refine the concealed carry law and to expand and preserve the rights of all gun owners in Ohio. Visit: Ohioccw.org

National Rifle Association

Fairfax, Va. — -(AmmoLand.com)-The National Rifle Association applauds the Supreme Court’s decision, announced today, to hear the landmark Second Amendment case of McDonald v. Chicago. The case will address the application of the Second Amendment to the states through either the Due Process clause or the Privileges or Immunities clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

The case has major implications for the legality of restrictive gun laws not only in Chicago, but also in other cities across the United States.

The decision to hear the case, which will be argued later this year or early next year, gives Second Amendment advocates across America hope that this fundamental freedom will not be infringed by unreasonable state and local laws.

“The Second Amendment applies to every citizen, not just to those living in federal enclaves like Washington D.C. In the historic Heller decision, the Supreme Court reaffirmed what most Americans have known all along — that the Second Amendment protects an individual right and that it applies to all Americans. The government should respect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens throughout our country, regardless of where they live, and NRA is determined to make sure that happens,” said Wayne LaPierre, NRA executive vice president.

In the June ruling that the Supreme Court will now review, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held that the Second Amendment does not apply to state and local governments. That opinion left in place the current ban on the possession of handguns in Chicago.

However, the Seventh Circuit incorrectly claimed it was bound by precedent from 19th century Supreme Court decisions in failing to incorporate the Second Amendment. Many legal scholars believe that the Seventh Circuit should have followed the lead of the earlier Ninth Circuit panel decision in Nordyke v. Alameda County, which found that those cases don’t prevent the Second Amendment from applying to the states through the Due Process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

To the contrary, a proper incorporation analysis supports application of the Second Amendment to the States.

“It is an injustice that the residents of Chicago continue to have their Second Amendment rights denied,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist. “It’s time that the fundamental right of self-defense is respected by every jurisdiction throughout the country. It is our hope that the Supreme Court will find, once and for all, that all law-abiding Americans have the God-given, constitutionally-protected right of self-defense, no matter what city, county or state they call home.”

Buckeye Firearms Foundation

Chicago , IL --(AmmoLand.com)-We have just received word that the U.S. Supreme Court will hear another case on the individual rights of gun owners.

A group of Chicago gun owners is challenging a lower appeals court ruling that while the Second Amendment guarantees individual rights on the federal level, it does not bar state or city governments from passing restrictions or outright bans on guns.

Chicago imposes a handgun ban similar to the one the Supreme Court struck down last year for Washington D.C. In that case, District of Columbia v. Heller, the court declared what we have all known: that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to firearms for self-defense and does not merely refer to a state “militia.”

However, the 5-4 decision did not address one important question:

Does the Second Amendment also apply to states and municipalities?

The new case is called McDonald v. City of Chicago and will probably come before the court as early as this coming January, 2010. The decision may come sometime in June.

We will have more details in the coming days and weeks.

NOTE: Buckeye Firearms Association may be involved in this case as we were in last year’s case. We played a part in winning that decision by preparing and submitting a brief for the court. If we participate in the coming case, we will need your financial support. The research, work, and requirements of dealing with the Supreme Court is highly expensive.

About:
Buckeye Firearms Association is a grassroots political action committee dedicated to defending and advancing the right of Ohio citizens to own and use firearms for all legal activities.

Buckeye Firearms Association seeks to maximize your rights by endorsing and electing pro-gun candidates on the city, county, and state level, including mayors, sheriffs, legislators, and governor. We also work to defeat anti-gun legislation, pass pro-gun bills, and reform existing laws to benefit all Ohio citizens.

Unlike many anti-gun groups, we do not get our funding or support from wealthy activists or big corporations. We are a non-partisan, all-volunteer organization. Officers and supporters donate their time and skills to the pro-gun cause. Not a single dime from donors is spent on salaries or wasteful overhead. In fact, every penny is used to support political campaigns, influence public opinion, and advance gun rights around Ohio.

Supreme Court

Supreme Court

Washington, DC - -(AmmoLand.com)-Supreme Court will hear the Chicago gun ban case to determine if the Heller decision is incorporated to the states.

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether strict local and state gun control laws violate the Second Amendment, ensuring another high-profile battle over the rights of gun owners.

The court said Wednesday it will review a lower court ruling that upheld a handgun ban in Chicago.

The Supreme Court last year struck down Washington D.C.’s gun ban, but the question remains whether states and local governments fall under the same requirements.

Cases against Chicago challenge several gun laws, including the city’s ban on handguns. After the Supreme Court ruled in the D-C case, suburban Morton Grove, Wilmette, Evanston and Winnetka dropped their gun bans.

SCOTUS Blog for more.

Anchorage Second Amendment Task Force

Anchorage, AK --(AmmoLand.com)-Anchorage Second Amendment Task Force members are meeting together on Saturday October 17 for dinner and camaraderie. Join us at the Sourdough Mining Company (Anchorage) in the side room at 6:30pm.

Special speaker will be constitutional scholar Michael Badnarik coming all the way from Texas.

This is an excellent opportunity to network with like-minded folks. Dinner will be at your own expense, ordered off the menu.

Please RSVP by replying to this email if you will be attending so that we can get a general count. See you there!
About:
The mission of The Anchorage Second Amendment Task Force is to provide Alaskans with the knowledge of the meaning and true purpose of the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution, with which they may conduct themselves as responsible citizens of our republic.

Michigan Coalition For Responsible Gun Owners

California – -(AmmoLand.com)-The “Chicago Gun Cases” are now pending in the Supreme Court, which should vote on September 29 whether to hear them or not. In the meantime, yet another case is slowly moving in the same direction. Like the Chicago cases, the main issue is whether the 2nd Amendment applies to the States via the 14th Amendment.

Nordyke v. King challenges an Alameda County, California, regulation forbidding carrying of firearms on county property, a rule that was aimed at barring gun shows from the county fairground. Gun show organizers filed suit in 1999 – yes, the case has bounced from one court to another for a full decade! It finally arrived in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers the far west and has historically been anti-gun.

The 9th Circuit has 27 judges, who divide into three judge panels to hear ordinary appeals. In April of this year, the panel that heard Nordyke ruled 3-0 that the 14th Amendment made the 2nd Amendment binding on the States. This was the first time a Federal appeals court had so ruled.

The decision of a three judge panel can be reviewed by the entire court en banc – in most circuits, this means by all the Circuit judges, but in the 9th Circuit it means by 11 judges chosen at random. Motions for en banc rehearings are rarely granted. But something even rarer happened in Nordyke – without either party asking, a majority of the judges requested rehearing on their own.

The en banc hearing was held on September 24. Based on past votes, of the 11 judges, four or five were pro-gun, two were antigun, and 4-5 were unknown. Nordyke’s counsel, Don Kilmer, thought that two of the unknowns seemed favorable during the argument. Few of the questions were hostile to the core issue of applying the 2nd Amendment to the States – most concerned whether gun shows could be held elsewhere, or similar minutae.

Five hours later, the Ninth Circuit announced that it would hold the case, without ruling, until the Supreme Court disposed of the Chicago gun cases. The Circuit saw no reason to stick its neck out, guess what the Supreme Court will think and get its decision reversed if it guesses wrong. If the Supreme Court takes the Chicago cases, the Ninth Circuit will wait for the results before ruling. If it declines the Chicago cases, the 9th Circuit will have to rule (don’t hold your breath: en banc rulings usually take many months), and once it does, the issue may have a second shot at the Supreme Court.

Bio:
David T. Hardy is a Tucson attorney who has authored four books and eighteen law reviews articles, mostly on Second Amendment issues. In Heller, he filed an amicus brief for Academics for the Second Amendment. He produced and directed the documentary DVD “In Search of the Second Amendment,” available at www.secondamendmentdocumentary.com.

About:
The Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. Formed from just eight people in 1996, we now have thousands of members and numerous affiliated clubs across the state. We’re growing larger and more effective every day.

Our mission statement is: “Promoting safe use and ownership of firearms through education, litigation, and legislation”

AmmoLand.com

Warsaw, IN – -(AmmoLand.com)- On Wednesday Mayor Ernest B. Wiggins (R) resigned from Michael Bloomberg’s  gun banning anti gun group “Mayors Against Illegal Guns”.

Mayor Wiggens said,”Frankly, I don’t recall joining MAIG and I don’t remember if I responded to the e-mails when they ask me if I wanted to continue supporting them” Wiggins said. “All of a sudden I am a member of this organization, and frankly on the surface the organization sounds innocent, who’s not against illegal guns?”

Wiggins said he didn’t think too much about the e-mails until he received a phone call from a former classmate last week informing him that his name is being associated with the organization.

According to the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition Web site, there are more than 450 mayors from more than 40 states who have joined the coalition. The Web site is mayorsagainstillegalguns.org

Is your mayor a member MAIG? Click here to find out.

If your mayor is listed, contact the Mayor’s office and let them know the truth about MAIG and ask them to resign. If they say they are on the list in error, let them know they need to contact MAIG and have their name removed. If your mayor agrees that MAIG is not a group that he or she wants to belong to, encourage your mayor to resign. Help your mayor make the right choice between protecting our Second Amendment rights or continuing to be associated with those who actively oppose and undermine your firearms freedom.

Wiggins said he does not support taking away a person’s right to bear arms.

He said maybe a lack of his insight into what the organization was initially about on the surface sounded innocent at first.

“I’ll be honest when I say I don’t recall signing up for the coalition’s membership and obviously I didn’t realize what it was all about,” Wiggins said.

The fact that Mayors Against Illegal Guns continues to keep mayors on its membership list that have either been voted out of office or resigned has been discussed but the adding of Mayors without their direct consent it very troubling.

“I do respect local people who are members of the National Rifle Association who have asked me to remove my name from the membership, and I have done so,” Mayor Wiggins said.

2ndamendmentpatriots.org

Indianapolis, IN --(AmmoLand.com)- These mayors in Indiana have signed onto New York Mayor Bloomberg’s anti gun coalition, “Mayors Against Illegal Guns”.

Folks in the cities and all of Indiana for that matter, need to contact those mayoral offices and issue your complaint. Urge them to stop banning legal firearms in the name of illegal guns.

Mayor Wiggins from Warsaw, IN has since removed his name due to pressure from gun owners.

MAYOR OF GOSHEN
Allan Kauffman (Democrat)
202 S. 5th St.
Goshen, Indiana 46528
Phone: (home) 574-533-5168
(work) 574-533-9322
Fax: 574-533-3074
Email: (work) allankauffman@goshencity.com
(home) ajkauffman@verizon.net
Last elected: November 2007 (incumbent)
City: Goshen, IN
County: Elkhart
Population: 31,800

Tell City Mayor’s Office
Mayor Barbara Ewing (D)
(812) 547-5511
Last elected: November 2007 (beat the R incumbent)
City: Tell City, IN
County: Perry
Population: 7,845

MAYOR OF Portland: Bruce Hosier (R)
Email: mayorhosier@embarqmail.com
321 N. Meridian Street
Phone 260.726.9395
Last elected: November 2007 (incumbent)
City: Portland, IN
County: Jay
Population: 6,437

(RESIGNED THANKS TO YOUR PRESSURE – Please email him and thank him for supporting our gun rights.)
Warsaw, IN Mayor Ernest B. Wiggins (R)
302 E. Market Street Map
P.O. Box 953
Warsaw, IN 46581-0953
Phone: 574-372-9595
Fax: 574-372-9596
mbormet@warsaw.in.gov
Last elected: November 2007 (incumbent)
Next election: November 2011
City: Warsaw, IN
County: Kosciusko
Population: 13,082

Mayor’s Office
Mayor Fred Armstrong (D)
123 Washington Street . Columbus, IN 47201
Phone: (812) 376-2500 . Fax: (812) 376-2651 . TDD: (812) 378-2720
Office Open 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. Monday – Friday
mayor@columbus.in.gov
Last elected: November 2007 (incumbent)
City: Columbus, IN
County: Bartholomew
Population: 39,059

Mayor’s Office
Mayor: Richard Hickman
210 N Public Square
Angola, IN 46703
Phone: 260.665.3556
Email: mayorsoffice@angolain.org
City: Angola, IN
County: Steuben
Population: 7,344

MAYOR OF Linton
Tom Jones (D)
City Hall
86 South Main Street
Linton, Indiana 47441
Phone: (work) (812) 847-7754
Fax: 574-533-3074
Email: (work) tjones@minerbroadband.com
Last elected: November 2007 (incumbent)
City: Linton, IN
County: Greene
Population: 5,774

Mayor’s Office
Mayor: Tom Henry
ONE MAIN ST. , FORT WAYNE, IN 46802
Phone: (260) 427-1111
Email: mayor@cityoffortwayne.org
Last elected: November 2007 (Open Seat)
City: Fort Wayne, IN
County: Allen
Population: 251,951

MAYOR OF South Bend: Steve Luecke (D)
Office of the Mayor
227 West Jefferson Blvd. . Suite 1400 N
South Bend, Indiana 46601
574.235.9261
mmyers@southbendin.gov
lcoleman@SouthBendIN.gov
tprice@southbendin.gov
Last elected: November 2007 (incumbent)
City: South Bend, IN

About:
The Second Amendment Patriots are a local group of citizens dedicated to preserving the rights, freedoms, and civil liberties of every American by educating the American public of the founding and history of this country and its founding fathers by explaining the role, functions and purpose of the U.S. Government; and by teaching the need and importance of an armed American public, in order to allow for a more prosperous and respectful country consisting of American citizens with a pledge of allegiance to their country and who will at the same time, voice their demand to take back the present overwhelming power of the U.S. Government and deliver it into the hands of the people to which it belongs.