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Grass Roots Gun Rights Activist Demand Answers from Presidential Candidates

National Association for Gun Rights

Colorado -–(Ammoland.com)- On Saturday, at the Iowa Straw Poll, National Association for Gun Rights members and supporters made themselves heard, advancing two pro-gun candidates and toppling a third anti-gunner.

The winners of the straw poll are solid, pro-gun candidates — but more on that in a moment.

Tim Pawlenty, an early national favorite to win the Iowa Straw Poll, finished a lack-luster — and very distant -- third place in the poll and was forced to drop out of the Presidential race on Sunday under pressure from gun owners.

You see, Pawlenty refused to tell gun owners where he stood on important firearms issues.

NAGR Director of Operations Luke O'Dell confronted Tim Pawlenty in Des Moines, IA. Governor Pawlenty REFUSED to say where he stood on important Second Amendment issues.

Refusing to return a survey is often an indication that a candidate is hiding something — often anti-gun beliefs.

The National Association for Gun Rights, and our local partner Iowa Gun Owners, mobilized tens of thousands of gun rights activists across Iowa with phone calls and e-mails urging Pawlenty to return the National Association for Gun Rights survey.

Insiders on the campaign tell us his Iowa campaign office was flooded with phone calls and emails from gun owners demanding Governor Pawlenty make a stand, and return the survey.

National Association for Gun Rights staff and activists even confronted Governor Pawlenty and his campaign staff at the Iowa State Fair, where he continued to rebuff gun owners.

Instead of listening to grassroots gun owners in Iowa, Governor Pawlenty chose to listen to his Washington, D.C. consultants and ignore grassroots gun owners in Iowa, a mistake which cost him at the Straw Poll, and eventually lead to his exit from the race.

Due to the activism of National Association for Gun Rights and Iowa Gun Owners members like you, we were able to educate straw poll voters about the records of ALL the Presidential candidates.

I’m happy to say that Michele Bachmann – who won the Straw Poll — and Ron Paul – who finished in a close second place — both returned their National Association for Gun Rights Presidential Candidate Survey 100% pro-gun.

In addition to answering the National Association for Gun Rights Presidential Candidate survey 100%, both Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul have pro-gun voting records in Congress (though Bachmann’s is marred by her vote for the mis-named Patriot Act a few months ago).

A solid majority of 56% of the voters voted for a pro-gun candidate. The Iowa Straw Poll was a decisive victory for gun owners and the open survey program of your National Association for Gun Rights.

A NAGR volunteer confronts Pawlenty's Political Director Nick Ayers with a flyer, demanding Pawlenty return the National Association for Gun Rights Presidential Candidate Survey.

While political insiders like Tim Pawlenty and Herman Cain refuse to return the Presidential Survey, Iowa voters made it clear they demand a pro-gun presidential candidate.

However, a new candidate, Governor Rick Perry of Texas, has entered the race, and we just don’t know where he stands on the Second Amendment.

I’ve sent Governor Perry a survey, and asked him to return it no later than September 15, 2011.

Send Rick Perry a message. Ask him to promptly return the National Association for Gun Rights Presidential Candidate Survey.

Governor Perry needs to hear from gun owners today!

Thank you for picking up the phone and letting the candidates know that gun owners demand to know where they stand on the issues facing our right to keep and bear arms.

For Freedom,

Dudley Brown
Executive Director

About:
The National Association for Gun Rights is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, single-purpose citizens’ organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the Constitutionally protected right-to-keep-and-bear-arms through an aggressive program designed to mobilize public opposition to anti-gun legislation. The National Association for Gun Rights’ mailing address is P.O 7002, Fredericksburg, VA 22404. They can be contacted toll-free at 1-877-405-4570. Its web address is www.NationalGunRights.org

Editorial Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed above do not necessarily reflect those of the staff, AmmoLand Shooting Sports News, or other sponsors and partners. See the Editorial-Review Process for more details.

Filed under: Gun Rights News by Ammoland 3 Comments »

The Fight Begins for Iowa Gun Owners

Iowa Gun Owners

Iowa - -(Ammoland.com)- The fight for gun rights is underway at the Capitol as the new legislative session has begun.

Read below for information about the bills that IGO is working on this year.

Yours for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms,

The 2011 session of the 84th General Assembly kicked off this week in Des Moines and Iowa Gun Owners was on hand to continue the fight for our 2nd Amendment freedoms.

(Iowa Gun Owners’ Executive Director Aaron Dorr with newly elected Representative Kim Pearson. Pearson replaced a candidate who supported banning semi-auto weapons. Pearson will be the lead sponsor for REAL Right-to-Carry/Constitutional Carry this year for Iowa Gun Owners.)

After a long two year fight, we were able to take the results of the votes we obtained in the House and Senate and kick out close to two dozen anti-gun legislators who voted against REAL Right-to-Carry/Constitutional Carry!

As well, Governor Culver, who refused to complete the Iowa Gun Owners 2010 Candidate Survey was defeated by Governor Branstad, who did answer his survey 100% pro-gun.

As a result, this year looks promising for Iowa gun owners. Thank you for helping us get to this point!

This year Iowa Gun Owners will be working on REAL Right-to-Carry/Constitutional Carry that we almost passed last legislative session.

REAL Right-to-Carry would allow law abiding Iowans to carry a weapon for self-defense WITHOUT needing to first obtain government permission.

Recognizing that criminals don’t follow the laws regarding guns, this bill would do away with the seemingly endless bureaucratic headaches currently associated with being able to exercise your 2nd Amendment rights.

This is the law currently in Vermont, Alaska, Arizona, most of Montana and may become law in Wyoming this year as well.

For more information about the recent shootings in Arizona read below.

In addition, we are working on a Stand Your Ground/Castle Dostrine bill that would give very important protections to all Iowans who find themselves in the position of needing to use force to defend themselves from violent criminal attack.

This bill simply states that you no longer have to retreat in the face of an attack and that you are allowed to meet force with force. Further, whereas some states only attach this protection to you in your home, this bill will provide legal protection to you anywhere that you are legally allowed to be in the state.

Also, this bill gives full immunity to you from criminal and civil prosecution so long as the shooting was justified. In this way, an Iowan who was already forced to go through a terrible ordeal (defending himself from a violent criminal) will not have to worry about being drug through a civil court where he may lose millions of dollars.

Finally, Iowa Gun Owners will be working this year on an effort to repeal Iowa’s Permit-to-Purchase handguns altogether. The overwhelming majority of states in the nation have repealed this unconstitutional law. In those states, private citizens can buy and sell handguns amongst themselves without needing the government to authorize it.

These are ambitious goals. But with your help, we will continue to advance the cause for gun rights here in Iowa.

We’ve made some progress, but we have much to do. In fact, recent reports out of Dubuque County would indicate that the sheriff there is assuming the power to decide what training he is willing to accept and what training he won’t accept when you apply for your permit.

This is outrageous – and this is just one of the issues that we were very opposed to in last year’s bill.

Training, while a good idea, should be optional. Now we have a situation where one government official can decide who can offer you training (does anyone see a possible financial incentive here since law enforcement is one of the primary entities that can offer this training?) and if you go to an unapproved trainer you will not get your permit.

Not to mention the fact that the only approved course may just have a six month waiting list.

So much for shall issue.

It’s time for all Iowans to get together and support the REAL Right-to-Carry/Constitutional Carry that would truly restore the 2nd Amendment here in Iowa.

Please take a moment to sign the petition, if you’ve not already done so, calling on the General Assembly to pass this bill this year!

We will be updating you often during the next few months and we encourage you to take the action requested in these emails.

We need to maintain the pressure and hold this new General Assembly to their promises.

Get ready!

In light of the recent horrible shooting in Arizona there have been the predictable calls from the liberal media and some of their allies in Congress to enact tougher gun laws.

From high capacity magazine bans to reinstatement of the so called “Assault Weapons” ban, the anti-gun crowd is doing what they can to use this tragic time for their agenda.

Clearly this was a horrible crime and the suspect, if convicted, should pay the price for his actions. But clearly someone who is willing to commit mass murder wouldn’t have been stopped by the legality of carrying a weapon with or without a permit.

One interesting thing that an Iowa Gun Owners supporter brought to our attention is something that we’ve not yet heard much about in the national news.

One of the men who tackled and pinned the shooter to the ground was carrying a concealed firearm!!

When asked by the media about his actions that day

Joe Zemudio said, “…I just came running up to him – I carry a firearm, so I wasn’t really afraid.”

From what we know at the moment, Mr. Zemudio wasn’t in the immediate vicinity when the shooting took place. Had he or another armed person been closer, perhaps much of the carnage of that day could have been avoided.

We will keep you posted if any new or relevant information regarding this terrible shooting becomes available.

About:
Iowa Gun Owners (IGO) was formed in January of 2009 to combat the oppressive gun laws in the State of Iowa. IGO does not believe that you, as a law abiding citizen, should have to beg permission from the government to be able to defend yourself and your family. That’s why we are working so hard to get a Vermont/Alaska style carry law passed in Iowa. In these states, unless you are a convicted felon or otherwise barred from possessing weapons, you don’t need a permit to carry a gun for self-defense! Join us now! Visit: www.iowagunowners.org

Filed under: Gun Rights News by Ammoland 1 Comment »