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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.

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Iowa Gun Owners Working Hard To Pass Constitutional Carry In Iowa

National Association for Gun Rights

Colorado -–(Ammoland.com)- Last month, you and I made it happen in Wyoming.

Today, will you help me — and Iowa Gun Owners – pass Constitutional Carry in Iowa?

Iowa Gun Owners, our boots-on-the-ground allies in Iowa, have been battling for Constitutional Carry since 2008.

This year, Iowa Gun Owners has worked closely with State Senator Kent Sorenson (R-Indianola,) who introduced the Sorenson-Pearson Constitutional Carry Act.

With historic gains made by ostensibly pro-gun Republicans in the November election, the state legislature should be a fertile ground for pro-freedom legislation like Constitutional Carry.

While many in Republican leadership claim the mantle of “pro-gun” they’ve fallen short of backing up their election year rhetoric with legislative action.

Iowa Gun Owners has been pushing – hard — to get a Constitutional Carry through the State House and into the State Senate.

I’ve been on the phone with Aaron Dorr, director of Iowa Gun Owners, nearly every day discussing strategy for getting a vote.

While Republican leadership continues to promise a full floor vote on Constitutional Carry, they have yet to deliver. To many, that comes as no surprise, but it will spell defeat for any real concealed carry reform in Iowa.

Why would I write every gun owner in America for help on this issue?

First, Iowa is truly a pivotal state. Its early Straw Poll and Caucuses make it our nation’s most watched political barometer.

Second, rarely does the chance come to pass historic legislation like this. Every freedom lover in America should be excited about the possibility.

It’s not just about one more “Constitutional Carry” state, but rather it’s about Iowa becoming a bellwether for liberty in the very heart of our nation.

I often hear “the Second Amendment is my permit to carry”, and I couldn’t agree more. What, after all, is the right to “bear arms”, in a modern context, if it is not to carry concealed?

But those are just empty words if the law makes a mockery of the Constitution.

With that in mind, I encourage everyone who truly embraces the Second Amendment’s right to “bear arms” without infringement to jump on board and help out Iowa Gun Owners.

Seriously, it’s that important.

To carry the tools of self-defense in Alaska, Arizona, Vermont or Wyoming, you don’t have to undergo a background enema, be fingerprinted like a common criminal, pay for state-mandated firearms training or have your name and address end up on some list.

You don’t have to beg for your God-given rights. That’s what the Second Amendment REALLY means!

Unfortunately, some of the elitist gun owners in America — the head-honchos of the institutional gun lobby – have trouble understanding that. In many states, they even directly oppose Constitutional Carry.

Their opposition to freedom is nothing but a self-serving “I’ve got mine” attitude, seasoned with a dash of “not EVERYONE should be able to carry a gun.” That’s elitist to the core.

But let’s examine that attitude: it means they don’t really oppose gun control.

They just oppose gun control when it’s imposed on them. Give them their own little tin-pot dictatorship, and they’re happy to limit your freedom.

As you know, Constitutional Carry is a simple, straight forward idea. If passed, it simply permits anyone who is eligible to own a firearm to carry a firearm concealed without a permit.

This legislation would not get rid of the current permit system, but it would merely give gun owners another option for exercising their right to bear arms. For reciprocity between states, citizens might still want a permit, but that’s their choice under the Constitutional Carry system.

Constitutional Carry is currently law in Alaska, Arizona, Vermont and now Wyoming.

I like to say we’re simply abolishing the “coat tax.” In states where open carry is legal, you put your coat on, and you have to pay the permit “tax.”

Constitutional Carry would make that permit “tax” voluntary, since you could carry a concealed weapon without acquiring a permit.

Iowa Gun Owners is an organization I fully endorse — in fact, I believe it’s so important to help Iowa Gun Owners that I’ve donated directly to them myself.

For liberty,

About:
The National Association for Gun Rights was founded in 2001 to serve as a grassroots gun rights group focusing on building state-level gun rights groups and lobbying for pro-gun federal legislation. Brown has been a gun lobbyist for more than 17 years. Visit: 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.

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