Long I know, but hoping it is of value to the 6mmBR community.
There is some appreciation and interest in some info I posted here about the battle we fight over firearm rights. Thanks to all for the kind comments. I thought I would share some information which I believe can strengthen our effectiveness. These are some things I have learned from others, some I have learned through experience, and some is just my opinion. Hopefully, they will help all in fighting for our firearm freedoms.
1) Do communicate your concerns with your legislators. But do so by a physical letter or phone call. This requires more staff time, and shows it was important enough for you spend some time on it. Some legislators have said this is the most effective way to have an impact on them. E-mails to a legislator website often ask what the topic is and if marked "Guns", they can be pretty sure it is a gun rights activist. As a politician in Colorado said, they don't read any of those e-mails because they already know what we think. And none of those people vote for them anyway. So, make them spend time opening a letter or answering a call.
2) Letters and calls should be short (200 words or less), respectful, but clear on your concern and consequences (i.e., vote changer, cited government costs, etc). Irrefutable, factual info is fine.
3) Know your representatives, and honestly, where they stand and if they can be persuaded to listen. Unfortunately, some can not. It may be best to use other approaches. Donate for a court fight for instance.
4) Stay abreast of what is happening. How? Go here. http://www.nraila.org/legislation/state-legislation.aspx Type in your state and read. Daily. It won't always be pleasant, but reacting and contacting legislators and others shows you pay attention and the issue is important to you.
5) Write letters to the newspaper. You should be a good writer. If you are not, admit it, and get help, or don't do it. We don't want to come off like a bunch of yahoos, and some newspapers would love to print it, just to prove that point. Be clear, to the point, and very difficult to factually refute, because someone will try and it will likely be printed.
6) Join the NRA. This is the only powerhouse we have. They have 5,000,000 members but that is a small fraction of gun owners. The NRA would be extremely potent with more membership. Join your local gun organizations that have the funding to file suits.
7) Turn the tide on the perception that guns are evil. This is a cultural thing. More and more, guns are seen as bad, evidenced by insane school policies, as well as ordinances in cities and other locales. Any time I can, I speak about my gun interest in a cheerful fun way. Like others are missing out on this very fun thing to do. I invite others to the range. I assure them a good time, telling them everyone I have taken wants to come back again. I calmly explain how silly the entire "assault weapon" nonsense is. People don’t want to be perceived as victims of silliness and they often then ask, “what do you mean� I don’t force things on them, I just calmly explain it. They are always surprised and thankful.
8- Make ourselves good citizens. I have NRA stickers on my car. Some don't because they fear vandalism, robbing the house the car is parked at, etc., but I use the stickers. I give other drivers a break by letting them in traffic, and if I can get in front of them, they see an NRA member was actually a pretty nice person. I have gone through a fast food drive through knowing the car behind me could not miss the NRA stickers and the other one that says, "Fight Crime, Shoot Back". When I got to the window I asked how much the order cost for the person behind me. I paid it. I paused a bit leaving and the woman driver came up behind me, with a huge smile of surprise and appreciation. Maybe she might think those NRA people are pretty nice and reasonable after all. You can do this at a bridge toll, or even a person behind you in line at a small store, if you are wearing some gun emblem on the back of your shirt or jacket. We want people to associate gun owners as great people. Remember the very successful Honda advertising slogan way back when that went, "You meet the nicest people on a Honda". We need to be those people, out in the public eye. How? Through things like the paragraph below. By being public, showing we are gun owners, that are normal. I never shy away from letting people know I shoot, that it is fun, safe, and they should try it. People love to be treated well and respected. Do that, and you can tear down a lot of barriers.
9) I belong to an NRA Member's Council. These are not everywhere, but are effective. See http://trivalleynramc.org/ for the one I belong to. The Women on Target is especially good. This brings new women shooters to a local range with personal coach for the day, shooting 22LR semis and revolvers. $40 and very popular. Women love it and I guarantee you they are talking to some of their friends who probably hate guns. They probably post their experiences on FaceBook. This begins to change minds. http://trivalleynramc.org/images/WOTflyer130622.jpg
10) More of an elaboration on #8, but get positive exposure in the community. Do you have a local school that is in need of supplies? A hospital, library, old folks home, etc., that needs donations? Kids that need toys. Think what an organized effort by even a few gun owners, much less a club can do. If large enough, it might get on the local news. Just think of it… “Local gun owners organize a Christmas toy and food drive†as a news headline. The anti-gunners would hate it.
Anyway, just some ideas, and I do what I can. Right now, my focus is trying to find a job, but after that, I hope to do more to preserve our firearm rights.
Phil
There is some appreciation and interest in some info I posted here about the battle we fight over firearm rights. Thanks to all for the kind comments. I thought I would share some information which I believe can strengthen our effectiveness. These are some things I have learned from others, some I have learned through experience, and some is just my opinion. Hopefully, they will help all in fighting for our firearm freedoms.
1) Do communicate your concerns with your legislators. But do so by a physical letter or phone call. This requires more staff time, and shows it was important enough for you spend some time on it. Some legislators have said this is the most effective way to have an impact on them. E-mails to a legislator website often ask what the topic is and if marked "Guns", they can be pretty sure it is a gun rights activist. As a politician in Colorado said, they don't read any of those e-mails because they already know what we think. And none of those people vote for them anyway. So, make them spend time opening a letter or answering a call.
2) Letters and calls should be short (200 words or less), respectful, but clear on your concern and consequences (i.e., vote changer, cited government costs, etc). Irrefutable, factual info is fine.
3) Know your representatives, and honestly, where they stand and if they can be persuaded to listen. Unfortunately, some can not. It may be best to use other approaches. Donate for a court fight for instance.
4) Stay abreast of what is happening. How? Go here. http://www.nraila.org/legislation/state-legislation.aspx Type in your state and read. Daily. It won't always be pleasant, but reacting and contacting legislators and others shows you pay attention and the issue is important to you.
5) Write letters to the newspaper. You should be a good writer. If you are not, admit it, and get help, or don't do it. We don't want to come off like a bunch of yahoos, and some newspapers would love to print it, just to prove that point. Be clear, to the point, and very difficult to factually refute, because someone will try and it will likely be printed.
6) Join the NRA. This is the only powerhouse we have. They have 5,000,000 members but that is a small fraction of gun owners. The NRA would be extremely potent with more membership. Join your local gun organizations that have the funding to file suits.
7) Turn the tide on the perception that guns are evil. This is a cultural thing. More and more, guns are seen as bad, evidenced by insane school policies, as well as ordinances in cities and other locales. Any time I can, I speak about my gun interest in a cheerful fun way. Like others are missing out on this very fun thing to do. I invite others to the range. I assure them a good time, telling them everyone I have taken wants to come back again. I calmly explain how silly the entire "assault weapon" nonsense is. People don’t want to be perceived as victims of silliness and they often then ask, “what do you mean� I don’t force things on them, I just calmly explain it. They are always surprised and thankful.
8- Make ourselves good citizens. I have NRA stickers on my car. Some don't because they fear vandalism, robbing the house the car is parked at, etc., but I use the stickers. I give other drivers a break by letting them in traffic, and if I can get in front of them, they see an NRA member was actually a pretty nice person. I have gone through a fast food drive through knowing the car behind me could not miss the NRA stickers and the other one that says, "Fight Crime, Shoot Back". When I got to the window I asked how much the order cost for the person behind me. I paid it. I paused a bit leaving and the woman driver came up behind me, with a huge smile of surprise and appreciation. Maybe she might think those NRA people are pretty nice and reasonable after all. You can do this at a bridge toll, or even a person behind you in line at a small store, if you are wearing some gun emblem on the back of your shirt or jacket. We want people to associate gun owners as great people. Remember the very successful Honda advertising slogan way back when that went, "You meet the nicest people on a Honda". We need to be those people, out in the public eye. How? Through things like the paragraph below. By being public, showing we are gun owners, that are normal. I never shy away from letting people know I shoot, that it is fun, safe, and they should try it. People love to be treated well and respected. Do that, and you can tear down a lot of barriers.
9) I belong to an NRA Member's Council. These are not everywhere, but are effective. See http://trivalleynramc.org/ for the one I belong to. The Women on Target is especially good. This brings new women shooters to a local range with personal coach for the day, shooting 22LR semis and revolvers. $40 and very popular. Women love it and I guarantee you they are talking to some of their friends who probably hate guns. They probably post their experiences on FaceBook. This begins to change minds. http://trivalleynramc.org/images/WOTflyer130622.jpg
10) More of an elaboration on #8, but get positive exposure in the community. Do you have a local school that is in need of supplies? A hospital, library, old folks home, etc., that needs donations? Kids that need toys. Think what an organized effort by even a few gun owners, much less a club can do. If large enough, it might get on the local news. Just think of it… “Local gun owners organize a Christmas toy and food drive†as a news headline. The anti-gunners would hate it.
Anyway, just some ideas, and I do what I can. Right now, my focus is trying to find a job, but after that, I hope to do more to preserve our firearm rights.
Phil
