Gunleaders Blog

Gun Owners of New Hampshire recently tried to essentially gut the permitless carry bill.

http://pgnh.org/nra_pushes_gun_control_jeopardizes_constitutional_carry

Back in March, there was this from Oklahoma:

blatant attack on gun owners rights, the Oklahoma Rifle Association (ORA) publicly announced their opposition to Oklahoma Senate Bill SB129 which would legalize open carry of firearms.  Oklahoma is one of only 7 states which prohibit some form of open carry and many people, through various pro-gun groups, worked very hard to get SB129 introduced.  Now in an inexplicable betrayal of its own members and gun owners across the United States ORA took a public stand against SB129.

Even earlier is the dust up over the Texas open carry bill.  There are numerous online discussions about this.

http://www.texaschlforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=94&t=34530&p=413426

In November 2010, we had the Pennsylvania issue.  This is a long discussion and it could easily be a made for TV movie with more plot twists than a cheesy soap opera.

April, 2010 in Georgia – we had another dispute:  http://www.georgiapacking.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=45080&hilit=NRA+sabotage

Mr. Hohenwarter answered questions about this at Snowflakes’ Our Interview with John Hohenwarter

All of this is nothing new though. As we previously mentioned -
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Senator Tom Coburn, living up to his word from the hearing testimony above amended a critical bill on the Senate floor which passed and was signed into law.  That gun rights scandal? Redstate.com uncovered emails from NRA-ILA to Congress actively opposing language that permitted open carry or carrying long guns in National Parks & Wildlife Refuges.

Back in 2005, Montana Shooting Sports Association authored this tale.

It makes you wonder what is going on, and for how long has it been going on.  While some of the disagreements are philosophical and over language, others are fairly egregious betrayals.  These groups take money and effort from members to promote the right to keep and bear arms. At least some of these examples show exactly the opposite, some show petty infighting that costs all gun owners.  There are more examples out there and researching them reveals more questions than answers.

What does all this mean for gun owners?  It means that gun owners get corn holed.  We can point the finger all we want at whatever group we choose to demonize but the bottom line is as members of these organizations if we forgive this behavior – the obfuscation of good, pro-RKBA legislation, then we can expect nothing but the same until we stop funding & supporting the ones responsible.

It’s just another example of “gun rights theater“.  Don’t accept it.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-04-29/pdf/2011-10355.pdf

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The purpose of this notice is to allow for an additional 30 days for public comment until May 31, 2011. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10. To ensure that comments on the information collection are received, OMB recommends that written comments be faxed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB, Attn: DOJ Desk Officer, Fax: 202– 395–7285, or e-mailed to oira_submission@omb.eop.gov. All comments should be identified with the OMB control number [1140–NEW]. Also include the DOJ docket number found in brackets in the heading of this document.

Don’t let this go unanswered, comment on this proposal.  The previously posted suggested comments still apply:

Please feel free to use these comments as a starting point for your own, copy & paste them directly, modify them to suit your tastes but whatever you do please comment on this proposal.

Suggested comments here

and copied below

I am writing to oppose the so called emergency regulation to register multiple sales of certain rifles with BATFE as first described in FR Doc. 2010–31761 from the 12/17/2010 Federal Register.  http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-31761.pdf and subsequently at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-04-29/pdf/2011-10355.pdf.

This regulation is both illegal and unnecessary.  Further there is no justification for any “emergency” implementation as reported by the Washington Post:

White House delayed rule meant to stop gun flow to Mexico, Washington Post, Dec. 17, 2010, On-line edition:
( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/17/AR2010121706598.html ).

*  The regulation proposed is outside the statutory grant of authority to record information about multiple sales of firearms.  Title 18 U.S.C. § 923(g)(3)(A) specifically grants the authority to collect multiple sale information on handguns and revolvers.  Other firearms are excluded and there is no implied authority to extend this reporting requirement to rifles or any other type of firearm.

*  ”FFL” holders are already required by law to respond to BATFE requests for information on firearms distribution pursuant to criminal investigations:  Title 18 U.S.C. § 923(g)(7).

*  The regulation contains no provision for the destruction of information collected, which establishes a nationwide registry of “certain types of firearms” as proposed. Because of this the regulation as proposed is illegal under Title 18 U.S.C. § 926(a).  ”No such rule or regulation … may require that records required to be maintained under this chapter or any portion of the contents of such records, be recorded at or transferred to a facility owned, managed, or controlled by the United States or any State or any political subdivision thereof, nor that any system of registration of firearms, firearms owners, or firearms transactions or disposition be established.”

There is a grave potential for this regulation to unduly burden citizens who are collectors or must obtain purchase permits at the local or state level to possess firearms. The proposed regulation does not say what the agency intends to do with the information but ostensibly it would be for criminal investigations. Subjecting law abiding gun owners to this type of investigation under the guise of “information collection” is an overt attempt to prevent them from exercising their 2nd Amendment rights to purchase and own firearms.

*  This regulatory action has not allowed the public sufficient time to comment.

This regulatory action should not be approved.

Mr. George Allen
Candidate for US Senator from Virginia
101 E. Cary Street
Richmond, VA 23219

Dear Mr. Allen,

Thank you for contacting us about the 2012 election for United States Senator in Virginia.  As you know, the 2010 ‘midterm’ elections were of profound importance to gun owners across the United States.  Previously, while you held elected office as a United States Senator from Virginia, gun owners engaged you for support in repealing the firearms ban in National Parks and Wildlife Refuges.  We were saddened and disappointed that you did not assist in any meaningful way and instead allowed your successor to drive the effort home through the promulgation of a new regulation and eventually culminating in a completed repeal thanks to the hard work of United States Senator Tom Coburn.

I understand that you want to raise money for your campaign against challengers for the Virginia Senate seat in the 2012 election.  We at Gunleaders.com have always supported free and open elections and we particularly support those candidates who unflinchingly support the right to keep and bear arms.

Please rest assured we will keep your views in mind as the 2012 elections draw near.

With warmest regards,

Gunleaders.com

From Patricia Webb, Virginia Coordinator of the 2A Sisters-

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