| With more than five million domestic terrorists apparently running loose around the United States, I should feel more threatened than any other time since 09/11/2001.
Instead, I find myself wishing these terrorists were active instead of behaving like the world’s largest sleeper cell.
Yes, I’m trying to be facetious. But I really would feel better about the future if these “terrorists” really could be compelled to become engaged with what’s going on in the country.
The National Rifle Association’s membership has been defined/labeled/slandered as a terrorist organization- by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The NRA has filed suit (I believe it’s their 3,213 suit this month) against the City and San Francisco County for their “obviously unconstitutional” action. In fact, the NRA characterizes it as a “new government policy: blacklist anyone linked to the NRA.”
Seems like time for engaged (“woke?”) NRA members to be hitting the streets, showing up in the court houses and state houses and telling all ding-dong politicians “enough is enough.”
Realizing that probably makes me sound some wild-eyed imam calling the faithful to jihad against the infidels to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, I have one comment for the record: I’m not- at least not calling for a jihad.
What I am absolutely saying that if there are any rational adults left, they need to stand up and peacefully remind the duly elected officials they were elected them to represent the people, not embarrass them in front of the rest of civilization.
It’s not funny watching a beautiful city morph into a third-world dumpster fire because their “leaders” either lack the gumption or fortitude to do something about the homeless, the demented (not just the well-meaning loonies in charge) and the drug addicts wandering around their streets. I could say the same thing about Seattle, New York City or the District of Columbia, but that’s not the point (this time).
The NRA’s lawsuit asks the courts to keep the city from “interfering” in the exercise of rights, and seeks damages and an injunction against the city and its Board of Supervisors.
Despite it being a gigantic waste of time, this might be the most clearly-defined problem facing the NRA’s leadership – provided they’ve survived the weekend’s board of directors meeting.
Last week, the latest episode of “the NRA versus its former advertising and public relations agency,” emerged as Under Wild Skies Inc filed suit against the NRA. Under Wild Skies, FYI, is the group that produced a long running, big-budget (really BIG budget) hunting show that has regularly featured NRA bigwigs hunting in exotic locations (and a host whose antics have fueled the anti-hunting movement). Anyway, the company filed suit against the NRA, alleging that it’s owed $17.1 million for breach of contract after the NRA stopped paying “agreed-on fees”.
The NRA’s response isn’t unexpected. It says the company (owned by Tony Makris, “coincidentally” a top exec at Ackerman McQueen), failed to provide documentation and details on their production of the show.
From my perspective, that now-standard NRA explanation appears dubious (at best). Especially coming from an organization where former board members routinely cite “a complete lack of transparency” as one of the reasons for their resignations.
Today, we need all our Second Amendment groups firing on all cylinders. That’s definitely not the case with today’s NRA. That should be a concern for all gun owners, regardless of their feelings about/toward the NRA.
The latest Rasmussen poll indicates that nearly a third of Democrats favor declaring the NRA a domestic terrorist organization.
Eighteen percent of everyone surveyed favored prohibiting Americans by law from belonging to a pro-gun rights organization.
It’s time we all realize we’re not headed for a civil war; we’re positioning to lose one.
And letters from 150 corporations’ CEOs to Congress urging “more common-sense gun regulation” make it obvious there’s a set-piece battle coming in Congress. This latest fight will not be “just another” skirmish.
It’s absolutely not the time for the NRA to be: 1) disbanded by Attorneys General in NY/DC for bad fiscal conduct, 2) unable to meet its financial obligations because disgusted members/donors are withholding financial support, or, 3) openly declaring war on all members/donors who haven’t pledged an oath of apparently eternal fealty to a CEO who appears to be more focused on eliminating any member opposition than focusing on threats to the Second Amendment.
In other words, it’s time for everyone to realize what’s happening in Washington is more than another opportunity to send out “Urgent” solicitations for funds to “continue the fight.”
It’s time to ruck up and head to the figurative sound of gunfire. And if the NRA isn’t willing able to do it, the rest of us will have to.
Another well-known 2A advocacy group, the Second Amendment Foundation and its affiliated Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) will be holding its 34th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference this weekend. This year’s event will run September 20-22 at the Sheraton Crescent Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona. It will feature a long list of speakers, seminars on pro-gun rights strategies and yes, even the latest firearms trends.
It will also feature something that’s been in short supply lately: straight answers on any 2A issue imaginable.
There’s no charge to attend, but you do need to sign up in advance. You can do that here (https://www.saf.org/grpc/).
The SAF’s Alan Gottlieb has become one of the authoritative voices the media’s been turning to for gun questions. – and he’s never been one to shy away from giving straight answers. Over the weekend, he was asked to comment on Democrat Beto O’Rourke’s “hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, your AK-47” comment at the latest Democratic debate.
“That’s what their goal is. We’ve always said it, now they’re saying it,” Gottlieb said, “Now they’ve said it and we’re going to make them eat it.
You’ll hear Gottlieb and others speaking forcefully – and directly- at the event. If you can’t attend, we’re told there will be at least some streaming of the speakers. Again, you can learn more at the web address above.
We’ll have a reporter there next week, and as always, we’ll keep you posted.
—Jim Shepherd |
