We have millions

[rwsmith]

There are millions upon millions of 2nd Amendment supporters in the US. What if that isn't enough? Speaking only in general terms to avoid the subject of politics or political opinions, in a recent election approximately 50% of voters expected a major change in government while the other 50% expected no change. The final result was that there was little change in government.

In another example, it was thought that a western state with a strong tradition of firearms ownership and lot of gun owners would never pass gun control bills on their own. Well, look what happened. Tradition and a lot of gun owners weren't enough.

We can write our representatives and bluster among ourselves about 'cold, dead hands' and the like but what if we wake up tomorrow and find that our rights have been curtailed and/or that personal ownership of firearms is being 'phased out' over time because, as it turns out, there isn't enough support.

How can we really make a difference in the upcoming debates and do enough to guarantee that this doesn't happen in the first place? What major groups besides the NRA are mounting effective campaigns against gun controls? There needs to be ways to reach outside of the present group of gun owners and change peoples minds, not just rely on support within our own ranks. It was shown on another thread that education is a key point but how do you reach enough people?

 

[pharman]

ANSWER: JOIN THE NRA!!!!!

To reach enough people, the answer is simple...JOIN THE NRA! why aren't all these millions of gun supporters members of the NRA? It is simply a dirty rotten shame that a few NRA members are "carrying" the load for the other freeloaders that are too cheap to join! You people that are not members I am ashamed of you; get off your a___ and join for God's sake!

 

[tlay]

Are you an NRA member? If you are please let us know by putting a NRA emblem on your profile.

 

[Buffalohunter60]

Yes there are many millions of us. We do need to support the NRA. We are not a democracy but a republic. The majority can not take our constitutional rights away. I believe we all need to support the NRA. Write our senators and congressman because we all want to avoid any physical defence of our constitutional rights if that can be avoided.
If in the worst case...our Senators and Congressman disregard their responsibility and Oath to defend the Constitution....then "We the People" become the defenders of the Constitution. Many of us have sworn to defend the Constitution and will do what needs to be done. We will be supported by many police and sherriff's that have also sworn to defend the Constitution and many will be with us. All of us hope it never comes to that because armed conflict is the last resort to protecting our freedom and many innocent people get hurt in any armed conflict as all of our soldiers and attest to. Lets do the best we can do to avoid that from ever happening by writing our elected representatives and reminding them of the Oath they took...and the senario that would come down if they tried to take our freedom away. We have the numbers to prevent that from ever happening and many have the courage and will to face tyranny if we have to but all of us would rather see our freedom defended with out bloodshed if possible....but we will never give up our freedom at any price. If our government understands the determination of free people to remain free...they will not open that box for they will awaken a sleeping giant that most would rather keep sleeping.

 

[Jack Wagon]

Make new friends, and introduce them to shooting. Get out of your comfort zone.

 

[Buffalohunter60]

Hi Jack, I have given away more guns trhan most people own in a life time. I give them to nephews and sons of friends I have to start them out. teach them to humt and take them hunting and target practice. Whenb i was young...my Dad took the time to teach me to shoot and hunt.....and after the first hunt, I was hooked for life. I try to do the same for other kids or help a Vet when I can.

 

[EugeneNine]

There are not millions and millions of 2A supporters in the US. There may be millions of gun owners but out of those millions there are a small subset of full 2A supporters. The rest of those are the ones with the old hunting rifle collecting dust, or the revolver because no one needs semi automatic or an AR.
Then there are many of those gun owners who voted for their free benefits or other issues more important to them.
I'm trying to reach to those now by telling them if those they elected to get their freebies will make up facts to pass laws for one issue do you really think they will be honest when it comes to the issue(s) that swayed their vote? If the representatives will make uninformed votes on on issue then why do you think they will take the time to make an informed decision on another.

 

[Buffalohunter60]

Eugene, I believe there are many millions of second amendment supporters...many of them Vets and we will uphold our constitutional rights if it comes to that. I believe that supporting the NRA and writing our representatives is very important and hopefully avoid having to physically defend our rights.....but if the time comes, we have the numbers to defend the Constitution and many have the Courage to do what ever it takes to keep our country free. The men that died for our freedom did not die in vein and we must have the coutrage to carry on their legacy and give it all we have. I do have faith in the American people...espically the ones that have put their life on the line before and will do it again. Our Oath to defend the Constitution still holds.

 

[P&R Fan]

Most of us here, when we mark our ballots, have gun rights in mind. I am not a single issue voter, but I will never vote for somebody hostile to my gun rights. Unfortunately, many gun owners give this little thought. They vote but never consider gun rights.
Then, there are a LOT of people who just plain don't vote at all. I think if every gun owner cared, and voted based on that, we would see a far more gun friendly environment.
Jim

 

[Buffalohunter60]

Jim, I agree...personally, I vote and their stand on the second amendment must be positive or the Oath they take means nothing. Without the Second amendment....none of the others matter because we lose the ability to defend ourselves against a brutal government. If they are against the second amendment...they should not even run for office because they can not in good conscience forfill the Oath they took.

 

[EugeneNine]

What I'm saying is that while there are a lot of 2A supporters I don't believe the numbers as great as we think. our current political climate demonstrates that. There are millions of gun owners or even NRA members buy many out of those millions will vote based on other issues. Its hard to explain without getting the auto thread lock from the modbot but I have seen people on other forums post that they are pro 2a but had to vote for the anti 2a candidate because he was pro (another issue) which was more important to them.

 

[owenwd54]

I all ways do my best to find out what kind of person a politician is before I vote for him or her. If they have ever been a gun grabber they can forget my vote and I all ways tell every one who will listen that they are gun grabbers. We have way to many of them in office now remember them come election time and vote them out.

 

[pharman]

Yes

Are you an NRA member? If you are please let us know by putting a NRA emblem on your profile.

Yes...been Life Member since 1980...how long have you been in?

 

[Harry58]

I have written my representatives, both national & state. For those who did not respond, I wrote them a 2nd time. All those who have responded have indicated their opposition to the current 2A attacks, & I trust them to represent me. Yes, the current attacks on the 2A get me torqued up, but I don't know what more I can control. I feel like people who live in a different world (San Francisco, Chicago, NYC) are trying to decide what is right for me & my town. It is just plain offensive & wrong.

 

[vikgorr]

Yes there are many millions of us. We do need to support the NRA. We are not a democracy but a republic. The majority can not take our constitutional rights away. I believe we all need to support the NRA. Write our senators and congressman because we all want to avoid any physical defence of our constitutional rights if that can be avoided.
If in the worst case...our Senators and Congressman disregard their responsibility and Oath to defend the Constitution....then "We the People" become the defenders of the Constitution. Many of us have sworn to defend the Constitution and will do what needs to be done. We will be supported by many police and sherriff's that have also sworn to defend the Constitution and many will be with us. All of us hope it never comes to that because armed conflict is the last resort to protecting our freedom and many innocent people get hurt in any armed conflict as all of our soldiers and attest to. Lets do the best we can do to avoid that from ever happening by writing our elected representatives and reminding them of the Oath they took...and the senario that would come down if they tried to take our freedom away. We have the numbers to prevent that from ever happening and many have the courage and will to face tyranny if we have to but all of us would rather see our freedom defended with out bloodshed if possible....but we will never give up our freedom at any price. If our government understands the determination of free people to remain free...they will not open that box for they will awaken a sleeping giant that most would rather keep sleeping.

All of you people who oh so ready to defend Constitution against an oppressive government, how do you actually picture this defense? Lets say there is an executive order tomorrow to surrender everything that shoots using powder. What would you expect? All your neighbors simultaneously lining up to march on Washington with all they got? Right to arms is but a part of 2A. Another part, the one which is of the essence, does not get a lot of attention. Probably because it is a lost cause already. "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State". And that, in my interpretation, spells militarized organization capable to call to arms sufficient number of people to stand against oppressor in defense of Constitution. May be there is one I'm not aware of. Otherwise, now days "Militia" is a dirty word usually synonymous in press with a bunch of hill-billy red necks (my respect goes to the red necks, not the media).

 

[Buffalohunter60]

All of you people who oh so ready to defend Constitution against an oppressive government, how do you actually picture this defense? Lets say there is an executive order tomorrow to surrender everything that shoots using powder. What would you expect? All your neighbors simultaneously lining up to march on Washington with all they got? Right to arms is but a part of 2A. Another part, the one which is of the essence, does not get a lot of attention. Probably because it is a lost cause already. "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State". And that, in my interpretation, spells militarized organization capable to call to arms sufficient number of people to stand against oppressor in defense of Constitution. May be there is one I'm not aware of. Otherwise, now days "Militia" is a dirty word usually synonymous in press with a bunch of hill-billy red necks (my respect goes to the red necks, not the media).

Check out Oathkeepers and it will answer a lot of your questions. Another question to ask yourself is....how are "they" going to take my guns? I do not know what your lifes experiences are....but a well equiped Army in South Vietnam never killed the spirit of thew VC or NVA because they believed they were fighting for their freedom and they were willing to pay any price for it. There are far more of "us" than there were of the VC and NVA and just think about that and the tactics they used and you begin to get a picture of what it would be like to try and take our guns by force. Force would be met by force and we would not be the only ones doing the dying...and we would out last them. I do not want nor do I hope it ever comes to that and I think the government will realize that they can not take what we will not give them. My freedom means more to me than my life and I have read enough history to see what can happen to "subjects" You can choose to be a victim...or you can choose freedom and accept nothing less.....and realize that we will pay a price to defend that freedom just as many men before us have.....but we will out last them and we far out number the ones that would come to take them. There are more of us than you may think that will choose the path of freedom....nothing less is acceptable to me. Men fighting for something they believe in ....are hard to beat. Freedom is precious to many of us and we owe the next generation that same freedom.
If they come to take our guns....it will not happen all at once and many are prepared to defend the Constitution if and when it becomes necessary. To those of us that took an Oath and still believe in our Constitution...we can do no less. Many Police and Sherriffs will be with us and many in our military will be with us...they took the same Oath. Picture yourself on the team to take our guns.......what do you think your life expectency would be? Would your heart be in trying to take our freedom? I can tell you that our heart will be in defending it for all we are worth and we will not be alone.....and its on our ground. Well regulated means functioning properly back in 1775.....and Malitia meant the people capable of defending the land. There is a post by a man that framed it quite well. If interested I will post it for you or the link if I can find it again. We have not already lost and we will never accept defeat. It boild down to ....if you want my guns....are you willing to die for them? I will defend my freedom with everything I have including my life if it comes to that, and there are many more like me. At 65 I have very little to lose and I am too slow to run.

 

[rwsmith]

That's not my point

OF COURSE we should support the NRA. I wasn't bringing that into question, it's just that that is the first thing people (gun grabbers) expect. What I'm saying is that putting all of our marbles on the NRA is only attacking in one spearhead. I'd like to see some flanking maneuvers and enfilading fire for added insurance. Surely there are other associations or do they pitch in with the NRA, too? I just looked one up. The National Shooting Sports Foundation. I wonder what kind of clout they have?

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm going to be actively looking for other groups to support. All I do right now is go to a public range. I don't have a lot of friends, but I do know several gun people and I'm going to ask if there are other angles that can be covered. Two of them have done competitive shooting so they should know something, maybe about local organizations.

 

[Buffalohunter60]

A couple of organizations to look at are the Second Amendment Foundation and Oathkeepers. Second Amendment Foundation takes solid action pursuing court cases that infringe and Oathkeepers are just what they say they are. Worth taking a look at.

 

[rwsmith]

EXACTLY

All of you people who oh so ready to defend Constitution against an oppressive government, how do you actually picture this defense? Lets say there is an executive order tomorrow to surrender everything that shoots using powder. What would you expect? All your neighbors simultaneously lining up to march on Washington with all they got? Right to arms is but a part of 2A. Another part, the one which is of the essence, does not get a lot of attention. Probably because it is a lost cause already. "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State". And that, in my interpretation, spells militarized organization capable to call to arms sufficient number of people to stand against oppressor in defense of Constitution. May be there is one I'm not aware of. Otherwise, now days "Militia" is a dirty word usually synonymous in press with a bunch of hill-billy red necks (my respect goes to the red necks, not the media).

Exactly why action is needed now. If the bans are passed it will be nigh impossible to have them repealed and if it gets down to physical protest, it is already a lost cause. The Confederacy was sure of their 'God Given Rights' and had lots of people ready to fight, too.

 

[rwsmith]

This is what we need

A couple of organizations to look at are the Second Amendment Foundation and Oathkeepers. Second Amendment Foundation takes solid action pursuing court cases that infringe and Oathkeepers are just what they say they are. Worth taking a look at.

Good solid info...... Thanks