What can one person do? Here are 10 things.

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I get asked this question a lot. "What can I do to help preserve the Second Amendment? I'm only one person."

Well OK. One person in the right makes a majority, and one person can do a whole lot, particularly as the elections in November are looming up.

1. Number one. register to vote. A lot of people think that if they register, they'll be called to jury duty. Well so what? Do you want to give up your most important right as a citizen so that you won't have to exercise a vital responsibility?

2. You are NOT entitled to your opinion. You are only entitled to your informed opinion. You can't act for or against any idea or a candidate for office until you've fully checked it out. USE the internet to be sure of your facts, and to be sure that you really understand the issues and the people involved.

3. WRITE your Congressman and your Senators - at both the state and national levels about issues that concern you. Let them know that you'll be monitoring their votes and keep their feet to the fire.

4. JOIN the NRA, and while you're at it, join Gun Owners of America, too. They will keep you informed of developments and both who in Washington and locally appear to support the Second Amendment.

5. CONTRIBUTE to the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) and their Political Victory Fund (PVF). These branches of the NRA are where the rubber meets the road to influence politicians and election outcomes. For just the price of a box of ammo every month or so, your money will be put to good use, and joined with the money of millions of other members, the impact has been and will be huge.

6. Be sure your like-thinking friends are registered to vote. You can check on that here at this website:

WallBuilders - Register to Vote

If they are not registered to vote, make it your personal mission to make it easy for them. Get them the forms; offer to mail them in.

7. INFLUENCE your friends. E-mail them and call them to ensure that they get the straight skinny on what the politicians, from the President on down, are doing. I probably send out hundreds of e-mails a week to advise my friends on what the current administration is doing. I don't want any misdeeds swept under the rug. Not on my watch.

8. Volunteer for someone's campaign. You can man the phones, operate computers, and go door to door with materials. Get the word out on the candidate or candidates you have chosen to support.

9. Do you see slanted news on the TV or in the newspaper? Then write or e-mail them and give them H E double hockeysticks about it. Don't let them get away with overt or subtle leanings in the wrong direction.

10. Come November, go to the polls and VOTE. Call your friends and take them to the polls, too. Heck, you could throw an election eve party at your house and tell 'em they can't come if they don't vote - have 'em each wear one of those "I voted today" buttons or stickers to gain admission.


These coming elections are extremely important, folks. Not just the presidential election, but the ones for the House and Senate, also. Remember that the person who will occupy the White House for the next four years will in all probability appoint one or more Supreme Court justices who will serve for a lot of years, and influence the direction of the court for decades.

OK, I'm off my soapbox. Please get busy, because although you are just one person, you can do a lot. Who dares, wins.

John

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2. You are NOT entitled to your opinion. You are only entitled to your informed opinion. You can't act for or against any idea or a candidate for office until you've fully checked it out. USE the internet to be sure of your facts, and to be sure that you really understand the issues and the people involved.
You just negated half the fora on the interwebtubes and most of the talk radio and talking heads of CNN, Fox and MSNBC in that one bullet. :-)


I agree with this but with a caveat. When checking out facts on the internet it is way to easy to go to your favorite sites and check the validity of information. Don't do that. Go to diverse sites, maybe even international to get a less biased view to determine what is real and what is not. If the birther issue taught anything it was that you cannot trust bloggers and only one view of the "news". It is guaranteed they [no matter who they are] have an agenda. You have to go out of your comfort zone to check your sources and check the facts.
 
I second that also.It's way to easy to just sit back and have the attitude that things are the way they are.
Things ONLY change when you act-
Thank you,
Henry
 
John, this is all very good and accurate advice, but after years of advocating for Arizona sportsmen and gun owners, I've become disappointed, jaded and exasperated with the level of ignorance and apathy on the part of sportsmen and shooters. I've been a registered lobbyist with the AZ legislature, involved with various legislative and regulatory affairs, both as a journalist reporting on the issues, and as an advocate, and acknowledged for my efforts, but have long since despaired of motivating gun owners and sportsmen to action. I have retired from the arena, disgusted with the people whose interests I represented, who don't have the gumption to represent themselves in the manner you outlined, and who get the government they deserve.

To those like you and I who point out that ignorance and apathy are the problem, the masses reply: "I don't know, and I don't care."
 
John, this is all very good and accurate advice, but after years of advocating for Arizona sportsmen and gun owners, I've become disappointed, jaded and exasperated with the level of ignorance and apathy on the part of sportsmen and shooters. I've been a registered lobbyist with the AZ legislature, involved with various legislative and regulatory affairs, both as a journalist reporting on the issues, and as an advocate, and acknowledged for my efforts, but have long since despaired of motivating gun owners and sportsmen to action. I have retired from the arena, disgusted with the people whose interests I represented, who don't have the gumption to represent themselves in the manner you outlined, and who get the government they deserve.

To those like you and I who point out that ignorance and apathy are the problem, the masses reply: "I don't know, and I don't care."

I understand your frustration. I truly do, and I share that frustration when I see comments from the public at large at many issues both local and national. The "dumbing down of America" has been almost fully successful.

My only point is that the day I give up trying to influence things to move in the right direction is the day I die. Not until. Future generations deserve at least that.

John
 
Paladin (John),

I have a question about the NRA. I've heard rumors that the NRA negotiates restrictions on gun types and/or background checks, and 100% gun registration. Specifically I wonder about the Harry Reid controversy. There are entire websites devoted to "busting them out" over this stuff. I've seen things about it in the GOA documents too. Is that just GOA trying to steal membership money from the NRA?

I really want to join the NRA (with a lifetime membership) but I want to know where my money is going! I REALLY don't want it to ever get to the point where the Gov't is LITERALLY prying my gun from my cold dead fingers...

Can you please shed some light for a confused guy like me?
 
"by the people...of the people...FOR the people..."


Some famous guy said that once :)


.
 
I am a member of the NRA and have been for a good many years. In my opinion there are instances where they have been overly willing to compromise principle to get a victory of sorts. That being said, I would join again today if I wasn't already a life member. I have also given small financial suppot to JEWS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF FIREARMS OWNERSHIP (I'm not Jewish and they don't descriminate). The JPFO has some very informative, free, downloads. GOA is an unknow to me, but; I am going to try and find out more.
 
Thanks Beerjabbers (is that anything like a "beer jobber?)" I really appreciate your insight! I am very confused and torn over this. My dad has been an NRA member since before I was ever born. Why I put off joining for so long I don't even know, but the result of me putting it off was that I ended up seeing all of this stuff about the NRA supporting gun laws that, in my VERY humble opinion, would lead to increasingly strict gun laws until the seemingly inevitable day when we, as the Brits did before us, turn in all of our handguns to be destroyed.

It's disturbing to read those. However, I don't have anything to compare them to. The only thing that would refute those articles is on the NRA's own website (which is quoted by their detractors). I was really hoping people here (in the S&W forums) could help in some way.

Other than the NRA who can and would fight for us? The Gun Owners of America (GOA) seems like the next biggest group, but I don't like their attitude toward their fellow groups like NRA. Why not work together? The NRA seems like the only ones that are going to get anything done, thus the only ones I should give money to. The problem is that I certainly disagree with some of the facts behind the laws they've supported in the past.


I am a member of the NRA and have been for a good many years. In my opinion there are instances where they have been overly willing to compromise principle to get a victory of sorts. That being said, I would join again today if I wasn't already a life member. I have also given small financial suppot to JEWS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF FIREARMS OWNERSHIP (I'm not Jewish and they don't descriminate). The JPFO has some very informative, free, downloads. GOA is an unknow to me, but; I am going to try and find out more.
 
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Paladin (John),

I have a question about the NRA. I've heard rumors that the NRA negotiates restrictions on gun types and/or background checks, and 100% gun registration. Specifically I wonder about the Harry Reid controversy. There are entire websites devoted to "busting them out" over this stuff. I've seen things about it in the GOA documents too. Is that just GOA trying to steal membership money from the NRA?

I really want to join the NRA (with a lifetime membership) but I want to know where my money is going! I REALLY don't want it to ever get to the point where the Gov't is LITERALLY prying my gun from my cold dead fingers...

Can you please shed some light for a confused guy like me?

First, very candidly, I've not always agreed with everything the NRA has ever done. I've been a member since 1963, and along the way they have indeed attempted to negotiate with the devil. Each time they've been slapped in the face by both the members and the other side. Because of this, I've seen a steeling of resolve in recent years, and the NRA and the GOA are no longer very far apart - the NRA has learned not to negotiate with terrorists - and that's just what the gun grabbers are.

But hear this - the NRA has more clout on Capitol Hill than any other gun organization, pro or con. Not only because of their massive membership numbers, but because they have a reputation for honesty - they've never been tripped up on their facts and figures. When the NRA speaks, the pols listen.

Should you join? Hell, yes, and never look back. As a life member, you will have more of an opportunity to get involved, elect the NRA's leaders who will have the right attitude and approach, and have more personal clout within the organization. Is the NRA perfect? No. Just like marrying, your spouse will never be perfect, but you love that person because of their basic goodness. Same deal. The positives WAY outweigh any perceived faults in the past. Today they are "all in" to give unwanted politicians the heave ho. Help 'em do it.

I hope this helps.

John
 
Originally Posted by ATCTech
"Thanks Beerjabbers (is that anything like a "beer jobber?)"

The handle is "Beejabbers" As in scared the bejabbers out of me. The name bejabbers was taken when I signed up for ebay years ago, so I used the mis-spelled version beejabbers. I guess in my younger years I was a beer jabber before tab top cans, now I'm a Diet Pepper Popper.
As I said earlier I would join the NRA again if I weren't already a member.
 
"by the people...of the people...FOR the people..."


Some famous guy said that once :)


.

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have"

Some other famous guy said this one too ;)
 
First, very candidly, I've not always agreed with everything the NRA has ever done. I've been a member since 1963, and along the way they have indeed attempted to negotiate with the devil. Each time they've been slapped in the face by both the members and the other side. Because of this, I've seen a steeling of resolve in recent years, and the NRA and the GOA are no longer very far apart - the NRA has learned not to negotiate with terrorists - and that's just what the gun grabbers are.

But hear this - the NRA has more clout on Capitol Hill than any other gun organization, pro or con. Not only because of their massive membership numbers, but because they have a reputation for honesty - they've never been tripped up on their facts and figures. When the NRA speaks, the pols listen.

Should you join? Hell, yes, and never look back. As a life member, you will have more of an opportunity to get involved, elect the NRA's leaders who will have the right attitude and approach, and have more personal clout within the organization. Is the NRA perfect? No. Just like marrying, your spouse will never be perfect, but you love that person because of their basic goodness. Same deal. The positives WAY outweigh any perceived faults in the past. Today they are "all in" to give unwanted politicians the heave ho. Help 'em do it.

I hope this helps.

John


Paladin, Thank you very much for taking the time to answer. I really appreciate your candidness and putting up with my doubt. I am led to believe that you are right about every thing you wrote, and I think I better join and contribute as much as I can. I think I'll join GOA too, while I'm at it. Can't hurt to join both right?

Again, I want to thank you for taking the time to answer with a well thought and thought provoking post.

Have a good one!
 
Originally Posted by ATCTech
"Thanks Beerjabbers (is that anything like a "beer jobber?)"

The handle is "Beejabbers" As in scared the bejabbers out of me. The name bejabbers was taken when I signed up for ebay years ago, so I used the mis-spelled version beejabbers. I guess in my younger years I was a beer jabber before tab top cans, now I'm a Diet Pepper Popper.
As I said earlier I would join the NRA again if I weren't already a member.

Man, I'm sorry. My brain saw that "bee" and went straight to beer! It added the "r" for me. Just showing my brilliance! LOL!

A beer jobber, from what I understand, was a someone in pre-prohibition times in the US that picked up beer from the brewery and delivered it to peoples houses and bars, while it was still "fresh." Sounds awesome to me. Wish I could order beer online as I can't always buy my favorite microbrewery brands where I live now... (Alabama does not allow online beer purchases, from what I can gather).

Anyways, I felt pretty dumb about my mistake there.... So, again, sorry about that!
 
Paladin, Thank you very much for taking the time to answer. I really appreciate your candidness and putting up with my doubt. I am led to believe that you are right about every thing you wrote, and I think I better join and contribute as much as I can. I think I'll join GOA too, while I'm at it. Can't hurt to join both right?

Again, I want to thank you for taking the time to answer with a well thought and thought provoking post.

Have a good one!

You're sure welcome. I'm a member of both GOA and NRA. Can't hurt!

John
 
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