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Democrats War on Guns

Oregon: Have A Gun License, Go To Prison, 300,000 Oregonians Would Be Felons

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Oregon: Have A Gun License, Go To Prison, 300,000 Oregonians Would Be Felons
Oregon – -(AmmoLand.com)- This week the Oregon Senate Judiciary Committee took 4 hours of testimony on SB 554, a bill designed to turn 300,000 law-abiding Oregonians into felons so that Ginny Burdick can leave the Senate happy.

We need not reiterate just how sick this concept is.

As expected, Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese did the bidding of his overlord, anti-gun billionaire Mike Bloomberg, and testified in favor of this bizarre and hate-filled legislation.

But, as was noted by one opponent of the bill, he inadvertently and ignorantly made a case against the bill when he pointed out the many places where police response times are dangerously long.

The anti-rights crowd trotted out the usual collection of nonsensical positions citing “statistics and studies” they never produced. It’s interesting to note that the same people who are determined to make parents felons for having the means to protect their kids at schools are determined to outlaw school resource officers.
A look at this year’s Democrat legislation makes it clear that 2021 is the year that Oregon Democrats have chosen to empower and enrich criminals while attacking the rights of the law-abiding.
The opponents of the bill vastly outnumbered those in support. And it will come as no surprise that most of them were not able to testify.
And that’s not including the untold number who cannot even try to participate because of the effects of fire and power outages. The Democrats continue to try to crush Oregonian’s rights with no concern that so many are locked out of the process.
That’s how we roll in Kate Brown’s Oregon. But to all of you who did manage to navigate the labyrinth and make your voices heard, we are deeply in your debt.
You did the job of great patriots.
The bill is now fast-tracked for a “work session” on Thursday, Feb 25th, 2021, at 8 am…
…even though hundreds of people who wanted to voice their opposition were silenced.
Chairman Floyd Prozanski made it clear that he is not concerned that so many were cut out and plans to move this bill as fast as possible. Democrat legislators love to tell people they can still “upload written testimony” not mentioning how difficult and failure-prone that process is or the fact that they don’t read them.
So now, unless Republican leadership makes some bold moves, this bill will be voted on and possibly amended in committee on Thursday in spite of overwhelming opposition. From there it will be sent to the Senate floor where the majority support it.

The one Democrat who can easily put a stop to this disgrace is Senate President Peter Courtney.
You have done so much. Now as we are getting close to the wire we ask that you call and email Courtney and demand he stop 554 and the demented damage it will do.
Senate President Peter Courtney503-986-1600[email protected]

About Oregon Firearms Federation:
The Oregon Firearms Federation has proven itself to be Oregon’s only no-compromise lobbying group, OFF takes the same tough stands and serves as a vehicle for educating gun owners, promoting their rights and when necessary, fighting the freedom haters in court. Visit: www.oregonfirearms.org

Two Firearms at the U.S. Capitol Building Break-In & You Are To Blame!?

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Opinion

Two Firearms at the U.S. Capitol Building Break-In & You Are To Blame!?, iStock-Fokusiert 1185732868
New Jersey – -(AmmoLand.com)- The events that unfolded on January 6, 2021, at the US Capitol are hardly a distant memory and with that, the full details have yet to emerge.

There is a lot of finger-pointing.  Regardless of any stance, someone wants to take on this politically, what happened on the actual Capitol Grounds and the unlawful actions within the Capitol building shall not be tolerated.  The American people are better than that.  The willful actions of a select group of people are going to resonate in history and paint a picture that we, just frankly put, are better than as Americans.  With that, several arrests and cases are building from the events that transpired.

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Looking at a list of arrests that are chronicled on The DC’s District Attorney’s page connected to the “Capitol Breach”, we can take a glimpse at what we do know so far regarding potential unlawful acts.  Of the 188 or so arrests only two make mention of firearm possession.

What is incredibly important to note is that the 188 alleged bad actors, and counting, those two firearm possessions are going to be used as talking points to further restrict the rights of American Citizens.

In essence, the unlawful acts of some anti-government lawbreakers have set back the civil rights movement when it comes to firearms.
Already the repercussions of this event and other high-profile, “newsworthy” events have lead to House Speaker Pelosi having a hissy fit over members of Congress carrying firearms on Capitol grounds and also the introduction to legislation that would restrict said persons from being able to protect themselves.
Everything always boils down to “common sense” when the anti-freedom crowd talks about legislation regarding firearms.
How is it not common sense to allow those members of Congress that wish to bear arms in protection of themselves and their colleagues, especially in light of what transpired?
No, the anti-freedom crowd is doubling down and wishes to restrict themselves while simultaneously seeking the use of public funds for additional armed private security protection.
Why do our members of Congress not wish to be able to take responsibility for their own safety?  What are they afraid of?  And how on Earth can they want to further limit themselves after all this?  If all these lawmakers were rightfully so, so scared, how could they not want to be armed?!?  They should not HAVE to protect themselves, but they should be ABLE to.  As we all should!
The Monday morning quarterbacking has already begun and the ink is hardly dry on all the warrants, never-the-less no cases have been heard.  Arrests are just arrests at this time, and there have been zero convictions. Including a number of suspicious actors released with no charges!?  To date, the listed alleged charges involve two firearms…Let’s remember this fact when more freedom limiting policies and laws are proposed concerning firearms using the events of January 6th, 2021 as a soapbox for the gun-grabbers to stand on.
John Petrolino is a US Merchant Marine Officer, writer, author of Decoding Firearms: An Easy to Read Guide on General Gun Safety & Use and NRA certified pistol, rifle, and shotgun instructor living under and working to change New Jersey’s draconian and unconstitutional gun laws. You can find him on the web at www.johnpetrolino.com on twitter at @johnpetrolino and on instagram @jpetrolinoiii .

John Petrolino

Being Part of the Gun Community or Culture Does NOT Make You a Gun Activist ~ VIDEO

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Being Part of the Gun Community or Culture Does NOT Make You a Gun Activist!  iStock-586087852
USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- It’s been three solid months since the election and most of us in the “gun-rights community” or “gun-rights activist community” have moved on to prepping for the fight ahead as a result of the outcome of said election.

Trust me when I tell you, that fight is coming.

How do I know? I know because I take them at their word when the Democrats and Joe Biden tell us what they want to do. I know the Democrat party is the party of gun control. It always has been and always will be. Don’t want to believe me? Here’s a taste of that gun-grabber wish list in their 2020 platform from page 47 and 48 as a reminder to those who think Biden is “no more of a threat than Trump was”:

“Democrats will enact universal background checks, end online sales of guns and ammunition, close dangerous loopholes…..Page 47, 2020 Democrat Party Platform
“Democrats will ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high capacity magazines. We will incentivize states to enact licensing requirements for owning firearms and extreme risk protection order laws that allow courts to temporarily remove guns from the possession of those who are a danger to themselves or others.” Page 48, 2020 Democrat Party Platform

Not enough for you? How about this from the Biden campaign website? Maybe this will convince you:

“It’s within our grasp to end our gun violence epidemic and respect the second amendment, which is limited.” (emphasis added)
“Hold gun manufacturers accountable.” (This means repealing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act which he says he “will prioritize repealing this action.”)
“Get Weapons of War off our streets.”
“Ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high capacity magazines.”
“Regulate possession of existing assault weapons under the existing national firearms act.”
“Buy-back the assault weapons and high capacity magazines already in our communities.”
There’s much more where that came from in the Biden plan but this gives you an idea and a reminder that yes, it’s the Democrat Party that is the party of gun control.
My vote in 2016 and 2020 as the host of Armed American Radio and AAR Daily Defense national radio broadcasts was a vote against the Democrat hatred of my gun rights and I will never apologize for that vote. That holds true for every previous election.
Politics, and voting, in particular, is a choice between candidates and I was given a choice. (I will not get caught up in the tommyrot suggesting that Donald Trump wasn’t pro-gun enough. To even suggest Donald Trump posed a similar threat to the future of our gun rights as this current group of Swallwell, Biden, O’Rourke, Harris, Schumer, Durbin, et.al. now in control of the government, is a twisted joke, and frankly makes those who argue such appear foolish and disingenuous). Here’s a 2024 teaser, I will vote for the same choice in the next election. My guns!
Hint. I won’t be voting for a Democrat, because, (wash, rinse and repeat), it’s the Democrat Party that hates my guns. Got it? A vote for Democrats is a vote against gun rights, period. There is no gray area and frankly, I’m getting sick of the psycho-babble suggesting otherwise. This is about ideas, platforms, and agendas, not individuals. There are two major political parties in this nation and that isn’t going to change for the foreseeable future. Deal with it.
One runs on a pro-gun platform, the other an anti-gun platform. I don’t have time for, nor do I care to engage in some nonsense pseudo-intellectual blather about ending the two party system, changing the “duopoly” gibberish, etc. I’ll leave that up to the internet basement dwellers with too much time on their hands and a Unicorn in their bedroom closet. In the meantime in Realtyville, I’ll continue fighting, in my own way, on my own platforms, for gun rights, and today that means fighting the Democrats and their anti-gun agenda.
You ignore them at your own risk. I won’t. Here’s how it is, not the way I want to see it, but here’s the way it is: Biden is your president whether you like it or not and along with that fact comes page 47 and 48 of that Democrat Platform and the “Biden Plan to End Gun Violence” as outlined on his campaign website and his own words (see above). I choose to take them at their word. They want our guns, we’ve known it for decades, they’re playing the long game, they have control of the federal government, they are more well-funded than ever before, the legacy, establishment media is in their hip-pocket and we have one hell of a fight on our hands. Like it or not.
The question becomes, how do we deal with this all-hands-on-deck effort to gut the Second Amendment?
To answer that requires us to define who we are or at least get a somewhat clearer picture. I hear a lot of talk about “gun culture,” the “gun community,” and the words I used above, the “gun-rights community,” or “gun-rights-activist.” I also hear a lot of chatter about how we as a “community” need to “open our arms” to the millions of new gun owners. New gun owners in large part created from the threat a Biden administration poses to our gun rights and the violent and ongoing rioting that left a wake of destruction in many Democrat-controlled cities over the summer of 2020. (The riots that the legacy establishment media seems to have forgotten. Yeah, those riots.)
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So what or who exactly is the “gun community” and is every gun owner in America a part of the “gun community?” I believe, for the most part, when folks hear the term “gun community,” they believe it to be encompassing the three terms mentioned above, community, culture, and activists. I disagree. They are, in my estimation, mutually exclusive of one another.

For example, I live in a nice community. A neighborhood if you will made up of diverse families of every color, creed, religion, similar economic backgrounds, but all with different beliefs and lifestyles, tied together by the fact that we share the same community. Some are Democrats, Republicans, Independents, some gun owners, others not, yet we’re all part of the same “community.” I would argue that the word community in this sense is very broad and may be all-encompassing. I could easily argue that any gun owner is a part of, or at the very least could be considered part of the gun community in that respect just as any neighbor that lives in my neighborhood is a part of my community.
Being a part of the gun “culture,” on the other hand is more focused. To be a part of the gun “culture”, one would have to be, in my estimation, not only a gun owner but someone more active in the gun “community.” The family that shoots clays on weekends, hunts, trains regularly (when ammo is available), carries a CCW, and more or less actually lives what I refer to as an armed lifestyle. Like those in the “gun community,” this is also a very diverse group made up of all walks of life, economic backgrounds, political beliefs, lifestyles, religions, etc.
Now we get to gun “Activists.” This is laser-focused. Drilled down to the core. This group of gun owners is the ones on the front-lines. Me. More than likely if you’re reading this, you. Not everyone is a part of this group. Many might like to believe they are activists simply because they own guns and believe in the right to bear arms but this group goes a step further. This group not only attends the rallies but helps plan them. This group attends lobby days, writes letters to the editors when they see their rights being attacked by gun prohibitionists, engages the “community” on behalf of the right to bear arms, donates hard-earned money to the groups that fight the gun-grabbers, and essentially becomes a part of the movement that fights against gun-grabbers and the political party that wants to deny us our rights. (Democrats)
This group is not made up of everyone who simply owns a gun and likes their guns. No way. This group has earned the right to call themselves activists by putting it on the line, every day. This group would never, and I mean never consider pulling the lever for any candidate representing any party that mentions the platforms quoted in this column. Never!
Warning: Bunched Panties Ahead
Warning: Bunched Panties Ahead
Now comes the part where panties get wadded. Hear me loud and clear. I’ve stated this on-air for years. There are many members of the gun “community” or gun “culture” who vote for gun-grabbing politicians. These gun owners are NOT and never will be “activists” and do not deserve to wear the label. They haven’t earned it. In my estimation, if you run your mouth about your gun rights being just as important to you as they are to me, for example, then pull the lever for the party that has stated intentions of infringing on those rights, you’re nothing more than a Democrat that likes guns. And that’s OK, just own it. You may (or may not) be fixable but you certainly haven’t arrived yet. You have other issues that are more important to you than our gun rights. When the chips come down, you’ll likely be willing to accept infringements that all of us will fight against.

The activist, on the other hand, is hardcore, single-issue and works their ass off to fight for their rights. That does NOT include voting for avowed gun-grabbers. Ever.

You gun owners that pull the lever for the folks we fight against at great monetary expense, time, and effort every single day, year after year, have not earned entrance into the club. I’m glad you’re a gun owner, yay for you. Now enjoy your guns, be responsible, get training and enjoy your freedoms, we’ll help you because that’s who we are, enjoy being American and I’m glad you have other issues that are more important to you than your guns. That’s your right as an American, but know this: While you enjoy your right to bear arms and protecting your family with the guns of your choice, a great many of us out here will be ferociously fighting against those gun-grabbers you voted for and not just on our behalf, but yours also.
Must be nice being that gun owner that gets the free pass of gun ownership while bearing none of the burden or responsibility of fighting for the right to do so. Spare me your excuse of working to “change your party from within.” As long as you’re voting for the enemies of our right to keep and bear arms at the booth, we’re not friends simply because we’re both gun owners. You may as well ride that Unicorn to your next range session.
No worries, we’ll have your back. We always do. And a reminder: When the Biden/Harris gun control agenda begins moving through the halls of congress or flowing from the ink pen of “sniffy” Joe Biden, or AG’s or cabinet members, or health officials, I will be here and on-air ready to remind you loud and clear who is responsible.

Yes, the truth is a harsh mistress.

About Mark Walters
Mark Walters is the host of two nationally syndicated radio broadcasts, Armed American Radio and Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense with Mark Walters. He is the Second Amendment Foundations 2015 Gun Rights Defender of the Year award recipient and co-author of several books, Grilling While Armed, Lessons from Armed Americawith Kathy Jackson and Lessons from Unarmed America with Rob Pincus. Follow Mark and support Pro-Gun media.

2021 Gun Bills Filed in Florida – SO FAR…

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Official Communication by Marion P. HammerUnified Sportsmen of Florida Executive DirectorNRA Past President

2021 Gun Bills Filed in Florida – SO FAR…
Florida – -(AmmoLand.com)- As Legislators begin to file bills for the 2021 Florida Legislative Session, we are getting questions about various bills due to media reports on gun bills. The list below is a partial list of bills we will be dealing with during the 2021 Legislative Session. The deadline for filing bills for the 2021 Session is not until March 2, 2021, so there will be many more bills filed.

To review any of these or other bills that have already been filed you can go to the links below and at the top of the web page fill in the bill number where indicated.

From these links, you may also be able to access information on the individual legislators.
Last session we dealt with 130 bills on our tracking list that could have impacted gun rights, gun owners, hunting, hunters, and the sale, breeding and care, of hunting dogs, etc.
2021 Partial Gun Bill List as of Thursday, January 14, 2021
HOUSE BILLS

HB 25 – Sales of Ammunition – 2021 – by Rep. Dan Daley (D) Requires background checks for sale or transfer of ammunition. Effective Date: October 1, 2021
HB 123 – Carrying of Firearms Without Licenses – 2021 – by Rep. Anthony Sabatini (R)Removes requirement that license to carry concealed firearm is required in order to carry such firearm; limits areas in which concealed carrying of firearm is prohibited; revises criminal penalties; revises provisions relating to carrying of concealed weapons by nonresidents; provides for issuance of concealed carry licenses for reciprocity purposes; specifies that person not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing firearm may own, possess, & lawfully use firearms & other weapons, ammunition, & supplies for lawful purposes. Effective Date: upon becoming a law
HB 167 – Sale, Transfer, or Storage of Firearms – 2021 – by Rep. Christine Hunschofsky (D)Revises requirements for safe storage of firearms; provides criminal penalties if person fails to properly secure or store firearm & minor gains access to weapon as result; requires seller of firearm to provide each purchaser with specified information; revises standard for adults & minors to be criminally negligent in storage of firearm; revises exception to prohibition on storing loaded firearm within reach or easy access of minor who obtains it & commits certain violation. Effective Date: October 1, 2021 Similar to SB-428
HB 213 – Regulation of Concealed Weapons and Firearms – 2021 – by Alex AndradeRegulation of Concealed Weapons and Firearms: Provides that certain actions creating restrictions or issuance of licenses are subject to penalties under specified provisions; provides that Cabinet member may not make any administrative regulations concerning regulation of firearms & ammunition except as expressly provided by State Constitution or general law; requires DACS to enforce state firearms laws. Effective Date: July 1, 2021
HB 251 – Risk Protection Orders – 2021 by Kelly Skidmore (D) Risk Protection Orders: Redefining term “petitioner” to include individual who has biological or legal parent-child relationship with, who is legal guardian of, or who is spouse or sibling of respondent. Effective Date: July 1, 2021
HB 259 – Safety of Religious Institutions – 2021 by Jayer Williamson (R) – Safety of Religious Institutions: Authorizes concealed weapons or firearms licenseholders to carry a firearm on certain property of church, synagogue, or any other religious institution. Effective Date: upon becoming a law. Identical to SB-498 by Joe Gruters
HB 6001 – Licenses to Carry Concealed Weapons or Firearms – 2021- by Rep. Anthony Sabatini (R) Removes provision prohibiting concealed carry licensees from openly carrying handgun or carrying concealed weapon or firearm into college or university facility. Effective Date: July 1, 2021
HB 6005 – Restrictions on Firearms and Ammunition During Emergencies – 2021 – by Rep. Anthony Sabatini (R) Repeals provisions relating to specified automatic restrictions on firearms & ammunition during certain declared emergencies. Effective Date: upon becoming a law
HB 6033 – Preemption of Firearms and Ammunition – 2021 by Dan Daley (D)Preemption of Firearms and Ammunition: Repeals provisions preempting the field of regulation of firearms & ammunition to Legislature, to exclusion of local jurisdictions. Effective Date: July 1, 2021

SENATE BILLS

SB 294 – Storage of Loaded Firearms – 2021 by Sen. Gary Farmer (D) Storage of Loaded Firearms; Dictating the locations and circumstances in which a loaded firearm is required to be kept and secured with a trigger lock or cable lock; deleting exceptions and criminalizing storage not meeting certain mandates. Effective Date: 7/1/2021
SB 330 – Universal Background Checks – 2021 by Sen. Gary Farmer (D)Requiring ALL sales, leases, or other transfer of a firearm to be completed through a licensed dealer; authorizing a licensed dealer to charge a buyer or transferee specified fees; Effective Date: 7/1/2021
SB 372 – Three-dimensional Printed Firearms – 2021 by Linda Stewart (D)Three-dimensional Printed Firearms; Prohibiting a person from printing, transferring, importing into this state, distributing, selling, possessing, or giving to another person certain 3D-printed firearms as of a specified date; providing criminal penalties; requiring persons in possession of such firearms to relinquish them to a law enforcement agency or to the Department of Law Enforcement or to destroy them before the prohibition takes effect, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/2021
SB 428 – Sale, Transfer, or Storage of Firearms – 2021 by Sen. Tina Polsky (D)Sale, Transfer, or Storage of Firearms; Redefining the term “minor”; revising requirements for the safe storage of loaded firearms; providing criminal penalties if a person fails to properly secure or store a firearm and a minor gains access to the weapon as a result; requiring a seller or transferor of a firearm to provide each purchaser or transferee with specified information; revising the standard for adults and minors to be criminally negligent in the storage of a firearm under certain circumstances, etc. Effective Date: 10/1/2021 Similar to HB-167
SB 498 – Safety of Religious Institutions – 2021 by Joe Gruters (R) Safety of Religious Institutions; Authorizing, for specified purposes, a concealed weapons or firearms licensee to carry a firearm on certain property of a church, a synagogue, or any other religious institution, etc. Effective Date: Upon becoming a law. Identical to HB-259 by Jayer Williamson
SB 560 – To Repeal the Statutory Prohibition of Registration of Firearms & Firearm Owners – 2021 – by Gary Farmer, Jr. (D) To repeal s.790.335, that prohibits the registration or recordkeeping of firearms and firearm owners and to repeal s.790.336 that requires any such records to be destroyed. Effective Date: 7/1/2021 (This bill paves the way for gun registration and ultimately gun confiscation.)
SB 672 – Repeal Preemption of Firearms and Ammunition Regulation – 2021 by Annette Taddeo (D) Preemption of Firearms and Ammunition Regulation; Repealing a provision relating to the preemption of the field of regulation of firearms and ammunition to the Legislature, to the exclusion of local jurisdictions, etc. Effective Date: 7/1/2021

About Unified Sportsmen of Florida;
Unified Sportsmen of Florida was organized in 1976 for the purpose of protecting the firearms rights of all law-abiding firearms owners in Florida.
Contact:
Unified Sportsmen of Florida110-A South Monroe StreetP.O.Box 1387Tallahassee, Florida 32302850-222-9518

Biden Pledges to “Beat the NRA…” But He Can Not Beat the Citizen Gun Lobby ~ VIDEO

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Opinion

.@GabbyGiffords — Your perseverance and immeasurable courage continue to inspire me and millions of others. I pledge to continue to work with you — and with survivors, families, and advocates across the country — to defeat the NRA and end our epidemic of gun violence. https://t.co/zN5J5YjXUM
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 8, 2021

Liberty, AZ, USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Joe Biden, in his self-proclaimed quest to “reunify” the nation, has declared his intention to “defeat the NRA.”

I guess he figures that’s a good place to start with his reunification campaign, since everyone in the country is in agreement that the NRA is bad… Well, at least everyone other than the Association’s 5 million, dues-paying members and the other 30 million or so gun owners who strongly support the NRA, along with the 75 million or more other American gun owners and patriots who basically agree with most of what the NRA does. Even those of us who are very critical of some of NRA’s leaders, are still strongly supportive of the organization itself and its goals. In fact, our complaints primarily revolve around some NRA leaders using the organization to pad their own pockets, and a general failure to stand by the core principles of the Second Amendment.
Biden made his declaration in a tweet commemorating the 10-year anniversary of the attack on former Representative Gabby Giffords, in which six people were killed and Giffords was severely wounded, along with several others. The attacker, a disgruntled leftist “progressive,” used a common and popular model of handgun, which he had legally purchased from a licensed dealer, after passing an FBI background check.

After praising Giffords, Biden said; “I pledge to continue to work with you — and with survivors, families, and advocates across the country — to defeat the NRA and end our epidemic of gun violence.”

As is so often the case with politicians, it seems that Mr. Biden doesn’t seem to know what he’s talking about.
First, there is no “epidemic of gun violence” in this country – or there wasn’t until leftists launched their campaign to “defund” the police. Since then, there has been a significant increase in murders in a few big cities – almost all of which have had strict gun control laws in place for decades – but calling those isolated surges in criminal violence an “epidemic,” is a misuse of the word, in fact, it’s a lie.
It’s also disingenuous to single out “gun violence,” as guns are just tools, sometimes used for criminal violence, but dramatically more often used for sport, recreation, and lawful personal protection. The final absurdity of Biden’s statement, is his suggestion that the solution to ending “gun violence” is to “defeat the NRA.” What exactly does “defeat the NRA” mean, and how is that going to solve the supposed problem of “gun violence?”
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The problem of crime involving guns certainly doesn’t come from NRA members or NRA supporters that are committing criminal violence. Nor does NRA enable or promote criminal activity with their opposition to useless and intrusive gun control laws. Even more significant, is the fact that the NRA is only the largest of many organizations representing the political interests of American gun owners, not the only such organization, and not the only way that gun owners can flex their political muscle in opposition to infringements on their rights.
Mr. Biden doesn’t seem to understand that, unlike the groups like Giffords’ and Mike Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety, the NRA’s power and influence comes from its members and supporters, not their money and personal relationships with politicians. This confusion on Biden’s part can be excused, to a degree, as the lamestream media and the NRA itself, are often guilty of overstating the Association’s significance.
In their reply to Biden’s declaration, the NRA said; “He knows the only thing standing in his way to DISMANTLE THE 2ND AMENDMENT is NRA.”

On Friday, Biden pledged to DEFEAT THE NRA.
Biden wants to ban our semi-auto rifles, tax our guns/mags & more. He knows the only thing standing in his way to DISMANTLE THE 2ND AMENDMENT is NRA.
Gun owners must stay vigilant & be engaged in elections and the legislative process.
— NRA (@NRA) January 10, 2021

That’s pure hogwash. What’s standing between Joe Biden and the dismantling of the Second Amendment is over 100 million responsible gun owners and other Constitution-loving Americans. As the largest rights organization in the battle, the NRA certainly plays a role, but suggesting that they are the only opposition, is utter nonsense.
As I’ve said many times, the NRA is not the “gun lobby.” You are the “gun lobby.” The NRA is a tool, employed by the “gun lobby,” but they are not the “gun lobby” itself. That title belongs to every gun owner and lover of liberty who supports individual firearm rights and opposes infringement of those rights.
On his website, Joe Biden says he plans to ban “assault weapons,” and “high-capacity” magazines, ban private transfers of firearms between friends and acquaintances, institute burdensome taxes on gun and ammunition purchasers (restricting firearms to only the wealthy and privileged, like Mr. Biden), and make it easier to take guns away from someone based solely on accusations, without opportunity to object or face their accuser.
Of course, the biggest error in all of this is the idea that banning, restricting, or taxing guns and ammunition, will change criminals’ behavior and somehow reduce criminal misuse of firearms. Not only will Biden’s plan not accomplish its stated goals, it will make criminals of otherwise law-abiding citizens. Few will comply with what they see as patently unconstitutional orders. This all leads to a high probability of innocent people being arrested or killed, along with injuries and deaths of those trying to enforce the unconstitutional mandates, all in the name of reducing “gun violence.”
Here’s the question for Mr. Biden and his supporters: How many innocent, patriotic gun owners are you willing to kill or incarcerate, in a futile effort to slightly reduce the use of firearms by violent criminals?
Since the protests, rioting, and looting of last summer, culminating in the movement to “defund” the police, murder, and other violent crime has surged in several cities – predominately Democrat-controlled cities with strict gun control laws. But Biden and company will blame the surge on “lax” gun laws and the defenders of gun rights who fight against stricter regulations.
Now more than ever, it’s up to all gun owners to step up and take their rightful place as members of the gun lobby. It’s up to you, to contact your senators and representative, to let them know that you strongly oppose enactment of additional restrictions, bans, or taxes on firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition. Whether your elected servants are solid Second Amendment supporters or rabid gun prohibitionists, contact them and politely, but firmly let them know that you oppose these measures and want them to oppose them as well. Every little bit of pressure matters, and even the most stalwart anti-rights politicians have occasionally been known to see the light, once they begin to feel the heat, so light a fire under them.
Maybe Joe Biden can “beat the NRA,” but there’s no way he can beat you when you stand shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow patriots as the Gun Lobby. It’s up to you. You Are the Gun Lobby, and all of these politicians ultimately work for you.
Jeff Knox
About Jeff Knox:
Jeff Knox is a second-generation political activist and director of The Firearms Coalition. His father Neal Knox led many of the early gun rights battles for your right to keep and bear arms. Read Neal Knox – The Gun Rights War.
The Firearms Coalition is a loose-knit coalition of individual Second Amendment activists, clubs and civil rights organizations. Founded by Neal Knox in 1984, the organization provides support to grassroots activists in the form of education, analysis of current issues, and with a historical perspective of the gun rights movement. The Firearms Coalition has offices in Buckeye, Arizona and Manassas, VA. Visit: www.FirearmsCoalition.org.

Pelosi Security Theater Shows Willingness to Violate Constitution

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Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2 Republican, told me that the situation is “untenable” because it “impedes the ability of members to come and vote. This is our job.” These are the lines pic.twitter.com/Z6WP9ZXmC0
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 13, 2021

Washington, DC – -(AmmoLand.com)- Today, Gun Owners of America criticized certain illegal and unconstitutional measures implemented in the United States Capitol by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Following the breach of the Capitol Complex and the resignation of the Capitol Hill Police Chief, Representative Thomas Massie remarked that “Several of us were glad to be armed while barricaded for hours in our offices with our staff.”

The next member who argues Congressmen shouldn’t be allowed to carry firearms at work needs to be laughed out of the Capitol. Several of us were glad to be armed while barricaded for hours in our offices with our staff. https://t.co/faxRlAt6xw
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) January 8, 2021

Under the direction of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the acting sergeant-at-arms informed House members and staff: “Effective immediately, all persons, including Members, are required [to] undergo security screening when entering the House Chamber” (emphasis added).

Aidan Johnston, Director of Federal Affairs commented: “This new ‘security measure’ wouldn’t have prevented a single crime or saved a single life when Capitol security failed on Wednesday, January 6th, 2020.
“Instead, Speaker Pelosi’s ‘security theater’ is a direct attack on Members of Congress and staff who recently publicized their desire to carry firearms for self-defense while going to, from, and on Capitol Hill.
“More importantly, metal detectors and searches at the entrance to the House Floor are a violation of our Constitution,” Johnston said.

Not only does the Second Amendment protect the American right to keep and bear arms from being infringed, but Article I, Section 6 of the Constitution exempts Members of Congress “from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same.”
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Further, while 40 U.S.C. § 5104(e)(1) grants the Capitol Police Board authority to issue regulations pertaining to the carrying of firearms on Capitol Grounds, 40 U.S.C. § 5104(e)(3) explicitly exempts (A) Members of Congress and (B) employees of Members of Congress.

“This unconstitutional and illegal attempt to enforce a gun-free zone on the House Chamber Floor reveals Speaker Pelosi’s willingness to violate any Article, Section, Clause, or Amendment of our Constitution that stands between her and the implementation of gun control,” Johnston said.
“If Members of Congress fail to recognize and oppose this illegal and unconstitutional infringement on their rights, they can never be counted on to recognize and defend the rights of the people.”

Gun Owners of America
Gun Owners of America has previously supported the right of members and staff to carry firearms on Capitol Hill for self-defense, as GOA supports the rights of all law-abiding citizens to carry firearms in their workplace. Gun Owners of America is a grassroots organization representing more than two million gun owners nationwide and is dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise.

H.R. 225 Bill Addressing Interstate Firearm Transportation Introduced

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Opinion

H.R. 225 Bill Addressing Interstate Firearm Transportation Introduced
New Jersey – -(AmmoLand.com)- In the midst of an already shaky legislative session both politically and socially speaking, bills are still being introduced in dribs and drabs.  There is a lot of doom and gloom in both arenas, as we as  Americans, try to wrap our heads around recent events.  Some things are business as usual, and really, given the history of this proposed bill, it should not be…The passage of this bill is long overdue.

On January 6, 2021, Representative Morgan Griffith [R-VA9] has reintroduced “H.R. 225: To amend chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, to more comprehensively address the interstate transportation of firearms or ammunition”.
As American gun owners, we are currently protected by law when transporting firearms interstate from one location which we can legally have them to another location where we can legally have them.  This may not seem like a big deal in certain geographic areas, however, it offers many much-needed protections for those traveling through states with varying laws and really, varying levels of respect of the Second Amendment.

Looking at the bill history, similar bills have been introduced in every congress going back to 2012.  With hot button topics such as nationwide concealed carry reciprocity taking the center stage, H.R. 225 still has plenty of important relief to offer.  In particular, when traveling, the protections afforded in this bill will protect someone’s ability to stay overnight in a state they are traveling through which may be hostile to civil rights.  From the text of a former version of this bill filed in the last session:

In subsection (a), the term transport includes staying in temporary lodging overnight, stopping for food, fuel, vehicle maintenance, an emergency, medical treatment, and any other activity incidental to the transport…

This provision is very helpful to safeguard the rights of gun owners on long road trips.  Take for example someone driving from Maine to Florida.  A concealed carry permit holder of both of these states would have to travel through many states that have unconstitutional laws.  If a motorist needs to stop for gas or stay overnight in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, or Maryland through the course of their travels, they are being left subjugated to draconian laws with still felony penalties.
And this is not some Chicken Little view, not when over the years there were a series of several suspect stops in Maryland dealing with the presumption of firearm possession-based solely on the fact someone had a concealed carry permit [or just an NRA sticker].  From a 2015 Washington Times article, “A Case for National Reciprocity, MD Police Target Concealed Carry Holder’s Guns”:

John Filippidis of Florida was driving south with his family on Interstate 95 when the Maryland Transportation Authority Police pulled over his black Ford Expedition and proceeded to raid it while his twins, wife and daughter looked on — separated in the back seats of different police cruisers.
The officers were searching for Mr. Filippidis‘ Florida-licensed, palm-size Kel-Tec .38 semi-automatic handgun, which he left at home locked in his safe. (Maryland does not recognize handgun permits issued by other states.)
When the search turned up nothing, Mr. Filippidis, 51, was allowed to go and was issued only a speeding warning.

From the article, a very compelling question is asked: “How did the police know he was licensed for concealed carry, and what right did they have to search through his personal items on the side of the busy interstate…”? 
Abuses of information and 4th amendment rights violations are just some of the problems gun owners face in today’s society.  On a personal level, a friend was once pulled over in Massachusetts heading from Maryland to Vermont and the officer demanded to be able to search his vehicle.  What was the just cause of the stop?  He had a camouflage jacket in plain view in the rear window of his pickup truck.  He was without a firearm and acquiesced to the search, but we as citizens of a free nation should not be threatened by such illegal practices.
Some of the other text of the formerly proposed bill seems to protect the style of firearm as well as the magazines:

A person who is transporting a firearm, ammunition, magazine, or feeding device may not be arrested or otherwise detained for violation of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof related solely to the possession, transportation, or carrying of firearms, ammunition, magazine, or feeding device unless there is probable cause to believe that the person is doing so in a manner not provided for in subsection (a).

Without a critical and judicial review of the text, on face value, it appears people will be able to drive through states like New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, etc. with their standard capacity magazines above 10 rounds, and hollow-point ammunition, etc.
Briefcase AR15 Rifle – Planes, Trains and Guns
If there is a time that lawful gun owners need more protection, that time would be now.
With constant assaults by financial institutes, governmental agencies, executive overreach, judges legislating from the bench, and continuing to deal with irrational and erroneous “screaming Mommy’s” from the ilk of Moms Demand Action, Handgun Control Inc. (Brady), Giffords, et.al. things like the interstate of lawful transport of firearms need to be protected in a more affirmative manner.  As it is today, too much is left for interpretation.

Representative Griffith does have an insurance policy built into the law to act as an incentive for overreaching police to comply:

When a person asserts this section as a defense in a criminal proceeding, the prosecution shall bear the burden of proving, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the conduct of the person did not satisfy the conditions set forth in subsection (a).
(3)When a person successfully asserts this section as a defense in a criminal proceeding, the court shall award the prevailing defendant a reasonable attorney’s fee.

Legislators like Griffith need to be commended and support for this bill and bills like it need to be known by our leaders.  Reach out to Griffith to thank him for having the moral fortitude to continue the tradition of introducing this bill and reach out to your lawmakers to get them onboard.  This is about respect, the 2nd Amendment, and the 4th Amendment, to name a few rights that will be further protected.
The law-abiding population deserves this, and it’s unfortunate that it needs to be even discussed.
John Petrolino is a US Merchant Marine Officer, writer, author of Decoding Firearms: An Easy to Read Guide on General Gun Safety & Use and NRA certified pistol, rifle, and shotgun instructor living under and working to change New Jersey’s draconian and unconstitutional gun laws. You can find him on the web at www.johnpetrolino.com on twitter at @johnpetrolino and on Instagram @jpetrolinoiii .
John Petrolino

Its 2021, A New Congress Brings New Bills and Incoming Fire for Gun Owners

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Opinion

Its 2021, A New Congress Brings New Bills and Incoming Fire for Gun Owners
New Jersey – -(AmmoLand.com)- There is no rest for the freedom-loving American when swamp creatures have a continual assault on our fundamental rights.  A new Congress is in session and with that comes more and more bills.  With those bills, you guessed it, more anti-civil rights bills aimed at setting the stage for disarming Americans as well as making firearm procurements as onerous as possible.

From the Lonestar State, we have an overzealous amount of bill introduction dealing with usurping law-abiding citizens their rights.  Representative Sheila Jackson Lee [D-TX18] takes the cake with her impressive offerings.

Let’s take a look at what the good Congresswoman intends for us:
H.R. 130: To require the safe storage of firearms and ammunition, and to require the investigation of reports of improper storage of firearms or ammunition.
H.R. 135: To require the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to report to the Congress semiannually on the number of firearms transfers resulting from the failure to complete a background check within 3 business days, and the procedures followed after it is discovered that a firearm transfer has been made to a transferee who is ineligible to receive a firearm.
H.R. 121: To provide for the hiring of 200 additional Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents and investigators to enforce gun laws.
H.R. 127: To provide for the licensing of firearm and ammunition possession and the registration of firearms, and to prohibit the possession of certain ammunition.
H.R. 125: To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide for a 7-day waiting period before a semiautomatic firearm, a silencer, armor piercing ammunition, or a large capacity ammunition magazine may be transferred.
A full play by play is hardly needed on all of these bills, they pretty much speak for themselves.
A proposal to note however is H.R. 135, which seems eerily reminiscent of Representative Brad Schneider’s bill introduced on December 11, 2020 (H.R. 8929 (116th): Default Proceed Sale Transparency Act). The text of this bill when it becomes available is going to be interesting.  Is it going to be similar to Schneider’s Hail Mary, last-ditch in December?
The other bill that screams from that list would be H.R. 121, which provides for the hiring of 200 more ATF agents.  Pay attention, this means more foots soldiers on the ground to “enforce gun laws” (aid in confiscation?).
Also from Texas, we have Representative Al Green [D-TX9] and his attempts to close the “gun show loophole” with:
H.R. 167: To prohibit the transfer of a firearm at a gun show by a person who is not a federally licensed firearms dealer.
Representative Bobby Rush [D-IL1], a countryman of Representative Schneider from Illinois, introduced:
H.R. 30: To increase public safety by punishing and deterring firearms trafficking.
What Rush’s bill has in it, has yet to be determined.  At face value, we can say this is a “good thing” however, from what we know about such bills, there are going to be some interesting things attached.  Besides, gun trafficking and straw purchases are already illegal.  So, what’s the aim, to make them double illegal?  Now getting the feds to actually prosecute such cases, that is a whole other matter, they should start with that.
It is not all bad though, we do have a few positive things that are being submitted such as Representative Richard Hudson [R-NC8] bringing back CCW reciprocity:

H.R. 38: To amend title 18, United States Code, to provide a means by which nonresidents of a State whose residents may carry concealed firearms may also do so in the State.

And Representative Jeff Duncan’s [R-SC3] push with:

H.R. 95: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to remove silencers from the definition of firearms, and for other purposes.

With only being a few days into the new legislative session, we can expect to see more and more bills introduced which would be infringements of our 2nd Amendment Rights.  We must stay vigilant and aware of what the dear swamp creatures are up to.  Remember to write your legislators and stay involved.  It’s going to be a rocky road, so buckle up!
John Petrolino is a US Merchant Marine Officer, writer, author of Decoding Firearms: An Easy to Read Guide on General Gun Safety & Use and NRA certified pistol, rifle, and shotgun instructor living under and working to change New Jersey’s draconian and unconstitutional gun laws. You can find him on the web at www.johnpetrolino.com on twitter at @johnpetrolino and on instagram @jpetrolinoiii .
John Petrolino