Posted on 09/21/2006 11:59:33 AM PDT by neverdem
If you thought our outdoors traditions were too much a part of the fabric of our nation to be threatened, that the Second Amendment protects our hunting and shooting traditions the way it was intended to, you'd better be sitting down as you read this.
Richard Pearson, the Executive Director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, headquartered in nearby Chatsworth, is one of the few who has been standing between Illinois' 1.5 million recreational shooters, hunters and firearms collectors and the misguided and unruly horde that's clamoring at the gates demanding that American's guns be taken away.
Another election looms over the landscape and with it comes the anti-gun lobbyists. This is their favorite season and they have Illinois' firearms owners in their cross hairs.
"For all those who think that if we give the anti-gunners just a little, they would be satisfied and go away," Pearson said, they should consider a frightening development. "Maryland Cease Fire now says there is no difference between a so-called 'assault weapon' and any other firearm. They are now pushing for a ban on all long guns."
Pearson reverts to the lessons of history, when Europe was a cauldron beginning to boil over and appeasement movements thought that cutting a few smaller nations lose would save the continent. He uses the analogy to describe the divide-and-conquer tactics of anti-gun organizations and how they are attacking pieces of the shooting fraternity, rather than the whole.
"The idea of giving in a little here and there in hopes of satisfying some opponent is an old idea called appeasement. It never works," Pearson said.
"For the largest groups to throw the smallest groups to the anti-gun wolves will only lead to the defeat of all. It is a plan of the anti-gunners to divide and conquer. We must not let that happen.
"Let me give you a concrete example of what I mean: the anti-gun Joyce Foundation has donated $650-million to the Freedom States Alliance (parent organization of the GunGuys' Web site), who, in turn, funded the .50 Caliber Terrorism and License To Murder web sites, as well as others.
"Another group funded by the Joyce Foundation is the Illinois Coalition on Handgun Violence — look at the names — these groups' only objective is to segment gun owners and turn them against each other. If that happens, the anti-gun crocodile will definitely win. We must stay united. I want us to be the crocodile, not them."
If you are not already a member of the Illinois State Rifle Association (ISRA), Pearson invites anyone who enjoys recreational shooting or anyone who owns firearms to join the ISRA. For more information, call the ISRA office at 815-635-3198 or visit the Web site at www.isra.org .
"If voting is but a small part in the fight for our freedoms," Pearson said, "then getting involved in political activity is where we must deliver and what will make a difference. Political activity is energizing, not only for you but also for others. It is getting your friends and family to vote. It is registering to vote, going to the polling place, and casting your vote for a pro Second Amendment candidate; it is giving to the ISRA Political Victory Fund until it hurts, taking two pain pills, and giving some more."
The Ninth Coast Guard District, in a late breaking press release has announced it will hold four public meetings to discuss issues relating to the proposed permanent safety zones, used for weapons training exercises, located in the U.S. Great Lakes.
"I have withdrawn my approval to conduct two previously scheduled weapons training exercises on the Great Lakes," said Ninth District Commander Rear Adm. John E. Crowley Jr. "I made this decision with the intentions to focus our informational outreach efforts on the location of our proposed permanent safety zones, improving Coast Guard readiness and the merits of maritime homeland security.
"I remain committed to pursuing essential weapons training for our crews during the public comment period using temporary zones and will consider each request on a case-by-case basis," continued Crowley. "Today's threats to national security come from nimble and innovative enemies. I must assure the Great Lakes communities that the men and women of (the) U.S. Coast Guard are as prepared as they can possibly be to protect (our) Great Lakes.
"Anything less is unacceptable."
The meetings will be held in Duluth, Grand Haven (Oct. 18), Port Huron and Cleveland. Official notice of these public meetings is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register by the end of this week. Specific times, locations and additional information will be published in a subsequent notice in the Federal Register.
Members of the public that are unable to attend may still submit comments regarding the proposed permanent safety zones to the Docket Management Facility by mail to: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Dept of Transportation, Room PL-401, 400 SW, Washington, D.C. 20590-0001.
We are always only one election away.
This person is an idiot.
BANG! Unually honest for a change, they want a prohibition on all long guns!
"...if you can keep it," replied Mr. Franklin.
Not really when you consider that our shooting traditions include the American Revolution.
They want a prohibition on all guns, period. Remember how the boogeyman was handguns, and now it's "assault weapons"?
Nothing has changed but the terminology, but the ultimate goal has always been complete civilian disarmament.
Beat me to it.
I run into the "Fudds" at the range all the time.
Yeah, but the SA mentions not one word about hunting and congress would be well within its rights to ban all hunting without interference from the SA.
Thank God I'm in Idaho.
The gun grabbing wackos haven't been able to influnce things up here.
Heck..the sheriff smiled will giving me and my wife our CCW's. He said the issue about 600 a year these days! Not bad for a county with 130K people.
With my Utah and Washington permits I can drive to Texas and back and carry legally and without hassels.
During the hunting seasons most of the guys I work with have long guns in the truck for a little hunting before and after work.
I can bypass NICS by showing my CCW permit and buy any scary black gun I want and a few hi cap mags to go with...
It amazes me how different parts of the country can be so...different.
We would turn into India, overrun by deer instead of cows. In fact, at times I think we're already overrun with deer!
You from Michigan, too?
In the northeast we must be more open(viewable) as law abiding gun owners. Most people would be on our side if they realized we ARE law abiding...essentially the guy next door. The stats on crime in carry states will put these guys out of business. We need more carry states.
Stay the course Peterson.
The SA does no such think. It guarantees the right of individulas to bear military arms. This is meant to keep the power with the people rather than the government.
***BANG! Unually honest for a change, they want a prohibition on all long guns!***
Nothing new. A group advertized in 1970 "WE DEMAND the abolition of ALL FIREARMS!
So, lets see what laws the anti-gunners have tried to force on us without the NRA stopping them.
1961. We don't want to take your guns away, we only want to register handguns. Long guns will not be affected.
1964. We don't want to take your guns away. We only want to register all of them!
1968. We don't want to take your sporting guns away. We ONLY want to register them and ban ONLY the import of foreign saturday night specials and five shot WWII military bolt action rifles!
1968 "Today we make America safe by taking the guns out of the hands of criminals!"...LBJ when he signed the 1968 gun control act into law.
1971.(Except for the group mentioned above wanting to ban all guns), We don't want to take your sporting guns away, we ONLY want to ban saturday night specials.
1976. We don't want to take your long guns away. We ONLY want to ban all handguns!
(From the origional Handgun Control Inc group)...."We only want to control handguns. Long guns will not be affected."
1981. The NRA is a rifle organization! They should give up their handguns! And they can keep their rifles!
1989. We don't want to ban your hunting rifles and shotguns. We ONLY want to ban handguns AND Assault rifles and shotguns.
We ONLY want to ban assault rifles and shotguns AND all fifty cal. rifles and handguns!
I could go into more detail but that is plenty. Thankfully the NRA has been a lightning rod for such claims.
For those who are not NRA members do you really think you personaly have the clout to sway congress and hold off an organized attempt by the Brady bunch and others? Can you come up with enough money to buy air time to counter the false claims of George Sorios and his billions?
If not YOU NEED TO BE A MEMBER OF THE NRA!
I believe this might be the source of the story.
Unually = Unusually
Why do I forget the spell checker?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.