Standing Guard

NRA America's First Freedom ^ | 3/23/2013 | Wayne LaPierre

[Joe Brower]

Standing Guard

By Wayne LaPierre, NRA Executive Vice President
America's First Freedom magazine

Gun Owners and Gun Vendors Take A Stand

Across this nation, gun stores are virtually empty. There is simply no ammunition to be had. Backorders are running into the late Fall or next year, or maybe never. Gun sales are higher than at any time in history: more than one million in one month. And first-time gun buyers are exercising their right to keep and bear arms in unprecedented numbers.

All of this adds up to a massive civil rights protest the likes of which America has not seen before.

It is political spontaneous combustion. And I guarantee what we are seeing at the cash box will be repeated at the ballot box in 2014 if Congress votes for any gun control.

In all my years fighting the battle to preserve the Second Amendment, I have never seen a mass protest of this magnitude. As Americans learn more about the threat to their rights and freedom, it will continue to grow.

Politicians had better wake up to what it means for them in every corner of the nation. The men and women exercising freedom in this consumer-driven protest cross every personal political boundary and represent every walk of life.

And, yes, they are motivated by a palpable and very well-founded fear of what President Barack Obama’s government and the likes of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and self-appointed gun-ban nanny, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, have in store for free, peaceable Americans.

Feinstein has introduced a presumptive ban on virtually all semi-auto rifles and shotguns with detachable magazines.

The New York law passed and pushed by Gov. Cuomo is worse. The news media called Cuomo’s massive ban “a good first step.” That’s what they will say about his next step. “Confiscation is not off the table,” he bragged.

Bloomberg is bankrolling huge propaganda efforts to convince Americans that he loves the Second Amendment while disarming law-abiding citizens across the nation. Even Bloomberg admits none of these laws would have prevented the massacre at Sandy Hook because, “there are too many guns.” He says he doesn’t want guns in schools carried by cops or trained guards. He doesn’t even want NYPD cops to take their guns home.

And Barack Obama is the worst. His administration promised “revenge” and he is delivering it—for starters in the form of 23 “executive” sneak attacks on our freedom—actions he claims have the force of laws. Orders so bad, they would never clear any Congress.

This is what is driving the consumer civil rights protest.

But it’s not just consumers who are voting economics. Every year in Harrisburg Pa., more than 200,000 people attend the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show. This year, the event organizer (owned by a British company) announced it would ban semi-auto rifles, saying the presence of such products “would distract from the theme of hunting and fishing, disrupting the broader experience of our guests.”

That statement is straight out of the gun-ban playbook, you know the lie; these guns have nothing to do with “legitimate sportsmen.”

As a result of the exhibition ban, following the lead of giant retailer Cabela’s, a diverse group of vendors began pulling out by the hundreds and the show was shut down. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette called it “an act of pro-gun solidarity. … The ban triggered a revolt among the show’s gun exhibitors that grew to a boycott by vendors and sponsors, including hundreds of companies, many of which do not sell guns.”

Nothing like this has ever happened before. These companies are putting their financial future on the line. They lost millions—and they did it for the principle of the Second Amendment.

The next time you hear someone in the media say “sportsmen” don’t care about semi-autos, tell them about Harrisburg. Every politician in America ought to understand what happened and contrary to media reports, it was not led by NRA.

It was a spontaneous combustion reaction to Barack Obama’s obsession with erasing our very culture of peaceable gun ownership.

NRA didn’t empty the gun stores. NRA didn’t close down the sports show gun-banners. You did it. Your friends and neighbors did it. In a time of harsh economic hardship, millions of ordinary Americans are speaking with their pocketbooks. And they are hammering the Congress as never before.

A member of Congress recently implored me to “turn it off.” I told him, “NRA didn’t turn it on. Barack Obama turned it on.” His “revenge” turned it on.

I told him, “Only you have the power to turn it off and you do that by simply saying and voting ‘No’ to any gun control scheme.”

We have the greatest solidarity in the history of the defense of the Second Amendment. Each of us needs to do our part. We need to let Congress know, repeatedly, that our freedom, and their tenure, is on the line.

[jsanders2001]

What I see is a GREAT opportunity to start up an underground ammo manufacturing plant...rich within days....lol

[nascarnation]

You know the Baraqqis likely invested heavily in weapons stocks prior to their assault on our freedom.

[no-to-illegals]

Seeing lots of rocks from the crows nest. All rocks are not good rocks.

[Joe Brower]

The NRA is not alone in the this struggle; there are several other good organizations out there as well, and I belong to them all. But the NRA is the big gun in this fight, and is getting almost exclusive focus by the dimwits in the media and political arenas. This is good.

But wait... ! This article has the main figure of the NRA saying that is not so. WE THE PEOPLE are making this happen, and that too is a good thing. Actually, it's a GREAT thing, because that's how our Constitutional Republic is supposed to operate.

I see a couple of time-honored principles at work here. First is the 'balance of terror' that the second amendment is supposed to invoke. You don't think Obama and his gang of Marxist mobsters wouldn't just be steamrolling over those who resist already if they didn't have too high a risk of getting bloodied? Second, 'Si vis pacem, para bellum'. I am firmly of the belief that all the kit sold in just the last fews months has been purchased so that it can be handed over on demand. Which actually relates to the first, doesn't it?

I guess that's because ultimately, like it or not, force and the threat of force is what decides these things. Always been that way... always will. Unfortunately.

[mosaicwolf]

Learn the very valuable art of reloading. You can get started for about $350.00. This gives one a sense of satisfaction, lower costs, and personal security.

[Joe Brower]

Whoops, too busy. Missed a spot. I meant to say

all the kit sold in just the last fews months has NOT been purchased so that it can be handed over on demand.

[Standing Wolf]

A member of Congress recently implored me to “turn it off.” I told him, “NRA didn’t turn it on. Barack Obama turned it on.” His “revenge” turned it on.

I believe Wayne LaPierre dies a fine job of standing and fighting for the Second Amendment; I believe he does an even better job of representing the NRA membership. As good a speaker as he is, I have a hunch he's a far better listener than the vast majority of our elected misrepresntatives.

Small wonder the leftist extremists hate him so bitterly and blindly.

[Joe Brower]

That was my favorite take-away line as well.

[stuartcr]

Even that stuff is getting scarce. Dies for popular calibers are on back-order at a lot of places. I can’t find powder or primers anywhere, and brass/bullets are even scarce. It’s still worth it, but many newcomers may be disappointed if they can’t start making rounds right away.

[Dracomeister]

Oh, I don’t know, I think it may in fact all be handed over on demand ... ONE ROUND AT A TIME!

[factoryrat]

Not a bad idea if I say so myself.

[blackie]

Be Ever Vigilant!!

[yldstrk]

pardon me, but, “making” what ‘happen” pray tell. From what I can tell, DHS has bought up all the ammo to keep it from legitimate consumers, and you are bragging that NRA is flexing its muscle? Who the hell are you kidding? So what, you have a gun but no ammo? Someone needs to shut DHS down somehow, don’t get complacent, we are in a heap of trouble here, we got no ammo and jokers laugh about underground ammo manufacturing, when they should be serious and get going on setting up same. I am a mom with kids and I am waiting for some men with some balls to do something about this situation, not make sick jokes and throw out their chests puffing about shutting down a gun show.

[Joe Brower]

Complacent? Who are you talking to? If it's me, you're waaaay off base. And just like many others, I know all about the DHS and all the rest. Trouble? Yes. Make ready.

Sick jokes? Where?

If you're trying to get ammo now, I can understand why you're pissed off. Anyone who waited until the crisis hits and then reacts can expect to expend much more time, effort and money for much less return. My sympathies.

Millions of shooters, however, saw this coming from a long way off (like 2008) and took steps. Lots of steps.

[yldstrk]

sorry Joe, I usually vent at the writer of the article, not you, don’t even know who you are

[yldstrk]

post number 2 yucking it up about underground ammo manufacturing, it isn’t funny at all

[Joe Brower]

Well, it's meant as a joke, for certain, but I don't see what's sick about it. The reality is that if a businessperson with enough wherewithal (i.e.: capital) wanted to go into a profitable venture, ammo manufacture would be a good choice, at least short term. Heck, Black Hills started in a garage.

[Dogbert41]

If it was that easy, but sadly only a few make primers and brass and powder, and copper and lead are not only expensive, but getting scarce.

[Carry_Okie]

all the kit sold in just the last fews months has NOT been purchased so that it can be handed over on demand.

You had me confused for a moment. I decided it was a grammar-glarp.