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NRA Card in My Warm Hand (Liberal Mocks the NRA)
Wisconsin State Journal ^ | May 20, 2006 | Susan Lampert Smith

Posted on 05/22/2006 1:10:58 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE, WI - I am the NRA. Really!

I had to join the National Rifle Association Friday to get into the "acres of guns and gear" exhibit at the gun group's annual convention.

Figuring it will be a cold day here in Liberal Hades before the NRA ever brings its national convention to town, I headed down Interstate 94 to check out a different culture.

Was it worth it? Totally. I picked up enough pro-gun freebies and gear to annoy all my liberal friends back in Madison.

For my vegetarian boss, there were copies of Ted Nugent's cookbook, "Kill 'Em and Grill 'Em." For my dad the municipal judge, a bumper sticker that reads "Soft Judges Make Hardened Criminals." I'm keeping the mini-Glock keychain and the bumper sticker with the classic Charlton Heston quote: "From my cold dead hands."

I now know where to buy camo nighties and thongs in the mossy oak pattern. They're from "The Formal Sportsman," located, most excellently, on Chippendale Lane in Port Matilda, Pa. For the gents, the company offers camo tuxedos and camo dress shoes to ease those painful occasions when dressing up is required.

I think the "Got Sig?" women's T- shirts would solve the Downtown Madison mugging issue. Those thugs would think twice if they thought Badger co-eds were packing Sig Sauer handguns. Of course, this assumes the thugs:

A) Can read.

B) Know what a Sig is.

As I listened to my radio on the way, conservative talkers Charlie Sykes and Jeff Wagner assured me that there would be no safer place in the world than downtown Milwaukee with 60,000 NRA members, "Freedom's 2nd Army," on the watch. Earlier, Madison talker Vicki McKenna said that despite what we in the liberal media will tell you, there are no freaks at an NRA convention.

Is she right?

Sure, as long as your idea of normal is a crowd that is 100 percent white, mostly older, and mostly male.

I attended a different convention at the Midwest Express Center exactly a year ago. The Milwaukee Bead and Button Show was an estrogen-fest of women pawing over displays of expensive shiny things. This weekend's NRA trade show was a testostorone-fest of men pawing over somewhat larger and more expensive shiny things.

The main difference is political. About as mean as it gets at a bead show are T-shirts that read, "Not Tonight Honey, I'm Beading."

But at the NRA event, I was greeted by Del Ellefson a "Washington County Republican" wearing an anti-Gov. Jim Doyle placard. Inside, the NRA was giving out dump truck stickers that read "Dump Doyle." And there was former Milwaukee Sentinel food editor Lee Aschoff wearing a denim shirt that read "Dump Doyle," on the front, and, on the back, "and Baghdad Russ, too."

Wow, don't see many of those in Madison.

Around 2 p.m., we all trooped over to the U.S. Cellular Arena to see Ted Nugent open the convention.

Behind me, three men expressed their admiration for the rocker-hunter-gun lover from Michigan.

"Wouldn't want to be a liberal around him!"

"I think the John Birch Society is too liberal."

"I'm to the right of the Spanish Inquistion."

Were they talking so loud because they could tell I was from Madison? Did I give off Liberal-aroma? Could they smell vegan bratwurst on my breath?

At the Arena, I was glad that no one knew that the last show I saw there was the anti-Bush Dixie Chicks.

I watched NRA president Sandy Froman, who looks like a fourth-grade teacher in her pretty flowered scarf, introduce the crazed looking Nugent. As he ripped into the National Anthem on his Tony-the-Tiger striped guitar, I recalled the last time I saw him live: 30 years ago at Bicentennial Fest at the Rockford Speedway. Who knew he'd become a law-and-order type?

And who knew Nugent would become the answer to the trivia question: Who uttered the naughtiest word ever said over the airwaves of Wisconsin Public Radio? Larry Meiller still chokes when he talks about it.

My reverie ended as Nugent hit the last chords of "The Star Spangled Banner." Suddenly, I realized that I was the only person in an arena filled with flag-wagging, gun-loving people who did not stand, with hand over heart. Suddenly, I felt thousands of glaring eyes.

Suddenly, I felt a little less safe in downtown Milwaukee.

I slunk out a side entrance and didn't relax until I crossed the Dane County line.

Cross-cultural visits are nice, but I feel safer among my own.

Contact Susan Lampert Smith at ssmith@madison.com or 252-6121.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: banglist; diversity; enemedia; nra; nugent; tolerantleft
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To: Wonder Warthog
Anne Coulter does it better (and is WAY better looking).

You rang?


21 posted on 05/22/2006 1:51:29 PM PDT by Cobra64 (All we get are lame ideas from Republicans and lame criticism from dems about those lame ideas.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Earlier, Madison talker Vicki McKenna said that despite what we in the liberal media will tell you, there are no freaks at an NRA convention. Is she right? Sure, as long as your idea of normal is a crowd that is 100 percent white, mostly older, and mostly male.

Same tired Leftist lies. Such trash gets a good laugh among my gun club's female, black, and Asian members.

22 posted on 05/22/2006 1:53:23 PM PDT by pabianice
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To: Cobra64

Nice, but you should have posted the other gal's pic, too (so folks can see how "apt" the comparison is.


23 posted on 05/22/2006 1:57:51 PM PDT by Wonder Warthog (The Hog of Steel-NRA)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Sure, as long as your idea of normal is a crowd that is 100 percent white, mostly older, and mostly male.

Hmmm...I'm not old (30) and female (last I checked) and was there. There were tons of women there on Saturday. My husband and I were taking a break near one of the entrances and saw several women come in either alone or in a group of 2 or 3. And I have to say, that this "womyn" is extremely short sighted. There were people there from every single walk of life that other then supporting the NRA I don't know how they would all be lumped into one catagory.

24 posted on 05/22/2006 2:10:39 PM PDT by retrokitten (Yabba dabba soul patrol!!)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Suddenly, I realized that I was the only person in an arena filled with flag-wagging, gun-loving people who did not stand, with hand over heart. Suddenly, I felt thousands of glaring eyes.

Suddenly, I felt a little less safe in downtown Milwaukee.

You were with Law Abiding Constitution loving Americans. You needn't have been afraid. Ashamed, yes, but afraid, no.

25 posted on 05/22/2006 2:11:53 PM PDT by El Gato
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Cross-cultural visits are nice, but I feel safer among my own.

B-b-b-but that... that's not embracing diversity...(sob) She's... she's... she's a HATEMONGER...
26 posted on 05/22/2006 2:14:56 PM PDT by snowrip (Liberal? YOU HAVE NO RATIONAL ARGUMENT. Actually, you lack even a legitimate excuse.)
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To: Wonder Warthog
Nice, but you should have posted the other gal's pic, too (so folks can see how "apt" the comparison is.

Here ya go.

No comparison at all.

27 posted on 05/22/2006 2:18:00 PM PDT by El Gato
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
Sure, as long as your idea of normal is a crowd that is 100 percent white, mostly older, and mostly male.

I went to the black panthers convention and was appalled to find that the crowd was mostly black, mostly young, and mostly male. The chutzpah of those people!!!

28 posted on 05/22/2006 2:18:05 PM PDT by hoosierboy (I am not a gun nut, I am a firearm enthusiast)
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To: basil
There were lots of SASTERS there--guess she was only looking at the guys--LOL!

That is understandable, she was probably under the influence of all the testostrone being exuded. All the 'men' she knows are liberals and never touch the stuff. Real women are around it more and can handle a little testosterone in the air.

29 posted on 05/22/2006 2:21:09 PM PDT by magslinger (WWJBD? What Would Jack Bauer Do?)
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To: retrokitten
There were tons of women there on Saturday.

I doubt the author was there on Saturday though. Maybe did a drive-by after getting a shake at Sonic or something.
30 posted on 05/22/2006 2:32:03 PM PDT by P-40 (Al Qaeda was working in Iraq. They were just undocumented.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
I had to join the National Rifle Association Friday to get into the "acres of guns and gear" exhibit at the gun group's annual convention.

Her first lie or evidence of cluelessness. One is not required to join the NRA to attend the exhibits. However one does have to pay to get in, and a complementary membership comes with the entry charge. However one can refuse the membership. If one is a Life member, the entry fee is waived. I just interviewed our local life member, who went when it was in Houston last year, to get that info.

31 posted on 05/22/2006 2:35:26 PM PDT by El Gato
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
I'm keeping the mini-Glock keychain

Just don't let your kid take it to school.

32 posted on 05/22/2006 2:36:11 PM PDT by El Gato
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Man all those guns and all those crazy gun nuts running around and nobody was shot, no one was arrested for blowing up the joint, no one was stabbed, beaten, raped, mugged, murdered, etc, etc, etc.

Do I make my self clear you liberal nut job.


33 posted on 05/22/2006 2:37:37 PM PDT by Duke Wayne
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To: El Gato; Diana in Wisconsin
One is not required to join the NRA to attend the exhibits.

Correct.

34 posted on 05/22/2006 2:44:23 PM PDT by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Ahhh. Camo nighties. Yea baby!


35 posted on 05/22/2006 2:47:26 PM PDT by stevio (Red-Blooded Crunchy Con American Male (NRA))
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

There were African-Americans at the convention. I know as I worked in the membership area on Friday morning and personally registered several. We had Asians and South Asians too. Sure, most of us are white males, but the women shooters and mens' wives were there too.

If this writer thinks we a funny, she must think paying taxes, worshiping God, raising kids, staying married and following the law is funny too.


36 posted on 05/22/2006 2:48:28 PM PDT by RicocheT
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

Let here drop dead.


37 posted on 05/22/2006 2:51:20 PM PDT by Unicorn (Too many wimps around.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin
I ought to send Susan Lampert Smith one of my bumper stickers:

"Buy a gun -
Piss off a liberal!"

38 posted on 05/22/2006 2:53:36 PM PDT by nightdriver
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To: El Gato

The exhibits were free for all members and their families, not just lifetime members.


39 posted on 05/22/2006 2:54:23 PM PDT by retrokitten (Yabba dabba soul patrol!!)
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To: Admin Moderator

Troll Alert!


40 posted on 05/22/2006 2:59:53 PM PDT by Shooter 2.5 (Vote a Straight Republican Ballot. Rid the country of dems. NRA)
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