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Open carry of holstered pistols was commonly seen at the Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) in Phoenix, Arizona, 21-23 September, 2019. The GRPC had an overflow crowd of over a thousand activists from around the nation. Many were standing in the back of the conference room, trying to find seats. It was the largest GRPC ever. There were numerous examples of holstered pistols in evidence. Open carry has become common and accepted in Arizona, as a result of Second Amendment activists in the state. In the 1990s, the open carry of holstered pistols was under attack in Arizona. During...

The AmmoLand News team swept up the most award wins at this past weekend's Gun Rights Policy Conference with two Defenders of Liberty winners. The Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) is an annual get together of the leaders from all parts of the 2A community and was held at the Sheraton Crescent Hotel in Phoenix, AZ 85021. It is co-sponsored by SAF and CCRKBA. This year had a record turnout of attendees including hundreds of Second Amendment activists and experts from across the country.AmmoLand News' own Dean Weingarten was the big winner of the 2019 Defender of Liberty award...

The 2018 Gun Rights Policy Conference was held at the Chicago O'Hare airport Hyatt Regency this year. I arrived after driving up from Dallas. As usual, the last 30 miles consisted of slow moving traffic. I used a GPS to make the proper turns. There wasn't any real choice of another hotel. The conference rate at the Hyatt wasn't too terrible. $119 with parking included. I expect some state and local taxes will be added to the final bill. The hotel had something new this year. A small "no guns" sign in red on the entrance doors. We were...

At the Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) in Dallas, Texas, I noticed a significant amount of the open carry of sidearms. This would not have been legal as late as December of 2015. The open carry of a Bowie knife would have been illegal up until then end of August this year!In addition to the licensed open carry of handguns, edged weapons with blades of more than 5.5 inches can now be legally carried in most places. One participant carried an iconic Bowie knife at the GRPC. He graciously allowed me to take a picture. Knife Rights deserves much...

Set-up nearly finished for 2016 GRPC I am writing from the Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) in Tampa, Florida.  Got up at 0400 this morning in Dallas where I was visiting family.  The Dallas/Fort Worth airport was easy to get to, but if you are flying out of it,  research off-site parking.  The $24 a day inside the airport parking is a little stiff. Once inside, the ticket counter agent knew her gun protocol inside and out.  No problem.  The TSA agent did not need to X-ray.  Maybe an extra 5 minutes, max.  Going through the security screening a...

I arrived at the 2015 Gun Rights Policy Conference on Friday afternoon, 25 September, at about 1600 (4 p.m.).  I was openly carrying my old Glock 17, as I usually do.  It was an unseasonably warm late September day, with the temperature at 103.   There had been some Internet rumors about the Sheraton Crescent banning open carry; I had not seen anything in my contract with them or any sign on the door.  When I was there a few years ago at the Arizona Citizen Defense League annual meeting, the room had been full of open carriers. I had...

I attended the Gun Rights Policy Conference at O'Hare during the last weekend in September.   After the conference, I visited friends and family in Wisconsin.   Wisconsin has always had legal open carry of firearms, but only recently enforced the law against scofflaw governments in Madison and Milwaukee.   I decided to celebrate Wisconsin's return to the rule of law and the enforcement of constitutional rights by openly carrying on my trip through most of the state. At my first stop to fuel, on I-90 between Milwaukee and Madison, I told the clerk what I was doing, and asked him to...

Don Hosmer Last year, on the way the Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC), I had an unexpected encounter at a diner in central Texas.   I rode my motorcycle to that GRPC.   This year I took my truck to the GRPC in Chicago.   I have friends and family in Wisconsin that I wanted to visit, and some items that would have been less comfortable to carry on a motorcycle.    This year the encounter happened after the conference. I was traveling up I-90/94 when I decided to stop for dinner on the northern edge of the Wisconsin Dells.  Last  year I...

<p>Dr. John Edeen, above spoke as part of a panel on targeting "Gun Free Zones".   Dr. Edeen was not always part of the gun culture.   He grew up in New Jersey, but now practices medicine in San Antonio, Texas.</p> <p>He started taking colleagues shooting, and talking about the dangerous "gun free" policy of the hospital where he works.   He ran into considerable opposition, but over the course of time, he has converted many.   He says that he has obtained over 400 signatures from coworkers on a petition for the Hospital to change its policy.</p>

Joe Tartaro and Dave Workman stop by the table of David Codrea, lower right I have been traveling for the last week to attend the Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC), which is being held this weekend at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago.   The hotel is at O'Hare airport.   I left family members in Missouri at about 5:40 a.m. on Friday morning.   I had a little over 500 miles to go to reach the conference.    My Niece called an hour later, just as I was getting coffee (free, they had a special) at a McDonalds. O'Hare was in trouble. Early...

I am attending the Gun Rights Policy Conference in Houston today.  Last  night there was a reception, and many prominent second amendment supporters attended.  I was able to snap some photos of a few.  I missed many.  I have included  links to their organizations. Alan Gottlieb Prime Mover for these conferences: Second Amendment Foundation Alan Korwin (red ribbon): Gunlaws.com and Jim Irving Buckey Firearms Association David Kopel, Independence Institute Charles Heller, Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (JPFO) Doug Ritter,  Knife Rights Jeff Knox  The Firearms Coallition Dr. Timothy Wheeler  Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership Phillip Van Cleave  Virginia...

Washington Times Senior Editor Emily Miller received the "Journalist of the Year" award from Alan Gottlieb at the annual Gun Rights Policy Conference Saturday in Orlando. Credits: Dave Workman Emily Miller, the determined senior editor for opinions and editorials at the Washington Times who took readers through the confusing maze of District of Columbia gun laws, was honored Saturday by the Second Amendment Foundation during the annual Gun Rights Policy Conference in Orlando, Fla. The SAF “Journalist of the Year” award was presented by SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb during the conference’s awards luncheon. Miller’s series “Emily...

An interesting panel on using pop culture to advantage this morning. Madison Rising (Richard Mgrdechaian)was there, Alan Korwin, J. Neil Schulman and Peggy Tartaro. I had known J. Neil and Alan, but hadn't had a chance to talk to J. Neil yet, so I went up after his talk and arranged for a place to meet and catch up. "Tex" Fuller hit me at the door and suggested lunch. I told him I wanted to talk to J. Neil and he came along. They had never met, and did not know each other, but it soon became obvious that they...

Last night at the GRPC I went to a party hosted by Dead Patriot Films, who are working hard on "Assualted - Civil Rights Under Fire". Like all good projects, they need money. I will likely send them some after I get back to Arizona. http://www.deadpatriotfilms.com/assaulted/ At the party, I met people that just clicked. What are the chances of three guys talking, and it comes out that they all have had some familial experience with Asperger's? This morning, I was checking out of the hotel, and spot Mike Vanderboegh sitting in an armchair in the lobby. We greeted each...

I arrived at the GRPC yesterday evening after 6pm. While checking in David Kopel came up to the counter in running gear. An hour later, Mike Vanderboegh advised me on how to obtain a free internet connection. This is clearly the place to network on restoring the Second Amendment and the Constitution to the United States. Today, numerous panels discussed everything from how to overcome the MSM bias and tips on forming and running effective state organizations, to Awards to activists and breifings on what is happening with Fast and Furious. Everyone is quite approachable. I met with old friends...

ORLANDO — While gun rights advocates from all over the map, including the Pacific Northwest, are gathering here for the kick-off of the 27th annual Gun Rights Policy, back home in Washington one can sense there is a “gun” battle of sorts heating up anew, over the elimination of a wolf pack in northern Stevens County. Wolf predation isn’t on the agenda down here in Disneyworld country, but it’s a safe gamble Evergreen State big game hunters and ranchers are waiting for political and legal fireworks to ignite because of the Wedge Pack eradication this week. Marksman have killed the...

Otis McDonald, one of several headliners scheduled to appear at this weekend’s 27th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) in Orlando, Fla., has suffered a serious head injury and is in intensive care at a Chicago-area hospital, Gun Rights Examiner has learned. Alan Gottlieb, executive vice president of the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation, notified members of the SAF Board of Directors during their meeting in Orlando today. McDonald was scheduled to speak during the Saturday awards luncheon, which also features U.S. Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX) and former Ambassador Donald A. Mahley.McDonald apparently fell and suffered a serious head injury. He...

Florida criminal defense attorney Mark O’Mara, counsel for George Zimmerman, will discuss “Protecting the Right to Protect” during a Saturday morning session at the 27th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference this weekend in Orlando, Fla. His presentation immediately follows a two-man panel report on “Stand Your Ground” laws by attorneys Eric Friday, counsel for Florida Carry, and Jon Gutmacher, author of Florida Firearms – Law, Use & Ownership. The announcement came from Alan Gottlieb, founder and executive vice president of the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation and chairman of its sister organization, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and...

Just over two weeks before the 27th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) – sponsored by the Bellevue-based Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms – convenes in Orlando, the Florida task force examining that state’s Stand Your Ground law has an interesting revelation. The controversial law, passed seven years ago, has not produced any negative effect on the tourist trade. That had been one of the predictions from the anti-self-defense lobby during debate on the proposal in 2005. But according to the Tampa Tribune, Bradenton Herald and Tampa Bay Times, a gathering...

Orlando, FL --(Ammoland.com)- The 27th Annual Gun Rights Policy Conference attracts leaders from across the country, including Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms; Joseph Tartaro, president of the Second Amendment Foundation; Maria Heil, board director of the National Rifle Association; Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America and many others. Also scheduled: Attorney Alan Gura, winner of the landmark Supreme Court Second Amendment Heller and McDonald cases; Criminal Defense Attorney Mark O’Mara; Columnist and Fox News contributor John Fund; John Lott, author of More Guns, Less Crime, and Emily...