GRPC - Gun Rights Policy Conference ... not going?

J

Jeff Thomas

New member
I'm curious about how many TFLer's are going to this conference (see www.saf.org ). I get the impression it is very few.

If so, why aren't you going? I recognize it is not cheap for travel and a hotel room, but the conference is free. And, for people concerned with the RKBA, it is a very valuable event from what I've seen.

Thanks. Regards from AZ
 
Let me get this right ... TFL has almost 6,800 members, we have impassioned discussions about the RKBA, but I can't get any interest in the GRPC? ... ;)

No kidding ... I'm a bit surprised.

Regards from AZ
 
Can't make it.

Have to work that weekend, unfortunately, or I most assuredly would have been there.

I may yet make it up there for Sunday's happenings. Several of my friends from SE Virginia are going up, and so is Sharon Wood, who is the Libertarian Party's candidate in the 1st Congressional district here in Virginia. Quite a lady, that one. Wish the press would get out of her way by reporting on her campaign a little.
 
I'd love to go. Problem is, my wife is scheduled for minor surgery on Friday, and I'm going to be taking care of her all through the weekend. So, that's my excuse.

Is this an annual event? If so, I'd love to try and make next year's event.
 
Yes, BAB, it is an annual event. And, you get to meet and rub shoulders with important RKBA folks such as David Kopel, Alan Korwin, Neal Knox, and allies such as Congressman Bob Barr, etc.

Last year I spoke at length with the attorney that represented Dr. Timothy Emerson (of U.S. v. Emerson 'fame').

This is a fascinating conference, brought to us for free from the good folks at www.saf.org .

Regards from AZ
 
Jeff,

Hopefully the timing will be about the same next year as I'll be coming back for the third March for Liberty on the first Saturday of October. We talked about it last year and decided that we would stake out that day each year. It would have worked nicely this year as a mini-vacation (GRPC, several days of sight-seeing, and then the MfL), and I hope something similar can happen next year.

Plus, my mom-in-law lives in a DC suburb, so I could bring my wife and kids out from Colorado for a visit while I am attending those events.

Hope you can make the MfL!
http://www.marchforliberty.org
 
Hmm... so much for keeping up with current events.

Looks like I have something to do this weekend. :)

Jeff, you putting together a TFL reception?


------------------
The value of my life, my Rights, and those of my family are incalculable;
your life and your Rights, should you choose to threaten mine, are worth exactly $1.79 --
delivered 230gr at a time.
 
A very close friend of mine will be wearing his TFL shirt. Should be easy to spot. ;)

I may indeed try to get some TFL folks together. We'll see how things work out. Have quite a few goals to meet this year.

Bob, if I read you right ... the GRPC seems to be held in different cities each year. Watch the SAF web site for news.

Regards from AZ
 
Thanks, Jeff. I've had SAF bookmarked for a while so I'll make it a point to stay more informed than I did on this one.

I'm still going to try to come up on Sunday. Maybe I can talk one of my gun shop coworkers to come up with me on Saturday evening after we close (at 6PM) since it's only a 3 1/2 hour drive. Then we can be there for Sunday all day and come back. Gonna have to explore that option a little more.

If I'm there, I'll be the very small fellow (6'3, 270 lbs.) wearing the TRT (http://www.trteam.com) t-shirt.
 
Bob, Sunday is a short day - note it ends a little after 1:00pm. Just take that into account if you're going to drive up.

Take care. Regards from AZ
 
Sorry, we're not going. :(

My wife and I blew our discretionary funds for the year by going to DC on Mother's Day to attend the Second Amendment Sisters rally. Between the two airfares, car rental, and a couple nights of DC-priced hotel rooms... With only one steady income, we have to try to hold the non-essential expenses to a minimum.
 
DRAFT AGENDA Tentative as of Sept. 19, 2000

15th Annual Gun Rights Policy Conference
September 29 through October 1, 2000
Crystal City Marriott, Arlington, Virginia

Friday, Sept. 29, 2000

6:30 PM Registration Table Opens outside Potomac Ballroom (Rooms DEF)
7:00 - 10:00 PM Buffet reception with cash bar Potomac Ballroom (Rooms DEF)
Hosted by the National Shooting Sports Foundation and
Sporting Arms & Ammunition Manufacturers Institute
Speakers: Rep. Chris Cannon (R-UT)
Rep. Matthew G. Martinez (D-CA)
Other Members of the House and Senate

Saturday, Sept. 30, 2000

7:00 AM Registration table opens outside Crystal Forum (adjacent to hotel)
Continental Breakfast hosted by Cannon Safes

8:30 AM CALL TO ORDER (Crystal Forum)
John Barnett, Executive Director, Second Amendment Foundation
Pledge of Allegiance-Doc Carlson, vice president, Washington Arms Collectors
Invocation-Rev. Anthony Winfield, chaplain, Elmhurst Hospital, Long Island, NY

8:45 AM STATE OF THE NATION: Eight Years of Conflict
Alan M. Gottlieb, Chairman, Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms

STATE OF THE NATION: Window of Opportunity
Joseph Tartaro, President, Second Amendment Foundation

9:15 AM FEDERAL AFFAIRS BRIEFING
John Snyder, Public Affairs Director, CCRKBA
Lt. Gen. James Chambers, USAF (ret.), executive director, SAAMI
Jim Fotis, executive director, Law Enforcement Alliance of America
John Velleco, media director, Gun Owners of America
Neal Knox, executive director, Firearms Coalition

10:00 AM Break & refreshments hosted by Smith & Wesson

10:15 AM STATE & LOCAL LEGISLATIVE BRIEFING
State Sen. Sam Slom (R-HI), trustee and secretary, Second Amendment Foundation
Evan F. Nappen, Esq., founder, ReformNewJerseyGunLaw.com
Dennis Fusaro, director of state affairs, Gun Owners of America
Paul Moog, president, Virginia Citizens Defense League Inc.

10:45 AM GUN INDUSTRY DEFENDS AGAINST ATTACKS
Tom Gresham, gun writer and host of nationally syndicated "Gun Talk" radio show
Lt. Gen. James Chambers, USAF (ret.), executive director, SAAMI
Chris Dolnack, community outreach coordinator, NSSF

11:15 AM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ON MORNING PANELS

11:30 AM The Truth about the Second Amendment
Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president, National Rifle Association

Noon Awards Luncheon (Potomac Ballroom Rooms DEF)
Hosted by CCRKBA and SAF
Speaker TBA
Award Presentations : Bill of Rights Award
Gun Rights Defender of the Month Awards
Lifetime Achievement Award
Grassroots Activist of the Year
Affiliate of the Year
Gun Rights Defender of the Year Award
Gun Organization of the Year

1:30 PM GUNOWNERS' RIGHTS AND THE COURTS (Crystal Forum)
Richard Gardiner, Esq., counsel or co-counsel on firearms civil rights suits
William Gustavson, Esq., Cincinnati Right to Carry Case
Timothy Smith, Esq., Cincinnati Right to Carry Case
Scott Mitzner, Esq., general counsel, Illinois State Rifle Association
Chuck Michel, Esq., chairman, legislative committee, California Rifle & Pistol Assn.
David I. Caplan, Esq., trustee, NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund & NRA board member

2:30 PM SECOND AMENDMENT SISTERS v. THE SUCKER MOMS: Round II
Maria Heil, press coordinator, Second Amendment Sisters (SAS)
Sharon Wood, Second Amendment Sisters (MORE TO COME)
Melinda Gierisch, Virginia state coordinator, Second Amendment Sisters

3:00 PM BREAK & REFRESMENTS Hosted by American Conservative Union

3:15 PM GOVERNMENT EAVESDROPPING ON INTERNET PRIVACY
Greg Nojeim, Esq., legislative counsel, American Civil Liberties Union
Bob Lesmeister, freelance journalist
Joe Huffman, Microsoft Gun Club representative
Jim Philbin, legislative analyst, Gun Owners of America

4:00 PM THE 2000 ELECTIONS: REFERENDUM ON RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS
Alan M. Gottlieb, chairman of AmeriPAC
David Keene, chairman, American Conservative Union and NRA board member
Chuck Cunningham, federal affairs director, NRA-ILA

5:00 PM IS THE GRASSROOTS READY FOR A TOUGH CAMPAIGN?
Glen Voorhees, trustee, Second Amendment Foundation, moderator
Michael Saporito, vice president, RSR Wholesale Guns
John Burtt, chairman, Fifty Caliber Shooters Policy Institute
Sheriff Richard Mack, Brady Law challenger

5:30 PM Questions and Answers on Afternoon Programs

5:50 PM Announcements and Adjournment
John Barnett, Executive Director, SAF

6:30-9:30 PM Buffet Reception with Cash Bar (Potomac Ballroom, DEF)
Hosted by The National Rifle Association of America
7:30 PM Speaker TBA

Sunday, Oct. 1, 2000

8:00 AM Registration Desk Open, Continental Breakfast (Crystal Forum)
Hosted by MBNA America MasterCard

9:00 AM CITIES V. GUNMAKERS: CAN A HISTORIC INDUSTRY SURVIVE?
Gen. James Chambers, executive director, SAAMI
James Warner, Esq., assistant general counsel, National Rifle Association
Jerry Oshinsky, Esq. Dickstein Shapiro Morin & Oshinsky LLP
Sanford Abrams, VP, Maryland Firearms Dealers Assn., and NRA board member

9:45 am ECONOMICS AND SCIENCE IN THE GUN CONTROL MOVEMENT
Timothy Wheeler, MD, director, Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership, a project of the Claremont Institute
Jeremy D. Banks, PhD, Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws

10:15 am LET'S NOT IGNORE OUR NATURAL SELF-DEFENSE ALLIES
Joe Waldron, chairman, WeCARE, executive director, CCRKBA
Alicia Wadas, founder, MothersArms
Telly Lovelace, director of external affairs, Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education
Grover Norquist, chairman, Americans for Tax Reform and NRA board member

10:45 AM Break and Refreshments hosted by Browning

11:00 AM GUNS AND THE MEDIA FORUM
Craig Shirley, president, Craig Shirley & Associates
David Kopel, Esq., senior fellow, Cato Institute & policy analyst, Independence Institute.

12:00 Noon General Q & A Session

12:30 PM Resolutions
Resolutions Committee Members
Robert Wiest, Tennessee activist and SAF Board Member
Dennis Walker, vice chairman, Ohio Constitution Defense Fund
John Hosford, former executive director, CCRKBA and former NRA state liaison
Ken Blanchard, African American Arms & Instruction
Jim Church, Brassroots of Michigan

1:00 PM Closing Remarks & Adjournment
Alan Gottlieb
Joseph Tartaro
 
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