Frank,
It doesn't matter whose “fault” it is. It’s a given we must work with.
Until now, legislators, businesses, schools, and other organizations have
done anything they desired with impunity. HCI has shown these outfits that
their actions have consequences. All too often we have done little to
counteract the political power of the gun bigots. That must change.
If a Senator receives 1,000 letters from HCI and no opposition, we lose.
If he also receives 40,000 letters from Constitutionalists such as us, we win.
Okay, maybe not 100% of the time, but if we lose with the schmuck
repeatedly, we publicize his defiance of the Constitution and his
constituency and try to weaken his political position and find a pro-freedom
candidate to oppose him.
We have the internet! We can organize people as we see fit! We did it with
the Hobgood raffle and with the Rosie/K-Mart debate.
We need the media and, in the beginning, they will defame us. But as we
gain power and influence over those who advertise in their media, we will
gain influence over the media.
We were not disenfranchised overnight and our recovery will take time. But
if we don’t try, we can not win.
Let’s get ‘em where it hurts ‘em - in their wallets!
-----------------
Porcupine,
My oh my, you ARE the prickly fellow!
I like your suggestions! BIG time! Our views differ slightly but that's OK.
-----
“11) Distance us from the militia crowd and convince them to disband as a
long range tactic.”
I know the type you mean but, because WE ALL are the militia, I would try
to develop the current militias into respectability by improving their training
and doctrine. No big deal, but let’s USE them rather than ignore them.
There are many good people in the militias - only the irresponsible
individuals need to be corrected. (Many of these people vote!)
-----
“13) Support gun-buy backs from people who don't know how to safely use
and store a gun, but not from criminals. Resell the guns through personal
protection instructors to women at low cost.”
If all else fails, yes. However, wouldn’t it be better to educate and train
them and include them in our movement?
-----
“14) Support free training for women and journalists.”
Kids! Don’t forget our future! Also, I believe the government should
subsidize training for ALL citizens to ensure the intent of the Second
Amendment. (“Well regulated”, etc.)
(NOTE: Actually, I believe firearms training should be mandatory - similar
to military basic training. But I was nearly beaten to death when I
suggested that on an earlier thread!
)
-----
Some of your ideas are merely good. Others are fantastic! I hope
TFLers will jump on the chance to implement them!
-----
But now to your strategy and tactics.....
Go for it! If you have a plan that will work, implement it! Just do it!
Let's not argue about whether an option is a strategy or a tactic and end up
doing nothing.
Implement your plan! Begin it yourself and, by your efforts and
effectiveness, attract supporters to your methods.
As you point out, we will never unite the un-unitable (can we use that as a
word?); but the good news is we do not need to unite 100% of all gun
owners in America before we can do anything.
If we could get HALF the 80 million gun owners in America to fight gun
control, we would win. Forty million adamant voices saying gun control
must go (even if they have somewhat differing details to their demands)
would represent a force NO politician could fight effectively. This would
cripple the current one (two?) party system and again put our people in
charge of our government! Great!
So let's start with what we have. Begin the movement. Others will join.
Reduce the fear and stigma of fighting government gun control and more
will join.
We have no need to work on exactly the same program, ie fight only *this*
law first, then only *this* law second, etc. The key is not one standardized
program. The key is many people actively supporting a single movement!
Look at all the differing approaches to the civil rights movement. From the
quiet Ms. Parks who would not be moved, to the fire-and-brimstone
preachers, to the power of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., to the reckless and
violent posturing of Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael - all were different
approaches to the same goal. All are approaches WE can use.
Such approaches are not mutually exclusive - they are mutually supportive,
synergistic, and attract more people to the movement by providing a
palatable approach to more potential supporters. We can and *should* use
several different approaches concurrently.
Already we are stronger now than we were five years ago. Yes, restrictions
are being passed, but people are beginning to see that gun control disarms
the honest people and makes them victims of violent criminals who already
disregard the law, human rights, etc. etc.
Let each group advocate freedom and justice under Constitutional law and
find its own route to the battle. The important thing is that we fight (within
the constraints of the Constitution we are trying to restore).
Motivate those who are apathetic or afraid, or for any reason inactive. Win
over the ignorant, the ambivalent and the undecided. In that process, we
even will win SOME converts from the other side.
We agree that we must become active. We also must stop supporting those
who disregard or disempower our cause. We may argue whether that
means giving our support to a third party or simply re-constituting the
Republican party, but we must support only those who support our cause -
while doing many of the projects you listed.
As we become increasingly active and effective we will become more
“viable”!
That will help us attract, create, develop, and empower champions in our
movement.
But nothing will happen until we act.
The time is now. Let’s get started.
Stick it to ‘em. RKBA!
[This message has been edited by Dennis (edited November 25, 1999).]
It doesn't matter whose “fault” it is. It’s a given we must work with.
Until now, legislators, businesses, schools, and other organizations have
done anything they desired with impunity. HCI has shown these outfits that
their actions have consequences. All too often we have done little to
counteract the political power of the gun bigots. That must change.
If a Senator receives 1,000 letters from HCI and no opposition, we lose.
If he also receives 40,000 letters from Constitutionalists such as us, we win.
Okay, maybe not 100% of the time, but if we lose with the schmuck
repeatedly, we publicize his defiance of the Constitution and his
constituency and try to weaken his political position and find a pro-freedom
candidate to oppose him.
We have the internet! We can organize people as we see fit! We did it with
the Hobgood raffle and with the Rosie/K-Mart debate.
We need the media and, in the beginning, they will defame us. But as we
gain power and influence over those who advertise in their media, we will
gain influence over the media.
We were not disenfranchised overnight and our recovery will take time. But
if we don’t try, we can not win.
Let’s get ‘em where it hurts ‘em - in their wallets!
-----------------
Porcupine,
My oh my, you ARE the prickly fellow!
I like your suggestions! BIG time! Our views differ slightly but that's OK.
-----
“11) Distance us from the militia crowd and convince them to disband as a
long range tactic.”
I know the type you mean but, because WE ALL are the militia, I would try
to develop the current militias into respectability by improving their training
and doctrine. No big deal, but let’s USE them rather than ignore them.
There are many good people in the militias - only the irresponsible
individuals need to be corrected. (Many of these people vote!)
-----
“13) Support gun-buy backs from people who don't know how to safely use
and store a gun, but not from criminals. Resell the guns through personal
protection instructors to women at low cost.”
If all else fails, yes. However, wouldn’t it be better to educate and train
them and include them in our movement?
-----
“14) Support free training for women and journalists.”
Kids! Don’t forget our future! Also, I believe the government should
subsidize training for ALL citizens to ensure the intent of the Second
Amendment. (“Well regulated”, etc.)
(NOTE: Actually, I believe firearms training should be mandatory - similar
to military basic training. But I was nearly beaten to death when I
suggested that on an earlier thread!
)-----
Some of your ideas are merely good.
Others are fantastic! I hopeTFLers will jump on the chance to implement them!
-----
But now to your strategy and tactics.....
Go for it! If you have a plan that will work, implement it! Just do it!
Let's not argue about whether an option is a strategy or a tactic and end up
doing nothing.
Implement your plan! Begin it yourself and, by your efforts and
effectiveness, attract supporters to your methods.
As you point out, we will never unite the un-unitable (can we use that as a
word?); but the good news is we do not need to unite 100% of all gun
owners in America before we can do anything.
If we could get HALF the 80 million gun owners in America to fight gun
control, we would win. Forty million adamant voices saying gun control
must go (even if they have somewhat differing details to their demands)
would represent a force NO politician could fight effectively. This would
cripple the current one (two?) party system and again put our people in
charge of our government! Great!
So let's start with what we have. Begin the movement. Others will join.
Reduce the fear and stigma of fighting government gun control and more
will join.
We have no need to work on exactly the same program, ie fight only *this*
law first, then only *this* law second, etc. The key is not one standardized
program. The key is many people actively supporting a single movement!
Look at all the differing approaches to the civil rights movement. From the
quiet Ms. Parks who would not be moved, to the fire-and-brimstone
preachers, to the power of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., to the reckless and
violent posturing of Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael - all were different
approaches to the same goal. All are approaches WE can use.
Such approaches are not mutually exclusive - they are mutually supportive,
synergistic, and attract more people to the movement by providing a
palatable approach to more potential supporters. We can and *should* use
several different approaches concurrently.
Already we are stronger now than we were five years ago. Yes, restrictions
are being passed, but people are beginning to see that gun control disarms
the honest people and makes them victims of violent criminals who already
disregard the law, human rights, etc. etc.
Let each group advocate freedom and justice under Constitutional law and
find its own route to the battle. The important thing is that we fight (within
the constraints of the Constitution we are trying to restore).
Motivate those who are apathetic or afraid, or for any reason inactive. Win
over the ignorant, the ambivalent and the undecided. In that process, we
even will win SOME converts from the other side.
We agree that we must become active. We also must stop supporting those
who disregard or disempower our cause. We may argue whether that
means giving our support to a third party or simply re-constituting the
Republican party, but we must support only those who support our cause -
while doing many of the projects you listed.
As we become increasingly active and effective we will become more
“viable”!
That will help us attract, create, develop, and empower champions in our
movement.
But nothing will happen until we act.
The time is now. Let’s get started.
Stick it to ‘em. RKBA!
[This message has been edited by Dennis (edited November 25, 1999).]