I was there. Went with my Dad, who dosn't even own a gun, but has been an NRA member for years.
We got there about nine, an hour early. No protesters, gentlemenly cops checking our NRA cards to let us in. There was already a HUGE line in the downstairs lobby waiting to get into the ballroom, which was set up with several thousand (in my estimation) chairs. We got into the ballroom and found our seats center, near the back. The start of the meeting was delayed quite a while as the staff set up audio and video in the lobby, as the ballroom was filled to capacity. The wait wasn't bad - we chatted with our neighbors (great group of people!).
The crowd was enthusiastic and polite. Heston was, as always, an incredible speaker. Tore Denver mayor Webb, and all who said that the NRA shouldn't come to Denver, up one side and down the other, stating that we were already there. I'm betting the speech in on the NRA site, but haven't yet checked. LaPierre was good, too. He restated the NRA's position of zero tolerance to those who break gun laws, and provided shocking statistics of how few gun criminals are prosecuted by the Clinton administration. State Secretary Natalie... ummmm... Well, she was good, too. She received a standing ovation which brought her to tears.
The meeting was actually much shorter than I expected. There were no big by-law changes discussed, and, except for one gentleman who spewed on and on about how he was not allowed to present his motions to the membership (taking several minutes, which he could have used to read his motions - before he was declared out of order (he WAS out of order)) the members and officers provided a united front.
The meeting was adjorned about noon, by which time the protesters (from what I saw on the telly, probably about 500 - 1000 of them) had mostly gone home.
What gets me is the local Rocky Mountain News coverage of the event. They've always been sickeningly liberal, and often spin their storys to influence public opinion, instead of reporting facts. I'll spare you their drivel, but here's the letter I sent to the editor:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Gentlemen:
I'm not sure if I should call your coverage of the National Rifle Association meeting in Denver on 1 May lax or misleading. It certainly cannot be described as fair, impartial, or factual.
Why did you not report that the NRA pushes for zero tolerance towards those who break gun laws, while the Clinton administration lets hundreds of thousands of gun crimes go unprosecuted annually? Why did you not report that the NRA is the single largest source of firearms safety training in the world? Why did you not report that the NRA has, and always has been, violently opposed to guns in the hands of untrained,
unsupervised minors?
Your implication that the NRA is being defensive is absurd. Defensive about what? They are no more responsible for the recent tragedy in Littleton than you or I. Your characterization of the annual meeting of members as "subdued" is ludicrous.
Did any Rocky Mountain News reporters actually attend the meeting? Perhaps a better question is: Did any impartial Rocky Mountain News reporters actually attend the meeting? If you were not in attendance, then shame on you for fabricating your story. If you were in attendance, then shame on you for twisting the facts to meet your editorial bent.
Jeffrey Morgan
1652 Verbena
Denver, CO 80220
303/585-9086
[/quote]
Overall, I really enjoyed it. It was great to see so many well-behaved supporters of freedom gather in the face of a bunch of screaming, uneducated (I assume - either that or they're just stupid) ninnies. I enjoyed showing the world we're not all a bunch of cowards.
[This message has been edited by Morgan (edited May 03, 1999).]