This weekend was the 143rd annual convention for the NRA. The attendance count I saw today was 75,000 plus over three days, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. To say yours truly would have loved to be there, is a understatement.
But , beyond the press, or in many cases lack of it, and numbers, and shooting stars of the industry who showed up there, Theres is the real power of the NRA, and America, The people, 75,000 of them coming from all parts of the country,and I would expect even the world. Everyone got along fine and regardless of their entry into the shooting sports, and why they shoot, be it, recreational, sport, competition, or for self-defense, the main theme is we all enjoy shooting, and we believe in our right to keep and bear arms. for any or the reasons listed above, or a combination of the reasons listed above.
There are those out there who believe the we shouldn't be a position to defend oneself if needed. I actually saw a interview with a lady, who essentially said ; If you get in a bad situation, you're screwed, and refused to admit you had a right to defend yourself under any circumstances. Does she valued her own live that Little ? Not counting her family and friends? Heres the link to the article and interview;
http://cnsnews.com/mrctv-blog/matt-vespa/nra-protestors-second-amendment-thats-baloney?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Marketing&utm_term=Facebook&utm_content=Facebook&utm_campaign=NRAprotesters
There were over 75,00 people at the NRA for the convention. Bloomberg paid to have a handful of anti-gun supporters outside, protesting. The operative word there is "paid" he paid their expenses to get there, probably their hotels etc. None of the attendees at the NRA conventions were paid by the NTRA to show up. They came on their own accord, and paid their own way. transportation, hotels, and food, etc. I'm not going to deny the convention brought in a lot of money for the local area, which is well and good, It should.
But any convention dose that.
I find it interesting how many people seem to not see or ignore the solutions to the problems they're to solve. There are solutions our violence problems.
1. Enforce the laws already on the books. If a criminal knows, he does a crime, especially with a gun, theres going to be some serious time involved, not a revolving door, or prole,Then they'll quickly learn "Don't do the Crime if You Can't
Do The Time"
2. Tie mental records to background checks. Obviously, there are cases where a person went through a bad stretch, got help, and is now ok, there's no reason to deny them a gun. However, someone who the court or other mental expert has deemed unstable or
a danger to himself or others should definitely be denied a gun through legal channels.
3. Knowing that criminals are going to get guns regardless how much we try to stop them, take precautions. Setting up schools to they're prepared for situations like we've had in the past. Having armed feet on the ground, will speed the reaction time
thus reducing casualties, thus stopping the event sooner. Be it a school, college, or other place where large numbers of people gather is a prime target. So have armed security on site is essential.
4. Now we get to the biggie. The armed citizen. There a numerous statistics that show
that states with the highest number of ccws permits and "looser" gun regulation have less crime. Sounds pretty obvious to me, Bad guys know theres a very good chance of running into a armed citizen, they tend to think twice. I have seen reports of a number
sheriffs saying they have NO PROBLEM with citizens carrying as long as they have their permit. Florida alone has over 1 million ccw holders. My research show about 279,000 permit holder her in Virginia.
There was a recent book by a retired supreme court judge, in which the judge proposed changing the wording on a number of our bill of rights, the second amendment being one of them. Changing any amendment of our constitution is something the country needs to to think long and hard about. The founding fathers wrote it the way they did for a reason. They knew very well what could, and would happend if the government got to powerpuff and invasive in its peoples lives. You will notice that the first few articles of the bill of rights say, Congress Shall Not make any law that infringes on rights listed in the article. Essentially limiting the right and power of congress in that area.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/13/supreme-court-stevens-second-amendment-book/7671089/
The reports I've seen of the show say it was a rousing success. 75,000 vastly different people from all walks of life meeting to learn and talk and acknowledge their difference, which is is only in the type of shooting or gun they use, united by their love of guns, and the shooting sports, and the shooting community.
One last thought; for all of the anti-gun protester; How many of you have ever had to defend themselves? What do you think all of the people who had defended themselves over the years, would think of the thought of just letting themselves be killed because they didn't have a means to defend themselves?
Kenneth Lawson
But , beyond the press, or in many cases lack of it, and numbers, and shooting stars of the industry who showed up there, Theres is the real power of the NRA, and America, The people, 75,000 of them coming from all parts of the country,and I would expect even the world. Everyone got along fine and regardless of their entry into the shooting sports, and why they shoot, be it, recreational, sport, competition, or for self-defense, the main theme is we all enjoy shooting, and we believe in our right to keep and bear arms. for any or the reasons listed above, or a combination of the reasons listed above.
There are those out there who believe the we shouldn't be a position to defend oneself if needed. I actually saw a interview with a lady, who essentially said ; If you get in a bad situation, you're screwed, and refused to admit you had a right to defend yourself under any circumstances. Does she valued her own live that Little ? Not counting her family and friends? Heres the link to the article and interview;
http://cnsnews.com/mrctv-blog/matt-vespa/nra-protestors-second-amendment-thats-baloney?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Marketing&utm_term=Facebook&utm_content=Facebook&utm_campaign=NRAprotesters
There were over 75,00 people at the NRA for the convention. Bloomberg paid to have a handful of anti-gun supporters outside, protesting. The operative word there is "paid" he paid their expenses to get there, probably their hotels etc. None of the attendees at the NRA conventions were paid by the NTRA to show up. They came on their own accord, and paid their own way. transportation, hotels, and food, etc. I'm not going to deny the convention brought in a lot of money for the local area, which is well and good, It should.
But any convention dose that.
I find it interesting how many people seem to not see or ignore the solutions to the problems they're to solve. There are solutions our violence problems.
1. Enforce the laws already on the books. If a criminal knows, he does a crime, especially with a gun, theres going to be some serious time involved, not a revolving door, or prole,Then they'll quickly learn "Don't do the Crime if You Can't
Do The Time"
2. Tie mental records to background checks. Obviously, there are cases where a person went through a bad stretch, got help, and is now ok, there's no reason to deny them a gun. However, someone who the court or other mental expert has deemed unstable or
a danger to himself or others should definitely be denied a gun through legal channels.
3. Knowing that criminals are going to get guns regardless how much we try to stop them, take precautions. Setting up schools to they're prepared for situations like we've had in the past. Having armed feet on the ground, will speed the reaction time
thus reducing casualties, thus stopping the event sooner. Be it a school, college, or other place where large numbers of people gather is a prime target. So have armed security on site is essential.
4. Now we get to the biggie. The armed citizen. There a numerous statistics that show
that states with the highest number of ccws permits and "looser" gun regulation have less crime. Sounds pretty obvious to me, Bad guys know theres a very good chance of running into a armed citizen, they tend to think twice. I have seen reports of a number
sheriffs saying they have NO PROBLEM with citizens carrying as long as they have their permit. Florida alone has over 1 million ccw holders. My research show about 279,000 permit holder her in Virginia.
There was a recent book by a retired supreme court judge, in which the judge proposed changing the wording on a number of our bill of rights, the second amendment being one of them. Changing any amendment of our constitution is something the country needs to to think long and hard about. The founding fathers wrote it the way they did for a reason. They knew very well what could, and would happend if the government got to powerpuff and invasive in its peoples lives. You will notice that the first few articles of the bill of rights say, Congress Shall Not make any law that infringes on rights listed in the article. Essentially limiting the right and power of congress in that area.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/04/13/supreme-court-stevens-second-amendment-book/7671089/
The reports I've seen of the show say it was a rousing success. 75,000 vastly different people from all walks of life meeting to learn and talk and acknowledge their difference, which is is only in the type of shooting or gun they use, united by their love of guns, and the shooting sports, and the shooting community.
One last thought; for all of the anti-gun protester; How many of you have ever had to defend themselves? What do you think all of the people who had defended themselves over the years, would think of the thought of just letting themselves be killed because they didn't have a means to defend themselves?
Kenneth Lawson