Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Standing Guard: Protecting Workers Rights

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

STANDING GUARD

WAYNE LAPIERRE, NRA Executive Vice President

In the meantime, except for two union members, the fired employees and contract workers were still fired, without incomes. These were “model employees”—some with 20 and 30 unblemished years with the company.

eing fired is a traumatic, tragic experience, especially in an area where jobs are scarce. So, when 12 employees of a Weyerhaeuser pulp mill in rural Oklahoma were fired because they had legal firearms secured in their locked vehicles in a public-access company parking lot, the outrage among citizens of that state was palpable-so intense that the legislature moved to right the wrong by overwhelmingly passing a law in March 2004, making company parking lots a sanctuary from corporate gun bans.

What made the firings most egregious was that they came under an unannounced policy that reversed 37 years of a written agreement that permitted employees to keep their guns in locked cars.

The NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund gave support to the employees' legal efforts to get their jobs back. And we worked hard at the grassroots level to help Oklahomans enact their landmark laws to stop this corporate gun ban. We had hoped the new laws would serve as an affirmation of existing public policy, and provide reinstatement for the wronged employees.

Just like all other forms of gun control, this big-business gun control--this Brady Center private gun ban--only applies to the law abiding.

Those hopes were short-circuited when Weyerhaeuser, joined by other corporate giants, such as ConocoPhillips and Halliburton and supported by the state Chamber of Commerce, filed suit in federal court, successfully stopping enforcement of the new gun-owner protections. Much of their claims had to do with civil liability questions.

In the meantime, except for two union members, the fired employees and contract workers were still fired, without incomes. These were "model employees"-some with 20 and 30 unblemished years with the company.

With the courts moving at a snail's pace and ignoring existing and long-standing public policy on firearm ownership, the legislature again acted-with total grassroots support from NRA and Oklahoma gun-rights groups. Just weeks ago, legislation passed by a 90-5 margin in the House and 44-0 in the Oklahoma Senate, which strengthened the parking lot gun-ban sanctuary and immunized businesses from civil liability. It was signed into law by Gov. Brad Henry.

Whether the injustice done to the remaining 10 fired employees and contractors will be rectified is still an open question. They are still in court, creating a record that shows they never had a clue that a gun ban had replaced the 37-year permissive firearm policy.

All this injustice mirrors an attack plan cooked up by the Brady Campaign's legal arm-the Brady Center, which is pressing suits to kill the firearm industry. The Brady Center's nearly 100-page manifesto-"GUNS AND BUSINESS DON'T MIX, A GUIDE TO KEEPING YOUR BUSINESS GUN FREE"-is a how-to manual designed to ban and criminalize the otherwise lawful exercise of state right-to-carry laws and federal law protecting the transport of firearms. It's a vicious campaign that goes to the heart of the Oklahoma case, telling businesses to: "... prohibit concealed and other weapons, whether carried on a customer's or employee's person, brought into the company parking lot, or hidden in a vehicle brought on the company's premises. The policy should expressly state that despite the state's 'shall-issue' CCW law (Right-to-Carry), the company is allowed to prohibit concealed weapons on its property ... . Failure to abide by the terms of this policy may result in discipline up to and including termination."

Although the Brady gun-ban manual repeatedly raises the specter of civil liability owing to "workplace violence," everything it proposes is aimed only at peaceable employees and citizens on public grounds.

Under a section entitled "Enforcing a gun-free policy," the Brady Center tells business owners and managers, "A simple notice that persons carrying concealed weapons must leave their weapons outside will prevent law-abiding citizens from carrying firearms onto business property."

Law-abiding citizens? What about violent criminals?

Just like all other forms of gun control, this big-business gun control-this Brady Center private gun ban-only applies to the law abiding. We are the victims. And as this corporate trend spreads across the nation, you or someone you know could be next.

Winning in the Oklahoma legislature, which has spoken twice in overwhelming bipartisan votes, is extremely important. It shows the power of the people versus the power of big multi-national corporations. It shows the Second Amendment and Oklahoma's state constitution cannot be trumped by corporate power.

In the coming months, we will be carrying this fight to other states to assure that the protections guaranteed to Oklahoma gun owners against the Brady Center's corporate gun ban will apply everywhere. It's not only your constitutional rights the ban crowd is after-it's your job, your career and your livelihood.

TRENDING NOW
Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes General Assembly and Semi-Auto Ban Temporarily Removed from Calendar

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Colorado: Mandatory Storage Bill Passes General Assembly and Semi-Auto Ban Temporarily Removed from Calendar

In a temporary reprieve for Colorado gun owners, the semi-auto ban HB24-1292 has been removed from the calendar. But we cannot let our guard down as gun control advocates can bring it up for a vote at ...

The U.S. Supreme Court Looks at Government “Blacklists”

News  

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court Looks at Government “Blacklists”

Much of the attention this past week in the United States Supreme Court was the oral arguments in National Rifle Association of America v. Vullo, No. 22-842, a First Amendment case on whether government officials ...

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Passes Committee and Sensitive Places Bill Hearing Rescheduled for Today!

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Passes Committee and Sensitive Places Bill Hearing Rescheduled for Today!

Yesterday the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on House Bill 24-1292, the semi-auto ban, that lasted over 12 hours where hundreds of patriotic Coloradans overloaded the committee with opposition testimony. The hearing concluded with an ...

25 years and one PLCAA Later, Chicago is Still Harassing Gunmakers

News  

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

25 years and one PLCAA Later, Chicago is Still Harassing Gunmakers

On March 19, the city of Chicago filed suit against handgun manufacturer Glock. Seeking to shift responsibility for the city’s woeful governance, Chicago’s lawsuit blames the popular firearm manufacturer for the third-party criminal misuse of ...

NRA Files Amicus Brief Asking Supreme Court to Hear Antonyuk v. James

News  

Second Amendment  

Monday, March 25, 2024

NRA Files Amicus Brief Asking Supreme Court to Hear Antonyuk v. James

In response to the NRA’s victory in Bruen, which secured every American’s right to carry arms, NY passed the “Concealed Carry Improvement Act,” severely restricting carry throughout the state. The 2nd Circuit upheld many of ...

Washington: Governor Signs Anti-Gun Legislation

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Washington: Governor Signs Anti-Gun Legislation

Today, Governor Inslee signed five anti-gun bills into law that were recently passed by the Washington State Legislature. The bills include:

Anti-gun Democrats Seek to Undermine Law Passed to Protect Veterans’ Rights

News  

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Anti-gun Democrats Seek to Undermine Law Passed to Protect Veterans’ Rights

Last week we reported on a major breakthrough on behalf of veterans who risked losing their Second Amendment rights because of a long-running scheme by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report certain beneficiaries ...

Pennsylvania: Senate Committee Passes Full Inclusion Sunday Hunting

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Pennsylvania: Senate Committee Passes Full Inclusion Sunday Hunting

On Wednesday, the Senate Game & Fisheries Committee voted 7-4 to pass Senate Bill 67 to the Senate floor for a vote. 

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Scheduled for Floor Vote Today!

Thursday, March 21, 2024

Colorado: Semi-Auto Ban Scheduled for Floor Vote Today!

Today, the House is scheduled to vote on HB24-1292, the ban on semi-automatic firearms. Please contact your legislators today by using the button below and urge them to OPPOSE HB24-1292!

Louisiana: Firearms Bills on the Move - Take Action Now!

Monday, March 25, 2024

Louisiana: Firearms Bills on the Move - Take Action Now!

A number of firearm-related bills, including enhanced preemption, are moving in the Louisiana Legislature. It's critical that NRA members and Second Amendment supporters get involved to keep the momentum going!

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.