With NRA's November magazines containing our Political Preference Charts arriving across the country this week, we are again receiving questions regarding some of our candidate grades and endorsements. Many of the questions are about our support for pro-gun Democratic incumbents. Our policies, and the justifications for our candidate ratings, have been explained many times in the Grassroots Alert and elsewhere.
This election year there is a lot of anger directed at the policies of Congress and the Obama Administration.
One of the main concerns is over politicians from both parties who have abandoned their principles.
But unlike the political class in Washington, D.C., the NRA will never abandon its principles, even when it might be easy and politically expedient to do so.
11 Days Until Election Day-What (More!) Can You Do? In 11 days we will go to the polls to vote in the critical mid-term elections. Other than voting on Election Day, what more should gun owners do? The answer is very simple--volunteer to work on pro-gun candidates' campaigns to turn out supportive voters on Election Day, November 2nd.
McDonald v. Chicago Oral Arguments Audio Released: On June 28, 2010, the Supreme Court, in McDonald et al. v. City of Chicago, Illinois, et al. -- a case challenging handgun bans in Chicago and Oak Park, Illinois -- ruled that the Second Amendment protects a fundamental, individual right to keep and bear arms for self-defense nationwide. The ruling reversed the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which upheld the bans, and requires that court to reconsider McDonald in light of the Supreme Court's ruling. Chicago thereafter passed an ordinance imposing unreasonable restrictions on gun ownership. NRA is supporting Benson v. Chicago, challenging the ordinance.
An audio recording of the oral arguments in the Supreme Court has now been released. To listen to the audio, please click here.
Remington Attacked By CNBC: This week, CNBC aired an hour-long attack on the Remington 700 rifle, rehashing decades-old allegations about the popular rifle's trigger system. (Interestingly, the network's "10-month investigation" aired just a few months after a press release went out from a Kansas City law firm that has sued Remington in the past, seeking plaintiffs for new cases against the gun maker.) While CNBC and plaintiffs' lawyers claim the rifle will fire without the trigger being pulled, Remington says that neither the company nor the plaintiffs' expert witnesses have ever been able to cause such a discharge in a properly maintained, unaltered rifle.
Senator McCain Announces Support For NRA-Backed Proposition 109 – Arizona Right To Hunt And Fish: This week, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Representative Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) announced their support of Arizona's Proposition 109 – the Right to Hunt and Fish Constitutional Amendment. Joining them at a press conference in the Arizona State Capitol was former NRA president Sandy Froman. Arizona is among four states with a Right to Hunt and Fish Constitutional Amendment appearing on the November ballot.
Author John Lott To Keynote New Jersey State Association Banquet: Renowned author, economist, and Fox News contributor John Lott is scheduled to be keynote speaker at the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs (ANJRPC) combined Annual Meeting Banquet and Friends of NRA Dinner & Auction on Saturday, October 23 starting at 6:00 p.m. ANJRPC is the official NRA State Affiliate in New Jersey (www.anjrpc.org).
2010 Firearms Law & The Second Amendment Symposium: The 2010 "Firearms Law & The Second Amendment Symposium" will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2010 at the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, Illinois. This event will be sponsored by The NRA Foundation and the John Marshall Law School chapter of the Federalist Society.
"Don't Tread On My Gun Rights" Yard Signs Available Now: We've created a new yard sign that will send a strong message this election season to all who read it: "Don't Tread on my Gun Rights."
Another Way To Get Involved--Join NRA's Facebook And Twitter Groups: Internet social networking has exploded in recent years, and websites such as Facebook and Twitter attract millions of users. This on-line community fosters a connection between its users, and allows distribution of user-generated content (like pictures, profiles, music, video, and text).
Grassroots News Minute Video: To view this week's "Grassroots News Minute" video, please click here:
STATE ROUNDUP (Please note the only items listed below are those that have had recent action. For other updates on state legislation, please go to the state legislation section at www.NRAILA.org, and check each week's issue of the Grassroots Alert.)
ARIZONA: Editor's Note: The Election Volunteer Coordinator (EVC) listed for Arizona's seventh congressional district (AZ-7) in the November magazines has changed. Please note the following, corrected information:
AZ-07
Judi White
Tucson, AZ
520-319-1907
TABLE MESA CLEANUP – NOV 6TH: On November 6th, the Bureau of Land Management is sponsoring a cleanup of recreation areas at Table Mesa, which is north of Phoenix at I-17 and Table Mesa Road (exit 236). The meeting site is approximately 1 mile from the exit on the west side of I-17.
Table Mesa is a popular destination for recreationists, but unfortunately not everyone who uses this area packs out what they pack in. Volunteers are needed to help pick up trash on that day. Many local desert enthusiasts will be participating including shooters, hikers, mountain bikers, and OHVers.
The NRA is asking those of its members who depend on the Table Mesa area for recreational opportunities to please join in this cleanup effort. Pick up one bag of trash or many – every bit helps! Volunteers are asked to wear closed toed shoes, and bring gloves, sunscreen, and water. Optional items that would be useful are rakes and shovels. In addition, we ask that our volunteer members wear some item of clothing such as a baseball cap with NRA's logo on it to identify themselves as an NRA member.
The cleanup is scheduled from 9:00a.m. – 1:00p.m. Lunch will be provided, and several organizations have donated items to be given away. Each volunteer will receive one ticket to the giveaways to be held during lunch.
If you have any questions, please feel to contact Jason Blomberg at [email protected] or 602-463-8582.
ARKANSAS: Vote Yes on Issue 1; Constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish Issue 1 is the NRA-supported ballot issue enshrining in the Arkansas Constitution the people's long cherished right to hunt, fish and trap. This right is subject only to "regulations that promote sound wildlife conservation and management" prescribed by the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission. The sanctity of private property rights and Amendment 35, establishing the Game and Fish Commission, is explicitly protected.
Issue 1 recognizes hunting, fishing and trapping as constitutional rights. Specifically, it prohibits regulations that would ban the use of "traditional methods" such as bow hunting or the sustainable taking of "wildlife" such as deer, bear and doves. Issue 1 protects the citizen's hunting heritage from attacks initiated by well-funded anti-hunting activists who have assailed sportsmen throughout the country in recent years. In addition, it specifies that hunting, fishing and trapping shall be used as the preferred means of managing and controlling nonthreatened species. This ensures that sportsmen will continue to be used as the state's responsible game managers instead of the taxpayer funded sharpshooters and unproven, expensive wildlife contraception schemes employed in other jurisdictions.
Anti-hunting organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) have an annual budget of over $120 million. Their declared objective is to end all consumptive sporting practices. Through the initiative process, they have succeeded in enacting hunting bans in states considered to be sportsmen strongholds. For instance, three years ago in Michigan, a state with a million hunters, HSUS banned the hunting of doves, the most commonly hunted game bird in America. It's only a matter of time before these anti-hunting activists, using the state's initiative process, set their sights on the sportsmen of Arkansas. It is not prudent to wait until a crisis to pursue a constitutional amendment. By then, it will be too late.
For more information, please visit: /righttohuntAR/
Vote for Your Right to Hunt and Fish this November 2! Vote Yes on Issue 1!
COLORADO: Public Comments Sought On Shooting Sites In The Pawnee National Grasslands: Earlier this year, the Forest Service solicited public comments on its proposal to improve an existing area used by recreational shooters, located west of Briggsdale on the Pawnee National Grasslands.
Based on public comments received, two additional locations are being considered in an effort to address concerns raised by nearby residents of the originally proposed location. The new sites under consideration are also currently being used by recreational shooters. The vision of the proposal remains the same: a 100-yard range with 8 to 10 shooting positions, open to the public 7 days a week from dawn to dusk, and would include an existing road, a parking area, side berms and a backstop, informational kiosk, benches and shade cover.
Funding for construction of the range, wherever it will be located on the Pawnee, will come from grants from the NRA and the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
You can view a map here showing the two new locations under consideration. To provide input, please send your comments to [email protected]. The deadline is November 5th. If you have already submitted comments on the shooting range concept, you need not send additional comments. As information becomes available, it will be posted online at www.fs.usda.gov/arp. For further information you may call the District Ranger office at 970-346-5000.
HAWAII: JOIN THE HAWAII RIFLE ASSOCIATION FOR LUNCH WITH FORMER NRA PRESIDENT SANDY FROMAN! On Saturday, November 6, join the Hawaii Rifle Association for a lunch with former NRA President Sandy Froman! This will be the first time that an NRA President, past or present, will address the shooting community in Hawaii. Don't miss this opportunity! Seating is limited so please sign up early. Attendance is by pre-paid reservation only. For more information, click here.
IDAHO: BLM Travel Management Plan Could Affect Hunter Access: The BLM is developing a Travel Management Plan (TMP) in Owyhee County west of the Bruneau River. The TMP will address all motorized routes on public land outside of the six designated wilderness areas. Decisions previously issued for the Wilson Creek, Hemingway, and Murphy sub-regions of the Owyhee Front will be carried forward into the TMP. The BLM will be hosting a series of meetings for the public to review maps and voice views and concerns. The meetings are as follows:
October 27 – BLM Boise District Office, 3948 Development Avenue, Boise
November 4 – Nampa Convention Center, 311 Third Street South, Nampa
November 9 - Rimrock High School, 39678 State Highway 78, Grandview
November 10 – Owyhee Historical Museum, 17085 Basey Street, Murphy
For further information about the meetings, you may contact TJ Clifford, Outdoor Recreation Planner, at 208-384-3459. For hunters and shooters who use these lands for recreation, attending one of the scheduled meetings and participating in this planning process is crucial in shaping the decisions that the BLM will make on what roads and trails are opened in the future for motorized access.
IOWA: Proposed Gun Ban Pulled from Agenda in Ottumwa Earlier this week, the Ottumwa City Council opted to remove a proposed gun-ban from their agenda. The ordinance was originally designed to deny all Iowans the ability to lawfully carry firearms in any city-owned building or park. Thanks to our members' phone calls to the city council and mayor's office, the city attorney decided to pull the ordinance for further research, thus earning citizens of Ottumwa and Iowans across the state a temporary victory. This proposed ordinance would have been a direct violation of Iowa's preemption statute. State law prohibits any county, town, or municipality from instituting firearm laws that do not conform with the statewide standard. Current state law does not forbid possession of a handgun in these areas by a person with a valid permit to carry weapons and as such, Ottumwa may not do so either. Thank you to all our members who voiced their opposition to Mayor Dale Uehling and the members of Ottumwa's city council. Please continue checking your email and www.NRAILA.org for any updates on the ordinance.
KANSAS: VOTE YES ON 1 NOVEMBER 2ND! A 1905 ruling from the Kansas Supreme Court interpreted Section 4 of the Kansas Constitution to mean that the Right to Keep and Bear Arms only exists as a collective right for those in the militia or military and no individual right exists. For that reason, the NRA has worked with the Kansas State Rifle Association, Senator Mike Petersen and the legislature, to pass a Constitutional Amendment during the 2009 legislative session, which provides new language that clarifies Section 4 and guaranteesan individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms. The language reads: "A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and state, for lawful hunting and recreational use, and for any other lawful purpose." Our elected officials have done law-abiding Kansans a tremendous service by passing this landmark Constitutional Amendment. Now it is up to YOU to do your part on November 2, 2010 and vote this provision into the Kansas Constitution.
Paid for by the National Rifle Association.
MONTANA: Dangerous Ballot Initiative, I-161, Threatens Wildlife Management and Montana's Hunting Future! Educate your fellow Montanans and vote No on I-161! I-161 is a ballot initiative popularly known as the Kephart Initiative. It proposes to eliminate all outfitter-sponsored licenses currently available in Montana. These outfitter-sponsored licenses would be reallocated to non-residents through the general draw system and significant price increases would be imposed on all general non-resident draw tags.
Initiatives pertaining to hunting laws, by their very nature, politicize the state's wildlife management policies. This is contrary to the North American Model of Wildlife Management that has made Montana's wildlife populations and rich ecosystems the envy of the world. Laws related to hunting and wildlife management strategies should be firmly rooted in science, not driven by a wealthy few who can produce the most emotionally-appealing 30-second television commercial during an initiative campaign. For this reason, NRA has always opposed "ballot box" wildlife management. A wide array of groups are standing up with the NRA to oppose this precedent-setting initiative, such as the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Safari Club International.
With regard to the specific provisions, Kephart's I-161, through its significant fee increases, threatens to make the same monumental mistake made in Idaho last year. Non-resident license fees there were increased with expectations of proportional increases in revenue. The move backfired, resulting in a $1 million shortfall because fewer hunters purchased the more expensive licenses. With already poor budget conditions, a similar shortfall in Montana will jeopardize important wildlife management and conservation projects – ultimately detracting from hunting opportunities for all hunters in the state.
There have even been claims of fraudulent signature gathering and a Montana court is currently examining these claims. The state legislature and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks hold public hearings when determining laws and regulations. No similar forum is allowed with regard to initiatives and this is one of the primary things that make them so dangerous.
For this reason, it is up to NRA members to inform your friends, families, co-workers and fellow hunters about this dangerous ballot initiative and to reject it at the polls this November 2! Your voice and efforts today will make a tremendous difference. Make no mistake about it, the anti-hunting radicals are watching. If I-161 succeeds, they will learn from Kephart's methods and try to circumvent the standard policy-making system and public processes that have stymied them through the years and use deceptive 30-second sound bites to advance their radical agenda.
For more information, please visit: /VoteNoOn161/
NEW JERSEY: Author John Lott to Keynote New Jersey State Association Banquet: Renowned author, economist, and Fox News Contributor John Lott is scheduled to be keynote speaker at the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs (ANJRPC) combined Annual Meeting Banquet and Friends of NRA Dinner & Auction on Saturday, October 23 starting at 6:00 p.m. ANJRPC is the official NRA State Affiliate in New Jersey (www.anjrpc.org).
Autographed copies of the newly-released third edition of Lott's famous book, More Guns, Less Crime, will be available for purchase at the banquet. This ground-breaking book provides compelling evidence linking implementation of "shall-issue" right-to-carry laws to a reduction in violent crime rates. Lott also recently authored The Bias Against Guns: Why Almost Everything You've Heard About Gun Control is Wrong.
The festivities are guaranteed to be lively as Lott shares his unique analysis of gun rights issues and statistics. The auction portion of the banquet will feature one-of-a-kind NRA-branded collectible merchandise, and half the proceeds will be donated back to New Jersey shooters by the NRA Foundation.
Banquet seating ($50 per ticket) is open to the public on a first come, first-served basis. Prepay for a ticket to ensure that seats are still available and that the event is not sold out (contact Lisa Caso at [email protected] or 201-424-5536).
The event will be held at the Gran Centurions, 440 Madison Hill Road, Clark, NJ 07066 (732-382-1664) http://www.thegrancenturions.com/gcdirections.html
NORTH DAKOTA: Vote NO on the North Dakota Anti-Hunting Ballot Initiative: Initiated Statutory Measure No. 2! Don't Allow Radical Animal "Rights" Interests to Infiltrate North Dakota! North Dakota sportsmen should be aware that a group cleverly calling itself North Dakota Hunters for Fair Chase (NDHFC) has collected enough signatures to place an anti-hunting initiative on the 2010 General Election ballot. Make sure that you and your family and friends vote NO on November 2.
Initiatives pertaining to hunting laws, by their very nature, politicize the state's wildlife management policies. This is contrary to the North American Model of Wildlife Management that has made North Dakota's wildlife populations and rich ecosystems the envy of the world. Laws related to hunting and wildlife management strategies should be firmly rooted in science, not driven by a wealthy few who can produce the most emotionally-appealing 30-second television commercial during an initiative campaign. For this reason, NRA has always opposed "ballot box" wildlife management.
This initiative effort is supported by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), a Washington D.C.-based lobbying organization that spends $120 million a year in an effort to end all hunting and animal agriculture in the United States. Misinformed supporters of the initiative and NDHFC have claimed that HSUS has not been involved in the initiative or its predecessor in 2008, but one needs only to visit the HSUS website to find, "In North Dakota, HSUS members and supporters helped to gather signatures to place a measure on the ballot to halt the captive shooting of wildlife behind escape proof fences. Unfortunately the measure was not approved, but we will continue working to end the egregious practice of captive hunting." Here are just a few quotes from Wayne Pacelle who serves as President of HSUS:
- Interviewer: "About fishing ... do you avoid campaigning against it because there isn't a ground-swell movement in our culture to eliminate it?"
Pacelle: "That is correct. We're out to minimize suffering wherever it can be done, and wherever our limited resources can be utilized most effectively -- abusive forms of hunting for now, all hunting eventually." Bloodties: Nature, Culture, and the Hunt - "If we could shut down all sport hunting in a moment, we would." – (Associated Press)
- "Our goal is to get sport hunting in the same category as cock fighting and dog fighting. Our opponents say hunting is a tradition. We say traditions can change." – (BozemanDaily Chronicle)
- "We are going to use the ballot box and the democratic process to stop all hunting in the United States… We will take it species by species until all hunting is stopped in California. Then we will take it state by state." – (Full Cry)
The proposed initiative would ban private big game hunting preserves in North Dakota. This violates basic American principles of private property rights and sportsmen deciding for themselves how and where to hunt. Hunting ethics should be decided by each individual hunter, not by politically-motivated laws supported by radical animal "rights" interest groups. Further, the group behind this initiative falsely advertises preserves as very small pens or cages, when most preserves amount to thousands of acres.
This effort threatens to establish a precedent that will allow Wayne Pacelle and others to further pursue their ultimate agenda of banning all hunting. These anti-hunting radicals are learning how to circumvent the standard policy-making system that has stymied them through the years and will be emboldened to further utilize deceptive 30-second sound bites to advance their radical agenda. Please work to inform your family, friends and fellow sportsmen in North Dakota that they should vote No on Initiated Statutory Measure No. 2 this November 2.
SOUTH CAROLINA: On November 2, Vote for Your Right to Hunt and Fish in South Carolina: Amendment 1; Constitutional Right to Hunt, Fish and Harvest Wildlife Amendment 1 is the result of the National Rifle Association's effort to partner with the state DNR and others to enshrine in the South Carolina Constitution the people's long cherished right to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife. This right is subject only to "regulations that promote sound wildlife conservation and management" prescribed by the South Carolina General Assembly. NRA has spearheaded efforts to provide truly meaningful protections to sportsmen across the country. It is expected that nearly one-quarter of all states will have adopted similar amendments by year's end.
Amendment 1 recognizes hunting, fishing and harvesting wildlife as constitutional rights. Specifically, it prohibits laws that would ban the sustainable taking of "wildlife" such as deer, bear and doves. Amendment 1 protects the citizen's hunting heritage from attacks initiated by well-funded anti-hunting activists who have assailed sportsmen throughout the country in recent years. In addition, it specifies that hunting, fishing and harvesting wildlife shall be used as a protected means of managing wildlife. This helps to ensure that sportsmen will continue to be used as the state's responsible game managers instead of the taxpayer funded sharpshooters and unproven, expensive wildlife contraception schemes employed in other jurisdictions.
Anti-hunting organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) have an annual budget of over $120 million. Their declared objective is to end all consumptive sporting practices. Through the initiative process, they have succeeded in enacting hunting bans in states considered to be sportsmen strongholds. For instance, three years ago in Michigan, a state with a million hunters, HSUS banned the hunting of doves, the most commonly hunted game bird in America. 
It's only a matter of time before these anti-hunting activists, using the state's initiative process, set their sights on the sportsmen of South Carolina. It is not prudent to wait until a crisis to pursue a constitutional amendment. By then, it will be too late.
For more information, please visit: /RighttoHuntSC/
Vote YES on Amendment 1 this November 2!
TENNESSEE: Vote "YES" On Proposed Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment! The proposed Right to Hunt and Fish constitutional Amendment, on the November 2 Ballot, will amend the Tennessee State Constitution to forever recognize Tennessee's sporting heritage and the great contributions that hunters and fishermen make to conservation and wildlife. The National Rifle Association has spearheaded efforts to provide truly meaningful protections to sportsmen across the country. These meaningful protections embedded in the proposed Amendment are the result of the NRA's effort to enshrine in the Tennessee Constitution the people's long cherished right to hunt and fish. It is expected that nearly one-quarter of all states will have adopted similar amendments by year's end. Tennessee's Right to Hunt and Fish provides permanent safeguards against attacks from the radical animal "rights" extremists whose ultimate goal is to end all hunting in America.
Hunting and fishing has a rich heritage that is woven into the very fabric of the Volunteer State. The proposed Amendment will allow your kids, grandkids, and future generations to have the opportunity to experience the outdoors in the spirit of Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett. The flourishing wildlife populations and sound conservation in Tennessee are the result of what hunters and fishermen do.
PETA opposes the Right to Hunt and Fish in Tennessee, which should be reason enough to vote Yes on November 2. They have been quoted as saying that the proposed amendment is a "solution in search of a problem" and that no one is trying to ban hunting or fishing. Soon after these statements, PETA sent a letter to UT-Chattanooga asking that the University ban its fishing team because fishing is a "blood sport." The fact is that PETA and extremists like them are the problem and this Amendment is the solution. Making hunting and fishing a permanent part of Tennessee's Constitution will help to fend off attacks from anti-hunting extremists who continually attempt to advance their emotional and political agenda.
For more information, please visit: /RightToHuntTN/
Vote "Yes" on the Right to Hunt and Fish amendment and tell the anti-hunting radicals that the Volunteer State is off-limits to their anti-freedom agenda!
WISCONSIN: Wisconsin Court Finds State Carry Ban Unconstitutional -- Time for Voters to Act! In a ruling that is likely to renew the debate over Wisconsin's laws on carrying firearms, a county trial court has found that a state statute's total ban on carrying concealed weapons violates the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The ruling, issued Oct. 12 by Judge Jon M. Counsell of the Clark County Circuit Court, dismissed an indictment against Joshua Schultz, who had been arrested for carrying a knife in his waistband, covered by his shirt. To learn more, please click here.
