Gun Show Expected to Draw Crowds

Organizers of the upcoming Craig Gun and Sport Show are expecting the largest show in the event's history.

"Everything a hunter, sportsmen or shooter would want," said Dick Becker, a Maybell resident and member of the sponsoring Bears Ears Sportsman Club, of the items available at the show. "Camouflage, guns, supplies, scopes, mounts ... This will be the biggest show in Northwest Colorado."

I remember when we used to have the Great Western show at the LA County Fairgrounds, back before the Board of Supervisors evicted it as an exercise in hostility against gun owners. It would routinely draw 40,000 over a weekend.

I remember how disgusted I was when the Million Moms/Brady Campaign held a rally in front of the federal building in Westwood--they had thousands of Birkenstock liberals, plus bussed-in inner cityites. On our side of the street, we could never manage more than a hundred or so.

This was on a weekend, so nobody would have had to miss work. I guess those 40,000 gun owners must have had something better to do.

I don't have statistical backup, but I estimate less than 5% of gun owners carry 99% of the load when it comes to protecting our rights. The rest are, in my opinion, no better than welfare parasites, who exist off the efforts of others.

If that doesn't change, things could get real ugly.

A Question of Priorities

"You see people come here from all walks of life," said booth owner, Gene Branson. "Some people even come a hundred miles to this show." [More]

If gun owners devoted a tenth of that effort and expense to actively championing the right to keep and bear arms, we would be an invincible political force. That most prefer to squabble like learning disabled children over such trivialities as being asked to send an email exemplifies why things are the way they are.

Years ago, before the Great Western Gun Show was forced out of California, I recall being especially bitter over how it could attract tens of thousands of gun owners--yet a counter-protest against the Million Moms preceded by announcements and appeals throughout the "activist" network, only drew a few hundred. And out of all Los Angeles, we'd be lucky to get 50 to show up at an NRA Members' Council meeting, and of those, maybe half a dozen-- of the same people all the time-- actually did any work.

I repeat: If gun owners would get off their lazy, apathetic butts and consistently and proactively devote time, effort and treasure to the cause, we would be invincible. It's easy to point the finger at politicians for attacking us, or NRA management for compromising, and I'm not saying that should stop, but put in perspective, politicians wouldn't betray us if they didn't dare--and compromises wouldn't be made if they weren't perceived as advantageous or necessary.

Working the Crowd

Organizers of pro-gun rallies across country lament low turnout [More]

For myriad reasons, that's not what the majority of the gun owner demographic does.

Years ago, before the Great Western Gun Show was forced out of California, I recall being disappointed over how it could attract over 40,000 gun owners--yet a counter-protest against the Million Moms only drew a few hundred RKBA activists.

It is what it is.

The antis bus people in. They have billionaire backers and a supportive media guaranteeing free advertising. They are collectivists and the mob is their tribe.

Organizing such events requires experienced professional oversight,

That just ain't us.

Focus on strengths.

And don't forget: We get thousands upon thousands at gun shows throughout the year, and 80,000+ at NRA conventions.

[Via several of you]

Another One Bites the Dust

Del Mar board votes to suspend fairgrounds gun show up to a year [More]

And there's not one legitimate reason for doing so.

I remember when they did this to Great Western  -- and now gun owners with time and money to go to shows, but not to shows of support, are reaping the rewards of  apathy.

The gun grabbers can get away with it in California, and curiously, there's not one national or state "gun group" out there telling its members why.

[Via Michael G]