Shameless Plug: "Profiles in Apathy"

We have no shortage of expectations and strong opinions about what we want. But when it comes time to step up to the plate, things get awfully quiet.

"Profiles in Apathy" is my Rights Watch column for the Jan. 2007 (Good Lord, already?) issue of GUNS Magazine, on sale now at caring and engaged newsstands throughout the Republic.

This one fits into a broader ongoing effort I'm working on and have presented on occasion here at WarOnGuns, under the umbrella category "Escaping the Village." It concerns three grassroots efforts I've involved myself in over the years that could have made a difference:

• John Brantuk's run for the CA Assembly
• Russ Howard's persecution by the CA political establishment
• Brian Puckett's struggle to penetrate the mass media with a pro-2A message

Frustratingly, these fizzled out because gun owners didn't care enough to involve themselves and help those shouldering tremendous burdens--and what was being asked of them was minimal. This apathy, to me, is a greater enemy than fear, and unless this changes, the fear times will become inevitable.

I also want to make a point of clarification: My editor quotes me in the "Crossfire" (letters) section. I thought I was just giving him some information based on an email he sent me and didn't realize he would publish my response. My source for this should be mentioned and credited--I adapted it from my friend Brian Puckett's excellent "The Founders Intended for the Bill of Rights to Apply to the States."

Finally, as always, there's this month's contest: See page 100 to find out how you can win a Springfield ArmoryXD .45 ACP.

Profiles in Apathy

We have no shortage of expectations and strong opinions about what we want. But when it comes time to step up to the plate, things get awfully quiet.

"Profiles in Apathy," my Rights Watch column for the January 2007 issue of GUNS Magazine, is now online.

Escaping the Village II: False Alternatives

I know I promised "Profiles in Apathy" as the next installment to my ongoing series on steps needed to restore gun rights, but the timeliness of the linked article needs to take precedence. I was going to cover this topic later.

A Second Amendment group is warning gun owners that a "massive gun control bill" is now working its way through Congress -- and is surprisingly close to becoming law.

Gun Owners of America also admits that it is the only national pro-gun group to oppose the "NICS Improvement Act of 2005" (H.R. 1415)....

Okay with NRA

The National Rifle Association takes a less ominous view of the bill.

"This bill...would improve availability of criminal history and other records for conducting background checks on firearm buyers," says an analysis on the NRA's Institute for Legislative Action website.

Why doesn't that surprise me?

Still, missing from the debate is a system proposed years ago that would allow for checks without identifying individual gun owners. Did you know such a proposal existed?

I thought not.

It been ignored by the major gun groups.

The Blind Identification Database System, or BIDS, was developed by my friends Russ Howard and Brian Puckett. Note that they are the first ones to admit that no prior restraint is constitutional, and that background checks are ineffective at keeping guns out of the hands of "prohibited persons" (as if there is government authority to prohibit or put prior restraints on anyone who is not incarcerated).

But what BIDS would do is reduce the amount of infringement the government is currently forcing on us, and preclude them having a registration list of identified gun owners as NICS provides.

Anyone who has read my work knows I prefer no system--my long-stated position is anyone who can't be trusted with a gun can't be trusted without a custodian. But I have also long admitted I am a minority, and stipulate that those who tout the benefits of incrementalism view people like me as unrealistic "absolutists" (hell, an NRA rep once warned people that Brian and I were "wild-eyed extremists"!)

So here's my challenge to the majority: Why not BIDS? So far, the only objection I've heard is "it's not politically feasible."

Yeah, I guess if all the major gun groups are going to suppress it from the debate, that's probably correct. Let's just all give up before we even engage. That'll win back our gun rights.

Click on the BIDS link above and save your own copy of this proposal.

My guess is only a few gun owners will even take the time to read the whole thing. Which brings me back to the start of this post--I still need to work on "Profiles in Apathy."

In Until the End

The sentence “we will not comply” is not temporary. It does not have an “if, then” clause. It does not mean “We will not comply until you make us understand that it’s The Law.” Initiative 594 is not constitutional, it is not just, and therefore it is not law. As such, We the People are not bound to follow it; in fact, it is our duty to resist it. 

And resist it we will. [More]

Welcome to the new paradigm.

The fundraising groups don't quite know what to do with these people, aside from joining with "progressives" by calling them "extremists." That's because those in it strictly for the liberty don't send out emails to lists asking for money, or selling merchandise, or offering gunprizes to induce people to do the right thing out of covetousness instead of principle, or sending "fax blasts" to stuff the pockets of the spammers, divert resources from the gullible who will then feel like they've done their part, and amuse corrupt legislators in safe districts.

They're not asking people to do anything, especially anything for themselves. They merely set the example of not doing something, in this case, obeying tyrannical edicts. There aren't enough enforcers if more would but realize that and resolve mass defiance is the best way to nullify. They're setting personal examples, regardless if others decide to join them or draw the blinds.

So aren't I just contradicting everything I've ever said about "Profiles in Apathy" and all my complaints about people not lifting a finger?

Hardly. This does not negate the need to do the hard work of electing principled representatives, funding worthy efforts, and getting involved at the grassroots level virtually and in meatspace. This comes after those have been tried and failed. Perhaps that's why some ostensibly on "our side" resent them so. And these people are lifting a lot more than a finger -- they are giving their all.

These are last-ditch efforts by men and women of resolve before the oppressors lash out in violence and fury. When that happens, we'll see how many who have not yet joined them -- whose sole contributions to "the cause" appear to be "Molon Labe" comments -- actually mean what they so casually (and anonymously) declare, and how many have done the requisite work of training and preparing so that they're as ready as they can be for the time of tribulation.

These are the efforts of brave Americans who understand the terrible risks they are  assuming.  When the merciless would-be masters decide "it's time," these are  among the first people they'll conclude they must make examples of to cow other potential rebellious slaves.

More backstory:

Federal agents 'catch and release' open carry activist in Washington ... Feb 25, 2015 ... Washington State liberty activist Anthony Bosworth was arrested ... Anthony Bosworth - Facebook (Used with permission) ..... DavidCodrea. www.examiner.com/.../federal-agents-catch-and-release-open-carry-activist- washington

SPLC chatter predicts arrests of Spokane liberty activists - National ... Mar 9, 2015 ... ... officials shaking his hand and telling liberty activist AnthonyBosworth they appreciated his leadership in keeping a Friday. ... David Codrea. www.examiner.com/.../splc-chatter-predicts-arrests-of-spokane-liberty- activists

Spokane protest to defy judge's gun ban on federal grounds ... Mar 6, 2015 ... Anthony Bosworth addresses the crowd as protesters defy the ban on federal grounds. Maria Bosworth .... David Codrea. Original photo ... www.examiner.com/.../spokane-protest-to-defy-judge-s-gun-ban-on-federal- grounds

Washington activists plan peaceful armed assembly response to... Feb 27, 2015 ... Anthony Bosworth being arrested by federal police for exercising his rights. Maria Bosworth (YouTube screen capture) .... DavidCodrea. www.examiner.com/.../washington-activists-plan-peaceful-armed-assembly- response-to-activist-s-arrest

Saturday rally to illustrate new paradigm in gun rights advocacy ... Feb 6, 2015 ... Activist and event coordinator Maria Bosworth has established a Facebook page to post ... Maria Bosworth's Twitter feed. ..... David Codrea. www.examiner.com/.../saturday-rally-to-illustrate-new-paradigm-gun-rights- advocacy

UPDATE: Mark of a Freeman calls our attention to this:

It's a mystery how Hollywood "progressives" can understand this and yet revert to being grasshopper supporters in real life.

If I Truly Believe

This comment was left on Facebook under a post promoting my latest Oath Keepers column. I just don't have time for detailed one-on-one exchanges, but I feel like addressing points publicly raised, so I'm including my response here:

David Codrea I have read your article on the Chattanooga Shooting and Jihad. If you truly believe what you wrote then I must ask you why you are not screaming at the top of your lungs that we must revitalize that specific power "To repel Invasions"? The Constitution is clear in this; Article 1, Section 8, Clause 15, along with the hundreds of corresponding state statutes that originally gave force to that authority. As Adm. Yamamoto warned the Japanese command that they could not invade the US because, "There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass". Imaging the benefit to society in general. We have now approximately 750,000 so-called law enforcement that is in no way capable of curtailing crime or the build up of gangs. With a revitalized Militia, we would have every able bodied person who has regular duty armed at all times. Crime on the streets and in the halls of the legislatures would diminish, and we certainly would not have millions of illegal aliens roaming our streets. Are you one who truly wants to keep the US free, and safe?

First of all, I've been beating that drum for many years.  From an article I wrote about George Bush appointing an anti-gun Homeland Security Czar after 9/11:

Promote and utilize, rather than prosecute, armed citizen volunteers training and acting in concert for homeland defense, that is, provide leadership to restore the Constitutional militia.

I can come up with all kinds of examples from before and after that, but then again, so can anyone with a burning desire to see them, a search engine, and more spare time than I do on their hands.

As for repelling invasions, that's a non sequitur in terms of the article I'm inviting a discussion on. The Chattanooga killer was a naturalized citizen, welcomed into this country, all done "lawfully" in accordance with policies instituted by Congress, the very people tasked by the Constitution "To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions; To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;"

The Republican establishment is as much behind the "invasion" as the Democrats. I can neither envision nor expect they will be motivated to totally reverse their immigration stance and then perform a duty they have institutionally ignored without a compelling "or else," especially with the powerful twin incentives of cheap labor and votes their masters are whipping them with. Lord knows the few of us raising the "pathway to citizenship" warnings aren't getting any help from the vast "single issue" majority.

As for my screaming at the top of my lungs to make anything happen, I could only wish I had that kind of political juice. The fact of the matter is, I can barely persuade a handful of readers to share links now and then, or to send an email. The minute I bring up donating a dollar or two to worthy causes, support drops exponentially. "Profiles in apathy" is another recurring theme I've addressed over the years without making much progress at inspiring change.

I don't have high hopes that most gun owners would willingly submit to the rigors and enforceable discipline of well-regulated militia duties and endure long term risks, hardships and sacrifices. History would seem to bear that out even in revolutionary times. Hamilton even addressed continued militia service in Federalist No. 29, when he acknowledged "Little more can reasonably be aimed at, with respect to the people at large, than to have them properly armed and equipped."

As for Yamamoto's "rifle behind every blade of grass," sorry, but I advocate against repeating and propagating unsourced quotes. And as for questioning my sincerity ("if you truly believe/are you one who truly wants...?"), if my challenger truly believes that, his time would be better spent where such doubts don't come up.

There's always going to be people who think I need to do this or that, or say something differently, or emphasize something else. If I do what one person wants, someone else will think I should have made a different choice.

There's nothing stopping anyone who's dissatisfied with that from doing things their way.

How You Can Help the Reese Family

"My husband is an FFL," a Facebook friend messaged me concerning the latest developments in the Reese case. "That could be me and my family. I am completely horrified by this case and the ease in which the prosecutor has kept it hidden.

"I've sent this out to every FFL I know, none of them had heard about it either," she continued. "What do we do to help? Write our Congressman? Where is the NRA?"

The reasons other FFLs haven't heard of it are basically twofold -- there has been some limited local "legitimate media" coverage, but not in the detail provided at Gun Rights Examiner, where I on occasion link to actual legal documents from the case that I obtain and post on my Scribd account, and importantly, at Tea Party Patriots of Luna County, where they post  first-hand accounts written by a trial attendee who also has plenty of insider information. And, of course, Jeff Knox has been a leader in providing coverage at WND.com and at The Firearms Coalition, where he's set up online donations to help the family defend themselves.

I said twofold and we covered the extremely limited outlets for documenting developments.  The second part of the equation is the biggest problem, the old "Profiles in Apathy," where readers are asked to share links -- and they don't.  That means the word doesn't get out.  Face it -- the family is being prosecuted in New Mexico.  I'm just some guy operating out of his house in Ohio.  What chance does it have to gain wider attention if even regular returning readers won't help?

If you think my just putting stuff out on the internet is all it takes, think again. Stupid celebrity crap and sexual innuendo is what occupies top positioning at Examiner.  If I want readers, I have to drag them in myself, which is why I spend time every day on the aforementioned Facebook, and on Twitter. I'm not there because I'm looking for online social experiences, I'm there because it's marginally more effective, if not more dignified, than screaming at passing cars.

I had this conversation just this morning with Mike Vanderboegh.  Our consensus -- if any of us -- meaning you, too, ever gets in trouble, too fricking bad.  If the media notices at all, it will be to smear you as a threat that needed putting down. On the off-chance someone like me notices and tries to tell others, good fricking luck getting it to spread beyond an extremely limited niche audience.

So, with full awareness that I probably just spent 10 minutes talking to maybe a half-dozen people max who will turn around and lift a finger: How can you help?

Share links and urge your friends to do the same.

Donate to the Reese family defense fund. They're broke. They've been broke.  They'll continue to be broke.  And the government just guaranteed their bills will do nothing but grow with its latest appeal. Share the donation link or mailing address (Reese Defense Fund, Attention Patricia Arias, First Savings Bank, 520 South Gold, Deming, NM 88030) and urge your friends to do the same.

Write to the Senate Judiciary Committee and demand they do not confirm Kenneth Gonzales as a District Court Judge.  I suggest approaching Grassley as the key guy, since Democrats won't be sympathetic and since he's the Ranking member for the Republicans. Share his comm link and urge your friends to do the same.

And where's NRA?  Beats the hell out of me.  Why not take it upon yourself to ask them.  And urge your friends to do the same.

Or do nothing. If I knew how to motivate anyone besides myself, I'd be running an organization.  And if I wanted my work to be popular and widely read, I'd put in to be the Celebrity STDs Examiner.

Just remember that everything I cite above is an attempt to pit ourselves against an ambitious federal prosecutor desperate to salvage and advance his career and who has virtually unlimited government resources at his disposal. 

The Good Activism Seal of Approval

Something I've harped on for years has been gun owner apathy, the tendency to do nothing while others carry the burden of defending rights. I probably first became sensitive to that when I participated in a protest that drew a few hundred gun owners out of a region where the week before had seen 40,000 of them attend a gun show.

I've seen friends step forward to try to do something about protecting RKBA -- from running for office, to conducting campaigns at great personal cost, to trying to counter media bias -- and seen all those efforts wither and die on the vine from lack of support.  Most recently, I've seen the vast majority of Mike Vanderboegh's regular readers look the other way when asked to make a gratitude offering for value received from his work.

I've termed the phenomenon "Profiles in Apathy."  And if there's a secret to turning that around and upping participation, it beats the hell out of me.

Not intending to sound like Eeyore, I nonetheless doubt what follows will make any difference. That said, a thought struck and I'm going to present it. It's a no-cost way for activists to establish credentials, at least as far as being able to demonstrate personal commitment and involvement: It's a way to prove contributions to "the cause" are more than just posting anonymous "Molon Labe" comments," a "Good Activism Seal of Approval" for lack of a better term  -- and it probably should have a better term.

I'm thinking of a point system here -- but then, this is all in the rough sketch pad stage. Maybe give one point for each category.

Within the last year have you:

1. Written/called a representative or government body to oppose an infringement or encourage an improvement (it doesn't have to be YOUR rep if you live in gun-grabber territory)?
2. Attended a freedom-promoting event/rally/protest (gun shows don't count unless you participate in advocacy efforts)?
3. Shared information/links and encouraged other activists to use it?
4. Contacted the media to correct the record?
5. Been a contributing member of a national/state gun/freedom group?
6. Continued your own education and helped to educate others on RKBA?
7. Supported a worthy political effort/campaign/representative or a lawsuit?
8. Kept up on local government/attended council meetings, etc.?
9. Voted? [last election/registered for next]
10. Put your money where your mouth is?

Basically, the highest score you can earn is a "10," which you can claim and display as your "credential." And lower numbers are nothing to sneeze at either, but the point is to be honest -- anyone claiming a score should have each point documented to prove it.

Like I said,this is all in the draft stage. Candidly, I don't expect it will ever evolve beyond that, because my expectation is most either won't lift a finger and others will argue over the criteria or dismiss the whole thing as a stupid idea.  If you're already in the deep end, my only counter-argument is people get there by first dipping their toes in the water and then wading out and splashing around. And the activists doing all this stuff are, at a minimum, buying you time.

So I put it out here on my own blog where it does't hurt anybody and people can do with it what they like -- or not. If any gun group wants to adopt / customize / modify it, be my guest.

Good Luck with That

California actually has a legal process to recall tyrannical politicians. [More]

Tell me abut it. My friend Russ Howard led the "Recall Roberti" effort, and we see what it got him.

Forget about getting enough people to lift a finger to do a recall -- which by the way requires serious, consuming commitments in money and manpower --   I'm still waiting for enough to come forward to help out a guy who gave them his all. His was one of the three case studies that inspired the "Profiles in Apathy" concept.

Plenty of anonymous bloviators are willing to bellow "Molon Labe!" in comments.  Count on them to do anything else and the chance of positive action goes down exponentially, especially if money is involved -- hell, how many times have I asked for readers to send Vanderboegh a gratitude offering for value received, and guess what.

I saw an interesting stat on a social media site I monitor -- for the week thus far it has almost 700,00 "post reach" hits, almost 100,000 "post engage" hits, and 19 "website clicks." That's all the people who thought it might be in their interest to learn what posts were about before making up their minds. All the squabbling commenters were making noises about posts they hadn't even read based on the post title, and were basically just weighing in as an excuse to bray fixed opinions at each other, or to change the subject altogether and go distractedly chasing off in another direction.

Forgive me if I'm cynical. Not even being able to get 99.9% of site visitors to share links for stuff they're not getting anywhere else can do that.

And as for CRPA leading the charge, please -- don't hold you breath. Say, didn't Arnhole first get in following a recall...?

There's a reason we see this happening in California.  But those of us explaining that reason are either ignored or subjected to the logically indefensible "single issue" cop-out.

You do have to wonder if someone won't even send an email or share a link how much prolonged sacrifice and risk they're actually prepared to endure. And as for the growing consensus that politics won't work, how many through personal detachment made that a self-fulfilling prophecy?

When everything breaks down, there will be plenty of blame to go around.

An Important Message for All Sipsey Street Irregulars...uh...Regulars

While society rewards the likes of Snooki from Jersey Shore with celebrity and fortune, and while  lying, incompetent "Authorized Journalists" enjoy their paychecks, benefits, matching 401K contributions and the like, the market for liberty leadership is flat.

We need the leaders, but no one seems willing to pay for them.

Friends of Mike Vanderboegh have contacted me and are concerned that he's financially hurting.  I know for a fact that he is--with health problems also being a concern--and have been wondering what we who look to him on a regular basis for analysis, guidance and leadership can do.

As would be expected, Mike is not only proud, but selfless.  When I contacted him about saying something--because I don't wish to embarrass him--his response did not surprise me in the least.  I don't make a practice of sharing private emails, and I trust he'll forgive me for sharing a portion of this one--while admitting the difficult time his family is facing, this was his primary response:

I am loath to ask other people for money when things are so very tight everywhere and they should be preparing themselves.

Regulars here know I never ask for money for myself (although I do shamelessly hound to share my Examiner links so those cheap ########! can pay me).  In this case, I'm not going to ask you to send Mike a donation either.

Not a cent in gift money.

What I will ask you to do --all of you who visit his site every day and receive value from it--is pay for that value.  I'm asking you to voluntarily subscribe to Sipsey Street Irregulars and help Mike continue to bring YOU his daily reports and insights.

Just so we're clear: This is NOT CHARITY.  This is PAYMENT FOR SERVICES BEING RENDERED.

How much?  I won't put a ceiling on the maximum, but would submit the recommended minimum should be something we all, with very few exceptions/excuses can afford: A dollar a month.

I see from Mike's Site Meter that SSI brings in around 2,400 discrete visitors each day.  That means if we all do this, the guy will actually be able to pay most of the bills and focus on giving us what he's been selflessly providing every day for years--with no compensation or expectations of personal gain.

What is this guy, our slave?  Do people pay you for what you do?

I'll accept that some--a few--are simply not in a position to do this, with financial straits of their own.  But I bet most of us are able. How much do we spend a year on ammo?  Do you think we can get through this without intellectual ammunition and leadership?

How many will man up and do the right thing? 3/4? Half?Under a dozen of you?

My experience with trying to get simple things done, like sharing a link or sending an email, does not fill me with great hopes. Sorry, not trying to start a fight here, but I've said before, if anything induces me to finally hang things up and take care of Number One, it will be those "Profiles in Apathy" that to me represent a greater threat than the antis will ever be capable of presenting.

I don't want to hear great words of Liberty and "Is it time yet?" and all the other brave words of defiance from thousands of self-professed Threepers who won't even do this small thing.  If you won't do it, if you won't help when you know in your heart you could, my guess is it will show the oppressor all he needs to know about the personal commitment of those who say they'll stand up to him.

Regulars here know I never ask anyone to do anything I'm not willing to do myself.

My envelope with my $12 annual subscription fee is in the mail.

Mike Vanderboegh

P.O. Box 926

Pinson, AL 35126.

If you agree with me, yours will be too, and you'll spread the word.

And I apologize to Mike if this embarrasses him. I did not get his permission to do this. But unless he tells me flat out that leaving this plea up will end our friendship, I'll not obey any orders from him to take this post down.

A Few Words of Clarification on the Vanderboegh Fundraiser

When people have needed Mike,
he's been there for them.

I've seen some discussions on other sites about my fundraising effort for Mike, and unsurprisingly, some quickly devolve into ignorance, squabbling, attacks, and everything EXCEPT caring about our friend and doing the two simple things being asked for: Spread the word and make a payment acknowledging value received from his work.

I disagree with the contention that "Absolved" would be an automatic money-maker, and question the industry experience and qualifications of anyone making such an assertion. If it were, a publisher would have offered Mike an advance sufficient to complete it. As is, my sense is that without a dramatic increase in willingness to help, better odds portend a garage full of self-published boxes of books, with most sales on Kindle, and the vast majority neither spending any money OR encouraging others to check it out.

Hopefully I'm flat-out wrong and future sales of whatever product emerges will exceed wildest expectations. I don't claim a crystal ball, merely an ability to observe that anything not backed by establishment interests generally requires a committed grassroots effort.

As for the contention that Mike should have pulled back from Fast and Furious to work on the book and let someone else pick up the slack, that's just plain ignorant and comes from those who doesn't know what they're talking about. I don't  even have words, so I'm just gonna let that one go.

And did someone say "blog ads"? Revenue there is driven by page views, click-throughs and purchases, and guess what: The same people who won't help with the fundraiser won't help with that, either.

By way of a project status update, and corroborating my observations, I put out my plea for Mike four days ago -- that post, as of now, has brought in as many page views as this blog typically gets in only one day. My Facebook post only has 80 shares. My Twitter post has one retweet and two "likes."

"Profiles in Apathy" is the name of that self-defeating game, and I've seen it more times over the years than I care to recall.

But all is not negative. Far from it, thanks to a happy few.

Thank you to all who have shown leadership in this, made donations and spread the word. Just so you know, your efforts have already made a real and positive difference for Mike and Rosey, and I'm committed to growing things even more, with additional posts planned. My cynicism isn't with you, but with a majority that never lifts a finger beyond sharing discouraging opinions

Here's the deal: I didn't do this to argue with anyone about anything. I intentionally titled my appeal "Plea to All Friends of Mike Vanderboegh."

I didn't address it to anyone else. I don't care about them.

If you're not his friend, if you won't share the link and if you won't make a gratitude offering, your reasons why are neither important nor solicited here. That isn't what this is about. Go do something else and leave those of us who care about him to do our work in peace.

And if you are Mike's friend, act like one.

When the Team is Up Against it, When Things are Wrong and the Breaks are Beating the Boys

Tell them to go in there and compromise. [More]

Because nothing quite says "Go away, you're satisfied now" to a pack of hungry, blood-lusting hyenas like throwing them a scrap of flesh.

Plus, it's a lot easier than helping these guys bear the load, and fighting every advance each time one is attempted. The head of that group was on AAR last Sunday. I'll be talking more about the Nevada effort in detail soon.

I'm going to drop this for now with a statement of fact and an observation: In another life, and in a professional capacity, I have personally coordinated over half-a-dozen ballot initiatives in California to preserve fireworks sales. We won every one. It can be done.

What it needs, aside from money, is people with a vested interest getting involved and doing the needed things. This is where we get into "Profiles in Apathy." If the extent of a gun owner's individual  involvement is an occasional blog or forum comment, then compromise won't even be an issue. The antis will ram things through and keep on rolling.

200

Emboldened by a new Republican majority in Richmond, some 200 people rallied on Capitol Square Monday to push gun-friendly legislation, hours before a crowd occupied the same space to commemorate victims of gun violence. [More]

200? Hell, I found 1,250 firearms-related businesses alone in VA. Why the hell weren't there 200,000?

I remember we got about 200 gun owners to show up at a demonstration in LA--the weekend after 40,000 of them managed to drag themselves to the big area gun show back when it was still allowed at the LA County Fairgrounds.  Most didn't lift a finger to stop its expulsion from happening, either.

Pathetic, the number of do-nothing welfare parasites in "our" ranks. Yeah, let someone else do it.  Profiles in Apathy, that is, the gungrabbers' best friends, strike again.

On the plus side, it looks like the cud-chewers did a lot worse.And here's a wonderful illustration of how they operate:

“We think that the laws on the books in Virginia are reasonable,” [Lori Haas] said.

Followed immediately by:

Sen. A. Donald McEachin, Henrico Democrat, said at the afternoon vigil that he planned to introduce legislation calling for universal background checks for gun purchases.

Gee, they're so "reasonable," we must have more!

Not that the frickin' Republicans will do anything beyond the bare minimum needed to exploit gun owner desperation...

And they can get away with it because, as we observed, only 200 showed up.

[Via Drew R]

Escaping the Village: The Great Unifier

[This is the first in a planned series of follow-up observations to "Questions and Answers"]

On the surface, the claim that the gun issue is a unifier seems demonstrably absurd. After all, any "reputable" poll on gun ownership will show most Americans support some form of "gun control," with some demographics overwhelmingly backing increased restrictions and outright bans, and even "pro-gun" voters demanding enforcement of "existing gun laws."

Then you have the infighting between "gun rights activists"--with the self-styled "pragmatists" far outnumbering those they deride as "absolutists," at least if being effective at organizing is any indicator.

The unifier is we "gun rights activists" agree that peaceable individuals ought to have the choice to own guns, and acknowledge that they can play a key role in maintaining freedom. True, there are varying degrees of tolerance for infringements within our ranks, such as those endorsing CCW permitting schemes, but that still leaves us in agreement on the core issue of gun ownership being an individual right.

So you can be an anarcho-capitalist, a libertarian, a Christian conservative, and find common ground on guns.

We need to focus on that unifying commonality and how best to exploit it.

I don't think we'll find that focus through politics. Aside from way too many races being a "lesser of two evils" proposition, this is where our divisiveness really hurts our effectiveness. This candidate may be right on guns, but he's wrong on the border issue, or abortion, or drugs, and besides, voting's a (pick one) [right/duty/joke/exercise in majority tyranny] anyway. I will, however, look at how we can have a greater effect on the political process in a later post (Hint: it involves hijacking a race and extorting the candidate).

I believe we need to focus efforts on expanding the "market demand" for the right to own a gun, that is, on education and outreach. And our biggest obstacle to doing this is ourselves, as demonstrated by...

Next time: "Profiles in Apathy"

Live Enslaved and Die

You might want to ask yourself how this can happen in the supposed "Live Free or Die" State. [Read]

Easy.

Local Second Amendment Sisters activists are trying to drum up attendance:

CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, Room 204, Legislative Office Building behind the NH State House- 1:30 p.m. 

HB 135, relative to physical force in defense of a person and relative to the definition of non-deadly force.

Naturally, this is in full play.  I guess it's all an abstraction to most.  Still, it is kind of pathetic when a guy in Ohio has done more to get the word out with just this one blog post than the vast majority of NH gun owners. 

Not that I'm singling them out as the only "Profiles in Apathy."

The Shape of Things to Come

Lame Duck: House must pass immigration legislation now! [More]

Who thinks it will?

If it did, who thinks quislings in the Senate wouldn't derail it?

And if they didn't, who thinks some federal judge wouldn't "rule" it unconstitutonal?

Sorry to sound negative. Especially since I agree with the premise and the predictions.

"Profiles in apathy" produce predictable results. Those who didn't lift a finger for all the years this was developing before our eyes share their part in helping make  "We're not voting our way out of this" a self-fulfilling prohecy.

I do wonder how many Moldy Labias who have done nothing else but comment anonymously about how ready to engage they are will turn 'em in for three hots and a cot at the FEMA camp.

But what the hell do I know, being a "boomercuck"?

Like a Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone, which is on an anti-gun... uh... roll of late, takes on Larry Pratt and GOA, and while long on guilt by association and ad hominem, the author of this hit piece doesn't seem to realize that what he basically does is bolster everything that Pratt maintains about the proper role of guns and an armed citizenry. [More]

As usual, if "progressives' can't actually prove anything, they switch gears to imply you're a racist and a homophobe. And change the subject to bongs.  But flaws and deception noted, it's worth spending 10 - 15 minutes to read the entire piece -- there's some instructive history documented here, especially about NRA.

Even the most damning of charges, that Pratt lied about Manchin-Toomey being a part of a national gun registry, is deceptively couched.  Of course the bill "reiterated existing laws" -- but once those "laws" are changed -- and tell me with a straight face that isn't a goal...

I'll come up with a hundred damn proofs without breaking a sweat that registration is absolutely a goal, but the antis will take what they can get now to work toward it in increments.  Once you end private sales and create records of transactions, the data is there. It simply becomes a matter of compiling it.

Conspicuously absent is the one great warning embraced and promulgated by GOA, but avoided by other gun groups, and actually subverted by the largest: How illegal immigration leading to amnesty will result in an anti-gun Democrat majority, capable of enacting edicts, and upholding them via a Supreme Court where only one vote shift is needed.

I can't help but wonder if they intentionally avoided it because they don't want to call attention to accurate target acquisition. I don't believe for a minute that Alexander Zaitchik, who obviously did a ton of research, is unaware of GOA's singular leadership on this issue, meaning he didn't want to explore it. Why?

Why GOA continues to lag in membership reflects on "profiles in apathy" more than anything else.  I suppose if they came up with slicker packaging and a more savvy social media presence, that would help, but the reality is, if someone is capable of recognizing the truths they present, that shouldn't matter.

Should it?

Let George Do It

From GunLeaders.com, via email:

ATF has renewed their Rifle Registration scheme plans.
http://www.gunleaders.com/blog/2011/04/29/atf-again-seeking-comments-on-registering-certain-rifles/

In the previous period for comments mayors against illegal guns submitted roughly 10,000 comments in support. We barely generated 2000 ( Gunleaders.com FOIAd the responses, and while we didn't get a full counting, I am personally calling BS to the number of opposing comments listed in register -3752. I don't think we had that many ).

More importantly, we observed a very strange silence on the part of pro-gun groups.

That needs to change. Please do everything you can to get the word out to gun owners to oppose this scheme.

Only 2,000?

I don't understand what the hell the problem is.

But I find it increasingly difficult to give credence to the notion that gun owners who won't even lift a finger to send a simple correspondence--or throw a few bucks at someone they receive regular value from--or share a fricking link--ought to be taken seriously when they go on about making real "from my cold dead hands" sacrifices when TSHTF.

Better men than us pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor.  The Heirs of Liberty all too often make excuses for their inaction.

"Profiles in apathy."  It's a greater threat than anything the antis are throwing at us.

Persistence

[I]f you have two groups, one of which refuses to do what it must in order to persist through time, and another group which does, the latter will inherit the Earth.  In fact, the Earth will always be inherited by those groups who take the effort to persist. [More]

That's the reason I rail against "profiles in apathy."

We need to do more than believe. We need to do. Today. And tomorrow.

[Via Anonymous]

The Finest Election Money Can Buy

Opponents of a Maine ballot initiative that would require background checks for all firearms sales and transfers have raised less than 2 percent of the money that supporters of the Michael R. Bloomberg-backed gun safety measure have collected. [More]

 Gra$$root$ in action...

And based on results, grassroots in inaction, with the Profiles in Apathy crowd content to let the same handful of gun owners who care do all the work.

Hey, Molon Labe!

About Those Claims That "Gun Violence Disproportionately Harms Women"

John Lott shows they're BS and the antis are lying. [More]

I could link to my standard Gomer "Surprise, surprise, surprise!" fallback, but I think I'll link to this again instead.

Why isn't this man's work being supported?  Don't gun owners see the benefits this will give them personally? So what have they done to help (they can get in for as little as one measly buck) and to spread the word (they can do that in a matter of seconds)?

Besides offer lame excuses and demonstrate more Profiles in Apathy...?

[Via Michael G]