NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS ALERT

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NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS ALERT

Vol. 17, No. 35 09/03/10

State Department Squirms

On Garand And Carbine Imports

Click here to vote in this week's poll.

A lot of things have changed in the federal government since President Harry S. Truman put his famous "the buck stops here" sign on his desk. This week, Fox News reported that it couldn't get a straight answer from the State Department about its decision in March to disapprove the importation of more than 800,000 M1 Garand rifles and M1 carbines from South Korea.

According to Fox, the State Department claimed that the rifles might be used "for illicit purposes." But when asked to explain, State passed the buck to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which passed it to the Department of Justice, which passed it back to State.

The anti-gun Brady Campaign didn't hesitate to give Fox an answer, however. "Guns that can take high-capacity magazines are a threat to public safety," the group's Dennis Henigan told reporter Maxim Lott.

NRA Freedom Action Foundation Launches 2010 Trigger The Vote Effort -- Honorary Chairman Chuck Norris Stars In New Ad Campaign: This week, NRA's Freedom Action Foundation (NRA-FAF) launched the 2010 "Trigger the Vote" campaign, featuring its Honorary Chairman Chuck Norris in a new series of advertisements. "Tough Like Chuck," the first in the new series of ads, can be viewed here: Landing | Trigger The Vote | Register Today!

EPA Rejects Lead Ammo Ban Petition, But Anglers Aren't Off the Hook: The Environmental Protection Agency issued a press release August 27th announcing that it had rejected a petition filed by radical environmental groups to have lead ammunition banned under the Toxic Substances Control Act. The Center for Biological Diversity and others attempted to make a case that language in the Act exempting shells and cartridges did not prevent the agency from regulating lead or other components of ammunition. EPA rejected that interpretation, but left open the second part of the petition that demands a ban on lead fishing tackle. There is no exemption in the Act protecting lead fishing tackle.

CFRs To Host Kick-Off Meetings: To ensure that our members and supporters are registered to vote, are active in the campaigns of pro-gun candidates, and prepared to vote in droves before or on Election Day, NRA-ILA's Grassroots Division has hired Campaign Field Representatives (CFRs) that have been dispatched to key states across the country.

Our CFRs will be living in their respectively assigned districts, working daily with NRA members and supporters of the Second Amendment to make sure their communities are fully engaged in this year's critically-important elections. From registering pro-gun voters, to walking neighborhoods, to making phone calls, to distributing literature, stickers, and signs, to writing letters to the editor in support of our candidates, to visiting gun shows, shops, clubs, and ranges, to finally, turning out the pro-gun vote on Election Day, our CFRs will be working day and night in support of our Right to Keep and Bear Arms!

"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).

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 NRA-ILA ::, and check each week's issue of the Grassroots Alert.)

CALIFORNIA: Victory for Gun Owners in California! On Tuesday, August 31, lawmakers in the Golden State heard loud and clear the voices of pro-gun advocates when they defeated three dangerous pieces of anti-gun legislation.

Assembly Bill 1810 would have established a registration system, similar to the one currently in place for handguns, for all newly-acquired long guns. Under AB1810, the make, model and serial number of the firearm as well as the identifying information of the purchaser would have been recorded and kept on file by the California Attorney General's office. This bill would not have decreased crime but would have rather had disastrous effects on the already financially unstable Golden State.

The second bill, Assembly Bill 1934 was a blatant attack on the self-defense rights of law-abiding Californians. This legislation sought to outlaw the open carrying of a handgun for self-defense. AB1934 was a knee-jerk reaction by anti-gun legislators to punish citizens for engaging in the legal act of openly carrying an unloaded handgun.

And finally, Assembly Bill 2358 was intended to "clean-up" and address problems encountered with the passage of AB962 in 2009. AB2358 would have forced licensed state ammunition retailers to obtain a special local license to operate in municipalities. These retailers would also have been required to notify local law enforcement before conducting business within their jurisdiction. Moreover, this bill mandated that ammunition retailers submit sales records to local law enforcement agencies and allowed them to maintain those records indefinitely. It did not require the same privacy and destruction requirements mandated for state ammunition vendors.

Thank you to all of the NRA members who answered the call to oppose these bills. Without you, success in these battles would not have been possible. While this is certainly a momentous occasion for California's gun owners, anti-gun forces are sure to continue their offensive against our rights. Please be sure to check your email and NRA-ILA :: for updates on Second Amendment issues in California.

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 guarantees an 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.

MICHIGAN: "Eddie Eagle" Legislation Moves to the House Floor On Tuesday, August 24, the Michigan House Committee on Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources passed Senate Bill 1402 by a 9 to 0 vote. This legislation now moves to the House floor for consideration. Authored by State Senator John Gleason (D-27), SB1402 would make gun safety programs available to school districts for inclusion in curriculums in Michigan. The purpose of NRA's Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program isn't to teach whether guns are good or bad, but rather to promote the protection and safety of children if they come across a firearm in an unsupervised situation. Please continue to check NRA-ILA :: for more information as this bill moves through the State House.

NEW YORK: Sportsmen's Association for Firearms Education Inc. (S.A.F.E.) 2010 Firearm Civil Rights Conference. Please join the Sportsmen's Association for Firearms Education Inc. (S.A.F.E.) for its 2010 Firearm Civil Rights Conference. Special guests include Wayne LaPierre, NRA Executive Vice President; Ron Schmeits, NRA President; Chris Cox, Executive Director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action; Ginny Simone, NRA News co-host; and John L. Cushman, S.A.F.E. President and Founder, and NRA Board Member. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about Second Amendment issues, both nationally and locally, as well as meet and network with fellow sportsmen and women concerned about their civil rights and how to protect them. Attendees can win valuable prizes in exclusive drawings. Admission and parking are free, and the event is open to your family and friends. The conference will be held Sunday, October 3, 2010, from 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. (doors open at 12:00 noon) at the International Brotherhood Of Electrical Workers Hall, 370 Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, Hauppauge, NY 11788 (On North side of Motor Parkway between exits 53 & 55 of LIE).

S.A.F.E. and Women on Target (WOT) are sponsoring a Women's Only Clinic on Rifle Shooting on Long Island, on Saturday, October 2, 2010, from 8:45 a.m. to 12:00 noon or 12:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The event will be held at the Nassau County Indoor Rifle & Pistol Range, located in Mitchell Park, across from the Cradle of Aviation Museum on Earl Ovington Blvd, Uniondale, NY (you can call 516-572-0421 for directions). If you have never shot a firearm before, this is a great opportunity to learn. Experienced instructors will be on hand. This clinic is free and open to all women, regardless of experience. You will learn safe gun handling skills, proper firearm storage techniques, and fundamentals of marksmanship. Admission is FREE. The program includes free coffee and Danish, a firearms safety class, all ammunition and targets, the use of .22 caliber rifles, all safety equipment and certified NRA Instructors. Pre-registration is required by September 26th, 2010 because space is limited. For more information, please call (631) 475-8125.