Firearms Bills attacked by Establishment in Tennessee House

[Omega]

Like I said in my first post here. If we can sit here and post and read things that make us upset, it only takes a few minutes to write a short but sweet email to your local guy or gal representing you and making your feelings know and make sure come next election you will remember how they voted on things that you wrote them about. I wish I was smart enough to put a petition together here and begin gathering signatures and when we have enough to turn some heads in the Wagon Circle send it to them and see if we can't open a hole in the circle of wagons. If we never try we will never know.............jmho

Exactly what I did to all on the list:

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/86679-tennessee-house-mailing-list/?p=1252391

 

To whom it may concern:  I have watched closely the bills that have been submitted concerning gun laws in TN and am a bit concerned.  Though I am originally from Denver, Co., I decided to make TN my home when I retired from the military in 04'.  There were many reasons but one of the most important ones was TN's support for my 2nd Amendment rights. 

 

I know there are many issues concerning TN that you as representatives of the voting public must concern yourselves with and some of these bills may not seem to be as important to you.  All I ask is that you, as our representative, listen to your constituency and voice your opinion about these bills and not use any backdoor way to keep from bringing these up to the floor for a vote.  If you do not agree with the bill, so be it, vote that way and defend your position with your constituents.

 

I am a member of many gun related organizations and have steadily been seeing more and more of our members posting in disgust at the way some of these bills have been shelved due to lack of support from supposed 2nd amendment supporters amongst you.  I have also heard mention of possibly illegal pre-meetings discussing pending legislation; do we not have enough shenanigans coming out of Washington that we need to do this here?  If you support the 2nd Amendment then let your voting record reflect that, if you have issues with how the legislation is written, then vote against it or work to correct it. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Jose L. Ornelas

Clarksville, TN

[Randall53]

That's a good letter Omega. Good job!

[dawgdoc]

Or that in most states, it is legal to carry in local parks with a license.  Of course we would add that there are very few problems with licensees carrying in those locations.

 

Tell them to look south if they are worried and appeal to their state pride.  If Georgia can do it without any problems, why can't Tennessee?

 

I'm beginning to think that trying to use facts and logic is a losing game.  Whenever someone mentions that guns shouldn't be allowed in parks, I tell them about my 90-pound wife who is frequently accompanied by my 9-year old son. The vast majority of people (teenager and older) could overpower her by force, and the only realistic method of defense is a gun and the will to use it.  The only logical argument one could construe is that they think the chance of her going crazy and killing someone outweighs the potential for self defense.  Yet they act like that is a non-issue; they just ignore it.  It's like they think that if sacrificing my wife's safety keeps the supposed knuckle-dragging rednecks and criminals from carrying in their parks, then it is worth it to them.

 

They always say, "think about the children!" until someone wants to actually protect their children effectively.

Edited March 19, 2015 by dawgdoc

[Chucktshoes]

[Omega]

Well, at least they are responding:
http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2015/03/18/harwell-asks-committee-leaders-to-open-secret-pre-meetings/24971507/

Looks like enough people brought up the subject to make them react. Will this change anything? Maybe not but we need to keep at it.

[JayC]

Sounds like we need a TGO 'reporter' to go down to every meeting that has a firearms bill in front of it, and record the entire meeting ;)

[Worriedman]

Sounds like we need a TGO 'reporter' to go down to every meeting that has a firearms bill in front of it, and record the entire meeting ;)

This is exactly what needs to happen.  Only when you put some "Sunshine" on them do they respond.

[Worriedman]

I am going to call and ask when Chairman Coley plans to have this week's pre-meeting for Civil Justice sub, I will report back.

Edited March 23, 2015 by Worriedman

[Worriedman]

Very interesting conversation with the staff person for Chairman Coley.  She said they were in the Speaker's conference room having their "regularly scheduled" pre-meeting of the session related to House Civil Justice sub, as this week is the last calendar for that auspicious group.

Seems the Speaker is aware, and is party to the meeting I would think beings it is in her conference room...

Edited March 23, 2015 by Worriedman

[Moped]

Seems the Speaker is aware, and is party to the meeting I would think beings it is in her conference room...

 

She must be related to Pelosi.  Do as I say, not as I do.

[GKar]

Had an interesting conversation with someone in Lundberg's office today, centering around the lack of integrity displayed in his recent actions on the CJ Sub.  Then, an even more interesting conversation with a Harwell staffer...who seemed to have a hard time even spelling integrity.  Both promised that their boss would be calling me today...I'm still waiting...

[Worriedman]

...I'm still waiting...

About all that will do is turn you blue If you are holding your breath.

[btq96r]

We need folks that are well spoken to help gun rights.  Well spoken logic goes a lot further than hype and emotion.

 

Concur.

 

My opinion is that it is better to have concentrated efforts around 2 or 3 solid bills than waste time on 20 or 30 that have no chance of going anywhere.  Solid bills with good NRA backing and other lobbying efforts would be fixing the park issue, school property issue, and sign problems.

 

I was thinking this is the way to go, too.  But I'd consolidate 2-3 bills into one small size omnibus style package if that is allowed in the TN legislature.  When I get those emails from TFA about pending legislation, and read about it here, it seems like too much clutter for one session, and it's easy to pick apart smaller pieces.

 

Pick 2-3 issues, that have a simple, really simple message, preferably something that is already implemented in a few states so we can show the world isn't falling there, and push those changes in only one bill.  It's far too late for 2015, which is probably for the better.  Do this next year, an election year, and promise that a no vote on a slimmed down prioritized gun agenda will be held against them in primaries and general elections.  Don't let them say well, I voted for "insert name of random bill," as they ignore the others.  Make the conversation about their support or lack of support for the only pro-gun legislation in the year before they voted.

 

Get Sen. Beavers, Rep. Van Huss, and the other real supporters of 2A rights on board to make sure it's all handled that way, then dare the usual suspects to vote against the one and only bill that would expand gun rights in TN the year their names are on a ballot.

[GKar]

About all that will do is turn you blue If you are holding your breath.

 

True dat.  When each staffer told me that, I just laughed. 

[GKar]

Concur.

 

 

I was thinking this is the way to go, too.  But I'd consolidate 2-3 bills into one small size omnibus style package if that is allowed in the TN legislature.  When I get those emails from TFA about pending legislation, and read about it here, it seems like too much clutter for one session, and it's easy to pick apart smaller pieces.

 

Pick 2-3 issues, that have a simple, really simple message, preferably something that is already implemented in a few states so we can show the world isn't falling there, and push those changes in only one bill.  It's far too late for 2015, which is probably for the better.  Do this next year, an election year, and promise that a no vote on a slimmed down prioritized gun agenda will be held against them in primaries and general elections.  Don't let them say well, I voted for "insert name of random bill," as they ignore the others.  Make the conversation about their support or lack of support for the only pro-gun legislation in the year before they voted.

 

Get Sen. Beavers, Rep. Van Huss, and the other real supporters of 2A rights on board to make sure it's all handled that way, then dare the usual suspects to vote against the one and only bill that would expand gun rights in TN the year their names are on a ballot.

 

Have at it. 

[Worriedman]

If you will notice, the "Constitutional Carry" bill IS that Omnibus bill.  Daring this legislature to vote against a bill that truly expands firearms rights when most who would support such issues sit on their hands and do nothing does not scare these folks one small little bit.

They bold faced stole the "Right" to vote for Supreme and Appellate Court Justices with the electorate's eyes wide open.  the have billions of dollars, and Fred Thompson and TV and Radio.

It will in fact take a Herculean effort, ala the fight against the Income Tax to ever make a change, and that was 20,000 people at the LP, and a credible threat to legislative seats.  We did not even get Steve (Naifeh Eight) McDaniel, he is Beth Harwell's right hand man.

We are going to have to get a lot more folks engaged, walking the halls and making their legislators fear reprisal via primary opponents.

I know how my elected reps are going to vote if they ever get a chance, and I see they are cosponsoring the right bills, if everybody could say the same we could get something done.

As it is, Don Quixote is on the way to pick up Sancho Panza for another round of tilting at the windmill that is Bill, Beth and Ron, who will form up with me?

Edited March 24, 2015 by Worriedman

[TennFire]

Sounds like we need a TGO 'reporter' to go down to every meeting that has a firearms bill in front of it, and record the entire meeting ;)

 

JayC, that is part of the reason that Tennessee Spotlight was founded (actually by some individuals who are not primarily even 2nd Amendment oriented) but sadly very few people pitched in financially with individual subscriptions to help hire and put the people (many are volunteers and only needed reimbursement for expenses like parking) in the legislature to watch.  Too few grassroots groups have the staff or volunteers to work against a governor who has over 40 taxpayer funded "liasons" pressuring legislators for what he and his administration want done or stopped.
 

TFA helped fund the project with Tennessee Spotlight by being a corporate subscriber.