USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has issued an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency and banning all firearms and other weapons from the public areas around the Virginia Capitol Building in Richmond, as well as several nearby parking areas.

In the order, the governor recalls the violence that erupted in Charlottesville, Virginia 3 years ago, involving clashes between activists protesting the planned removal of a Confederate monument, and violent leftist, counter-protesters.

The governor claims in the order, that “credible intelligence” indicates that “tens of thousands of advocates plan to converge on Capitol Square,” for events culminating on January 20 (a scheduled rights rally and Lobby Day, organized by the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL), which has been held annually, without incident, for almost 2 decades) and that “Available information suggests that a substantial number of these demonstrators are expected to come from outside the Commonwealth, may be armed, and have as their purpose not peaceful assembly but violence, rioting, and insurrection.”

What “available information” Governor? A few Instagram memes from the outskirts of the fringe? Is that what it takes to deny the rights of “tens of thousands,” a suggestion that some people might do something bad?

In Charlottesville, there were two general groups that were both known for engaging in violence, and both had placed the potential for violence between them, squarely out on the public table.

Then Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe’s response to this situation was either incredibly incompetent or maliciously effective. He pulled police back from the conflict zone, then literally pushed the two factions together. Even with that, the resulting violence was isolated and in most cases, relatively minor, until one deranged young man with “white power” ties, accelerated his car into a group of the counter-protesters.

The Upcoming Pro-Rights Lobby Day is totally different.

There is no conflict between warring factions. In this case, the conflict is primarily between supporters of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and the Democrat politician majority in the State Legislature. Neither group, nor the Democrats’ anti-gun supporters, have any sort of history of violence. While there have, no doubt, been some imprudent comments and over-hyped memes thrown out on the interwebs, that sort of chest-thumping is common, and no reflection of events in the real world.

Virginia Citizens Defense Lobby Day

VCDL’s Lobby Day has been an annual event on Martin Luther King Day since 2002. For most, if not all of that time, citizens were able to, not only be legally armed at the rally on the Capitol grounds but to maintain their personal protection sidearms while visiting their elected servants. In all of that nearly 2 decades of rallying and citizen lobbying, there has never been a serious issue involving guns or any sort of violence.

Participation in Lobby Day this year is expected to be much greater than in years past because Democrats in the legislature have introduced and vowed to pass, several draconian gun control measures that many people are very upset about. But they are gathering in Richmond to express their concerns in accordance with the traditions of our republic, not to assault or intimidate anyone with violence. Yes, many will probably be armed. That’s very normal for gun rights advocates. Yes, some militia groups – typically with a mission statement of protecting and defending the U.S. Constitution – are expected to participate.

And yes, even some Antifa and other “left-wing” groups are planning to be there – standing shoulder-to-shoulder with “right-wing” groups, in support of individual rights and opposition to government infringement of those rights.

When faced with violent groups clashing in Charlottesville, Governor McAuliffe pulled police back from the conflict zone and pushed the antagonists together.

Now, when faced with a broad coalition of activists following the rules and gathering to petition their government for a redress of grievances, Governor Northam is pulling out all of the stops, bringing in hundreds of law enforcement personnel, and violating rights by executive fiat.

Just as Governor McAuliffe’s actions can readily be interpreted as facilitating violence that could then be used for political purposes, Governor Northam’s actions appear to be intended to inflame an already heated situation, again for political purposes.

Governor Northam’s actions are patently illegal. Gun Owners of America has joined with the VCDL in filing a lawsuit calling for an immediate injunction against the governor’s unlawful edict, and I think there is potential for criminal charges to be brought against the governor in this case.

The United States was founded on principles of trust and cooperation among disparate individuals. Gun control laws and actions like Northam’s illegal Executive Order are based on fear and mistrust. They are always about what someone fears that someone else might do. Oppressing the rights and liberties of the majority, for fear of what might be done by some small minority, is the definition of tyranny.

If you can make it to Richmond on Monday morning, do it. We don’t need a show of arms to make our point, but we do need a strong show of people. As I said in my previous piece on this subject, the way to win this fight is to overwhelm the opposition with kindness.

Be polite. Be courteous. And most importantly, Be There!

 

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- The “rabble” has officially been roused in the commonwealth of Virginia, and there is serious potential for things to get ugly.

We strongly urge defenders of gun rights to be calm and careful as they stand firm for their rights. The hyperbole has gotten heated and has been fed by extremists from both sides, making exaggerated claims, threats, and pronouncements.

This whole mess could easily get out of hand in short order, but the situation isn’t nearly as precarious as the hype is trying to paint it.

The Virginia Citizens Defense League has been very effective in spreading the idea of Second Amendment Sanctuary zones, mostly in counties, and also in some municipalities.

The movement is primarily symbolic, a loud message to legislators in Richmond that the people are not happy with the direction they are threatening to take the state. Unfortunately, the Democrat leadership has been responding with threats and name-calling. Rather than seriously listening to the concerns of their citizens, and that has resulted in an escalating hyperbole war.

On the first day of the legislative session, Democrats in leadership used their slim majority to ram through a new rule forbidding firearms in the Capitol and adjacent administrative buildings, and they have been exploring ways to restrict legal firearms from the Capitol grounds. They claimed that the move was made at the request of the police who guard the Capitol, but the head of that agency denied this, stating unequivocally that neither he nor his agency had made any such request or suggestion. The latest rumor is that anti-rights Democrat Governor Northam might declare an Emergency to ban guns from the Capitol grounds. It’s just a rumor, but it would be a huge mistake.

The Democrats’ moves are in response to the publicity surrounding this year’s annual VCDL Lobby Day Rally, planned for this coming Monday, January 20, 2020. That is when thousands of gun rights advocates are expected to rally on the Capitol grounds and visit legislators’ offices to insist that the U.S. and State constitutions be respected and obeyed.

For years, there has been no rule requiring duly licensed citizens to disarm before entering the Capitol Building, and as an “open carry” state, Virginia citizens have always been able to carry on the Capitol grounds lawfully. To my knowledge, there has never been any sort of serious problem as a result of this respectful policy. When I attended Lobby Day in 2008, I spoke with several law enforcement officers who were working the event. All expressed their appreciation for the rights activists’ friendly and courteous demeanor, and told me that they had no concerns about our people causing any problems. Several of the officers I spoke with had worked the rally numerous times in the past, and they said that gun rights proponents were among their favorite groups.

As with all gun control efforts, the issue with disarming people at the Capitol isn’t about what actually happens, but rather about what could happen – what someone might do. In other words, irrational fear and mistrust.

I was a guest speaker at the VCDL Lobby Day in 2008, less than a year after the tragic attack at Virginia Tech. As a Virginia Citizen with a concealed carry license, I was able to lawfully carry as I visited my elected servants and spoke with the crowds outside. Everything was very peaceful and comfortable, even though the Brady Bunch was there holding a “counter-rally” and staged a “die-in” on the Capitol lawn. I even had a brief and polite discussion on-camera, with a young man who had been a victim of the Virginia Tech shooting. He related how he had crouched behind a chair, dialing 911 on his cellphone as they heard the attacker moving down the hall to their room. He insisted that he puts his trust in the police (who were, no doubt, on their way to help, while he and his classmates were being shot) and didn’t believe that having a gun would have helped. I responded that having carried a gun on my hip through most of my time in college (even though it was against school policy), I was sure that, rather than anxiously dialing a phone, I would have been crouched behind that chair with my pistol at the ready, and I’m confident that I would have ended the attack the moment the murderer stepped into the doorway. He suggested that he didn’t want to “live in fear” like that, and stuck with his position on mandatory helplessness, but we shook hands and I wished him well. He went on to be a spokesperson for the Brady Campaign for several years.

I expect the rally on the 20th to be just as safe and peaceful as the rally in 2008 and all of the gun rights rallies before and since have been. But I also expect many politicians and their media allies to try to paint the rights activists who attend, in the worst possible light. They will be looking for pictures and videos of people on our side behaving badly, displaying racist or neo-nazi emblems, or those few who will insist on turning out in full camo or battle-rattle, with their “scary-looking rifles” on their shoulders.

I encourage everyone who can, to please attend, but please don’t feed the opposition’s propaganda machine. There will be no large group of Antifa clowns there trying to cause trouble.

The opposition protesters from the Brady Bunch, Everytown for Gun Prohibition, and Mad Mommies Demanding Bubble-Wrap will be obnoxious, but not dangerous. So there’s no need to arm-up for safety, and we’re not there to intimidate anyone. The objective is to let politicians know that they will pay a severe price in the next election if they keep running after Mike Bloomberg’s money, and that’s all. Speculation about a second Civil War is not productive, nor are Confederate battle flags, or anything else that the media can use to paint our group as racist or violent.

We are the good guys. The prohibitionists have already started backing away from the worst of their proposals, but they’ll use any negative imagery from the rally to revive those proposals, so don’t give it to them, and don’t let anyone think that their minor concessions are a victory for us. We demand that they back away from all of their nonsense, not just the worst of it and that demand won’t succeed if we scare the soccer moms. So best foot forward on the road to victory.

USA – -(AmmoLand.com)- In an amazing twist that was somehow completely overlooked by most of the nation’s media, Dan Gross, who served for 6 years as president of the gun control advocacy group, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, joined thousands of Second Amendment supporters at a rally on the West Lawn of the nation’s capital in Washington DC.

Not only did Gross express support for Second Amendment rights and respect for gun owners, but he also criticized gun control groups for intentionally and dogmatically demonizing guns and gun owners, while focusing on restricting guns instead of saving lives.

In the past, there have occasionally been lobbyists and politicians who abandoned pro-rights groups or positions to express support for some form of gun control, and those defectors typically received significant media attention for their actions.

But here we have the president of one of the oldest and most prominent gun control organizations in the country, publicly rebuking his former employers and reversing his own longstanding position, with no more than a yawn from the dominant media.

Gross’ remarks are available on multiple YouTube channels and were covered in the “conservative” and “gun press,” including here on AmmoLand News, so it’s not hard for anyone interested to see exactly what he said.

As a member of the 2nd Amendment Rally Organizing Committee, I interviewed Gross before we agreed to invite him to the rally. I found him to be sincere in his commitment to the right to arms, if not quite as devoted to the full extent of the protections the amendment provides. At least he’s open to discussion and learning.

There’s a possibility that Gross came out in support of the Second Amendment as a publicity stunt, looking for exposure and support for his new effort that focuses more on the responsibilities involved in gun ownership than on additional government regulations, and I’m okay with that. Gun ownership carries significant responsibilities, and as long as those pushing the message of responsible firearm ownership aren’t advocating for government intervention into the lives of gun owners, I welcome them to the discussion. I might not agree with everything that Gross decides to promote, just as I don’t always agree with the actions and positions of established gun rights groups, but “iron sharpens iron.” Discussions, even arguments, over philosophy and the best approach to the right to arms are a useful and productive process, unlike shouting and foot-stomping.

The 2nd Amendment Rally was, overall, a huge success.

We gathered over 2000 rights advocates on the Capitol lawn on very short notice, and without funding or active support from any of the major advocacy organizations. We brought together some 30 speakers representing a wide array of perspectives and approaches, all fiercely advocating against the creeping encroachment of government regulation on our fundamental right to arms. We were respectful, cheerful, and more diverse in terms of race, outlook, and lifestyle than the dominant media would ever admit.

We used technology to send our message far beyond the couple of thousand in direct attendance to thousands more virtual participants watching the live stream, and still, more who have and continue to watch the archive footage online, making this one of the most widely seen Second Amendment events ever held.

The core theme of the rally was the message that “You Are the Gun Lobby.” It is and must remain the core message of the pro-rights movement. You can’t rely on some group – any group – to protect your rights, and just sending a few dollars now and then does not get the job done. You must take direct action in the form of calls and letters to elected officials, and involvement in getting the right people elected. It’s also critical that you engage with friends and family, with clear facts and by demonstrating a strong example of responsible gun ownership.

Efforts to spread the truth about gun owners and gun ownership into non-traditional communities – women, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, LGBTQ folks, and people of every political and religious persuasion – depend on you. We need everyone to know that the Second Amendment protects THEIR rights, just as it protects our rights. The Second Amendment is for everyone, and we need everyone we come in contact with to feel welcome and appreciated as a fellow rights supporter. The right to arms must transcend our differences and bind us together under a single banner and common cause.

Don’t let other differences and disagreements get in the way of what really matters. The right to arms is universal. Christians and Jews and Muslims and Sikhs and Hindus and Buddhists and atheists and everyone else, have the right to defend themselves and their families from criminals and from oppressors. We don’t have to agree on the path to Heaven or road to enlightenment, but we can all agree that life is precious and worth defending.

Democrats and Republicans and Socialists and Libertarians and Independents and members of every other political party or philosophy, can agree on the right to arms while disagreeing on virtually everything else, and that agreement is the common ground on which personal relationships and mutual respect can be built.

Sure, it’s hard to understand how someone could be a supporter of the Second Amendment and also be a supporter of Beto O’Rourke, but they undoubtedly exist. The trick is to focus on the former rather than the latter. Embrace the agreement rather than focusing on the difference, and you might have a chance of changing their mind about their choice in presidential candidates. If instead, you focus on the difference, you not only have virtually no chance of influencing that choice, you run a very high probability of pushing that person away from support for rights, by making them feel unwelcome. That’s not how we win in the long run. For more insights into this sort of thing, check out the new podcast from my “liberal” friend Sarah Cade and Jon Hauptman. I think this is going to be a very useful series.

The Second Amendment belongs to everyone, and we must let everyone know that because we need everyone supporting it if we ever hope to secure our rights.

It wasn’t that long ago that some of the most dedicated defenders of the Second Amendment in Congress were Democrats, and gun rights legislation could pass with bipartisan support. That’s not the case today, but could be true again at some point in the future, but not if we push away Democrat gun owners.

That’s why I welcome Dan Gross into our fraternity. He can’t hurt us, and he could potentially help us immensely. He can help us to understand our opponents better, and that’s always useful. The most important thing though, is that we can only win this fight by increasing our numbers. Rejecting and offending people who could be our allies is just foolish and self-defeating.

You Are the Gun Lobby. Your activism, your example, and your influence are what will make the difference between winning this fight, or sliding down the slippery slope of never-ending, incremental gun control.

The 2nd Amendment Rally Organizing Committee has disbanded, and all of our records are being deleted, as we promised they would be, but a new committee is already forming to hold another rally next year. Start planning now to be part of its success, but more importantly, start acting now to own the title of “the Gun Lobby,” and lead the way into a brighter future.