Town Hall With Doug Hamlin

This Thursday, June 26th, NRA EVP Doug Hamlin will be holding an online town hall at 8pm EDT.

Use this link to register for the town hall: nraorg.webex.com/weblink/register/r312f0632a0597fdd15f19ab91332807c

I can tell you from personal experience that Doug listens to both the members and the Board of Director. Contrast that with Wayne LaPierre who only listened to his personal clique and treated the rest of the Board like vassals seeking the king’s blessings.

This is your chance to ask questions. Use it.

“Allegedly Plotting to Overturn” Stein’s Veto Of Permitless Carry

The hyperbole used by the anti-rights forces is always amusing even if it is downright disingenuous.

My case in point. I received a press release about an hour ago from an Olivia Eguia representing a trio of Bloomberg organizations. They included Everytown, the Demanding Moms, and the Demanding Students (or is it petulant Gen Z’ers).

Included in the press release is a quote from a Mary Lahr Cain who reportedly is a volunteer with the Demanding Moms. Ms. Cain, if her LinkedIn profile is to be believed, was the editor of a defunct weekly newspaper out of Fuquay-Varina called the Cleveland Post.

“After Governor Stein stood up for public safety and the will of North Carolinians, extremist Republican lawmakers are allegedly working behind closed doors to override his veto last week and make this dangerous bill law before their constituents even know what’s happening,” said Mary Lahr Cain, a volunteer with North Carolina Moms Demand Action. “I’m outraged that our legislators would do this in secret instead of listening to the people they were elected to represent. Our families deserve transparency and laws that keep us safe — not political games and backroom deals that put lives at risk.”

OMG! Those evil Republicans are working behind closed doors to carry out their constitutional duties under Section 22 of the North Carolina Constitution. I would go on to note that the committee hearings on SB 50 – Freedom to Carry NC – were open to the public in both houses of the General Assembly. Moreover, the votes on the bill were done in public and a roll call vote was held.

What the anti-rights forces are calling “the will of North Carolinians” is nothing more than a poll, which with the right wording, can be made to favor any position you want.

In his veto message, Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC) said, “authorizing teenagers to carry a concealed weapon with no training whatsoever is dangerous.” I am all for training regardless of whether a permit is required or not and for people of all ages However, teenagers age 18 and older can currently carry a weapon with no training whatsoever. They just are required to do it openly and that is their constitutional right per State v. Kerner (1921) Those with criminal intent already ignore the law and will carry in whatever manner they choose. Seriously, what is a misdemeanor penalty of 30 days for a first offender when compared to 17 years for armed robbery?

Lest anyone forget, a majority of the states in the US currently allow permitless concealed carry. The addition of North Carolina would bring the total number to 30 with five out of the 10 largest states allowing it.

Cherry-picking statistics to bolster your argument is not a convincing way to win. Looking at what has not happened in the states that have adopted permitless concealed carry is more instructive. That is, blood has not run in the streets.

To conclude, sure there are politics involved with any bill. It was political that the General Assembly passed SB 50, it was political that Gov. Josh Stein vetoed the bill to appease his constituency, and it will be political how and when the Republican leaders choose to hold an override vote.

Suppressor Steve

The Senate Finance Committee amendments are the best as they remove suppressors, short barreled rifles, short barreled shotguns, and any other weapons from the NFA. In addition, there is language that will satisfy state requirements requiring registration or licensing under the NFA.

 Call the U.S. Senate switchboard operator at (202) 224-3121 to connect with your state’s U.S. Senators – tell them once again to pass the Finance Committee’s firearm and related tax reforms in full.

As I have said from the beginning, you don’t get what you don’t ask for – or in this case, demand. While it may be more that we expect to get, we still should get something if only the suppressor portion.

PS: Regular blogging will resume. The Complementary Spouse and I just spent 9 days in Alaska seeing the sights and visiting my cousin Ginny.

Rhino Conservation

Rhino Rescue: Battling Extinction in South Africa is a documentary that details the efforts to protect one of Africa’s most endangered species. The documentary is funded in part by the Dallas Safari Club along with others in the outdoor industry including Leupold scopes and Federal ammunition.

Set against the vast and untamed landscapes of Rockwood Conservation, a 33,000-acre sanctuary dedicated to preserving the future of white rhinos, the film immerses audiences in the harrowing realities of conservation. With approximately 400 white rhinos residing within its borders, Rockwood represents a glimmer of hope for a species on the brink of extinction. However, the growing threat of poaching continues to push these majestic animals closer to the edge, making this conservation mission an urgent and formidable challenge.

From the outset, Rhino Rescue goes beyond traditional wildlife documentaries by presenting the personal stories of individual rhinos, showcasing their unique personalities, social behaviors, and deep familial bonds. The film underscores the fact that each lost rhino is not just a statistic—it’s a life filled with connections and experiences.

The documentary also shines a light on the dedicated veterinarians, caretakers, and conservationists working tirelessly to protect, heal, and rehabilitate rhinos injured by poachers. Through raw and emotional storytelling, viewers witness the deep emotional toll of conservation work, as well as the extraordinary dedication required to give these animals a fighting chance. One particularly moving sequence follows a young rhino calf that, after losing its mother to poachers, struggles to adapt to life in the sanctuary. The conservation team’s unwavering efforts to nurture and rehabilitate the calf provide a heart-wrenching yet inspiring portrait of resilience.

The trailer for the documentary is below:

The documentary is available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime. You can find it here. (#commission earned) It is also available on Make Ready TV and Apple TV. It appears that there is no cost to view it on Make Ready TV thanks to ads.

The documentary was directed and produced by Fernando Coehlo. Interestingly enough, I met Fernando and his wife Bri at the Atlanta airport as we both were coming back from South Africa last year. We had a nice chat while waiting to go through US Customs. Given they were traveling with film gear I am wondering if they hadn’t just filmed this documentary. I know they had done some hunting while in South Africa.

NRA Gun Of The Week – The Roscoe

I have to admit I am tempted especially at the Heritage Manufacturing’s price point for the Roscoe. MSRP is $364-378. Street price is as low as $279 if you search places like Classic Firearms or a little bit more if using Gallery of Guns which includes shipping and tax..

While the Roscoe is available in both a 2″ model and a 3″ model, it is the 3″ model that catches my eye. You have a slightly longer sight radius along with just a bit more weight at the muzzle to control muzzle flip.

American Rifleman has filmed a short video describing the Roscoe and you can see how the 2″ model handles.

You can read more of the editors take on the Roscoe here. The Heritage Manufacturing’s page on the Roscoe is here.

Ames V. Ohio Dept of Youth Services – Another Take

Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services was a recent Supreme Court decision regarding reverse discrimination. It was found in favor of Ames on an unanimous vote with the opinion written by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The basis of the case was that Marlean Ames, a white, heterosexual woman, was denied a promotion in a favor of a lesbian. She was later demoted as a program administrator and replaced by a gay man. She filed suit under Title VII alleging discrimination. She lost in district court and the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that decision. However, the 6th Circuit had adopted a rule that when a person of a majority group alleged discrimination they had a higher burden.

It is on this second step that Todd Vandermyde examines in his Freedom’s Steel podcast. Todd believes that the SCOTUS striking down lower court’s made up or secondary rules may be helpful in gun rights cases. I’ll let him explain it in the video below. I think he may be on to something especially when it comes to AWBs and mag bans.

Oh, Well! I’m Sure It Was Nice While It Lasted

Poor little David. Here he was a Harvard grad who got elected vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee and now they have yanked the rug out from under him.

What a shame.

Oh, well.

I guess after running March for our Lives under water and then demanding $20 million of DNC monies to primary established Democrats was just a bridge too far. Given it is the DNC, his pasty complexion didn’t help either.

The moral of the story is to be more discreet about your grifting. Lack of discretion caught up with Wayne and now it is catching up with “Camera” Hogg.

UPDATE: Poor David. He can’t get any respect from meme-world.

SB 50 – Freedom To Carry NC – Passes House

The permitless concealed carry bill, SB 50 – Freedom to Carry NC, has passed the North Carolina House of Representatives and now will be sent to Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC) for his consideration. Odds are that Stein will veto the bill.

The vote was 59 aye and 48 nay on the 2nd Reading and it passed the 3rd Reading on a voice vote. Every Democrat and two Republicans voted against the bill. Rep. Ted Davis (R-New Hanover) and Rep. William Brisson (R-Bladen, Sampson) had voted against the bill in House Rules Committee and voted against it today on the floor. 13 representatives were given excused absences today.

I listened to the full debate on the bill in real time. Both sides had their moments and both sides tried to make their points. Much was made about 18 year olds not being responsible enough to carry a firearm. Rep. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort) made an excellent rebuttal to this by noting that it is perfectly legal in North Carolina for an 18 year old to open carry a firearm.

Rep. Brian Echevarria (R-Cabarrus) made a very good speech in favor of the bill. He said a lot of statistics were being pushed in the debate but the one statistic he pointed to was the Second Amendment and the right to keep and bear arms. He said it was 100%. Echevarria who is African-American pointed out that this bill would not have been supported by Jim Crow! It was a great line. Echevarria also pointed to all those forbidden to possess a firearm saying the bill still would not allow them to carry.

The argument made by Rep. Ted Davis (see above) was really weak. His argument was that those who had North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permits had their privacy invaded by having to provide fingerprints and undergo a background check. He contended by allowing permitless concealed carry that it wasn’t fair to those who had undergone the permit process. I have to disagree as holding a permit does provide some advantages that those without a permit will not have. The two main ones are that it substitutes for a NICS background check when making a firearm purchase and that it allows you to carry concealed in a number of other states.

You can watch the full debate in the video below. It starts at the 4:20:25 mark and continues through 5:22:25.

I would like to note that both the NRA-ILA and Grass Roots North Carolina will be scoring this bill. Opposition will be noted and will be reflected in the grades earned by legislators.

Permitless Concealed Carry Up For Vote In NC

The North Carolina General Assembly has posted the calendar for the House of Representatives for Wednesday, June 11th. Of note is that SB 50 – Freedom to Carry NC – passed out of the House Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Committee today. It has now been placed on the House Calendar for its Second and Third Readings tomorrow

SB 50 passed the Senate on March 20th. I am unclear if there remain any differences in the bills between the two chambers. If not, then it goes to Gov. Josh Stein (D-NC) who will, in all likelihood, veto the bill.

It is time to light up your representatives in the NC House urging them to pass this bill. The Dems will probably ignore you but it never hurts to put some pressure on them. The Republicans need to be made to understand that anything other than a Yea might cause them to lose their seat.

2025 NRA Committee Assignments

The list of NRA committee assignments has been released for 2025. It is preliminary as committee members must still accept their assignment to the various committees. This goes for both Board members and non-Board members.

I also want to note this list is not confidential. I specifically asked the Office of the Secretary about that in an email.

From what I understand, the officers put a lot of time and effort into filling the committee positions. I can believe it as finding the right people for the right committees while taking into account the person’s preferences is not a small task. Additionally, consolidation of committees is under discussion. I am sure it will be on the agenda of our September board meeting. You can see from the listing below how there will be an effort to consolidate competition shooting committees along with “fun” shooting committees.

As for me, I got everything I sought. I wanted to be on the Membership Committee to look for ways to reach out to younger potential members as our membership base is aging. I wanted Legislative Policy and the State & Local Subcommittee for obvious reasons. Likewise, my interest in hunting has grown in recent years so I was happy to be assigned to Hunting and Wildlife Conservation. I think bringing hunters back into the fold is a key component of rebuilding NRA membership. Finally, the Audit Committee is a committee of the Board and I was elected to it.

Below is the list. Again, as a reminder, it is preliminary but I don’t expect many changes. I will post the final list down the road. If you would like to compare 2025 with 2024, go this page.

UPDATE: I was asked why Maria Heil’s name appears in red on the Nominating Committee list. That is because she has resigned from that committee and it is an indication of an open seat. As a reminder, the Nominating Committee is elected by the whole board and is not an appointed seat.