How To Destroy Business Using Twitter

Enterprise Rent A Car provided an affiliation group discount to NRA members for car rentals. As you can see from the tweet below, that ends effective March 26th as they kowtow to an organized campaign from the gun prohibitionists.

In case you are wondering what are the Enterprise brands, they are Enterprise, Alamo, and National car rentals. I have used all three in the past. Any future rentals will be with a company that has a bit more spine.

If the Enterprise conglomerate is this wimpy in the face of the anti-gunners, imagine how well they’d stand behind you if you got into an accident at which you weren’t at fault.

As a final aside, I find it illustrative that @mamabear64 uses a Stalinist style icon of Hillary as her avatar.

UPDATE: Well, you can add Hertz, Avis, and Budget to the list.

Is The NRA Making A Grand Trade Or Merely Punting?

Bump fire stocks have come under increased scrutiny since the mass casualty even in Las Vegas where it appears the killer used them in his violent rampage. There have been bills introduced as well as increasing calls for them to be banned. They were originally approved by BATFE during the Obama Administration when it was concluded that they did not convert a semi-auto firearm into a full-auto firearm.

This afternoon the NRA released a joint statement from Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox which called upon BATFE to re-review bump fire stocks and to subject them to additional regulations.

(FAIRFAX, VA) – The National Rifle Association today issued the following statement:

“In the aftermath of the evil and senseless attack in Las Vegas, the American people are looking for answers as to how future tragedies can be prevented. Unfortunately, the first response from some politicians has been to call for more gun control. Banning guns from law-abiding Americans based on the criminal act of a madman will do nothing to prevent future attacks. This is a fact that has been proven time and again in countries across the world. In Las Vegas, reports indicate that certain devices were used to modify the firearms involved. Despite the fact that the Obama administration approved the sale of bump fire stocks on at least two occasions, the National Rifle Association is calling on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) to immediately review whether these devices comply with federal law. The NRA believes that devices designed to allow semi-automatic rifles to function like fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations. In an increasingly dangerous world, the NRA remains focused on our mission: strengthening Americans’ Second Amendment freedom to defend themselves, their families and their communities. To that end, on behalf of our five million members across the country, we urge Congress to pass National Right-to-Carry reciprocity, which will allow law-abiding Americans to defend themselves and their families from acts of violence.”

This statement leads to the question of the day: is the NRA trading a bump fire stock ban for national right-to-carry reciprocity or are they merely punting in the face of opposition to them from even some in the GOP who had been supportive of gun rights?

The NRA has always engaged in realpolitik in recent years. This may be a case of appearing to be willing to deal on the regulation of one gun-related item in exchange for loosening another. If so, they are trading a novelty item for something rather substantial. My only fear is that they could get out-maneuvered by trying to placate the gun prohibitionists on this one item.

I don’t care about bump fire stocks. I’m never going to buy one or put one on my AR.  However, if bump fire stocks are banned now what is to say that other gun parts such as adjustable stocks or standard capacity magazines won’t be banned later. If you open the door to the ban on one thing, don’t you open the door to the ban of anything firearm related?

UPDATE: Chris Cox of the NRA-ILA went on Fox’s Tucker Carlson Tonight to explain the NRA’s position and to call for national carry reciprocity. I’ll let you make the call whether it is a good idea or not.

NRA ≠ Nazi

I was reading Prof. William Jacobson’s Legal Insurrection this morning. He had a post about the clash in Charlottesville this past weekend. He had a link to this tweet by Markos Moulitsas of Daily Kos.

I hate to disappoint Mr. Moulitsas but he is wrong in so many ways.

First, it has to be pointed out that conservatives and Nazis are not one and the same. In fact their beliefs are antithetical to one another. A conservative generally believes in smaller government while Nazis (from their origin in German) believe in a strong national government that pervades all aspects of life.

Second, while the NRA is generally a conservative organization, they are accepting of people from all walks of life. They have liberals and conservatives as members. They have gays and straights as members. They have Democrats and Republicans as members. Indeed, when the president of the NRA Pete Brownell has a scheduled phone conversation with Erin Palette of Operation Blazing Sword and asks how they can work together, I think that says it all in terms of acceptance.

I will grant you that there might be a member of the NRA who holds Nazi and/or fascist beliefs. But I would say that any mass organization of 5 million members with open membership is liable to have a few outliers within its membership rolls.

While I Was Away – No. 3

The National Rifle Association’s Youth Education Summit (YES) starts today in Washington, DC. It is a seven-day educational experience for selected students from around the country. They will be visiting various places in our nation’s capital, will participate in discussions related to current events, and will have the opportunity to win college scholarships. The goal of the program is to promote active citizenship.

Congratulations to those selected from around the country.

From the NRA on the summit:

FAIRFAX, Va. – The National Rifle Association is
pleased to announce the students selected to attend the 2017 Youth
Education Summit (Y.E.S.), a seven-day educational experience in
Washington, D.C., scheduled for July 24-30, 2017.  

As part of Y.E.S., students from across the United States learn the
significance of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the
importance of being an active citizen as they visit memorials and
monuments throughout the nation’s capital. Scheduled stops include the
Capitol Building, the National Museum of American History, and the
National Museum of the Marine Corps, the National Archives, the Newseum,
Mount Vernon, and a safe introduction to the shooting sports at NRA
Headquarters. Students will also participate in discussion about current
events to have them learn from each other, to learn more about new
topics. Additionally students will be assigned a team debate topic,
which is meant to foster teamwork abilities, research capabilities, and
leadership skills. 

Students who excel in the week’s activities through demonstrating
strong leadership, public speaking, and debate skills will be awarded up
to $15,000 in college scholarships at the summit’s closing ceremony.
Following Y.E.S., an additional $25,000 in scholarships will be made
available through the Y.E.S. Grand Scholarship, which encourages
attendees to create a portfolio detailing the promotion of NRA programs,
like Eddie Eagle GunSafe® and Refuse To Be A Victim®, in their
communities.  

Any high school sophomore or junior in the United States is welcome
to apply to Y.E.S. The summit’s application process includes a written
essay on the Second Amendment, personal statement, transcript affirming a
minimum 3.00 grade point average, and three personal recommendations.
This year’s class of 46 was selected from hundreds of qualified
applicants. This year we are excited to have students from 35 states,
including both Alaska and Hawaii! 

The National Rifle Association launched the Youth Education Summit in
1996 (The state-level program started in 2002) to encourage America’s
youth to become active and knowledgeable citizens at both the national
and local levels. More than $500,000 in scholarships have been awarded
throughout the program’s 20-year history. Funding for Y.E.S. is provided
through The NRA Foundation from monies raised by Friends of NRA, a grassroots fund-raising program in support of the shooting sports.

2017 Y.E.S. Participants

Alaska: Grayson Davey
Alaska: Sophia Puliafico
Arkansas: Alex Henry
Arizona: Kira Dean
Arizona: Cristian Lee
California: Emily Cupp
California: Brent Hinchcliff
California: Isabella Orozco
Colorado: Gage Paris
Florida: Dennis Hull
Florida: Peter Leonard
Georgia: Sawyer Williams
Hawaii: Iceley Andaya
Illinois: Krzysztof Gajda
Illinois: Natalie Seaman
Indiana: Matthew Burton
Kentucky: Andrew Sisson
Kentucky: Allen Slaughter
Louisiana: Canlin Dionne
Louisiana: Jonah Finley
Massachusetts: Amby Tierney
Maryland: Madeleine Sateri
Minnesota: Therese Minwegen
Missouri: Mary (Mikey) Schad
Montana: Hanna Antonsen
North Carolina: Jared Lockhart
Nebraska: Jamison Sapp
New Jersey: Zelan Von Kaenel
New Mexico: David Velez
New York: Reade Ben
New York: Gianna Guzzo
Ohio: Quinton Taylor
Oklahoma: Jonathan McCormick Jr.
Oregon: Owen Vredenburg
Pennsylvania: Lauren Klima
South Carolina: Brad Lehman
Tennessee: Lincoln Dillman
Texas: Kaitlyn Callaway
Texas: Stephen Garner
Texas: Denise Shaffer
Utah: Marlie Root
Virginia: Rylie Pennell
Washington: Simon Sefzik
Wisconsin: Emily Rasmussen
West Virginia: Katelyn Sette
Wyoming: Kaden Gaukel

NRA And CRPA Sue California Over Assault Weapons Control Act

I have not seen the complaint yet but the NRA and the California Rifle and Pistol Association are plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the State of California that seeks to have the Assault Weapons Control Act declared unconstitutional. Attorney Chuck Michel said the complaint would be up soon.

I think this is just the beginning of the lawsuits to come against the new gun control laws enacted in 2016 plus by Prop 63.

From the NRA-ILA on the lawsuit:

Fairfax, Va.— The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) today announced it is supporting, along with the California Rifle and Pistol Association (CRPA), an important Second Amendment lawsuit challenging California’s newly expanded Assault Weapons Control Act (AWCA).

The suit, Rupp v. Becerra, seeks to have the courts declare the AWCA unconstitutional because the ill-conceived law will do nothing to stop terrorists or violent criminals, and infringes on the right to keep and bear arms under the Second Amendment.

The AWCA makes it illegal to manufacture, sell, transport, import or transfer hundreds of popular and commonly owned semi-automatic firearms the law inappropriately demonizes and condemns as “assault weapons.” This means it is illegal for owners to transfer or sell these firearms to anyone in California, including to their own children or heirs upon death. And owners themselves will be violating the law by continuing to possess their firearms unless they register them as “assault weapons” with the state.

The Rupp case was filed in direct response to a number of anti-gun-owner laws, including the expanded “assault weapon” statute, which were signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in July 2016. Collectively, those new gun bans have become known as “gunmageddon” among California’s roughly 10 million gun owners. The Rupp case challenges those restrictions, as well as California’s broader statutory scheme, which arbitrarily and unconstitutionally restricts the use and possession of the most commonly owned firearms in the United States.

Multiple lawsuits challenging other aspects of the unconstitutional laws passed last year are also in the works and will be filed in the coming weeks. Rupp is the first of a number of NRA/CRPA sponsored lawsuits soon to be filed that will challenge the “gunmageddon” bills, as well as the new laws enacted by Proposition 63 — which was overwhelmingly opposed by law enforcement.

NRA On Sessions Confirmation As Attorney General

The NRA-ILA went all in on the nomination of Sen. Jeff Sessions for Attorney General. It was made a graded vote and I think it will come back to haunt certain Democrats who are running for re-election in 2018. The only Democrat who voted for Sessions was Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) who must have been reading the political tea leaves in his home state.

Last night, by a vote of 52 to 47, Sessions was confirmed as Attorney General.

The NRA-ILA released this statement:

NRA Statement on Confirmation of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General

Fairfax, Va.— The National Rifle Association today issued the following statement from Chris W. Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), applauding the U.S. Senate’s confirmation of Sen. Jeff Sessions as the 84th attorney general of the United States:

“The NRA and our five million members would like to congratulate Jeff Sessions on his confirmation as attorney general. He will make America a safer place by prosecuting violent criminals while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners.”

The U.S. Senate confirmed Attorney General Sessions by a bi-partisan 52 to 47 vote.

I, for one, am happy to have an Attorney General who respects the Second Amendment and who I know in my heart of hearts won’t be authorizing another Operation Gun Walker aka Fast and Furious.

Wayne LaPierre On Trump’s Win

The NRA released this video yesterday. Wayne LaPierre congratulates the 5 million men and women members of the NRA and outlines some of the things they intend to push President-elect Trump to sign once he is in office.

Here is the transcript of the video:

Transcript

On November 8, you—the 5 million men and women of the National Rifle Association of America, along with the tens of millions of gun owners all over this country who followed your lead—achieved a truly extraordinary, historic, even heroic, accomplishment. In northern Florida and Pennsylvania, throughout Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan, in small towns and communities all across America, you were the special forces that swung this election and sent Donald Trump and Mike Pence to the White House.


You did this. Don’t let anybody else tell you otherwise.


In the wake of this historic event, the same disgraced group of so-called experts, talking heads, pundits and pollsters that got everything wrong before the election are trying to deceive you once again. So let me remove all doubt: gun owners made this election happen. Hillary Clinton made her hatred for the Second Amendment a central issue of this campaign and as a result of that fatal mistake, she’s on permanent political vacation.


Your determination to defend individual freedom, joined with the other issues at the very heart of this race, ensured that only one candidate could receive the approval of the American people: Donald Trump.


The disgraceful media attempted to manipulate your emotions. They tried to suppress your enthusiasm, your speech, your vote. But you would not be distracted from the core freedom that was truly at stake—and for that, you deserve the gratitude of the entire nation. You proved the founders right: that the ultimate check and balance in this country is the American people.


I joined this quest to restore Second Amendment freedom almost 40 years ago. Many of you were there with me. Together, we have restored, expanded and protected the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution—and are prepared to pass it forward to the generations of Americans who will take up this cause.


Our victory in this election is a monumental step toward securing the future of this freedom. Soon, President Trump will nominate a constitutionally sound justice to replace Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. Make no mistake: that will be a generational victory for Second Amendment freedom—and you made it happen.


But we must also face the reality that still confronts us. For eight straight years, Barack Obama flooded the appellate courts and the federal judiciary with judges who truly despise Second Amendment freedom. More than 300 Obama-appointed anti-gun judges represent an infection for which there is no cure, other than time and vigilance. They will pose a threat to our gun rights for decades to come.


We also face a growing group of anti-Second Amendment elitist billionaires, led by George Soros and Michael Bloomberg. By pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into state and local elections, they have succeeded in confusing many voters into believing clever labeling like “universal background checks” and so-called “common sense” schemes will make a difference in the safety and security of our communities.


The truth is, the anti-gun billionaires have only one goal: the absolute eradication of the Second Amendment freedom for the average American citizen. Not for their security forces, their families and themselves. But for you: the everyday American who stormed the polls in an act of ultimate defiance of the elites. They will continue to enjoy the support of an openly dishonest media that truly hates your right to speak, your right to worship and your right to vote. And most of all, your right to keep and bear arms.


In the face of the bitter hatred and elitist condemnation, this is our historic moment to go on offense and defeat the forces that have aligned against our freedom once and for all. The individual right to carry a firearm in defense of our lives and our families does not, and should not, end at any state line. I call on Congress and the president-elect to pass National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity as quickly as it can be written and signed.


And it is time, once and for all, to end the absolute fallacy of gun-free zones. Not one more American serviceman or woman should be murdered on a military base because the government denied their right to defend themselves with a firearm. We revere the men and women in uniform who defend our freedom, and their rights must be restored immediately.


I also call for protections that stop the tyrannical erosion of gun rights in states and cities where corrupt leaders use their political power to abuse the rights of American citizens. I’m talking about a deceitful web of gun bans, ammo bans, magazine bans, exorbitant fees and taxes, and registration schemes—all designed to undermine the meaning of the Second Amendment and the Supreme Court decisions that uphold it.


The Court’s Heller decision recognized the right of Washington, D.C. citizens to own a firearm in their home for personal protection. But eight years later, it is still almost impossible to legally buy a firearm in that city. If the anti-gun forces can get away with sanctuary city-type exclusions where they unilaterally defy the rights of American citizens, then your Second Amendment protections only exists if your local government recognizes them. It must be illegal for corrupt, bureaucratic elites to deny law-abiding Americans their full measure of Second Amendment freedom.


These goals and more are now possible because of the historic work that you have done. It is only because of your sacrifices that we have this unique opportunity to defend the one freedom that protects all the others: our Second Amendment. But before we can say that it has been secured and is intact for us to pass on to the next generation, we must face these very real challenges with the strength, courage and purpose you have proven to possess.


Our time is now. We must approach the coming fights with the same urgency and determined action that ended the political future of Hillary Rodham Clinton. That’s why I need you to renew your membership, upgrade your membership, join this organization and be part of the hard work and the victories that are yet to come. You have proven to be ready for the challenge.

Colion Noir Calls Out The Media

The media has been trying to use the shooting of Philandro Castile in Minnesota as a wedge between the African-American community and the National Rifle Association. They are saying that the NRA doesn’t care about black gun owners. Moreover, as this article in Inquisitr makes clear, they continue to try and make this a wedge issue because in the NRA’s call for an investigation in Minnesota they did not mention Mr. Castile by name. They are saying the NRA is facing an internal split. I don’t see it.

Colion Noir calls out the media and commentators who pushing the meme that the NRA doesn’t care about black gun owners. He notes that just like Philandro Castile he is a 32 year old black man with a carry permit that was stopped for a traffic infraction just two weeks ago.

Colion Noir is usually somewhat laid back and cool. Here he is not. He’s angry and he’s tired of putting up with the crap that the media and other critics have spewed towards him personally and to the NRA.

Confusing The NRA With The NSSF

The Seattle City Council has mandated that pistols that would normally be traded in when the police department makes upgrades will be destroyed. This boneheaded move which passed council with an unanimous vote will cost taxpayers approximately $30,000 according to the website Blue Lives Matter.

“Officer Blue” then went on to make this statement:

What the Seattle city council is ignoring here is that guns are still being actively manufactured and sold. Destroying old guns doesn’t reduce the number of guns on the streets, it just increases the number of newly manufactured guns being purchased. The NRA is unlikely to oppose such a knuckle-headed policy, because destroying old firearms increases the profits of gun manufacturers. Gun manufacturers only make money on the first time that a firearm is sold. All used gun sales are potentially a lost sale to a gun manufacturer. If other police departments follow suit in destroying their used firearms, then you might want to look into purchasing stock in gun manufacturing companies.

“Officer Blue” is making the common media mistake of thinking that the NRA is an agent of gun manufacturers. While they have good relationships with the manufacturers, it is not the job of the National Rifle Association to increase the profits of the firearms industry. That is the job of their trade association the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

In reality, I think both organizations would oppose the destruction of these firearms. The NRA would oppose it as a matter of public policy as it recognizes that not all shooters can afford new firearms. Moreover, historically many surplus firearms such as M1 carbines were sold directly to shooters under the auspices of the NRA. The NSSF would oppose it because their constituency also includes FFLs as well as manufacturers.

A Friendly Reminder To Take Action

Just in case you haven’t already called or emailed or faxed your Senators and Congressman/woman, here is a reminder. I don’t care if you live in San Francisco and you have Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as your representative, do it anyway. Get it on record so she can’t say she didn’t hear from you.

The
NRA has learned that Senators Schumer, Feinstein and other anti-gun
elected officials are going to offer several anti-gun bills and
amendments next week in the U.S. Congress!
These
measures are wide-ranging and include an attempt to reinstate the
failed federal ban on semi-automatic firearms, commonly referred to as
the “assault weapons ban.”

It doesn’t matter that the Clinton gun ban did nothing to reduce crime.
This is about YOUR freedoms and YOUR Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

But it doesn’t stop there. In fact, one amendment will attempt to strip
the Second Amendment Rights from those on secret government lists while
another could lead to federal registration of all gun owners.

They’re also planning to push for increased federal funding of anti-gun research.

We must defeat every one of these anti-gun proposals.

What’s obvious is that many who want to destroy our firearm freedoms are
using the terrorist attack in Orlando to push their anti-gun agenda.

They’d rather blame you as a law-abiding gun owner than make Obama answer for his failures in the global war on terror.

We can’t let them succeed in this depraved attempt to politicize a tragedy so they can destroy our freedoms.

Please contact your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators immediately
and let them know you oppose any new gun control measures. You can call
your lawmakers at 202-225-3121 or click the “Take Action” button below.

Be sure to share this message with your fellow NRA members and gun
owners and let them know this threat is real. Your action is needed now.

https://act.nraila.org/takeaction.aspx?AlertID=261