Minuteman Monthly Issue 3 In this issue of the Minuteman Monthly I will talk about staying in touch with E-mail alerts, staying on top of news and local newspapers and keeping in contact with your elected officials, including the White House, your Congressmen/women and your state legislators. Also, at the end of this newsletter is a valuable offer for Minuteman Monthly Subscribers ONLY. I personally have encountered many lawful gun owners who are genuinely concerned about their rights, but have not raised a finger to help protect them. I find myself getting more and more frustrated with this type of gun owner. This type of gun owner thinks that the NRA can handle it. This type of gun owner says that their vote doesn't matter and the lawmakers are going to do what they want anyway. The complacency of the average lawful gun owner is aiding the eradication of the Right To Keep And Bear Arms. It is the responsibility and duty of the lawful gun owner to stay in touch with their elected officials and stay vigilant. Since the National Firearms Act of 1934, lawful gun ownership and politics have been inseparably linked. One cannot purchase a firearm and then ignore their lawmakers. When it comes to keeping an eye on their elected officials and the legislation they produce, the gun owner has a duty to make sure they know where you stand. If our elected officials never hear from us, they will assume that we like what they are doing. Making contact with a pro-gun State Legislator or a pro-gun Congressman and thanking them for supporting the Second Amendment is just as important as writing to an anti-gunner. The next time a gun owning friend or co-worker complains about the National Rifle Association doing nothing on a certain piece of legislation, and asks "Where was the NRA?", counter that with "Where were you?" Let me also say that you don't HAVE to be an NRA member to be a Second Amendment Activist. Some people think the National Rifle Association is going to come charging toward their State Capitol, with colorful flags flying to save the day. This is simply not the case. The NRA is made up of over four million individual members, each of which has their own idea of what activism is. When it is said that the "NRA has influence in Congress", it is the actions of each member that makes up that influence. That is why the NRA is called a "grassroots" organization. It is the conduct of each member that cumulatively has an impact on legislation. Just as each blade of grass together makes a lawn. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Note: Some of the Internet addresses below are long and may be cropped by your E-mail program. Just highlight the whole address and copy/paste it into your browsers address window. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ALERTS Getting occasional alerts through E-mail is the most effective method of spurring people to action. There are many groups and Web sites across the nation that offer timely legislative alerts and current news. One of the best of these is what the Institute for Legislative Action at the National Rifle Association has set up. To sign up for Special Alerts and gun related news. Go to http://www.nraila.org/ and sign up. Another great resource for timely alerts is the Gun Owners of America. Go here http://www.gunowners.org/ean.htm to sign up. The alerts from www.saveourguns.com can also be helpful. To subscribe, simply send a BLANK email to: saveourguns-subscribe@topica.com To subscribe to the Second Amendment News Team, send E-Mail to Imailsrv@freedomrow.org Leave subject line blank. In the body of the message type: subscribe 2nd-Amendment-News. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NEWS Staying on top of current news related to the gun issue is essential. Most nationwide media outlets show lawful gun ownership in an unfavorable light. It is vital that law-abiding gun owners make contact with media representatives when they distort the truth and push outright lies about the gun issues. We must keep them honest. I pop into http://www.nralive.com for news. There are many pro-gun Web sites that have current news pages that you can access too. From this site http://www.saf.org/EmersonViewOptions.html you can stay up to date on news from the Emerson Case. Many of your statewide NRA affiliated organizations have their own Web sites too, here you can find up to date news more specifically targeted to your individual state. Two more sites to keep an eye on is http://www.sierratimes.com/ and http://www.worldnetdaily.com/ http://www.KeepAndBearArms.com is a great site to stay current on news related to the gun industry and gun rights. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ NEWSPAPERS It is also very important to watch your local paper for any local ordinance or state law that is being proposed. Going right along with that of course is your own editorial and opinion pieces that can get into your local or statewide newspapers. It is VERY IMPORTANT for the active gun owner to get articles printed in their local paper. Many people only learn about firearms through the media and that is ordinarily not the best place to get it. By writing your own opinion or editorial pieces for your local paper, you can influence people who sit on the fence regarding the issue of gun control. It is essential that the hearts and minds of the general population are changed because they hear the truth about gun control and not the decidedly slanted garbage that people receive from the media at large. Here is a link where you can find all your local and statewide papers that are online. Many of them now accept editorials through E-mail. Newspaper Directory ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DIRECT CONTACT It is essential that our elected officials get a large volume of E-mail, snail mail, faxes and phone calls from us when important legislation is up for consideration. The following three sites are good places to start with for staying in contact within your own state and with our Congressmen. http://www.savetheguns.com/for_activists_only.htm http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm http://congress.nw.dc.us/wnd/ http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ On my "For Activists Only" page their are links to each of the Home Pages of the fifty states. From these pages, you can usually find and track current legislation and find links to your elected state officials. Never underestimate the importance of keeping in touch with your state's Governor's Office. Once when I was younger, one of my letters to my Governor was read during his State of the State Address. So you see, one person can make a difference, one phone call or e-mail can make a difference and your one vote does count. As you go through this coming month and keep an eye on the polls, please remember this one statistic: THERE WERE MORE LAWFUL GUN OWNERS IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1996 THAN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF VOTERS IN THAT YEAR'S ELECTION CYCLE. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Contacting the White House Keeping the White House apprised of your opposition to gun control legislation is not only a right of all Americans, I feel it is a duty to make your opinions known to the President. President@whitehouse.gov (The President's E-mail address) The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, D.C. 20500 Phone: (202) 456-1414 Fax: (202) 456-2461 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Final Word In closing, I would again like to emphasize the importance of keeping in touch with current news and alerts related to gun control and contacting your elected officials. It is not only our right to voice our concerns to government, but it is our duty. Getting a larger segment of the gun owning U.S. Citizens to get active, register to vote and fight gun control measures is the very focus of what I am doing here at www.savetheguns.com . By not getting involved, we take the sacrifices of our forefathers, and our war veterans and hold them all in contempt. Millions of Americans have perished on battlefields all over the planet to ensure that freedom and liberty will continue to live on in America. I vow that the frostbitten feet of Valley Forge, the hardships of World War 1, the sacrifices of World War 2 and every other war since then will not be in vain. In order for freedom and liberty to continue to flourish in America, we cannot and must not take freedom for granted. ======================================== "Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. When you give up that force, you are ruined." Patrick Henry, Virginia's U.S. Constitution ratification convention ======================================== Many gun owners continue to complain amongst each other over a cup of coffee at the gun club, and do nothing else about putting a stop to the disintegration of the Second Amendment. Merely complaining among ourselves, or "preaching to the choir" does absolutely nothing. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Special Offer For Minuteman Monthly Subscribers For the month of October ONLY, I will waive the $10.00 design charge for making custom pin-on buttons for Minuteman Monthly Subscribers ONLY. If you have a family event, local fundraiser, or social event upcoming and would like pin-on buttons custom made for this occasion, there will be no design charge for October. If you would like more information on custom made pin-on buttons, just E-mail me at sales@savetheguns.com Photo Quality Buttons $1.50 each. Button Cost $1.00 each (.75 cents each for orders 36 or over.). For orders 500 or over, cost is .50 cents each. ======================================= Please post this newsletter at your local gun club, supermarket, mall bulletin board, or gym. Forward this newsletter to your friends, family and acquaintances who are interested in the gun issues.