By Jeff Hulbert
Saturday’s 2nd Amendment Rally on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol was a dynamic showcase featuring some of America’s most-watched and most-followed firearms activists as they urged all factions in the firearms community to unify in the face of recent stepped-up campaigns by anti-gun opponents.
With a cloudless blue sky framing the Capitol dome, the large crowd that filled America’s “front lawn” at midday, waved 2A flags and signs, responding with cheers and applause to a diverse selection of speakers drawn from all over the country.
The principal organizers of the event, Jeff Knox of The Firearms Coalition along with noted self-defense trainer Rob Pincus of Save the Second. They stipulated that this was to be a true grassroots gathering, and that all of the speakers had paid their own way to D.C.
The lead-off speaker before the crowd of about 1500 was Eric Blandford, of Jonesboro Georgia’s now-famous Moss Pawn & Guns. Blandford, who sported a shirt that signals he is not one to comply with gun-banners, is more popularly known as Iraqveteran8888.
Blandford, gesturing toward the Capitol building, warned, “The lack of representation for gun owners on the Hill is troubling, and our Founding Fathers are probably rolling over in their graves. Stay strong! Keep the faith, and I will see you on the correct side of history!”
Dianna Muller, a former police officer, professional shooter, and a leader of The DC Project that lobbies Congress on Second Amendment rights, took to the stage to talk about her headline-making testimony two months ago—testimony that stunned a Congressional committee pushing a new federal “assault weapons” ban.
She told the crowd that when it was her turn to address the House Judiciary Committee on the proposed AWB, this was her stance: “I did not say I will not comply because I was being rude or disrespectful! I said I will not comply because it is an unconstitutional law!”
Ms. Muller capped off her presentation by leading the crowd in a chant of “I WILL NOT COMPLY!
California activist Craig Deluz, Director of Legislative & Public Affairs at the Firearms Policy Coalition, framed the continuous struggle with anti-gun politicians as the civil rights issue of our time, not just for communities of color, but for all firearms owners.
“We cannot allow the Second Amendment to be treated as a second class right!”, said Deluz.
“Folks, it is up to us to use those civil rights to fight, to fight and make sure that we stand up for the the rights—not just for ourselves—but for the next generation, and the generation after that. We will be judged in history by what we do this day!”
As one of one the rally’s key organizers, Jeff Knox of the Firearms Coalition reminded the crowd that firearms owners cannot sit on the sidelines and watch the major firearms rights organizations fight to preserve the Second Amendment.
Knox’s message — and that of Saturday’s 2A Rally as a whole — was “We are the Gun Lobby”. He said the unified activism of 100 million gun owners is the only force that can offset the well-funded groups that continue to push for infringements on Americans’ gun rights — or outright bans and confiscation.
Another California-based activist taking the stage was Chris Cheng, the History Channel’s Season 4 “Top Shot” champion, who moved the conversation on the Capitol lawn toward LGBTQ rights.
As a gay man, Cheng announced to thunderous applause that “It is so electrifying for me to be a gay guy in the gun community, and that nobody here cares that I’m gay!”
.@TopShotChris shared his experience being a member of the #lgbt community in the gun community during today’s #2Arally pic.twitter.com/A1TDA6Fcmv
— Guns & America (@GunsReporting) November 2, 2019
Cheng continued, “It is us being present and being “out” as gay people, and here we are being “out” as gun owners…We have to be loud, and we have to be proud!”.
For most of those gathered, Saturday’s rally was a chance to finally meet the person whose name is so synonymous with the fight for Second Amendment rights, Dick Heller.
His Supreme Court victory ended an egregious gun ban in the District of Columbia and laid the foundation for later rulings that have enshrined firearm ownership as an individual right for every American.
Said Heller, “You are never out of the fight, because all governments will initiate violence against people who have done nothing wrong!
To great applause, Heller capped his remarks this way: “Yell it, so the world hears you! The right of the people to keep and bear arms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED!”.
At age 70, Dick Heller continues to fight for gun rights as an active member of the Patriot Picket organization, a group that regularly demonstrates at the U.S. Capitol and in surrounding state capitals.
Carrying the rally’s energy forward was the popular and respected firearms rights advocate Maj Toure, the Philadelphia-based leader of his non-profit education group Black Guns Matter.
One and only @MAJTOURE of @blkgunsmattr speaking! pic.twitter.com/E1XqAGzM4s
— Maryland Shall Issue (@MD_Shall_Issue) November 2, 2019
We have human rights codified in the Bill of Rights under natural law that is not given to us by government! That all ethnicities, backgrounds, people from all across this great nation have the ability to exercise regardless of what the anti-freedom agenda will tell you!
Addressing the unity issue head-on, Toure said, “We have been throwing our ballots away”.
As a hush fellow over the crowd, he continued:
We… you, are at fault. We have been complicit in tossing it away under the guise of disagreement. Our opposition exploits that! We are here, unarmed, in respect of unconstitutional laws, putting our differences aside to speak to a bigger agenda. The agenda is: our freedom, our liberty, our Constitution and our human rights to exist!
Rally co-sponsor Rob Pincus took his turn at the podium and declared,
No more restrictions! We will no longer tolerate the slow encroachment on our rights to keep and bear arms! We have been divided into various factions, and many of us have only acted when our own individual priorities were going to be affected. Let this rally be the end of that!
St. Louis-based Kevin Dixie is the owner of N.O.C. Firearms Training. Dixie used his time before the crowd to advance the focus on the 2A unity theme.
He drew upon the history of racial intolerance to ask, “How do we use what used to divide us to unite us? I never wore a chain around my neck, you never whipped me.”
Dixie continued, “So it’s not about blaming you or blaming me, it’s not about that.” To waves of applause, Dixie added, “Despite where we come from, that does not change where we can go, all right?”
The tall, lanky gun guy that many in the crowd had come to see, Hickok45, took his turn at the podium to generous applause. The folksy charm that is his YouTube trademark was on full display on the Capitol lawn.
We see the primary obstacles as these gun-banners that work in this beautiful building behind us. The REAL obstacle are our friends and neighbors who voted them into office! We are in a battle for the hearts and minds of our neighbors, our co-workers—a lot of people we know!
We are in this together. The last thing we need is anything that unnecessarily divides us.
To sustained applause, Hickok45 declared, “Everybody…is welcome in our big Bill of Rights party,” adding, as he wound up his remarks, “The real rally is at the voting booth!”
To close out the rally, the sponsors looked to the popular firearms reviewer Tim Harmsen, the founder of the Military Arms Channel.
Harmsen went straight to the issue that is roiling some quarters of the firearms community: the debate about confronting the “assault rifle” confiscation proponents with the cry “We Will Not Comply!”
Declared Harmsen, “I will NOT comply if you are going to disarm me!”
“So…do I stand alone? Or how many Patriots will not comply!
Harmsen then led the crowd in the chant with the words that were seen on quite a few signs at the gathering. As “I WILL NOT COMPLY!” echoed across the National Mall, he added, “You can stick your gun control where the sun don’t shine because patriots ain’t gonna let it happen!”
To generous applause, Harmsen thanked everyone for attending, and noted that most, if not all, had made sacrifices to be there. Then, to whoops and cheers, he held aloft a “We Will Not Comply” placard.
As the event ended, a number of attendees were overheard expressing surprise that the expected episodes of heckling and insults from passing anti-gun people never materialized.
Rally organizer Rob Pincus told TTAG that a careful approach that focused on the the Second Amendment — and not on political personalities — was a strategy that worked to minimize interference.
Jeff Hulbert is founder of The Patriot Picket.
Hell yes. Good to see.
I’d have attended if I thought it would do more than just promote YouTube influencers.
At least LGBTQ rights got a boost.
Just keep making excuses until your rights are gone. What an a-hole.
Do you really believe the rally would actually do anything?
You could have 30 million people there and the media and Congress would ignore it.
You seem to believe that Congressmen and Senators represent us. They only act like they care at election time. But honestly, they don’t care.
Full Metal Hollowpoint says: “I’d have attended if I thought it would do more than just promote YouTube influencers.”
What a naive comment.
Those “YouTube influencers” reach millions of people every day. Not just here in the USA, but throughout the world. They spread the word of what freedom and the right to self-defense are all about. Of course, this rally was so much more than just about your singular focus.
Antifa decided to sit this one out.
So did almost everyone else. I was there. 1500 is a generous estimate. Too many lazy gun owners rather just say “come and take them” rather than actually get involved. It’s pathetic.
Were you really there, “Dave”? I see a lot of people here complaining about numbers when none of them took time off work to show up either.
Yup I was there. Drove down from NJ. Even with the small crowd the audio was bad and people could barely hear. How about you?
Oh whatever “Dave”. Yeah you drove down from New Jersey (big surprise), spent all that time and money to do it, then returned home just so you could bash the event and bash gun owners. You’re a liberal troll. Period.
Merle O I’m not bashing the event I’m bashing all the people that didn’t go. I’m not the liberal. I’m one of the guys that showed up. I’ll ask again did you?
Thanks for being there. I thought the crowd looked thin. It’s a shame, it looked like a good group of organizers. I considered driving out for it, but couldn’t manage it this time. I hope I can soon prioritize this type of thing.
Well, I really wanted to go but I had to do the preparation for election day and walk my area to get out the pro-2A voters to support our pro-2A candidates for the local races.
We need to have a big rally that is announced and planned at lease 6 months (preferably a year) in advance (and avoids times related to national events like election day) and get the local gun clubs and 2A organizations to coordinate buses for the event. We do this at the state level for the 2A rallies in the state capitols but the date is known almost a year in advance.
It would be helpful if the entire 2A community (including the NRA, GOA, SAF, FPC, etc.) participated in getting everyone together.
Short of some big organizations like the NRA paying to fly/bus everyone out there, pay for their free food, give them free swag, hold a concert, and pay for tv coverage of then event like March for Our Lives, no 2A guys are going to put forth the effort.
Unfortunately there are too many sunshine patriots here.
They’ll let others do the hard work while they reap the fruits of labor.
Don’t complain when you lose your rights.
Thank you for going, Dave, and anyone else who went.
Not all of us can make every event. But we each should make some of them. I try to be at all of the events in Harrisburg. I met LifeSavor at the last one. Unfortunately DC was not logistically feasible for me this time.
I was there with a friend. We got there pretty late as a local range was doing their own event (which was packed) and obviously took away from potential attendees. However, when we got there, we were pleasantly surprised to see by our rough estimate at least 300 people still there.
I’m not going to lie, I tried convincing other people to go, but as has been commented above, they wanted to let others do the work or didn’t “want to be with the MAGA crowd”. Kinda puts a bit of a downcast on our estimate of the numbers we were expecting if we couldn’t get our friends who lived in the area to go and we were doubting if we wanted to go ourselves, but we decided we wanted to be able to say we did our part 5 years from now (and getting photos with the youtubers didn’t hurt either).
However, these events really need to be better announced in the future. I only heard of it 1.5 weeks in advance and I think there could have been much better crowds if they had announced it earlier
It’s not all that surprising to find smaller crowds at a gun rights/2nd Amendment rally. The reason for this is simply that those of us who support gun rights and the 2nd Amendment are not the kind of social movement that inspires huge turn-outs. The difference is that supporters of gun rights aren’t trying to change anything in the way that sundry social change movements are. Instead, we are simply stating our supports for established, institutionalized, constitutional rights. We are simply defending existing rights rather than trying to impose new and different values and behavior on the body politic. That’s the difference. At some point, the Supreme Court is gong to be faced with having to decide whether the 2nd Amendment, an intentionally unambiguous document, means what it says or not. That decision will determine whether or not the concepts of freedom and liberty our founders articulated can exist in the modern era.
Correct! Also, unlike the leftist activist protesters, most of us actually have jobs, obligations to family and don’t get paid to fly across country by a freedom-hating PAC… 😉
“Also, unlike the leftist activist protesters, most of us actually have jobs, obligations to family and don’t get paid to fly across country by a freedom-hating PAC…”
Seems to be a statement that, “When someone pays me to attend a gathering in defense of the constitution, I’ll be there. Otherwise, I gots more important things to do.”
“At some point, the Supreme Court is gong to be faced with having to decide whether the 2nd Amendment, an intentionally unambiguous document, means what it says or not.”
We are too far down the arc of history for any SC to rule the Second is absolute (that is reserved for derived, fantasy rights). The very best to be expected is a declaration that “strict scrutiny” applies to any/every written element of the constitution. “Strict scrutiny”, and “compelling government interest” will still allow highly political decisions in the future, but make it more expensive to get a ruling that is an exception to both.
The problem is that gun owners have lives and jobs.
Antifa demonstrators don’t have either, so they can protest all day and all night.
Sorry, if you believe a big enough protest is going to make a difference, you haven’t been paying attention. You probably still believe Congressmen and Senators represent you. They represent only themselves and corruption and pure power.
Honestly I was kinda bummed to see that there weren’t that many people there. I know there was a parade for the Nationals at about the same time but I was hoping more than approx 1,500-2000 people would show up.
It’s actually not too bad when you factor in that politically active gun rights supporters are typically people who are employed with children. The left can draw huge crowds and appear larger then they really are, because much of their support comes from people who are younger without much in the way of responsibilities. They also do have a proven track record of busing in support, paying for the protestors full ride. Then there’s also the media support they get. Notice this isn’t being covered by any MSM as of yet. If this was a left wing protest of any kind there’d be dramatic, well framed, and choreographed shots, and it would be made out to be the protest of the century.
I have been seeing the busing in thing for more than a decade in Harrisburg, PA. Anti gun groups will get certain churches in Philly to have someone standing outside on the sidewalk in the morning offering passersby a free meal, and free t shirt, and $50 to get on a bus to Harrisburg for the day. That is on top of all of the people they made the same offer to in the days and weeks leading up to an event.
If you ask the people in the anti gun crowd at a Harrisburg event they will tell you. They aren’t shy about it.
If it weren’t for the fact that it was 3000 miles away from me, I’d have been there. If there is ever a large televised rally at Sacramento (north of me several hours), I’ll make the drive.
Me too. I drove from NJ to be there. Anyone who claims to be a 2A supporter that lives with in a days job has no excuse.
Dave,
That seems a bit harsh.
People who cannot take time from work.
Or, are caring for someone who needs a lot of care.
Or, are not well physically.
Or, are on too tight a budget.
Or, who had a conflicting commitment.
I had planned to go, but a family member became greviously ill and I had to stay home.
I understand and appreciate your encouragement that we get out there to, be seen, to be heard, and to be powerful, but, please, don’t throw out blanket convictions. A lot of us out here do put time and treasure into 2A support and activism.
“People who cannot take time from work.
Or, are caring for someone who needs a lot of care.
Or, are not well physically.
Or, are on too tight a budget.
Or, who had a conflicting commitment.”
Are you proposing that in the surrounding states (Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey), almost all gun owners (and certainly POTG) fell into one or more of the categories above?
Sam I Am,
Nope. Proposing that blanket convictions cover those who could not as well as those who would not.
“Proposing that blanket convictions cover those who could not as well as those who would not.”
Underscoring that our RTKBA takes a backseat to a myriad of interests….just like when we vote.
Sam I Am,
At the 2A rally in Harrisburg last month, I was chatting with a blogger/NRA firearms instructor who was decrying all the gun owners who mindlessly send money to the NRA but do nothing else to protect our RTKABA.
Recently, while out to dinner at a client’s site, a gun carrying member of my team stated that with all of the ‘mass shootings’ that have taken place, we may need stricter controls on firearms.
So, yes, we have a long way to go getting gun owners educated and mobilized.
“So, yes, we have a long way to go getting gun owners educated and mobilized.”
Yet we spend so much energy trying to blunt the gun-grabbers and unicorn “undecideds”.
How many people really fall into that category out of a supposed 120 million gun owners? I wouldn’t expect people that live out west or the Midwest or Deep South to be able to go, but what about all the people in the surrounding states? As far as money goes I drove from NJ. I booked a parking spot at union station. In total I think I spend $60 and had a three and a half hour drive. People certainly have legitimate reasons why they couldn’t attend but only 1500 showed up. That’s not good. I’m glad I went and had a great day but was just disappointed in the turn out.
tfunk,
One ginormous reason that attendance was light: almost no one knew about the rally. I would be shocked if one out of every 10,000 people knew about the rally.
Another ginormous reason that attendance was light: the organizers announced the rally all of two or three weeks before the event as far as I can tell. That just isn’t enough time for to spread the word and for people to change their schedules to accommodate attendance.
If someone were to organize another event 12 months in advance and if 10% of the population heard about it, I am absolutely confident that there would have been upwards of 50,000 people there.
I don’t get a lot of people not hearing about it. Hickok45 has 4 million subscribers iraqvet8888 also has millions of subscribers. They made announcements. Cam Edwards made an announcement on bearing arms.com and YouTube and so did a lot of other youtubers as well as this site. GOA sent out an email. Yet less than 2 thousand attended. It was announced in late August. I wouldn’t expect people from the west or mid west to go but people who knew and live with in driving distance just can’t be bothered. I met people there from north and South Carolina, Ohio, upstate NY, NJ and Virginia. It was a Saturday with perfect weather. The truth is most people expect others to show up so they don’t have to. That’s why Virginia is about to turn blue. I live in NJ my second amendment rights have already been totally eroded. I went to support the 2nd amendment for the people that still live in free states.
Dave,
First and foremost, I commend you for attending!
Regardless of the fact that a few of the organizers/speakers have X million YouTube followers, keep in mind that those YouTube followers may not look at the organizer/speaker channels very often. And their followers may not have heard about the rally even if they did check in occasionally.
Personally, I first heard about this rally something like two weeks ago on this website. Clearly, the organizers were unable to spread the word to the masses. (I don’t mean that as a dig or a criticism: it is simply a statement of fact.)
That is the greatest hurdle: spreading the word that a rally will happen on a given date.
8 million is a lot of subscribers, are they all real?
It has been shown many times there a message to purchasing fake subscribers for YouTube or Facebook, etc.
It is possible the living, breathing subscribers may be substantially lower than the 8 million claimed.
The gun control movement is run by professional community organizers which specialize in creating (i.e., paying people money if necessary) in creating properly politicized optics. Their rallies are anything but spontaneous, voluntary events. People Of The Gun can’t compete against that kind of money (and there’s lots of it being spread around) and organization. But then, as I just said, our purpose is focused on defending existing rights and not changing and imposing new legal concepts on society. There’s a pretty big difference between the two activities.
“People Of The Gun can’t compete against that kind of money (and there’s lots of it being spread around) and organization. But then, as I just said, our purpose is focused on defending existing rights and not changing and imposing new legal concepts on society. There’s a pretty big difference between the two activities.”
This explains why Trump gets thousands and thousands, during the work week, at night, into an arena, while “defenders” of the Second Amendment are too busy with other things to attend infrequent gatherings for stand for principle?
The event was organized by the proprietors of ar15.com, and the details have been public since early August.
Maybe you should check facts before popping off.
I woulda gone had it not been on such short notice.
Ditto. Had already paid and planned to be somewhere else. If it hadn’t been non-refundable I would have cancelled.
How many chanting “I will not comply!” were actually carrying, and did anyone know they were? (Were they actually complying while claiming otherwise?)
Asking for a friend…
One sign there said it like this: “We came unarmed. This time”
It was great afternoon. I was standing right next to you by those speakers, Jeff. Gray ISRA t-shirt. How surprised I was when I saw your name tag saying that this security guy writes for my favorite blog.
“The lead-off speaker before the crowd of about 1500 was…..”
This is a problem, 1500 people. When the left, with their socialist billionaires paying the bill, can turn out many thousands 1500 people doesn’t project much power.
I know there are many millions across the country who support 2A with various levels of fervor but 1500 is a disappointment.
I hope a high percentage of conservatives will show up and register their dissatisfaction at the voting place with the RHINOs in office and replace them with true conservatives.
Not only are anti rights rallies very strongly financially supported and professionally prepared, they are usually held in a middle of leftist, anti rights agglomerations.
Considering the two weeks notice, zero presence in the mainstream media (remember how often was the ‘March for our lifes’ mentioned on tv?) and necessary long travel for most of us 2A supporters, 1500 participants isn’t too bad.
Neither the NRA nor my State Rifle Association sent any emails to inform of this. My range club was silent. Hell, even on these pages I saw this rally mentioned only twice, one of it just by repost. I guess that most of freedom loving patriots never heard about it. Thats one reason why just 1500 of them showed up.
And all of you who knew and decided not to attend had your own reasons.
Exactly so. High cost of travel across the country, hotel room to stay in, missed work, and the fact I have to be within one hour of my home at all times to help care for a severely disabled family member, no way I was going to be in DC.
Some of us are stuck with having to send mails and emails to our legislators.
“Neither the NRA nor my State Rifle Association sent any emails to inform of this.”
One can’t expect Negotiating Rights Away to notify anyone of a rally to protest the infringement of the 2 nd. amendment.
History
1791: The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified.
The amendment reads:
“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state,
the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
After That
1871: The National Rifle Association was formed by Union Army veterans Col. William C. Church
and Gen. George Wingate.
After that, they start going the other way
The NRA actively supported the National Firearms Act of 1934.
The NRA actively supported the Federal Firearms Act of 1938
The NRA actively supported the Gun Control Act of 1968
The NRA actively supported the misnamed Firearms Owners Protection Act including the Hughes Amendment (1986)
The NRA actively supported the final version of the Assault Weapons Ban (1994)
The NRA _proposed_ the bump stock ban
The NRA is actively supporting “Red Flag” laws at the state and federal level.
It’s all out there if people just look.
National Firearms Act.
NRA President’s Testimony During Congressional Debate
of the National Firearms Act of 1934
MR.CARL T. FREDERICK: … “I have never believed in the general practice of carrying weapons. I seldom carry one. … I do not believe in the general promiscuous toting of guns. I think it should be sharply restricted and only under licenses”
NRA Proudly Negotiating Rights Away since 1934
http://www.keepandbeararms.com/NRA/NFA.htm
I would like to suggest that we pick out 1 week and during that week, all second amendment supporters call all federal and state politicians about the gun control foolishness. We should overload their phone systems for a week. This just might get their attention.
The pre-typed, pre-adressed post cards GOA sent out recently, made things super easy. They gave me one adressed to Trump, Fienstien and Harris. I just put a stamp on them, my return address and mail them out.
The problem with pre-typed, pre-addressed post cards and letters is they are so easily ignored. They will be stacked separately from other mail from constituents without the addressee even seeing a list of the names of those who sent them.
The best method of sending a message to any public official is in person, eye to eye. Short of that a phone call or personal, original hand written letter. Even using the last two methods does not mean that official will ever hear or see the message.
Actively campaigning for or against that official is a sure way of getting their attention.
If the tyrannical Left hasn’t figured out that every John and Jane who is a firearm owner are the gun lobby they are more delusional than first appears,it’s not the NRA,GOA or any other of the organizations,it’s “We The People”.
The Leftards with the aid of Bobby O’Dourke will discover what the second amendment is truly about,if they push their un Constitutional civilian disarmament schemes on the people
If you had to choose between being a rectal thermometer or being Donald Trump, which brand of rectal thermometer would you choose to be?
TDS much?
I’d be what ever kind of rectal thermometer Scarlett Johansson uses.
Yes, I’m sure your life is much more interesting than Trump’s. That’s why you’re on the net making posts about rectal thermometers.
Glad to see this rally, and wish I could have gone. Like most responsible gun owners, I have a job and lot of responsibilities and bills.
Haven’t seen your comments in a while. You were here frequently when I first started subscribing.
Just saying”Hi”.
Hope all is well.
Dude he’s not gay you know…
Jablome,
WTF was that? A failed attempt at humor? Check.
Go climb a rope.
Full, unadulterated, literal support for the 2nd Amendment is the only true test of whether someone is truly committed to the rest of the Bill of Rights, the backbone of American freedom. If candidates and those already in office don’t pass this basic smell test, we, as a country need to stop voting for them. Having said that, I fully realize I am preaching to the choir on this site. For the event’s speakers to say “we are the gun lobby” was embarrassing when I looked up at the towering and imposing structure of our national capitol building and then looked around at the pitiful numbers of people standing around me…well, it was very discouraging for our side. I sure hope we do better at the ballot box. If we don’t, we will witness the end of the remaining freedom in our country.
There was an underwhelming show of numbers at this event. This was a very big visual fail for national gun rights. To the event organizers, I say go big or go home! Get your act(s) together. Lead time is a thing. Nothing to see here, move along. Only a long and unenjoyable, tedious drive in terrible traffic, very expensive parking ending in a big yawn turnout.
To the speakers, thank you all for coming, for your inspirational words, for your shared love of freedom.
I also will not comply,
Wish I could have been there.
Maybe it is about lazy gun owners in that area around DC. But a heck of a lot of us are working people. Cannot spend the money for travel, or to leave work. Want to, but family responsibilities are too big.
In any case, not complying with any unconstitutional crap that may come down the pike.
I wish I could have gone. I live a few metro stops from the capital, but work sent me to the occupied state of Jefferson.
Attendance numbers don’t tell a complete picture. The left has benefactors paying for busses all over to bring people to DC for their rallies . Maybe we need someone with deep pockets to fund an operation like that if you want to fill the mall.
But again it’s not people with signs in front of the capital it’s votes at the ballot box that matters. The enemies of the 2nd don’t give a shit how many signs are waved . Its about getting 50.1 % on election night.
I wish we would stop using the language of the left and cease calling ourselves a gun lobby, we are a CONSTITUTIONAL lobby! And emphasize that Pelosi keeps throwing out the “constitutional” obligations of the House and still favoring gun control. I Feinstein ever got her crap passed we’ve have to teach her what archers can accomplish.
How about a gun rights rally where gun can ACTUALLY be carried, and people will ACTUALLY turn out. Can you say Dallas Texas? Or if you want to do it in a “blue” city, Austin and Houston.
I would attend with a PPQ in 45acp on my hip, and an AR-10 in 7.62×51 strapped to my back.
What would that prove? I fail to see your point. If it’s a show of force, that’s not what we need, at least not yet. You have guns, big deal, so do millions of others.
What’s more sad is that we have to lobby to protect an Amendment to the Constitution. Between the wife and I, we were triple booked with personal and kids activities. I offered it up to the kids to go, but once the Nationals scheduled their parade at the same time, it basically said “avoid DC”.
Geez 1500 people??? They’ve gotten more in Springfield,ILL with little notice. Better than nothing I guess…
Well, walker, if you went, there would be 1501.
At the risk of being repetitive (which I surely enjoy)….the proof is in the numbers. How is it possible that in the surrounding states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, there were only 1500 gun owners without priorities for Saturday more important that defending an enumerated, constitutionally protected natural, civil and human right?
All of us, no matter our situation, is obligated to defend this nation at the expense of other pleasures and obligations. We don’t need no stinkin’ billionaires. We don’t need no free rides and hotels. We don’t need no stinkin’ youngsters. We need to recognize who we really are, and what we are really doing. Fact: we no longer have Minutemen ready to drop everything and rally in the defense. We are content to send money to other “patriots”, while we go about our daily lives, depending on someone else to do the hard work. How can we even pretend to be ready for “comes the revolution”? All of us, if we aren’t there for the talking, we fool ourselves that we will be there for uprising. And me probably chief deluder.
“We have met the enemy, and he is us”
“The fault, Brutus, is not in our stars, it is in ourselves….”
“How is it possible that … there were only 1500 gun owners without priorities for Saturday more important that defending an enumerated, constitutionally protected natural, civil and human right?”
Maybe they all decided it will be more productive to spend the Saturday on shooting range introducing new members into shooters community. I seem to remember somebody arguing for that.
“Maybe they all decided it will be more productive to spend the Saturday on shooting range introducing new members into shooters community.”
Chasing Unicorns is one way of filling up time.
You forgot Maryland. What the 2A crowd constantly forgets, is they are a small fringe of gun owners. Apparently, 95+ percent of gun owners perceive no problem. Honestly if people will not comply, where is the problem?
“You forgot Maryland.
– Correct. Had Maryland on my mind, then left it off the list; my bad.
“What the 2A crowd constantly forgets, is they are a small fringe of gun owners. Apparently, 95+ percent of gun owners perceive no problem.”
– Yes, that is one of my themes: we should be evangelizing current gun owners, not wasting time trying to “convert” the unicorns.
“Apparently, 95+ percent of gun owners perceive no problem”
Reference please? Not really my experience and highly unlikely even here in the “Free State”.
“Honestly if people will not comply, where is the problem?”
I don’t like being considered a felon when I’ve committed no crime save ignore an unconstitutional law. I don’t want to be shot, or arrested and imprisoned for not complying with an unconstitutional law. The ability to own the firearm of our choice is the last vestige of freedom in this country. When that is gone we can no longer claim to be a free country. There is(are some of) the problem(s)!
The framers added the 2nd amendment for a reason and I think it was Thomas Jefferson who said (paraphrasing here): “The beauty of the 2nd amendment is that it will never be needed until they try to take it away.”
why didnt the richest, most powerful gun lobby in america located 12 miles away help sponsor this event? Was WLP in need of a new suit?
Anyone who doesn’t live in the area especially on the Virginia side cannot appreciate how much of a pain in the ass travel to the mall was yesterday. The Nationals parade basically had the city shut down. Public transportation was completely full and you couldn’t drive and park anywhere within a mile and a half walk to the site.
The baseball parade did not help, but ir wasn’t so bad. After all, all those fans managed to get there. I used Metro from Reagan Airport and back and it was not nearly packed.
I live in WA state. Unfortunately, there was no way I could afford the airfare, hotel, etc that it would have cost to be there. We on the pro-2nd Amendment side don’t have the backing of elitist billionaires paying for us to attend rallies like the anti-gun rights crowd does.
“We on the pro-2nd Amendment side don’t have the backing of elitist billionaires paying for us to attend rallies like the anti-gun rights crowd does.”
If the issue is now who has the most billionaires, we are doomed.
There was no need for billionaires to fund travel from the surrounding states. Maybe there are only 1500 gun owners in the area next door to D.C.
Problem is, we have priorities of life that are more important than “gun rights”
Fact, truth (and shame on gun owners): Trump can put 20,000 people in an arena for a rally on a weekday night, with attendees lining up the day before. These aren’t restricted to people within an hour drive of the arena. One might suppose there are more than 1500 gun owners at Trump rallies.
Is re-electing an unpredictable 2A-supporting president more important than showing our support for a human right? Or is it an example of people deciding that it is more important to show support for someone else to do the work of protecting our rights?
Sam I Am, I agree.
I don’t think we can judge Douglas as to what his priorities are, and I don’t think you were either.
Your point about gun owners not viewing these things as important enough to attend is spot on
The last rally we had at Olympia, there were only around 200 people.
Only 200!!
There are 600,00 concealed carriers on WA.
You would think that out of 600,000 people who thought that getting their concealed carry permit was important, how can you only have so little of them show up???
That’s how we got these asinine gun laws in WA
And Douglas, my friend, if I didn’t met you the last time, I hope to meet you at the next rally in Olympia,
“I don’t think we can judge Douglas as to what his priorities are, and I don’t think you were either.”
Nope, not judging Douglas. Pointing out that the list could not possibly explain why so few were in D.C., especially as I pointed how easily Trump gets 20,000 in attendance, on a weekday night, with everyone paying their own way. The list Douglas submitted should apply to the Trump attendees, as well.
All in all, the bulk of our voting populace finds much more that takes priority over concerns for the Second Amendment, even among gun owners, and POTG. No matter how absolutist we can claim to be, few, and very few, will put the Second Amendment above all other political considerations.
If it makes you feel any better, I wouldn’t walk across the street to hear Trump or Hillary. Both parties are effectively the enemies of the Second Amendment, but few gunowners will ever sign up with a principled party like the Constitution Party. They’d rather pretend that the GOP is in their corner. Don’t look now, but the GOP has no principles but whatever polls tell them. They abandoned the Constitution long ago.
“If it makes you feel any better, I wouldn’t walk across the street to hear Trump or Hillary.”
Absolutely not the issue. Point is 20,000 people (gun owners among them) will attend a political rally (held on a work week evening), yet not “walk across the street” to support fellow gun owners in rallying to show support for the Second Amendment.
All the pablum about conservatives and POTG having real commitments that prevent the from sharing an event related to “gun rights” is just that, pablum (and excuses, not reasons). And many of those same no-shows will thump their chest about how ready they are to take on a tyrannical government in a contest of firepower. If gun owners aren’t there for the talking, they will not be there for the uprising.
I realize that the air tickets across the country are expensive, but there is no need to add other expenses on top of them. I got up before 5 AM and got back home at 10 PM. The metro ticket – $8, lunch at fast food $12. No hotels, no cabs, no frills. In and out from Chicago area under $300.
My wife and I were there, with our dog, not complying in person. We thoroughly enjoyed it and we’re glad we could at least stand and be counted. I would add to the pics for the article if someone would tell me how to do that.
“My wife and I were there, with our dog, not complying in person.”
Good on ya’, mate. Thank you for your service.
Glad to see this rally, and wish I could have gone. Like most responsible gun owners, I have a job and lot of responsibilities and bills.
زوج درمانی قطعی
Thanks to all who attended. Was great to hang with so many like-minded individuals!
I was there as well – I only had to cross the river from Free America to attend. It was great to be there among so many other great Americans of every type, and I thought it was well attended for an event that was only advertised for a very short time. Our struggle must include every American. There is no one who this does not affect – no exceptions. It is terrible that so many Americans do not understand the value and need for the rights that our Constitution protects. We must do more to change their minds. I hope that we can put on more events like this that are advertised much further in advance. I am confident that the millions of passionate 2A supporters across America will attend. Thanks to the organizers of this event!
I count three hecklers at the rally yesterday. They were passers-by, yelling their insults that were drowned out by whoever was speaking. Their heckling was minuscule at best.
It’s now very early Monday Morning, AFTER the event, and This is the first I’m hearing about it. The Anti’s have no problem getting the word out with enough advance notice. Why can’t the Good Guys plan and get the word out well in advance? I’m an hour or so away and I would have attended and brought along some friends to help fill the ranks. There is no reason that there couldn’t have been half a million pro 2A people there. Can someone do a little organizing and get the word out? These days, there is no excuse, since we have social media and other electronic means of communication that can send a message to the masses with a few keystrokes or a couple of taps on a touchscreen. When there is a lack of enthusiasm from the event planners, I guess people don’t show up when they don’t hear about it.
Sorry to be critical, but I get tons of snail mail from all sources and I’m on a computer or other device many times each day. I get tons of spam from all sources and would not mind some that actually has a purpose. I’m an NRA Benefactor and have many memberships in different 2A organizations. I am on a ton of the electronic mailing lists and somehow heard about this well after the event had ended.
Maybe next time. We need to take some lessons from the opposition. They get the word out and have people show up. They spread their BS and fake news everywhere. We need to push the truth out to other groups than 2A friendlies. We need to win over people and change their minds about firearms. Not just by Rallies, but by inviting people out to the ranges, hunting, and Pro 2A events. We need to teach the younger generations what it’s all about. Not that guns are only for hunting deer, but that the founders were serious about “We, the People” being able to defend from threats from without and within our country. The colonials had “Arms” of Military purpose back around the Revolutionary War. The 2A was intended to protect that God Given Right to possess the means to stay free. We have lost so much over the last few Centuries. The worst part is the loss of effort to retain those God Given Rights that were so precious to the founders.
I’ll get off the Soap Box for now. Let’s just agree to get the word out Well Before an Event so people can attend and try to make a difference.
“Let’s just agree to get the word out Well Before an Event so people can attend and try to make a difference.”
We defenders do have a problem of inter-organization rivalry. One blog I attend noted that until a few days prior to the gathering, there was a contest between some of the “organizers” as to the purpose of the rally: support the “gun industry”, or “defend the Second”. Such indecision does not lend itself to clear messaging (and maybe even anti-messaging). The anti-gunners have one objective, gun owners have many. The anti-gunners have one focus: taking guns from citizens. The pro-gun people too often include purity tests in their activities. Plus, for the pro-gun people, some guns are more equal than others.
Having this a year before elections is a mistake. Do it next September, right before the Big Day when people are seeing the ads and hearing the BS. Sure, VA had an election today but that’s not national.
Should have held it in Arlington, across the border. The whole assembly waived their Second Amendment Rights to be in DC and near the Capitol. How very absurd! At least hold it where businesses in a gun-friendly state get some revenue.
OMG, excuse after excuse. I’m ashamed to be a gun owner right now. Are they having hearings on an AWB and Red Flag law in Arlington? Duh, no! Think, for once in your life, please think! On second thought, based on your other comments, please go to the other side.
I didn’t waive any of my rights to be there, the same as I refuse to acknowledge some sign’s power to strip me of my natural rights. I wasn’t obvious about it, but I wouldn’t go to D.C. defenseless any more than I would go anywhere else that way. I guess IDGAF like that.
My sincere and heartfelt thank you to those who attended this rally. Even though the attendance was poor in some respect, I hope we can all agree that millions of others wish they could have attended. I for one. Maybe, another effort which include rallies in different major cities and towns throughout our country would show how much we are for the 2A! Again, I thank those who made the sacrifice of traveling to our nation’s capitol to demonstrate our unquestionable right to bear arms….God Bless the U.S.A.
Heard, or read, someone asking why attending pro-gun/pro-2A (they are different) rallies was important. In response, I asked why many, many pro-gun/pro-2A people thought it important to attend Trump rallies? And why Trump rallies have 20,000 attendees for what is a temporary condition (Trump as President)?
An important feature of attending rallies is not just to show “support” for a political issue, but to show that like-minded individuals are not alone, despite the unceasing message of the anti-gunners that gun owners are idiots, deplorables, mouth-breathers, knuckle-draggers, and most important…a small, violent, unhinged minority of the population.
Pro-gun/pro-2A rallies, even if attended by thousands, might not get national publicity. Politicians may dismiss such crowds as bumpkins and already captured voters. But the people who fear dissolution of the Second Amendment (by hook or crook) need the reassurance that they are not impotent, not marginalized, not alone.
I received the announce couple days prior. More notice is needed to prepare for trip. This even should have be sponsored by by NRA. They need to expand their organizing to mass protest. They won’t even go on Fox news to respond! Very sad!!!!
Maybe we should pick ONE day and hold rallies in EVERY state capitol .??!! Publicized months in advance. Could this prove to be the answer?……..PM
“Maybe we should pick ONE day and hold rallies in EVERY state capitol .??!! Publicized months in advance. Could this prove to be the answer?”
Good idea that may uncover the fact that the pro-gun organizations are particularly jealous of their territory and agenda, not wanting to admit other organizations may be just as useful/effective to the movement overall because that might mean losing current or potential members for a specific organization.
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