Gun Rights Policy Conference: Day 1 (St. Louis, MO)

Gun Rights Policy Conference

Friday Updates:

• At the 2009 Gun Rights Policy Conference in St. Louis.
• Food went quick but that’s probably due to 200+ people.
• Just chatting with attendees. Tonight is the meet’n’greet. Tomorrow things kick off in the meeting.

Saturday Updates:

• Eating breakfast waiting for the show to begin. Received a dozen books and a rifle pencil. Nice perks!
• Alan Gottlieb giving an opening address on the state of the union regarding our 2nd Amendment rights.
• Panel of speakers (NRA-ILA, NSSF, CCRKBA, GOA, NAt’l Muzzle Loading Rifle Assoc).
• Addressing MAIG, excise taxes, call for a Federal study of micro stamping, modern sporting rifles, nominations (cabinet & SCOTUS)
• You should be here at the Second Amendment Foundation’s “Gun Rights Policy Conference”
• Why muzzleloader association. Just look at the logo. What’s the man holding? “A 54 caliber flintlock assault rifle”
• That end the Federal Affairs Briefing panel. Next up – State Legislative Affairs feat. State Senators from TN & KS & state rifle orgs.
• Modern Sporting Rifle site: http://www.nssf.org/msr/ (Personally, I prefer SUR, “Sport Utility Rifle”)
• RT @OFCC: http://twitpic.com/j767c – GRPC swag
• Left my battery charger at friends house. So if I go dark – you know what happened.
• Had a brilliant idea. Spoke to the concierge to see if they had an iPhone charger in the lost & found. They did and now I’m charging
• In the process the concierge revealed an interest in becoming a gun owner. Gave him links and bought him a copy of Black Man with a Gun
• Panel discussion of international gun rights. Speaker from a gun rights organization from Italy just finished.
• RT @Shepherds_abide: If you want to eliminate a species, take away it’s food. Guns eat ammo.
• Question & Answer period with members of the previous three panels just concluded.
• Fav. Question addressed NSSF: Inquiring if manufacturers will cease sales to CA (inc. LEO) if they pass further extreme laws.
• Finishing up lunch-roast beef on pretzel roll. Awards luncheon with Bob Barr in progress.Discussing lawsuit aainst Mayor Bloomberg.
• Wayne LaPierre addressing GRPC. Speaking on how Sotomayor and others ignore DC vs Heller dec. And issues of media mis-representation
• Bob Barr admonishing us to focus on liberty. And to utilize the Constitution and other documents such as the Federal papers. [NOTE – I really need to read the Federalist Papers some time.]
• Gun Rights Policy Conference – crowds must have surpassed expectations. They had to bring in extra chairs.
• Gun Rights Policy Conference – crowds must have surpassed expectations. They had to bring in extra chairs.
• Professor Gary Mauser speaks on the myth of Europe’s gun control = lower homicide. Nations w/high arms ownership and low crime.
• Founder of Kniferights.org presents custom Ken Onion knife to Alan Gottlieb. We must be vigilant “arms” = more than just firearms.
• @HandgunPodcast Seen a fair number of younger people (15-25) at GRPC. Not a lot but they are there. Improvement over last year ???
• Panel on post-Heller Decision World. Alan Gura expects that the Chicago gun ban has a short life.
• “If you have a gun roster look out; we might be coming to your town soon!” – AG
• Gene Hoffman of CalGuns details the state of California. 2A rights movement growing, they expect to push back significantly in CA.
• Donald Kilmer discusses Nordyke case. Effect of Heller case. The unusual act of the court revisiting the case without appeal. Etc.
• Panel discussing the 10th Amendment, commerce clause, Montana and their intention to bring it to Federal court.
• Gary Marbut (Montana), follow push for the 10th Amendment here: http://firearmsfreedomact.com/
• Gary Marbut also stated they have a “Plan B”. Sheriff’s First Bill would require county sheriff involvement in all Federal arrests.
• Olivia Alexander, Kansas Students for CCC. Discusses their movement. It’s not easy to speak out, to deal with glares, ridicule, etc
• Outlayed how quick the need can arise. Lack of problems where implemented. Young people are standing up for their rights & well being.
• Jonathan Ratliff, MO SCCC, discusses difficulty of passage in both houses. Passed overwhelmingly in the house but not in Senate.
• Paul Ready “calm initiative & clear thinking” not enough. We are the Students for Concealed Carry on Campus. There are 40,000 of us!
• Curt Levey & Alan Gottlieb on court justices, nomination, and the importance of 2nd Amendment judicial activism since DC vs Heller
• Jeff Knox, discussing comm, asked when did you know about H.R. 45(Blair Holt). May? Feb? Jan? Before Jan 15? – We posted on Jan 14th.
• “If you want to stay current on 2nd Amendment issues, 2A/Gun Blogs are a great way to say up-to-date.” – N.U.G.U.N.
• During disc. on expanding right to carry. Effect we are having, how such bills are DOA. But only cause we are being active.
• Jake McGuigan (NSSF) on us defeating the current wave of ammo serialization attempts. “Give yourself a hand!”
• Doug Ritter (of www.kniferights.org) discussing other “arms”. History of knife restrictions. More knife owners than firearm owners
• Julianne Versnel Gottlieb, commented on area of improvement for GRPC next year. Stronger presence of female panel members. I agree!
• I would also like to see some new media presence or panel for next year. Address the effect of Internet communication, etc.
• Ralph Walker (NMLRA)-No black powder manufacturing in U.S. & only 2 smokeless powder plants left in U.S. Can anyone verify this?  [Note – I may have gotten speaker id wrong on this one.]
• Final question and answers session, announcements, and so concludes today’s conference. Reception at 6:30pm.

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That wraps up Saturday/Day 1 of the conference. More updates to come tomorrow!

Wow nearly 60 twits. Didn’t realize I posted so many…