whistlersmother
Peace through strength
$ - the only thing politicians recognize anymore.
NO way. I refuse to pay for a right I already have. I have enough handguns for now. I plan on leaving Maryland anyway in a couple of years.
I've worked in politics for 30 years from the county to the federal level (not in the bureaucracies, but directly on the staffs of elected officials) and not a one of them, absent their conscience or some other need or desire, will bend to a position without money or numbers (meaning power) pushing them that way. How do we demonstrate that power? Lots of 4473's in lots of different names helps, or any other way we can touch them in a way they understand. What evidence can you think of that demonstrates there is a large firearms-owning community? I thought a large number of HQL's may be one way.
I've worked in politics for 30 years from the county to the federal level (not in the bureaucracies, but directly on the staffs of elected officials) and not a one of them, absent their conscience or some other need or desire, will bend to a position without money or numbers (meaning power) pushing them that way. How do we demonstrate that power? Lots of 4473's in lots of different names helps, or any other way we can touch them in a way they understand. What evidence can you think of that demonstrates there is a large firearms-owning community? I thought a large number of HQL's may be one way.
The sheer number of firearms sales and backlog at MSP pre- Oct. 1 overwhelms any potential number of HQL's, which require unconstitutional hoops and a poll tax to obtain.
I bet you think peace is about to break out in the middle east too. These issues are rooted in deep philosophical distortions, and as much as anything, serving those in power, to get power themselves. This has virtually NOTHING to do with firearms.
The sheer number of firearms sales and backlog at MSP pre- Oct. 1 overwhelms any potential number of HQL's, which require unconstitutional hoops and a poll tax to obtain.
As to the "poll tax," just because any number of people can afford to pay it and will doesn't make it constitutional. And the powers-that-be can't show how many people are dissuaded by even a $1 poll tax. Myself and lots of others here included. An unconstitutional poll tax is an unconstitutional poll tax. Period.
I do not see that lots of people getting their HQLs will send any sort of message to Annapolis that will be heard. I think this because, even with how disturbed the Maryland gun community is about the recent new gun laws, not everyone with an HQL will do the small chore of voting. Getting Maryland's gun owners out to vote, I believe, will be the only message that Annapolis will listen to.
While I do not think this about those on this website, as we are the committed tip of the spear, I will not be holding my breath for a majority of fellow gun owning Marylanders to make even the minimal effort to vote.
It has been extremely frustrating to frequently talk to people with a mindset that their vote is useless in Maryland and therefore will not vote. Many are too occupied with bread and circuses and planning when the evil JBTs will come for their guns. That is when many say they will start fighting for their rights.
I will continue on regardless. Hunting season is coming up and there are many opportunities to get out the vote at the hunting area parking lots.
Lastly, if most of us get the HQL prior to a court challenge of the requirement, it could embolden them seeing that we will comply with unconstitutional statutory requirements.
It is for the reasons I cited in my post that I believe peace will NOT break out in the middle east. The first thing we need to understand is what motivates people. The power is on our side...in Georgia, etc...why is that?
I suspect that many urban Americans have forgotten how life really works. The more big cities and urban areas in a state, the more voters with incorrect assumptions about reality.
They think food comes from Safeway, and the government will fix everything.
They are not swayed by history and facts that prove otherwise. I am at a loss as to how people don't understand after watching the fall of a big controlling government in the former USSR.
Annapolis will or won't draw that conclusion, depending on two things: how many of us there are, and, what it is we say. Legislators may conclude that few HQL's = few people interested in firearms. Conversely, lot's of HQL's can mean a few things, including lot's of people will jump through inane hoops (if we get HQL's and otherwise say nothing) or, there are a lot of us, and listen to what we say (if we get HQL's to demonstrate numbers, and then speak loudly that things need to change). Right now, without numbers, nothing we say will be heeded. I think they will look at the number of HQL's and draw a conclusion about the size of our community.