How to NOT Lose This Battle

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  • 6-Pack

    NRA Life Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 17, 2013
    5,647
    Carroll Co.
    I was making my round of phone calls today while driving home from work and actually spoke to a delegate for about 30 minutes. I won't say who it was, but they are pro 2A and think this legislation is total ********. I dont want to say wel'll "win" because I don't think you can "win" a right you already have.

    They offered me tips on how to better our chances:

    1. The legislature doesn't care if we threaten to move our families and businesses. Saying this only gives them a lesser opinion of us.

    2. We need vocal women. Many guys own guns, but the legislature wants to see women and mothers, not the typical "gun owning guy."

    3. Tell them your education - college, graduate school, etc... They will take your opinion more seriously. If you have a degree of any sort tell them, otherwise they will assume you are uneducated. If you went to trade school instead of college, tell them that too. They want to see educated and well-informed people.

    4. Don't wear NRA and MSI gear when testifying. You will be immediately labeled as a "gun nut" and discredited. I asked the delegate this specifically and they said it is important. I'm a proud NRA member (and I just joined MSI this week), but I want them to think of me as an indvidual, 6-Pack, and not just "another NRA/MSI member."

    5. Give alternatives. Yeah, this law is ******** and we all know it, but we need to address how to fix our violence problem (such as enforce the numerous laws on the books, less plea bargaining for criminals, etc...).

    6. We need all the support we can get in Baltimore City, Montgomery County and Prince George's County. Try to get anyone you know in these areas to talk to their representatives.

    7. We need more hunters to show opposition to his legislation. So far, it's mostly been the more vocal assault rifle owners. We need hunters!!!

    8. This legislation may likely be split into multiple pieces because some in congress have trouble only with the licensing portion. We need to target these people and inform them, otherwise you can bet a good portion of this will make its way into the Annotated Code of Maryland!

    9. When contacting representatives, make sure you provide them with more than "it's my right to own these guns." Give examples (ie: flash suppressors haven't been linked to any crimes, no one has been bayonetted in even the worst parts of Baltimore, pistol-grip stocks do absolutely nothing to a weapon's function...).

    10. Show up and testify on Feb. 6. They are expecting a large turnout, we don't want to disappoint them.


    Maybe we could set up a Google Docs account so people can upload their talking points for peer review. If anything is going to the legislature it should be error free! This is something we can all do even if we can't attend the hearings: peer review documents.
     
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    6-Pack

    NRA Life Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 17, 2013
    5,647
    Carroll Co.
    I like your avatar ;)

    I promised the delegate that we were talking person to person and I wouldn't name him or her, but they told me this is what we need to do if we want to have a victory
     

    BeltBuckle

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 14, 2008
    2,587
    MoCo, MD
    all good advice.

    I think some useful bullet points (I saw what I did there...) might include:

    history and experience show that this proposed legislation will do nothing to solve the problems at which it is ostensibly aimed;

    it will, however, be sure to ensnare the state in lengthy and expensive litigation which is ultimately doomed to fail (for a host of G&S reasons);

    meanwhile, if it ever were to be implemented, it would merely disadvantage law abiding citizens vis a vis criminals and crazies who care nothing for words on paper.

    In view of these facts, for legislators to pursue these proposals while doing nothing to improve our obviously broken mental health system, nothing to improve security in our schools, and continuing to countenance a revolving door criminal justice system that fails to keep repeat violent offenders behind bars, amounts to criminal malpractice. Legislators pushing this foolishness should withdraw it in shame and start over with proposals that actually have some potential to deliver the desired results without trampling on the inalienable rights of law abiding citizens.

    Thank you very much.

    maybe I should write that down...
     

    Robert

    Having Fun Yet?
    May 11, 2011
    4,089
    AA County, MD
    When making my phone rounds today, one of the assistants ( House rep. but I forget who) made this comment "and there's more legislation in the works" [gun] and in the same breath she mentioned ammunition, as soon as she said it she was really quick to get off the phone... :mad54: I'm really not sure how much these assistants know.

    Not only that, but several acted like they never heard of the HB 131 and SB 266 bills. (all of them knew all about 281 and 294)

    Only 3 answering machines today, so either people are starting to let up or they are really out of the office.. :innocent0
     

    Shinny

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 20, 2012
    1,428
    Thanks for the info. I'll use it all tomorrow when I make another round of calls. I'll have my wife call too.
     

    EL1227

    R.I.P.
    Patriot Picket
    Nov 14, 2010
    20,274
    Another idea ...

    Many of the bills sponsors are citing public opinion polls that have been recently taken, but are ripe with erroneous findings.

    Gather your own data, cite 2A favorable polls, and whenever possible DISCREDIT their polls. The last two I've seen were done by 'progressive polling orgs' who either tried to hide their allegiances by 'scrubbing' their websites or refused to produce the geo-demographics to back up their poll results.

    Bottom line, this is NOT a popular initiative, except in the minds of the Senators who drafted it, backed by Dem strongholds in PG, MoCo, and Balto Counties and City ... and even there the polling data and methodology is suspect.
     

    occbrian

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 3, 2013
    4,905
    in a cave
    STICKY.

    I was also thinking about some sort of hive mind approach to our speeches and our main points. They should be somewhat focused as to present a cogent and direct message. It would be cool to create a google doc of main ideas and specific points speakers should expand upon.

    No yelling Molon labe, cold dead hands, threatening to shoot intruders, etc. we don't want to wear our tin foil hats to the hearings. I'm not an English major but I'd be more than happy to proofread or help write speeches for other users. I started typing my own today and it ended up being approximately 13 minutes of testimony. So I have a min of 10 other minutes if someone is short on material :)
     

    Omnipotent

    Semper Fi
    Jan 10, 2013
    735
    MoCo
    One additional note...I've done my fair share of public speaking...it can be nerve racking.

    Practice in front of family, friends or even a mirror. Say it out loud, just like you were in the hearing room. Practice the hell out of it...even when you think you've got it memorized, practice again...maybe each night right before bed in the bathroom...but practice. I can assure you it will help, you will know exactly what you want to say, you won't stutter or get fumbled, you won't be "as nervous" with 100's if not 1000's of people watching you. Being confident in your delivery is as important as what you have to say....and PLEASE, speak up and clearly. Nothing worse than a mumbling timid voice that nobody can understand.

    Also available to read and offer suggestions to anyone that wants them...but more important practice...out loud!
     

    Omnipotent

    Semper Fi
    Jan 10, 2013
    735
    MoCo
    One more thing...it's been said in about a billion business school books that someone needs to hear something 7 times before it sinks in. While I'm not saying each of us should say the same thing 7 times, the idea of us hitting on the same themes makes sense...each in our own words but citing the same topics.

    We should start another thread with points to be talked about....I imagine it will be quite a few...many more than 7, but if we do get 100's of us there then we can each hit on most of those topics 7 times.
     

    HKB

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 14, 2007
    2,060
    Finksburg, MD
    Indeed. Far too often firearm owners come off as the histrionic barely educated caricatures that the liberal media are only eager to get on camera.

    How we conduct ourselves matters a great deal. Here is a good video on proper attire and composure when presenting our side.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9rsVL-M5Jw
    So you are saying Alex Jones is a bad example to follow...got it:innocent0

    J/K not back on topic
     

    6-Pack

    NRA Life Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 17, 2013
    5,647
    Carroll Co.
    Google Docs for collaboration and proofreading:

    Username: MDSB281

    Create/upload your document to Google Docs (docs.google.com) and share it with MDSB281@gmail.com. I have off tomorrow and will review whatever I can.

    You can also e-mail your documents to: MDSB281@gmail.com
     
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    1969sschevelle

    Active Member
    Dec 28, 2012
    596
    Lost Farmland County MD
    Was going to wear my suit and top coat...my winter special church apparel,but my wife and kids say it looks to "mafia" for Annapolis.
    So,now I,m thinking shirt ,tie, sweater vest sport jacket,slacks,and ski coat......IDK...dont like it......looks TOO Annapolis.
     

    CapoGreg

    Extra mediocre
    Aug 10, 2009
    1,041
    Aberdeen
    Was going to wear my suit and top coat...my winter special church apparel,but my wife and kids say it looks to "mafia" for Annapolis.
    So,now I,m thinking shirt ,tie, sweater vest sport jacket,slacks,and ski coat......IDK...dont like it......looks TOO Annapolis.

    I wouldn't worry...this is the correct Annapolis look.
     

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    SSDD

    Active Member
    Dec 18, 2012
    169
    Hanover, MD
    Indeed. Far too often firearm owners come off as the histrionic barely educated caricatures that the liberal media are only eager to get on camera.

    How we conduct ourselves matters a great deal. Here is a good video on proper attire and composure when presenting our side.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9rsVL-M5Jw

    Great post OP. Also this was a good video to watch. It does a nice job of pointing out that you don't convince undecided people by shouting talking points to the people that already agree with you.
     

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