VCDL Update 7/26

[Bob A]

	1. Volunteers needed: handout GSL stickers, brochures, and get VA-ALERT signups at Blacksburg’s Steppin’ Out on August 5th and 6th 2. Help STILL needed! Virginia Outdoor Sportsman Show in Richmond on August 5-7 3. Action Item: Contact your Congressman to oppose the “assault weapon” bill in the House 4. Finally! VCDL to have picnic in Henrico on August 28! 1. Volunteers needed: handout GSL stickers, brochures, and get VA-ALERT signups at Blacksburg’s Steppin’ Out on August 5th and 6th History of Steppin’ Out and VCDL Prior to 2020 with its COVID-19 restrictions, VCDL has been a popular presence at the annual Steppin’ Out event in Blacksburg. We would hand out thousands of stickers at the two-day event. Being at Steppin’ Out allowed us to reach an audience with our “Gun Save Lives” message, such as university students and faculty, that we could not reach at events like gun shows. Over the years the anti-gun Town Council and the anti-gun non-profit event coordinator, Downtown Blacksburg, tried every trick in the book to keep VCDL from having a booth at the event. They kept changing the rules to get a booth and we kept changing our approach to comply with those rules. They were finally successful at denying us a booth in 2019, when yet another set of new rules didn’t allow booths with any kind of political message. However, that didn’t stop us from being at Steppin’ Out that year, either. We didn’t need no stinkin’ booth! We simply exercised our First Amendment rights on public property. Our teams of volunteers showed up and walked all around the event handing out thousands of GSL stickers and membership brochures! That's what we plan to do again this August 5 and 6! Last year the Town Council passed an ordinance that forbids firearms at permitted events. Council thought for sure that would work to keep VCDL away, but we can’t let them silence us! Yes, guns are banned at the event, but there are other options Pepper ball launchers (see http://byrna.com as an example), pepper spray, normal folding knives, stun-guns, tasers, and other less-lethal defensive devices remain legal at Steppin’ Out under Virginia law. We need volunteers to work in two-person teams Shifts on Friday and Saturday are: 10am to 1pm and 1pm to 4pm. If you can do a shift at Steppin’ Out, please send me an email at: president@vcdl.org. Rolls of stickers, membership brochures, and a VA-ALERT sign-up sheet will be provided to each team (a roll has 1,000 GSL stickers). I am in contact with the Blacksburg PD to help ensure everything goes smoothly. 2. Help STILL needed! Virginia Outdoor Sportsman Show in Richmond on August 5-7 We are still very short of volunteers for the 39th Annual Virginia Outdoor Sportsman Show! It is scheduled for August 5th, 6th & 7th at the Richmond Raceway, 600 E. Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA 23222. This show will display lots of hunting and other outdoor gear, so this promises to be a very busy show indeed! We are looking for volunteers for all shifts, all three days. The available shifts are: Friday, August 5th, 1:00pm – 4:30pm and 4:30pm – 8:00pm Saturday, August 6th, 9:00am – 1:30pm and 1:30pm – 6:00pm Sunday, August 7th, 10:00am – 1:30pm and 1:30pm – 5:00pm This show presents a great opportunity to see what is available for the upcoming hunting season. Show volunteers are admitted free. Many of the exhibitor/vendors offer discounts to our volunteers. If you are a first timer, don't worry, we'll have experienced member-volunteers on every shift to help you. Contact the VCDL Richmond Gun Show Volunteer Coordinator at: gunshows.richmond@vcdl.org to sign up! 3. Action Item: Contact your Congressman to oppose the “assault weapon” bill in the House Last week the House Judiciary committee passed out an “assault weapon” ban bill, which also would restrict the capacity of magazines. They did so as an “in your face” to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Bruen decision. The Democrats on the committee showed how totally ignorant they are about guns. All they did was parrot the talking points given to them by the gun-control lobbyists. For example, the Democrats believe that a pistol brace makes the firearm it is attached to a machine gun! And, when presented with the facts, they didn’t want those facts to get in the way of their agenda: https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/07/21/democrat-assault-weapons-ban-sponsor-stabilizing-braces-make-ar-pistols-automatic-weapon/ As I was watching the committee meeting, all I could think of was how the Democrats on that committee looked like a bunch of clowns. And I wasn’t the only one who thought so: Clown Show: House Judicial Committee Passes “Assault Weapons” Ban (gunmagwarehouse.com) As an example of their clownship, here is what Representative Lucy McBath said: “With assault rifles, exit wounds can be a foot wide. The victim’s skull explodes on impact. Organs rupture, bones shatter, the shards serve as shrapnel and tear tissue to pieces. “There is a reason we never see the images of mass murder – many of the bodies no longer exist.” - Wow! I had no idea that my little AR-15 has the same power as the 120mm cannon on an M1A2 Abrams tank! Fortunately, right now it doesn’t look like the votes are there, without help from a few Republicans, to pass the bill on the House Floor: https://hotair.com/allahpundit/2022/07/21/dems-dont-have-the-votes-to-pass-a-new-assault-weapons-ban-in-the-house-unless-republicans-help-n484373 - That said, we had best not take any chances. Every one of our Representatives, Democrat and Republican, need to hear from us. GOA has a pre-written email already set up to do so. Click here to start: https://oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/messages/edit?promo_id=17592 4. Finally! VCDL to have picnic in Henrico on August 28! It's been far too long since we had a VCDL picnic, but the long drought is over! And we've found a great spot in central Virginia, Henrico County's Osborne Park and Boat Landing. This beautiful park is situated on the banks of the James River, convenient to Richmond, Fredericksburg, Williamsburg and more. It's just enough off the beaten path to have a secluded feel, but it's an easy drive, so come join us! Grab some fresh air, mingle with fellow freedom lovers, and enjoy some food. What could be better? DETAILS Osborne Park and Boat Landing 9530 Osborne Tpke. Henrico, VA 23231 Sunday, August 28, 2022 from 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm Food served from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Bring your lawn games, your fishing rods, your kids, and your appetites! This park has a lot to offer, including boat ramps, a fishing pier and dock, swing sets for the kids, and restrooms. All are handicap accessible. There's a large open grassy area for lawn games, and a pavilion in case it rains. Come spend the day with likeminded, freedom-loving people for a family-friendly afternoon filled with food, fun and friends. Feel free to bring a dish to share. Burgers, dogs and drinks will be provided by VCDL. The event is free to all, but we'll gladly accept any contributions to help defray the costs. Mark your calendars and make plans to attend. We look forward to seeing you there! We ask the you RSVP so we can have the correct amount of food available. The pavilion will hold up to 80 people. If you are coming, RSVP to Pat Webb: pat.webb@vcdl.org. If you click on that link, add the number in your party to the subject line in the email. Otherwise, the subject line should say "Osborn Park, party of x", with "x" being the number in your party.