Unmotivatable!!!

CoRoMo · Feb 27, 2013

This is sort of a vent the likes of MachIVshooter made, but I'm also looking for advice.

Last week I urged more than a dozen personal acquaintances and Colorado gun owners to get involved: http://www.thehighroad.org/showthrea...18#post8762318

Fifteen in all. So far none have bothered to simply send out an email.

Here's a paraphrase of several conversations that I've had lately with business colleagues, employees, and general acquaintances. When I follow up with them the conversations go almost exactly like this...

CoRoMo: Have you contacted anyone in the Senate from the list that I sent you?
Other: No. I don't want to be getting a bunch of emails back from them and I'd probably end up on some sort of terrorist watch list if I sent them an email.
CoRoMo: The law would prohibit you from ever acquiring, giving, receiving, buying, or selling any of your AR mags to anyone or from anyone ever again.
Other: That won't stop me. I'll just drive to Raton, NM / Cheyenne, WY and buy them anyway and say I owned them before the law went in.
CoRoMo: You won't be able to loan or borrow a firearm except while hunting, or from immediate, blood relatives outside your home or theirs according to law.
Other: There's no way they will find out. I'll do it anyway.
CoRoMo: You won't be able to buy or sell firearms between friends or family at all according to law.
Other: They will never know. I'll do it anyway and we'll just say that the gun was bought/sold before the law went in.

This represents 100% of the conversations that I've had lately. Nobody seems at all concerned about the looming legislation, although they are all opposed to it passing.

It may appear that they disregard the rule of law by simply remarking that they will violate it since it is unenforceable, but these people ARE law abiding, honest people. The new laws would make them criminals and they would rather violate the laws then, rather than to get involved now.

I chalk the law breaking remarks up to nothing more than 'locker-room talk', sarcastic bravado and macho chest-beating in that they are just trying to brush off the stakes at hand. Same goes for the remarks I've heard about being put on a government list; I don't know if it is truly something that keeps a lot of these people from sending a simple email to a member of the Colorado Senate, or just a line they are feeding me to leave them alone about it.

EVERY TIME we get to talking about the gun control that's coming, I ask, "Did you email anyone in the legislature?" and I'm basically told "No, there's no use".

I feel like the one, lone gun owner amongst all these guys who's pained by the actions of the legislature. None of them are even following along!

So what can you tell me? What else should I be saying/doing?

MErl · Feb 27, 2013

I don't think there is much more you can do. Stress that contacting legislature can only help, it cannot hurt.
Email is free, postage is cheap, there is no drawback to a polite letter. While we may think it doesn't help, we've all been wrong before.

jimmyraythomason · Feb 27, 2013

"If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves."-Sir Winston Churchill

hso · Feb 27, 2013

Ask them if they won't do it for themselves, if they want their kids, nieces, nephews saddled with this AND why would they want to encourage the Antis to put additional restrictions in place after they get this beachhead?

CoRoMo · Feb 27, 2013

Ask them ... if they want their kids ... saddled with this...

Great point.

I recall actually saying something like this recently. I told one guy that we are currently free to buy, sell, give, etc. inanimate items that his kids/grandkids might not have the freedom to acquire.

I'm going to start using that one daily.

BullfrogKen · Feb 27, 2013

Yup, the only way to combat the, "I got everything I need," is to ask how much they got for the posterity of the kids, grandkids, and future generations, too.

Because the only thing they can do is political activity.

Ask what they're going to tell their grandkids when they ask grandpa why his generation didn't fight harder, how did you let this happen back then?

Tom from WNY · Feb 27, 2013

I cannot speak for Colorado as I do not live there. I live in New York. Want to be/live here now?

I agree that e-mails are cheap. The NRA website, along with the ones set up by manufacturer's are real easy to use. Just Do It! If you can surf, you can e-mail. You can also warn others of what is coming, I guarantee you, these "laws" are more insiduous than you imagine. Like your Remington 870 Express is now an "assault shotgun" (when loaded with Agulia Minishells).

What is heartening to see is that even people I NEVER thought would enjoin the fight for 2 A rights are now in the thick of it. Those of us who have been on the front lines for a while are now joined by fresh troops.

15 round magazines now seem quite generous. Think about it.

USAF_Vet · Feb 27, 2013

EVERY TIME we get to talking about the gun control that's coming, I ask, "Did you email anyone in the legislature?" and I'm basically told "No, there's no use".

I see a lot of this defeatist attitude also. Nothing is over til the bill is signed into law and the ink is dry. The MSM talks like its a done deal, but they are part of the agenda. Nazi propaganda made it seem Germany was winning the war up the point Adolf ate a bullet.

We are making a difference. The AWB and mag cap limits don't have the support to get passed in the Senate, and if it manages to squeak by, the House will crush it. Looks like UBCs may meet the same fate.

If folks rely on the MSM to do their thinking for them, of course it looks like the end is nigh for the Second Amendment (I get a similar impression from some of the conservative action groups looking for donations).

There is little use in contacting my Senators, but died in the wool Leftists who kiss the floor 0bama walks on, but I did it anyway.

Was the defeatist attitude the same back in '94, or '86, or '68, or '34?

barnbwt · Feb 27, 2013

The attitude has always been. It's the agitated leading the lazy

. I have to admit to being in the latter camp more often than not; I intend to be more involved going forward. Activists are frustrated ranchers cajoling content horses out of their happy time to do work*--it's irritating for everyone involved.

*not meant as a superiority/inferiority cliche; horses work just as hard as ranchers, but lack the motivation to direct their energy toward mutually productive effort, unlike ranchers

BTW; if email is of no use (sometimes it is truly pointless) ask what they're doing instead, then

TCB

CoRoMo · Feb 28, 2013

...get passed in the Senate, and if it manages to squeak by, the House will crush it.

This thread is about Colorado's gun control laws. The House passed it and the Senate will be considering it in a few days.

While the federal legislation might not ever come about, nothing but citizen action stands in the way of our state level legislation becoming law.

Mayvik · Feb 28, 2013

I've gotten one that's a little different..
"I'll go along with whatever they pass because I like my job and won't risk getting fired for a ___ (magazine, rifle, etc)."

Makes me want to start speaking with a Brit/Aussie accent...

USAF_Vet · Feb 28, 2013

This thread is about Colorado's gun control laws. The House passed it and the Senate will be considering it in a few days.

My fault. I jumped the gun and went on a Federal tangent. Still the song remains the same, be it at the local or federal level. People are content to let others do the leg work, or give up. It's all part of the laziness epidemic in this country.

coloradokevin · Mar 10, 2013

Just saw your thread here, CoRoMo. I've had the same frustrations with some of the folks I know. I'm certain I'm not exaggerating when I say that I've invested at least 100 hours into this fight since Sandy Hook. Yet, during all of that time, I have many gun-owning friends and family members who can't be bothered to send even a single e-mail. In fact, I can only think of one close personal friend who has sent any kind of message to our legislators.

I just hope most of the folks on the other side are as lazy as many of the folks on our side.

Ohio Gun Guy · Mar 10, 2013

I think there is a set of people, who despite all of the facts to the contrary, cannot accept that a ban, tax scheme, etc is a possibility... I believe constitutionally, it should not be, but I think they will try to pass anything legislatively and see if it sticks, or if they can change the make up of the court in time to hear the challenge....meanwhile we'll be saddled with whatever BS they dream up.

I was at the range this weekend. i've got a range box with sticker on it, the Gadsden Snake, Range patch, NRA sticker, etc. The people next to us struck up a conversation while we were cleaning up.... about the prices, availability of ammo, ect. When I mentioned writing to congress & joining the NRA.... awkward silence.....

It was just a simple, "Yeah, prices are crazy, that's why I renewed my NRA membership and have been writing to my representatives..." I cant be sure, but the impression was that they have / are not going to do anything.

One day there could be a line of these geniuses turning in their guns to be destroyed, they'll all be talking to eachother saying, "Somebody should have done something."

mokin · Mar 10, 2013

I think the other side, by and large, is pretty lazy. That is why they elected the politicians they did. I have a lot of "progressive" friends who are vehemently anti for no other reason than it is the cool thing to do. Fortunately for us, thier idea of activism is "liking" a snarky post on Facebook and sending it on.

This is not to downplay the danger our rights are in. There are very powerful forces aligned aginst us.

Time to e mail the reps....

CoRoMo · Mar 20, 2013

...many gun-owning friends and family members who can't be bothered to send even a single e-mail. In fact, I can only think of one close personal friend who has sent any kind of message to our legislators.

I just hope most of the folks on the other side are as lazy as many of the folks on our side.

This is depressingly profound. It makes me wonder if we are far too along the road to doom, to ever be able to turn this around. Unfortunately, only guys like us will be the ones trying.

I was at the range this weekend. ... The people next to us struck up a conversation... When I mentioned writing to congress & joining the NRA.... awkward silence.....

... the impression was that they have / are not going to do anything.

One day there could be a line of these geniuses turning in their guns to be destroyed, they'll all be talking to each other saying, "Somebody should have done something."

Yep. We're doomed.

This crap is eating away at my own motivation!!! Why be the only one fighting?!!?

Prophet · Mar 20, 2013

Why be the only one fighting?

Because it is honorable and American to fight, especially when you are the only one doing so. Dang it, so help me I will fight until I'm the only one left in the country.

Ask them if they won't do it for themselves, if they want their kids, nieces, nephews saddled with this AND why would they want to encourage the Antis to put additional restrictions in place after they get this beachhead?

Bingo. I hate to use arguments that appeal to an emotional response, but for those who will not respond to an appeal to logic it is the only potentially effective alternative. That's why the antis use it, sometime to great effect.

Can you imagine how the Founders must have felt? I've heard figures suggesting only three percent of Americans actually fought against Great Britain, and only ten percent of the population supported that three percent. Don't give up hope, CoRoMo.

If you're sick of contacting your own legislators feel free to contact mine below. I wrote Hick multiple times as well as other legislators in CO.

LNK · Mar 20, 2013

CoRoMo said:
Yep. We're doomed.

This crap is eating away at my own motivation!!! Why be the only one fighting?!!?

Why fight for yourself? I can't believe you are saying this! "SLAP", snap out of it man!

I fight for myself and for my country, and for my children. I don't care if I am the only one fighting.

That should be your motivation, if you want to quit, quit! I'm not going to.....

LNK

CoRoMo · Mar 20, 2013

You guys are great.

I'm a fighter, not a quitter. Just need to vent, I suppose. What I REALLY want to do sometimes is slap a fellow Colorado gun owner or beat my head against the wall! :banghead:

I wrote Hick multiple times as well as other legislators in CO.

Thank you. There are no words that could adequately express my gratitude.

Prophet · Mar 20, 2013

Just need to vent, I suppose. What I REALLY want to do sometimes is slap a fellow Colorado gun owner or beat my head against the wall!

Don't we all? I can sympathize. I'm the only one I know of personally who's been putting his full weight behind trying to educate those unaware individuals in my circle and putting in endless hours worth of activism and correspondence. Let's face it, those of us who have been willing to put in the time and effort necessary to defend our rights are a small demographic of the population, which unfortunately necessitates our need to be an even more vocal few; as much as we can stand. I'm seriously considering starting up a youtube channel in addition to all of the writing and calling I've been doing but time constraints are such an issue. My hands are actually starting to get sore from all the typing I've been doing, but unfortunately it seems most people are more apt to watch a youtube video rather than read even a well-written blurb. I'm gravitating toward giving up writing and video blogging instead. We're finally starting to see some progress concerning the 2A propaganda war with things like MrColionNoir, but we need to make sure it continues in a modernistic direction or we're done.

Thank you. There are no words that could adequately express my gratitude.

You're more than welcome CoRoMo. Contacting Pat Toomey with a concise, polite email would be a more than adequate expression of gratitude. Heck, if I lived in an even more conservative state than PA and didn't feel that it needed my vote I'd seriously consider moving to Colorado temporarily just so I could help you guys throw Hick and his protégées out on the curb come next election cycle (and I wrote Hick telling him as much)

Keep on keeping on. There are so many things I'd rather be doing with my off time but you only get the freedom you're willing to pay for. I love my country too much to watch it go down the tubes without a knock-down drag-out fight.

AlbertH · Mar 20, 2013

maybe you have come across some of the ME FIRST generation first hand.

Unfortunately what you encountered was more the norm anymore rather than the exception. I have no idea what age group you were dealing with but the younger the person, the less likely it is that they even took the time to vote in the 2012 election. Since most see no future due to the political gridlock that currently exists they don't even follow the political scene, any ongoing legislation, or for that matter even care about it. They have decided that the politicians will do as they please regardless of which party they vote for.

just my thoughts,

Al

ccsniper · Mar 20, 2013

That won't stop me. I'll just drive to Raton, NM / Cheyenne, WY and buy them anyway and say I owned them before the law went in.

There's no way they will find out. I'll do it anyway.

They will never know. I'll do it anyway and we'll just say that the gun was bought/sold before the law went in.

If this his stance to ignore the new gun laws then tell him to cut his shotgun barrels below 18" or put a forward grip on a handgun. If he is unwilling to do that then he is unwilling to disobey the new laws as well.

hillbilly · Mar 20, 2013

CoRoMo...if you think that's bad, then you really should spend some time reading the Old Testament and what it was like for Moses to lead the Israelites.

Unmotivatable!!!

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