In Michigan The Battle Lines Have Been Drawn

[LaVere]

THE BATTLE LINES HAVE BEEN DRAWN
2005/09/26
Remember the days of CCW and 'Lawsuit Pre-emption' legislation to protect manufacturers? We sure do. As then Speaker of the House here in Michigan, we had our hands full wrestling with both issues after Columbine. Without the help of the Michigan Coalition for Responsible Gun Owners, it wouldn't have happened. I know: the bills--and the strategy to move them--were hammered out with MCRGO in my office. Michigan was the only state in the nation moving pro-gunowner legislation. Period.

Today, Michigan is back...and the battle is bigger than anyone could have imagined. This time, it will take more than just MCRGO to win. We need YOU. An exaggeration? Take a look at just a bit of last week's AP wire story picked up across America:
Gun control groups take aim at Michigan deadly force bills

LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Gun control advocates failed earlier this year to stop a Florida law allowing people to use deadly force to defend themselves without fear of prosecution from being signed by Gov. Jeb Bush.

They aren't going to let it happen again.

The battle in Michigan over the so-called deadly force legislation is an important one for both sides. It could open the doors to similar laws across the country - a top priority for the National Rifle Association - or stop the effort in its tracks.
Yes, the battle lines have been drawn and the money is rolling in....AGAINST us! Since you're already here, we know that you care about your right to protect your family from home invasion. After reading the headline above, you now know that if we're to win this fight for you and your loved ones we have to take this challenge seriously. MCRGO's ongoing success in the courts and Capitol have been rewarded with two Legislators joining its Board of Directors. One of them, State Representative/Committee Chair Tom Casperson, introduced the centerpiece of this legislation. State Senator/Committee Chair Alan Cropsey just concluded Hearings around the state on this very issue and is recognized as the 'Godfather of CCW' in Michigan.

But we need you. Our Legislators need you. We can't battle anti-gunners from around the world...the cash they're pouring in....and the media that supports them all by ourselves. Your membership goes straight to the cause we were founded to fight. MCRGO's track record of Legal and Legislative successes here in Michigan is unparalleled...and we know how to win.

This battle will be over before the holidays.
Our 'need' is temporary; your 'rights' are forever

 

[Father Knows Best]

Article in Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Free Press has a lengthy article on the subject today: http://www.freep.com/news/locway/justify26e_20050926.htm

It's a remarkably balanced article considering the publication it's in. The "Freep" is usually a very leftist paper.

 

[Dan from MI]

MCRGO hasn't done anything positive since their "New Direction" 2002 - and they've done much negative.

http://care4mi.tripod.com/

http://www.cpltrainer.com

Signed:

Former MCRGO PAC Treasurer during the old leadership.

 

[One of Many]

As a FORMER member of MCRGO, I will say that organization will never see a penny of mine until every last Member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Director are completely removed from any aspect of the operation of that organization.

I was once proud to be a member of MCRGO, but when Perricone took over (with the approval of the BoD), and made it into a group that refused to listen to members, by cancelling open board meetings, shutting down the message board, and printing lies on top of lies in the newsletter, I had enough. The extremely gullible or those with a finger in the pie are still part of that organization.

It is quite likely that the ED and the BoD will be spending some time in jail for contempt of court before long, because they continue to refuse to obey a court order requiring compliance with the law, by not making mandatory records available to the membership. They are also racking up fines every day they refuse to comply, but they seem to think that their carpenter buddies can use their deep pockets to insulate MCRGO from the law.

The many people that saw what was going on in MCRGO, and left to start new Pro-Gun organizations have effectively picked up the slack that resulted when MCRGO banished activist that didn't march in lock-step to the Perricone drumbeat.

The people that started these alternate groups (some of which were founders of MCRGO) have been doing great work in Lansing and across the state. If you pay attention to MCRGO "news" releases though, only MCRGO is doing anything. MCRGO is riding the coat-tails of their former glory, and they continue to take credit for results that they have little or no responsibility for obtaining.

You don't have to fund the corruption in MCRGO to be useful to the pro-gun cause in Michigan. There are several alternate groups that are active in lobbying in Lansing, and provide up-to-date informaton to people that want to personally communicate with their legislators in Lansing. That is the way to get our cause promoted, and improvements passed into law. Personal communication with legislators by each and every gun owner in michigan will accomplish much more than a handful of lobbyist or MCRGO BoD/ED visits to the halls of the State House.

If you want information check out these web sites.

SAFR

GLSSA

MGOUC

CPLTRAINER

There are other web sites that are available, but these seem to have the most active boards, and the hardest working pro-gun activists utilize these sites for communication of current and critical information.

Seek the truth, and work together as individuals to further the pro-gun cause. Don't depend on some organization to speak for you. Your elected official wants to hear from YOU much more than some lobbyist that you have hired (by membership in some group).

 

[Neva]

MCRGO doesn't have a registered lobbyist.

It does have several lawsuits on its hands. One for violations of state law and its own Bylaws and one for slander/defamation.

Legal Documents found here.

Next week, we will likely be asking for further sanctions for violating the injunction against attempting to influence the upcoming election and the other for continuing Contempt of Court for refusal to comply with the April 13th and September 2nd Court orders.

I really do hope that very soon they will do the right thing.