Colorado Emergency

[MBaneACP]

Antigun forces in the Colorado Legislature are fast-tracking the first 4 antigun bills (mag capacity caps, reinstitution of 'gun free zones" of universities, tax on gun owners to pay for background checks and universal background checks) in committee. Even though the bills were only formally announced on Friday, the "public comment" period before committees on Tuesday and Wednesday.

My blog has the links to the laws themselves and the NRA-ILA action alert issued Saturday.

I was at the State Legislature all day Friday (I also spoke at the pro-Second Amendment demonstration), and I left thinking we are in real trouble here.

If you're a Colorado resident and can't be there to testify, it is of critical importance that you get in touch with your state representatives AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and let them know where you stand. I was told on Friday that letters and faxes count more than email...if you can only email, do so, then print out a copy of the email and mail it. If you've contacted them already, do so again!

Michael Bane

 

[hso]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=701402

We've had a thread on this in Activism for a week tracking these from rumor to final reveal and full text.

Coloradans should contact their legislators and work to coordinate the rural district legislators into a bloc that refuses to let urban refugees from out of state that are trying to turn CO into something like they fled gut the state of its character.

 

[MRH]

I've sent emails to over a 100 Senators and Representatives. Some of those were duplicates, so maybe 80 or so separate people.

Those included my local county people, including Senator Morris, the leader of the Senate, and the most rabid, anti gun liberal; and to members of 10 different committees.

I was asked to attend the hearings, but declined due to severe hearing loss, that wouldn't let me understand the conversations.

 

[MRH]

From The Gazette: quote from Senator Kent Lambert (R-Colorado Springs)

"These are extremely radical proposals that aren't going to fix the problems."

 

[MachIVshooter]

I'm really not interested in being a part of THR anymore, but this is too important to not post.

Folks, I don't care what your excuse is, BE THERE! This is the blitzkrieg, the end game. We have never faced a threat like this in our beautiful state before. Denver has always been the liberal, progressive, anti-gun bastion, but the rest of the state has been able to resist their influence in the past. That is no longer the case. The Democrats have a majority in both houses, and they control the executive office. We are in serious trouble!

I want to see THOUSANDS of people there on Tuesday and Wednesday opposing this assault on our rights. The turnout at Friday's rally was pitiful, maybe 250 people, and we got only a tiny blurb of media coverage. We need a bigger crowd with a bigger voice.

Call in sick, take a personal day, maybe lose a little money if you're self employed like me, doesn't matter. The cost of letting this go through is far greater than the inconveniences of dedicating a couple of days to be at the golden dome in that cesspool they call Denver.

 

[MRH]

Sorry, typo in #3. That was Senator Morse (not Morris)

 

[BogBabe]

I was asked to attend the hearings, but declined due to severe hearing loss, that wouldn't let me understand the conversations.

MRH, under the requirements of the ADA, can't you attend and force them to provide you with resources to understand and participate in the hearings?

 

[LS240]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but after reading the text of the bills, specifically hb13-1229, dealing with background checks for private sales, it would appear simply allowing someone to handle or shoot one's firearm outside of a designated shooting range could result in a class 1 misdemeanor. The bill provides for certain exemptions for temporary transfers, including shooting ranges, hunting, and the need to arm someone for defense, but recreational use in general does not seem to be an exemption. In other words, if I hand a firearm to a friend while on BLM land while out camping, I could face serious criminal charges. Granted, there's a low likelyhood of this ever being an issue, but the very fact the possibility is there is worrying. These bills are even worse than they appear on the surface.

 

[Billll]

They are expecting a large turnout, hence the hearings in the old Supreme court room. Let's not disappoint them.

They're also trying to minimize the impact. Hearings start when the House adjourns, sometime in the morning, and ends as soon as the last person testifies. I'm told to be there around 9:30 and plan for a long day. Nearest free parking is 3 blocks south, then 1 or 2 east or west.

 

[mokin]

I like what hso said about turning the rural representatives into a bloc to oppose legislation forced on the rest of the state by Denver. It will take all of our efforts to do this. I've been e mailing my state reps now for over a month. I wont be able to attend later this week. One of the drawbacks of living way out west. I urge those of you who can to do so.

 

[Fremmer]

Have they started a formal investigation (not some hokey accountability forum or panel controlled by CU) about what happened with the joker and his psychiatrist who did nothing to stop this? No, no calls to get CU to tell us what happened? Nobody asking for answers, easier to just ban guns?

Tell them NO, no compromises, no new gun control!

 

[Old Fuff]

Call the office!

Since you folks in Colorado are pushed for time, try this simple but effective tactic.

Look in your landline phone books for the phone number of local Democrat and Republican Party Headquarters. With luck they may even have an 800 number.

In any case call both, and you will likely get a nice lady on the line, so be polite and hold your tongue. You want to make a favorable impression.

They will ask what you are calling about, and you tell them which legislature (Colorado or U.S.) the bill number(s) and that you are strongly opposed!

They will log all this, along with your name, address and phone number; and then pass the information on to the concerned legislators and likely the Governor.

Very, very few of them will ignore what they hear from their respective party offices. What comes to them from Home Base will at least carry the weight of e-mail - but you should continue to do that too.

You don’t have to call on a landline - cell phones are fine.

 

[borrowedtime69]

Me, Paranoid? yup. i firmly beleive that these bills are gonna go through since the state is ruled by the left now, as so many "commie-fornians" have immigrated here.

My paranoia shows through by my belief that anybody that sends in email, calls, or hardcopy letters to government officials will be put on a special "watch list" to be dealt with after the laws are passed as being mentally ill, subversives or just regular old seditionists. Things have now gone too far to the left/totalitarianism to be brought back. I am not telling anyone NOT to send in their support for the second amendment, im just saying, think about it and the possible consiquences.

If 10 round capacity mags and single action firearms made us truly all safer, then why arent the gun control people demanding that Law Enforcement must go along with the restrictions, cause, after all, criminals follow all the gun control laws..... right?!?

 

[ATBackPackin]

Me, Paranoid? yup. i firmly beleive that these bills are gonna go through since the state is ruled by the left now, as so many "commie-fornians" have immigrated here.

My paranoia shows through by my belief that anybody that sends in email, calls, or hardcopy letters to government officials will be put on a special "watch list" to be dealt with after the laws are passed as being mentally ill, subversives or just regular old seditionists. Things have now gone too far to the left/totalitarianism to be brought back. I am not telling anyone NOT to send in their support for the second amendment, im just saying, think about it and the possible consiquences.

If 10 round capacity mags and single action firearms made us truly all safer, then why arent the gun control people demanding that Law Enforcement must go along with the restrictions, cause, after all, criminals follow all the gun control laws..... right?!?

For the sake of argument let us just say for a moment that this is true. So what! Is your solution to hide in a dark corner and hope they don't see you all the while the are stripping your neighbors of their rights?

 

[Rancher5]

Great Post I been trying to wake up my buddies, Since they have Oh its not going to happen here, being Colo not to many years ago was a very conservative State, Now the Media misinformation machine is broadcasting Bad gun events even though Good gun events happen thousands of times every day in the US, someone protecting their family or others diverting a criminal or attacker. Studies out of Florida show that in 94, five million people were protected by guns from invasion or attack in one year, Now violent crime is 50% lower than it was 30 years ago. Guns also are used in 1% of all violent acts, So please educate someone in firearm ownership reality,not Media Hype

 

[JERRY]

God willing, Colorado is on my short list if i make it to retirement.

 

[HorseSoldier]

Even though the bills were only formally announced on Friday, the "public comment" period before committees on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The legislative cloak & dagger routine seems to be growing in popularity these days. I think that everyone writing/calling their elected officials reference 2nd Amendment issues should also weigh in on the concept that rushed legislation is inherently anti-democratic and that votes can and will be cast against those who consider that any part of good/appropriate government.

 

[Rancher5]

Its not what it use to be, crowded though not to the coast standards, and becoming more liberal,kids living in a virtual world no need for out doors or travel, this world overall is sad, People just want to tell others what to do. Good Luck Colo Spring is Great, one of the most Conservative counties in the Unites States, Elpaso County Colo

 

[MachIVshooter]

Good Luck Colo Spring is Great, one of the most Conservative counties in the Unites States, Elpaso County Colo

El Paso county's senator is John Morse, the Democrat senate president who is spear heading this thing.

El Paso is nowhere near the most conservative county in the USA. Not even in the state, not by a long shot. Lincoln, Kiowa, Elbert, Yuma, Washington-these are the truly red counties, by 3/4 or better.

 

[longknife12]

Emails sent this morning...again!
Dan

 

[Fred Fuller]

https://www.facebook.com/magpul/posts/428803833863947

Magpul Industries Corp. · 128,425 like this
14 hours ago ·

In addition to the national battle to protect our firearms rights, many states are currently engaged in their own fights. Here in CO, a state with a strong heritage of firearm and other personal freedoms, we are facing some extreme challenges to firearms rights. We have been engaged in dialogue with legislators here presenting our arguments to stop legislation from even being introduced, but our efforts did not deter those of extreme views.

After the NRAs visit last week, several anti-freedom bills were introduced by CO legislators, and a very aggressive timeline has been set forth in moving these bills forward.

The bills include:
HB 1229, Background checks for Gun Transfers--a measure to prohibit private sales between CO residents, and instead require a full FFL transfer, including a 4473.

HB 1228, Payment for Background Checks for Gun Transfers-- a measure that would require CO residents to pay for the back logged state-run CBI system (currently taking 3 times the federally mandated wait time for checks to occur) instead of using the free federal NICS checks.

And finally, HB 1224, Prohibiting Large Capacity Ammunition Magazines--a measure that bans the possession, sale, or transfer of magazines over 10 round capacity. The measures and stipulations in this bill would deprive CO residents of the value of their private property by prohibiting the sale or transfer of all magazines over 10 rounds. This bill would also prohibit manufacture of magazines greater than 10 rounds for commercial sale out of the state, and place restrictions on the manufacture of military and law enforcement magazines that would cripple production.

We'd like to ask all CO residents to please contact your state legislators and the members of the Judiciary Committee and urge them to kill these measures in committee, and to vote NO if they reach the floor.

We also ask you to show your support for the 2nd Amendment at the Capitol on Tuesday, Feb 12, for the magazine ban committee hearing and Wednesday,
Feb 13, for the hearing on the other measures.

Due to the highly restrictive language in HB 1224, if passed, and we remained here, this measure would require us to cease PMAG production on July 1, 2013.

In short, Magpul would be unable to remain in business as a CO company, and the over 200 jobs for direct employees and nearly 700 jobs at our subcontractors and suppliers would pick up and leave CO. Due to the structure of our operations, this would be entirely possible, hopefully without significant disruption to production.

The legislators drafting these measures do so in spite of the fact that nothing they are proposing will do anything to even marginally improve public safety in CO, and in fact, will leave law-abiding CO residents less able to defend themselves, strip away rights and property from residents who have done nothing wrong, and send nearly 1000 jobs and millions in tax revenue out of the state.

We like CO, we want to continue to operate in CO, but most of all, we want CO to remain FREE.

Please help us in this fight, and let your voices be heard!

We have included the contact information for the House Judiciary committee for your convenience:

House Judiciary Committee
Rep. Daniel Kagan, Chair: 303-866-2921, [email protected]
Rep. Pete Lee, Vice Chair: 303-866-2932, [email protected]
Rep. John Buckner: 303-866-2944, [email protected]
Rep. Lois Court: 303-866-2967, [email protected]
Rep. Bob Gardner, 303-866-2191, [email protected]
Rep. Polly Lawrence, 303-866-2935, [email protected]
Rep. Mike McLachlan, 303-866-2914, [email protected]
Rep. Rep Carole Murray, 303-866-2948, [email protected]
Rep. Brittany Pettersen, 303-866-2939, [email protected]
Rep. Joseph Salazar, 303-866-2918, [email protected]
Rep. Jared Wright, 303-866-2583, [email protected]
------------------------------------

Their fb page is https://www.facebook.com/magpul?ref=stream

 

[MachIVshooter]

Bump.

I would like this to remain front and center, alongside other calls to action for states in peril.

I have been busting my posterior all weekend long, networking, writing letters, making phone calls, pleading with and imploring people to be at the capital.

We're only hours from what is probably our last chance to be heard in the biggest fight for the right to bear arms this state has ever seen.

I don't mean to come across as a prick, but you really don't have anything more important to do. I mean, ok, your kid has an emergency, your mother is ailing and may pass at any moment, stuff like that, OK, you get a pass. But for all the rest of us, I'm sorry, but if you think losing a couple day's pay sucks, well, if they pass this garbage, it's really gonna put "suck" in perspective. I promise, you'd gladly give that pittance of lost wages to have your rights back. I'm shutting my business down for two days, and having to offer my customers big discounts as an apology for forcing a reschedule of their appointments.

We have to show them who we are, how many we are, and remind them that they've stirred the hornet's nest.

 

[vtail]

Good luck from your Oklahoma brothers!

 

[coloradokevin]

I agree with what someone else said about the rush to jam this legislation through. Since the bills were only introduced on Friday, it seems a bit unfair that the public comment period is tomorrow. I've been closely following this issue as well as I can, and I only just found out about tomorrow's issues today.

For those of us who aren't retired, it's really hard to arrange a schedule around a last minute debate (especially when you work in a field like mine, where attendance is pretty well mandatory).

I can only imagine that the intent in doing this is to avoid seeing much support from gun owners. If this event was in two weeks, people could plan for it and show up. Since it is tomorrow, many folks are scrambling to figure out how to get their testimony heard.

I don't know if I can get there, but I assure all of you that I've written many letters so far, and will keep doing so. Colorado DOES have a gun culture, but we're being swept aside by an influx of far-left residents who believe that we should change this state to fit their priorities.

 

[radiotom]

Take action

http://www.reddit.com/r/gunpolitics...ado_time_to_email_your_representatives_again/