Brothers in Arms...

[mikehaas]

By now, I know that some calguns.net members have gone off to other forums to report our success. I've seen a couple excellent reports elsewhere - and I see the responses (like I've seen them hundreds of times before.) Summarizing...

"...Just move out of Kalifornistan!..."

"...SO what? You still can't have AWs..."

"...But Koretz will just put the bill in again..."

...etc. (sigh) Now, I undertstand the difference between the average opinionated gun-owning forum surfer and those who were here and standing by in the Members' Councils network Thursday night, calling while glued to an audio/video stream, probably didn't eat dinner, etc. I would not expect the average CA gun-owner (you are very special people and a minority, unfortunately) to understand or appreciate what transpired simply because they haven't walked our path (and most try hard NOT to be bothered.)

In the 10 years I've been trying to help NRA, I've run into every excuse in the book for why it's not worth it, or NRA has abandoned California and just sucking it dry of money or I don't want to be on any lists (!) or we can't win or... you name it!

And I suspect that, this year, some of you are seeing it too. You were part of something special this year, I was too, NRA was too - it was a melding of real grassroots and corporate strength like never before. Thursday was a historic night in American politics, but because of the circumstances, because we are gun-owners and because this is all too complicated for the media to comprehend, few will ever know. But that one-day thread that extended to over 270 posts and was viewed over 7,200 times stands there as testament.

And sadly, among that number of those who don't "get it" are our fellow gun-owners, those that opine, often negatively, but seldom do more - those that would berate the significant accomplishment we've all just witnessed.

About 6 months ago or so I joined this forum with a controversial post titled "NRA takes the heat for everything", and I think we got to know each other quickly. I asked you to keep faith in NRA, that often NRA can't publicly reveal everyhing it's doing (for us!) - basically that NRA was doing yoeman's work in the Golden State - the work we want them to do. You did what so often DOESN'T happen on other forums (as some now know) - you listened. You hung with NRA and because of that, what this all portends for future battles, I can only ponder, extremely optimistic.

As Paul said in (I think) his last post that night, our work isn't over. And I don't just mean bills before the Governor, I mean for years to come. But no matter how those future issues work out, on Aug 31st we worked together to produce some amazing victories, and I don't see that very often. Most importantly, some of those barriers we conquered were in our own ranks.

You folks are welcome in my foxhole anytime.

Mike

[50 Shooter]

Good to see so many people working together to defeat this garbage.

[50ae]

The rest of the country thanks you also. We don't want this cancer to spread.

[Can'thavenuthingood]

Yes, it was a very good night.
It has been years since I've had a good fight and thursday night I was in the arena amongst them. It took over an hour laying in bed to wind down from the excitement. I have not been that wound up over something in years.

That audio hookup and this forum working together is potent stuff, a real tool yet to be fully explored in its implementation.

Like one of the guys said on another thread, as Calguns.net "We are everywhere" in this state. I suspect there is nowhere in California we couldn't show a physical presence in support of any attempt at subverting gun rights or infringing the 2nd Amendment.

Yup, that was a hoot and I think some noses were bloodied up there on the floor.
Further, I think we may have surprised ourselves with what can be accomplished even though we are miles away from the action and each other. I don't have to wait for reports to come out sometime later and catch up.

I was there.

Vick

[Can'thavenuthingood]

Thanks Mike, you done good

Vick

[chris]

we kicked them in the butt and they were surprised that we did it.

[artherd]

Hi Mike, the single phoenomna that changed 2006, was an open line of communication with an NRA-affiliated rep (that's you buddy!). The power of the internet is transforming the grass-roots 2A movement, and I for one can't wait to see where this leads us.

[jmlivingston]

Mike,

What Ben said was absolutely right. The difference was YOU! Pass it on up the chain to Ed & Paul & Co. and let them know what a difference it makes when the NRA can directly communicate to forums such as CalGuns. This should be a good lesson to them, and is probably something that should be replicated with some of the other major 2nd Amendment oriented forums. I'm sure that there must be (or should be!) dedicated forums such as this one for other states that are real battlegrounds like NY and NJ.

Personally, here is a big THANK YOU for the difference you made facilitating all that occured here recently!

John


P.S.
Shortly after I get home from vacation the NRA will find itself to be up one more member!

[6172crew]

Mike, it took some balls to come in the dragons lair and try to talk some since into a bunch mouthbreather gun owners.

J/K Welcome to CalGuns if I didnt already let you know.

[chunger]

Originally Posted by artherd

Hi Mike, the single phoenomna that changed 2006, was an open line of communication with an NRA-affiliated rep (that's you buddy!). The power of the internet is transforming the grass-roots 2A movement, and I for one can't wait to see where this leads us.

+1 on this one. The communication and response through you to and from the NRA in this forum was what made it happen.