Maryland - Call these delegates NOW

[Norton]

Folks, we are picking up steam and it looks like we may get the good bills to the floor for a vote. Please note that thhere has been a lot of support for the AWB coming in. We know it's outside influence and probably fake addresses, but we need to counter every one of them.

Here's the 3-10-06 MSI update. When you write to support the good bills be sure to register your OPPOSITION to HB1367, the AWB

PICK UP THE PHONE!

The Hearings on March 8th went very well. The committee members were friendly and treated us quite well. We were not rushed or hushed as in previous years. The tough and antagonistic questions were all pointed at the gun-control folks (two from Ceasefire, and two from Coalition to Stop Handgun Violence). There were no antagonistic questions to those testifying on our side. The gun-control side had the same 4 people testifying (often caught in lies and exaggerations) on each bill while we had 40 individuals each of whom took a day off work to be there ... each testifying for the bills most important to them personally.

There was some good-natured humor when HB 1162 was introduced. HB 1162 would allow women (only) to have shall-issue CCW, while leaving the current system in place for men. We haven't pushed it because it is a bit tongue-in-cheek. No doubt it would be found to be discriminatory and unconstitutional. The reason for it is to make the legislators think. That seemed to work. Ray Givens testified in favor of the bill. He said he wanted his wife, daughter and mother to be able to defend themselves when he couldn't defend them. He then said: and then they can defend me. The committee members all laughed ... but with us, not at us. They got it.

We had a very good effect. There was a noticeable shift towards our side by the committee as a whole and by several of the legislators that have not committed to a particular side already. The committee as a whole seemed to clearly understand that the pro-gun side is larger, more honest, and more correct than the gun-control lobbyists.

However, privately, one of the legislators said they'd gotten 500 emails in support of the Assault Weapons Ban. I can't believe there are 500 people in Maryland who are in favor of the AWB and care enough to actually send an email.

Our numbers of people who care about preserving and furthering gun rights are far higher than those for gun control. That's very clear when nearly 40 pro-gun *individuals* show up for the hearings but only 4 gun control people (at least 3 of them paid lobbyists) show up at the hearings. If we can't generate as many emails and phone calls as they can ... then shame on us ... we deserve to lose.

For those of you who have written, called, and/or emailed... thanks very much! Your efforts have made a difference. The hearings were far more relaxed and pro-gun than previous years. However, I don't think we've generated 500 emails in favor of our self-defense rights yet. We should be able to generate 5000. Have you done your part?

For those of you who have not yet written, called and emailed... SHAME ON YOU! We have 3 business days left to have sufficient effect to get through the bottleneck of the Judiciary committee. The committee vote should take place next Thursday morning. The future is uncertain. We have our best shot at maintaining and furthering gun rights NOW.... in the next three days. Over the weekend you can't call, but you can email. Monday through Wednesday you need to call each one of these 9 just once. You can do it on your lunch break. If your dialing fingers are all broken you can dial 411 with your nose and have the operator complete the call for you. I would sure hate to have it on my conscience next year with an anti-gun Democrat as Governor saying to myself ... yeah, I could've called, but I didn't think it would make a difference.

It will make a difference. Five of those below have shown a clear shift towards our side. We need to generate enough calls to get them enough over to our side that they will want to vote FOR self-defense. We can do that ... but only if YOU care enough to pick up the phone.


Please support the following bills:

HB-12 (Repeal Ballistic Fingerprinting),

HB-14 (Repeal Integral lock requirement),

HB-529 (MD Constitutional Amendment - Declaration of Right to Keep and Bear Arms),

HB-1163 (Maryland Shall Issue CCW),

HB-1382 (CCW Reciprocity with other states),

Phone calls:

1-800-492-7122 + extension or 1-410-841-.ext

Del. Anderson ext. 3291

Del. Brown ext. 3707

Del. Carter ext. 3283

Del. Dumais ext. 3052

Del. Kelley ext. 3212

Del. Petzold ext. 3001

Del. Simmons ext. 3037

Del. (Chairman) Vallario ext. 3488

Del. Zirkin ext. 3342

e-mails: [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected],
[email protected]

(Chairman Vallario does not use email)


- Henry Heymering, President

Maryland Shall Issue, Inc.
P.O. Box 314
Libertytown, MD 21762
240-446-6782
http://www.marylandshallissue.org
[email protected]

 

[SB88LX]

Sent my emails.

 

[Kharn]

Here's the letter I used:

Delegate _______,

Please support the following bills:
HB-12 (Repeal Ballistic Fingerprinting),
HB-14 (Repeal Integral lock requirement),
HB-529 (MD Constitutional Amendment - Declaration of Right to Keep and Bear Arms),
HB-1163 (Maryland Shall Issue CCW),
HB-1382 (CCW Reciprocity with other states),

Every citizen of the United States has a right to protect themselves, and we must do something about Maryland being the #1 state for armed robbery for over 5 years in a row. Please vote to ease the restrictions on law abiding citizens purchasing and carrying weapons for their protection against criminals.

V/R,
Name, address and phone number

Kharn

 

[1badf350]

Geez, no wonder the AWB support is gaining. People are forgetting to mention it in their letters.

 

[molonlabe]

Maybe Jim Purtilo was right. time to send tripwire some more money. At least it is mentioned.
http://www.myguns.net/da.php
http://www.myguns.net/Articles/preview.htm

 

[Spot77]

AWB was dead long before Quinter even introduced it this year.

Pending this year's elections, next year could be the year to give it serious attention again.

 

[Helmetcase]

I sent an email to Darryl Kelley. Remember, he was the one who voiced concern about the reciprocity bill because it would mean MD accepts anyone's permit, meaning we'd essentially be joining AK and VT as the third state to accept any permit--and really those states don't count because they don't restrict CCW at all.

Well, let's turn that logic back on him. Remind him that MD is one of only 12 states that doesn't let law abiding citizens protect themselves.

Remind him early, remind him often.

 

[JeepDriver]

Thanks for the update.

I'm sending email right now and I'll be calling tomorrow.

 

[Tyril]

Just typed out a long response:

Delegate *,


I am currently a college student, attending the University of
Maryland: Baltimore Campus, and I have concerns as to where our
great state is heading. Every week, I receive emails detailing
accounts of the extensive crime that occurs on both my Arbutus
campus, and my girlfriend's downtown baltimore Maryland Institute
College of Art campus.

Muggings, Robbery, Rape, attempted rape, and recently in Arbutus - murder.
All these crimes, occurring on or within blocks of the highest echelons
of learning in our state, have caused me to worry a great deal about my
and my loved one's personal safety.

We always walk carefully, keeping our heads up and eyes open; we avoid
shady looking figures wherever possible and pass quickly where not. We
stay to well-lit streets, and rarely stray off-campus without a large
group. We do all this, and yet we are not safe.

These things are done because we understand that it is not the police
officer's job to protect every citizen, and we understand that these
law-enforcers cannot always be near enough to stop an life-changing, or
life-ending assault.

My girlfriend carries pepperspray, and practices with it regularly; she
wields a heavy purse, and can run quickly. And yet she travels in fear.

Fear of the determined assaulter, fear of the faster runner, fear of the
drugged-up mugger who can shake off OC spray like it was a mere irritant,
fear of the druggie looking for a quick buck - with no witnesses, fear of
getting stuck somewhere without fare for a cab, and being forced to walk
Baltimore's dark streets at night, just to get home from class.

Why does she fear? Because she cannot defend herself from any determined
aggressor. Pepper spray is just that, pepper. Little comfort against a
knife, or gun bearing criminal. Why should she give up her property, her
body, her life! to anyone willing to flaunt society's rules for a quick
score.

She has looked into getting a concealed carry permit. She does not like
firearms, and is absolutely disgusted with the thought of ever having to
use one, yet she understands that if the situation warrants it, and the
choice is death or years of sexual-emotional trauma, then there really is
no choice at all. Her life is worth any cost.



She cannot get a permit in Maryland.

She is not a criminal. She is not a drug addict or an alcoholic. She has
never been arrested or even gotten so much as a parking ticket.



Why not then? She cannot present three separate documented occurrences
of a specific threat against herself. Her life, and the defense thereof, is
subject to the whims of a permit board, who must judge the worthiness of
her case. And in Maryland, self-defense is not considered a valid reason
for a permit, unless the carrier is a politician or deals with large cash
transfers. Thirty-Eight other states are currently Shall-Issue states, in
which permits are granted to any law-abiding citizen, regardless of
political connections.



My petition is thus: make Maryland a Shall Issue state. Allow people to
act in their own defense, and exercise their Constitution-defended rights.

Support:
HB-1163 (Maryland Shall Issue CCW)
HB-1382 (CCW Reciprocity with other states)
HB-14 (Repeal Integral lock requirement)



My girlfriend and I would like to thank you for spending your time reading
this email. We hope that it helps, even a little bit, our great state.



-*
Mechanical Engineering Student, UMBC

I suggest you do the same.


Maybe together we can accomplish something.


-mike

 

[Spot77]

Geez, no wonder the AWB support is gaining. People are forgetting to mention it in their letters.

One THR user posts their letter and you paint everybody as having not opposed it?

I counted 19 people from MSI at the hearings who all testified in opposition to the AWB. And 23 other people, almost all individuals except for Sandy Abrams (representing the Md Dealers' Association) Ray Givens (sorry if I've mispelled his last name, and I can't recall which sportsmans' group he was representing), John Josselyn, representing the AGC and one other fellow representing another sportsmens' group.

Why wasn't there an NRA rep at the hearings to oppose the AWB?

 

[Helmetcase]

If I was a mod at this site, I'd make this thread a sticky. Why? So the next time someone has a hard time grasping that the NRA isn't 100% on our side all the time, they'll have something to reference.

Make no mistake--Jen Palmer was there, but she was only their briefly and only to rap with Sandy Abrams and Purtilo.

If we the activists actually get somewhere (frankly I think just getting the thing to the floor for a vote is a victory in some real sense), it won't be because of the NRA and the do-nothing-but-talk-a-lot crowd.

The Ceasefire folks sound like they're finally going to accept the challenge to debate me. I'm hoping we can get that going after next week and help keep the issue at the forefront. If they were smart, they'd want this issue to disappear from the radar screen...because silence is their best friend at this point. Hopefully that will come to fruition soon.

 

[boxcab]

Emails sent...

maybe a little late, but they have now heard from me.

-Dan

 

[Norton]

Not too late yet.....about another 24 hours left of opportunity to make a difference.

 

[Spot77]

Good job Dan. What district are you in?


Sent all my follow ups tonight. Even sent a nice note to Delegate Quinter.

 

[Norton]

Another round of emails sent.

 

[Skeptic]

While defending the Free World and all things American - I have sent email to all listed and phoned them. I will phone their offices again today on the way home. Sorry I could not attend the Gun Bill Day, but that work thing reared its ugly head and there was no way I could cut loose.

Hopefully I will be able to make it next time.

 

[Spot77]

Time to start the visits, calls, letters and email to the Senate soon.

It could be that we (all gunowners in MD that is) have gained a pretty powerful sympathizer in the legislature. I'm bursting at the seams to blab all about it, but the info came from a privileged email and I don't think I have permission to share.

 

[K-Romulus]

thanks go to you heavy-lifter types

I couldn't make the hearings, but have called, emailed, written, etc.


And now it may have paid off in some good, but subtle, way . . .

None of these things would have been done without you guys' getting the word out!