parsimonious_instead
Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2010
- Messages
- 791
I've become increasingly active in local pro-RKBA. Partly because the other side is getting larger, louder and more organized, mostly because I care passionately about the issue.
During the last public hearing I attended, which was a discussion about banning vs. further tightening rules on gun shows held at our County Center, an old expression popped into my head: "I worked like heck and wore a red shirt." A LOT of anti-gun people showed up - and without even speaking lectern and mike, they said a lot, by wearing bright red shirts saying, "Moms Demand Action"
I noticed that on our side, it's always the same, core group of about 8-12 guys.. If we wear camo or NRA or other RKBA regalia, of course we're the marginalized, "rednecks." If we wear "normal" or even "nice" clothes we just look like any other attendee. No visual impact.
Anyhow, even though the county-level RKBA group (Westchester County Firearm Owner's Association) has a mailing list and routinely notifies the rank and file of upcoming public fora related to gun shows and attempts at local gun restrictions, we're struggling to boost the number of people who attend, and/or speak out.
Has anyone on THR encountered trouble with motivating the troops and getting faces to show up? 90% of them take place *outside* of work hours. Any suggestions?
One bright spot is that two local indoor ranges opened up recently, they're usually pretty packed with new shooters. And applications for Westchester/NYS "Pistol Permits" are swamping the clerk's office.
During the last public hearing I attended, which was a discussion about banning vs. further tightening rules on gun shows held at our County Center, an old expression popped into my head: "I worked like heck and wore a red shirt." A LOT of anti-gun people showed up - and without even speaking lectern and mike, they said a lot, by wearing bright red shirts saying, "Moms Demand Action"
I noticed that on our side, it's always the same, core group of about 8-12 guys.. If we wear camo or NRA or other RKBA regalia, of course we're the marginalized, "rednecks." If we wear "normal" or even "nice" clothes we just look like any other attendee. No visual impact.
Anyhow, even though the county-level RKBA group (Westchester County Firearm Owner's Association) has a mailing list and routinely notifies the rank and file of upcoming public fora related to gun shows and attempts at local gun restrictions, we're struggling to boost the number of people who attend, and/or speak out.
Has anyone on THR encountered trouble with motivating the troops and getting faces to show up? 90% of them take place *outside* of work hours. Any suggestions?
One bright spot is that two local indoor ranges opened up recently, they're usually pretty packed with new shooters. And applications for Westchester/NYS "Pistol Permits" are swamping the clerk's office.