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What did you see at Lobby Day?

Marco

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2007
Messages
3,905
Location
Greene County
What I saw was the lowest turnout I have ever seen for Lobby Day since I moved to VA in 2005.:(

With an estimated 300,000+ CHP holders, 1,000,000+ firearm owners, 8000+ VCDL members, 12,000+ VA alerts subscribers, 12,000+ VAGT posters the numbers of folks attending Lobby Day is well sad, to say the least.

An estimated 400 freedom loving gun supporters carried the weight of all those that choose not to (not couldn't) attend.


I did see the folks I always expect to see at these events. That was reason enough for me to make sure I attended, as I'd hate for them to be standing their by themselves. The fight is not only about fighting against/ supporting the bills but to support your friends.

While we may differ on minor details of many issues we are all in this together, like it or not.

My oldest daughter attended Lobby Day with me for the first time, she was surprised she wasn't bored.
 
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Justine

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2012
Messages
233
Location
Cheyenne, WY
I count more than 100 in this pic that I took. This was pointing back towards the GAB and captured only about 1/3 or so of the crowd. I hope the pic isnt too big and breaks someones monitor :D

12061340375_e4d507915b_o.jpg



This was my first time coming out to Lobby Day so I really didn't know what to expect or how many people to expect. I will say that my impression was that we had more folks in our group than any other group that I saw.

Hey! I see me in that picture! :lol:
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
Sorry I missed seeing and talking with you Marco.

Great that you brought your daughter - you are raising them right.

We gotta have a picnic when it gets warmer so that we all can catch up. :D
 

builtjeep

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
323
Location
South Chesterfield, VA
It's disappointing how gun owners will show up in the thousands to buy guns at ridiculously overinflated prices at a gun show because their rights are under attack, but can't be bothered to meet with the legislators to stop those attacks (and price increases) from happening in the first place.
 

JamesCanby

Activist Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2010
Messages
1,480
Location
Alexandria, VA at www.NoVA-MDSelfDefense.com
It was my first Lobby Day, and I was energized by the size and enthusiasm of the crowd. I got to meet in person some who I have only been communicating with in here (Tess, Grape, Peter, etc.) and made some new contacts. Made some plans to re-energize the Alexandria cohort with lunches/dinners. Met with my [basically anti-gun] reps, Del. Herring and Sen. Barker, and expressed my concerns.

The event has re-energized my determination to become more active in our cause.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
It's disappointing how gun owners will show up in the thousands to buy guns at ridiculously overinflated prices at a gun show because their rights are under attack, but can't be bothered to meet with the legislators to stop those attacks (and price increases) from happening in the first place.
It is the I-got-mine syndrome, not unlike ammunition hoarding.

Everybody wants to be an Army of One. That ignores that if we don't stand together, we shall surely swing alone.

We must reforge the chain, accept no weak links. Mikie can't do it all.
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
We must reforge the chain, accept no weak links. Mikie can't do it all.

As usual Grape....profound words.

BTW, just so many of you know, problems with the Police were few. I heard of one in the Non CHP line, but didn't see it.

Why were they few?
Two VCDL members were riding watch on them.
Grapeshot watched them like a hawk and was OBVIOUS about it.
Another VCDL member was there the whole time too and I apologize, I can't remember names for sh&t anymore.

That and some pre Lobby Day communications from Grapeshot is why the entry went smoothly. A big pat on the back for them.
 

builtjeep

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2008
Messages
323
Location
South Chesterfield, VA
It is the I-got-mine syndrome, not unlike ammunition hoarding.

Everybody wants to be an Army of One. That ignores that if we don't stand together, we shall surely swing alone.

We must reforge the chain, accept no weak links. Mikie can't do it all.

Indeed, on the upside. I got to have a good debate with Sen. (or was is Del.) Favola. While I'm certain she hasn't changed her mind on anything she wasn't rude and was willing to listen to our side, unlike some I have spoken with in the past (Looking at YOU McCeachin). A good day in all, hopefully next year I'll be able to bring my wife and daughter (figured it would be a bit too much for a 10 month old).
 

T Dubya

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
914
Location
Richmond, Va, ,
I was there to meet Marco, I had no orange sticker and kept my word as best I could to not participate in lobby day. Reasons are not important and I don't want to discuss. I did sit and watch for a long time at different places. I have many observations, some I'll share.

Attendance was a drop in the bucket compared to years past. Something I already knew was going to happen.

The antis had access to busses, high-profile conference rooms with a lot of foot traffic going by as if it were to give them legitimacy,and what seemed to me to be organization on a professional level, if there is such a thing.

Their "background checks save lives" is a clever farse. I would counter with a sticker that says "registration = confiscation", that's the reality (confiscation) of what the antis are working for even if their rent-a-mobs really have no clue as to what they are doing and what they want.

While many of you went to Capital Ale House to eat lunch off Capitol grounds a lot of well-dressed antis were in the cafeteria at the GA with their yellow stickers making their presence known. I didn't see one orange sticker in the cafeteria. The cafeteria is a place where all sorts of people that are there for different reasons will often times sit with total strangers. I sat with a lobbyist for the natural gas industry and when he left I had a very nice cancer research doctor and his lobbyist assistant sit with me. They were very nice people, I told them that I supported what they were doing 100% and had no issues with public funding used for such important research, being that I am a 2nd Amendment guy that is a Tea Party sympathizer, that was a far cry from the false narrative of how the media and politicians try to portray us. The cafeteria is a good place to network and be exposed to people that have no idea what any of us are about.

Since I am in a union and there are organized labor issues going before the G.A. and I was already there, I couldn't help but to go up to the 7th floor to meet with Alfonzo Lopez. Alfonzo Lopez authored the magazine ban bill. I pulled out my union card and told his delegate what union organizations I was affiliated with and that secured me a one-on-one with Delegate Lopez. He was quick to tell me about the legislation he was working for. I explained to him that I appreciated it very much, but that there was a slight issue. I explained that the vast majority of my fellow union brothers/sisters were shooters and gun owners and that we don't mind him taking our money, but its not okay for him to work on legislation that would criminalize us. I explained to him about the vast amount of gunshot victims I have seen throughout my career and how in 2013 was the first year in my 10-year career that I did not work a gunshot victim. He came up with the correlation of conceal-carry and reduction in gun-violence all on his own. I told him I wasn't going to speak directly to that, but I do know that I work in historically, one of the most dangerous districts in the entire state of Virginia and what I have not seen (violence where guns were used) I never would have thought was possible. I made sure to thank him again for his work with organized labor and told him that the organizations I am affiliated with keep me up to speed on what's going on in the G.A.
 
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Tess

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2006
Messages
3,837
Location
Bryan, TX
I was there to meet Marco, I had no orange sticker and kept my word as best I could to not participate in lobby day. Reasons are not important and I don't want to discuss. I did sit and watch for a long time at different places. I have many observations, some I'll share.

Attendance was a drop in the bucket compared to years past. Something I already knew was going to happen.
<snip>


Without getting into the specifics of why some did not participate in the VCDL Lobby Day efforts, I'm going to once again say something that will garner me some criticism, but needs to be said.

We're ******* in our own Cheerios. We're alienating members and supporters. We must recognize we do not all have the same priorities and desires, and we only speak with one voice on GUNS. When I get turned off by a speaker in front of the GAB before the efforts start for the day, I find it difficult to muster the enthusiasm to speak for an organization's goals. Fortunately, in this case, gun rights are my goal as well.

Some of us cannot pass the purity tests set by others. That does not make us less of a fighter for our rights; in many cases, I believe, it makes us stronger. We can get audiences with, we can establish common ground with, we can talk to those who disagree with us on many issues. I get heard by my delegate because he knows I won't fight him just because of his political party or his stance on non-gun-related issues. I talked to a member yesterday who wouldn't visit his own legislator because "he's an ass" (and this was right after Dennis O'Connor tried eloquently to point out how destructive that attitude can be), and who turned away from me when he learned we have different views on a totally unrelated issue. If this is how our members want to treat one another, can it surprise us we don't get respect from those who disagree with us?

WE ALLOWED the most recent presidential and gubernatorial elections to bring out our worst. WE must stand fast on guns, and not let disagreements on abortion, gay marriage, food safety, farmer freedom, marijuana, motorcycle laws, or POLITICAL PARTY to separate us.
 

kennys

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2009
Messages
521
Location
Ruther Glen Va
My health insurance is paid for also but I must recognise symptoms when they happen, carry my butt to the doctor, follow up with treatment Etc......

Sometimes it takes a little more than a check to cure all that ails you.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
 

Tess

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2006
Messages
3,837
Location
Bryan, TX
Their "background checks save lives" is a clever farce. I would counter with a sticker that says "registration = confiscation", that's the reality (confiscation) of what the antis are working for even if their rent-a-mobs really have no clue as to what they are doing and what they want.

Slide1.JPG I've fantasized about using this, though I know the effort would not get the response that would help our cause. They don't want to hear that Cho passed his background check(s).
 

T Dubya

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
914
Location
Richmond, Va, ,
View attachment 11143 I've fantasized about using this, though I know the effort would not get the response that would help our cause. They don't want to hear that Cho passed his background check(s).

We're not too far off, I understand the relevance of your idea 100%. The antis rely on the fact that people are not going to think too much about it, which is why the simple "background checks save lives" sticker.

If I have to pay for my own stickers that say "registration = confiscation" I will, because we all know that their background check scheme is nothing more than a registration scheme; to the antis like any dishonest organization the means justifies the end. The antis read this forum and Va-Alert, so I'm sure they'll switch the color, but I like the yellow backdrop for a sticker.
 

Tess

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2006
Messages
3,837
Location
Bryan, TX
We're not too far off, I understand the relevance of your idea 100%. The antis rely on the fact that people are not going to think too much about it, which is why the simple "background checks save lives" sticker.

If I have to pay for my own stickers that say "registration = confiscation" I will, because we all know that their background check scheme is nothing more than a registration scheme; to the antis like any dishonest organization the means justifies the end. The antis read this forum and Va-Alert, so I'm sure they'll switch the color, but I like the yellow backdrop for a sticker.


I do point out in written communications (letters to the editor, responses to blog posts, etc.) that the 4473 as it exists is not a background check; it is a transaction check, with the model and serial number recorded it can be no less. It is subject to government inspection at any time, and must be surrendered if a dealer goes out of business; it is registration. I try to do so as dispassionately as possible, but if I can get anyone to actually stop and think, then realize their logic is flawed, I've made gains.
 

FBrinson

Regular Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2013
Messages
298
Location
Henrico, VA
Sure, there are groups planning all the time FB. Most are by invitation.

Whatch you gonna plan?
Whatcha you gonna do after you plan it?

:(

Thanks for asking.
1st, I would like to volunteer to assist with photography at any event I may be needed. One of my hobbies is photography, I have modest but acceptable equipment and I do have limited experience with photography for weddings, fundraisers, cycling, etc. I'm rather passionate about photography.
2nd. I see that there is a consistent need to volunteers at the VCDL table at gun shows. I'm throwing my name in the hat for this. Richmond, Fredericksburg, Doswell would be close to home. Hampton/Newport News would be a stretch for me. I have limited time off on weekends but when I can get the time off, I'm available.
3rd. Social Networking
4th. I don't know if it's needed. But I am willing to do grunt work. Visit places. Hand out flyers. Create mailers. Hell, whatever it takes. Design bumper stickers. Lick stamps (i'd use a sponge).
5th. Finally move to Surry County and run for Sheriff. :D
 

peter nap

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
13,551
Location
Valhalla
Thanks for asking.
1st, I would like to volunteer to assist with photography at any event I may be needed. One of my hobbies is photography, I have modest but acceptable equipment and I do have limited experience with photography for weddings, fundraisers, cycling, etc. I'm rather passionate about photography.
2nd. I see that there is a consistent need to volunteers at the VCDL table at gun shows. I'm throwing my name in the hat for this. Richmond, Fredericksburg, Doswell would be close to home. Hampton/Newport News would be a stretch for me. I have limited time off on weekends but when I can get the time off, I'm available.
3rd. Social Networking
4th. I don't know if it's needed. But I am willing to do grunt work. Visit places. Hand out flyers. Create mailers. Hell, whatever it takes. Design bumper stickers. Lick stamps (i'd use a sponge).
5th. Finally move to Surry County and run for Sheriff. :D

It's actually a good plan FB!

It really doesn't take a planning session for that, just good networking.

The think tanks are different and often frustrating.

You can't run for Sheriff in Surry though.....unless of course, tour sister is the Circuit Court Clerk.:lol:
 

va_tazdad

Regular Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2009
Messages
1,162
Location
Richmond, Virginia, USA
It's actually a good plan FB!

It really doesn't take a planning session for that, just good networking.

The think tanks are different and often frustrating.

You can't run for Sheriff in Surry though.....unless of course, tour sister is the Circuit Court Clerk.:lol:

Maybe he could run as Commonwealth's attorney. That position has been mentally vacant for YEARS.
 
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