Comments by LtCol (ret) Willes Lee
Illinois – -(AmmoLand.com)- Remarks by LtCol (ret) Willes K. Lee, NRA Board of Directors, at the Chicago, Second Amendment Foundation, 2018 Gun Rights Policy Conference.
His focus is on the unity of the Second Amendment community going into the mid-term elections, and of his perspective is as Chairman of the NRA Outreach Committee. He provides personal opinions, making clear that he is not a National Rifle Association of America spokesman. Though, he progressed rapidly since our last interview. Lee is currently appointed to six NRA Committees, Chairman of one and co-Chairman of another.
Lee opened by reminding this mostly politically-oriented audience that the NRA does a lot more than politics – his examples include “hunting, shooting, competitions, training, conservation, firearms safety, legal actions, museums and gun collector, certifications, and so much more”. He took special pleasure in asking active military service members, veterans, AND their families to be recognized by the in-room and live-streaming viewing audience, then had law enforcement members do the same … all to the enthusiastic applause of this patriotic organization.
He then drilled down into the mid-term elections, reporting there are up to 75 competitive US House races. The US Senate looks more favorable, there are 6-7 competitive Gubernatorial races, and state races, city and county boards, school boards, “There’s a lot”.
His kicker is serious “The obscene funding especially for the antigun effort” is how (former NYC Mayor) Bloomberg is preparing for his 2020 Presidential run. “Don’t take your eye off the ball.”
SCOTUS and dozens of federal judges are a President Trump win, Lee summarized. National Concealed Carry Reciprocity remains the NRA’s number one legislative priority. NRA conducted hundreds of assessments in their NRA School Shield program, free to the school or community.
He touts NRA President Col Oliver North’s goal to double the size of NRA membership, from six to 12 million members. Giving emphasis to his words of unity in the firearms civil rights community, Lee suggested the Second Amendment Foundation could do the same and he urged non-members of the audience to join “not before the end of the day. Do it before you leave to lunch”.
Col. Lee covered a lot of ground in eight minutes including listing several members of an impressive NRA Outreach Committee to include co-Chairman LtCol (ret) Allen West and Sheriff (ret) David Clarke, and more.
About outreach efforts, Lee stated flatly “If we want our Second Amendment rights in the future, regardless of litigation or legislation, we need to grow the base of folks who support the Second Amendment. Invite someone “historically less involved”, not just in politics, also to the range, to a competition, on a hunt, or to this conference next year. Get out of our comfort zone.”
This call to action, to “Get out of our comfort zone”, was formatted into a resolution presented by Resolutions Committee Chairman Genie Jennings. It was unanimously adopted by the 2018 GRPC delegates.
Lee’s final comment was of the 2019 NRA elections. (Disclaimer: Lee is running for reelection with Ammoland.com’s endorsement). “NRA Life and five-year members receive the ballots in January. Each of you must use your network to find voters and get them to vote. Bullet vote, that’s the only way to have the candidate you want on the Board. I’m asking for your support. There are others here running, meet them. Vote and get friends to vote.”
Willes closed by thanking SAF President Alan Gottlieb for the opportunity to present remarks and he congratulated the Second Amendment Foundation on another successful conference. Please take the time to watch his comments and please be ready to vote this November.
About LtCol (ret) Willes Lee
LtCol (ret) Willes Lee is President of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies. Member of the NRA Board of Directors, assigned six committees: Chairman Outreach, co-Chairman Collegiate Programs, Military & Veterans Affairs, Legislative Policy, Federal Affairs, Grassroots Development. Life member NRA, SAF/CCRKBA, GOA. Co-Chairman of Trump-Pence Second Amendment Coalition, on ACU Foundation Board (hosts of CPAC), former RNC member/State Chairman. Lee is a combat veteran who graduated from West Point with an Engineering degree, a 22-year Ranger and Airborne qualified Armor officer, DSSM/BSM/LM. He has a Master’s Degree of Public Administration. Follow www.Facebook.com/WillesLeeNRA and on Instagram and Twitter. His full bio and blog are at www.WillesLee.com and his email is Willes.Lee@gmail.com