Gays, Lesbians and Guns – Oh My
Gun Rights Activists Invading San Francisco
By Jeff Knox
Manassas, VA –-(Ammoland.com)- Gun rights leaders and activists from around the country will be invading San Francisco, California this month and, while there should be plenty of explosive comments and possibly some other rhetorical fireworks, no shots are expected to be fired.
September 24, 25, and 26 are the dates for the 25th Annual Gun Rights Policy Conference hosted by the Second Amendment Foundation and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
The event is being held this year at the Hyatt Regency Hotel at the San Francisco Airport and, as always, it is absolutely free to attend.
GRPC is an opportunity for those concerned with protecting (or just learning about) the right to arms to come together with leaders of the movement to network with one another and discuss strategy, tactics, and techniques. They will review what has been accomplished in recent years and set goals and objectives for the year to come. And this year they will do it all right in the “belly of the beast” in San Francisco, California, home of Nancy Pelosi, Dianne Feinstein, and Barbara Boxer, not to mention rabidly anti-gun Mayor (and now candidate for Lt. Governor) Gavin Newsome.
The Second Amendment Foundation has taken the lead in coordinating and financing legal challenges to firearms laws around the country. They have brought successful suits against San Francisco’s handgun bans, New Orleans gun ban and confiscations after Hurricane Katrina, and most recently the McDonald case against Chicago before the Supreme Court which confirmed that Second Amendment protections apply to states and municipalities. Alan Gura, lead attorney in both the recent McDonald case and the landmark Supreme Court case, DC v. Heller, is expected to be in attendance to share his take on current and potential future court challenges.
While the media and pundits tend to ascribe credit or blame for all activities of the “gun lobby” to the National Rifle Association, the “gun lobby” is actually made up of numerous organizations and individuals, like AmmoLand Shooting Sports News, and others from all around the country – most of them volunteers – and all walks of life. National organizations like the Second Amendment Foundation, Gun Owners of America, Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and The Firearms Coalition each have their own niche in the fight as do various state shooting associations, gun clubs, and grass roots organizations. The annual Gun Rights Policy Conference is an opportunity for leaders and activists from all of these groups to get together socially and ideologically to advance the cause.
Welcoming the GRPC to their hometown of San Francisco will be members of the Pink Pistols, a rights and training organization dedicated to spreading the gun rights and self-defense message among gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and the transgendered. Members of the Pink Pistols have been regulars at GRPC for years. Not stereotypical gun rights advocates, the Pink Pistols serve as more proof that concern about the right to arms transcends labels and geography. GRPC 2010 will have attendees from most of the 50 states as well as some from foreign countries. There will be Republicans, Democrats, and maybe even a few Socialist and Communist. Doctors, lawyers, union workers and members of the clergy will sit alongside school teachers, actors, and hunting guides for the two full days of lectures, discussions, and speeches as well as the evening receptions and hospitality suites. The political or social dynamic may occasionally be uncomfortable for some, but not uncomfortable enough to hinder the collaboration and encouragement that is the hallmark of the conference. Members of the Pink Pistols like to say that “Armed Gays don’t get Bashed,” and that sentiment crosses all social, racial, and religious lines. Individual peace of mind comes from an individual piece on hand.
As mentioned above, the Gun Rights Policy Conference is a free event offering attendees much more than just lectures and speeches. It is an interactive treasure-trove of expert panels, interesting presentations, and networking opportunities. Every registered attendee also receives a number of rights-related books to add to their libraries – absolutely free. With airfare costs down and a special GRPC room rate of $109 per night, a trip to San Francisco would be well worth the cost for anyone wanting to learn about and get more involved in the gun rights war.
Learn more about GRPC 2010 by clicking on the GRPC link at www.FirearmsCoalition.org. I hope to see you there.
About:
The Firearms Coalition is a loose-knit coalition of individual Second Amendment activists, clubs and civil rights organizations. Founded by Neal Knox in 1984, the organization provides support to grassroots activists in the form of education, analysis of current issues, and with a historical perspective of the gun rights movement. The Firearms Coalition is a project of Neal Knox Associates, Manassas, VA. Visit: www.FirearmsCoalition.org