Signs of Anti-Gunner Weakness as NRA Meeting Shines

While the NRA displays its strength at its Annual Meeting in Indianapolis, Michael Bloomberg is proving the old adage "there are just some things that money cannot buy." The self-anointed gun control Super Nanny's latest anti-gun groups--Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety--are having even worse luck than his first one, Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG).

As we have noted elsewhere in this alert, Bloomberg's new $50 million "grassroots" effort is off to a shaky start with its social media campaign. Now, the New York Times reports that former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge, an "assault weapon" ban supporter, "has unexpectedly resigned from the board of Michael R. Bloomberg's new gun control effort, citing his discomfort with some of the political work the group has been planning."

Ridge's resignation recalls the same sort of embarrassing and high-profile defections that likely contributed to Bloomberg's decision to rebrand MAIG, his former gun control flagship, in the first place. Now, with the new umbrella group barely a week old, history is repeating itself.

Pro-gun Community Schools Bloomberg on Grassroots Activism

Last week, Michael Bloomberg announced his new anti-gun group, Everytown for Gun Safety, in conjunction with a $50 million initiative to develop a "nationwide grass-roots network" to pursue gun control. While Bloomberg's plans can better be described as Astroturfing, the billionaire's statements did manage to mobilize a legitimate grassroots response. Unfortunately for Bloomberg, that response came from the pro-gun community.

Upon learning of the ex-mayor's plans, Second Amendment advocates immediately took to the battle to the web. Activists took advantage of an embarrassing oversight by the Bloomberg conglomerate and registered the name Everytown for Gun Safety with Facebook. The activists then began using the page to post pro-gun materials. The move caused an immediate sensation in the blogosphere and demonstrated the ex-mayor's ham-handed approach to grassroots. One person responsible for the page told Buzzfeed, "I took the Bloomberg name because I wanted this page to remain open to debate, unlike his group at Moms Demand Action that block anyone with alternative views. Gun owners are getting a bad rep nation wide from their anti gun propaganda. As to who I am, I am your average citizen that believes the second amendment 'shall not be infringed.'"

Watch Wayne LaPierre's Speech at the 2014 NRA Members' Meeting

Watch Chris W. Cox's Speech at the 2014 NRA Members' Meeting

NRA's Grassroots in Indianapolis: Ready to "Stand and Fight!"

Friday, April 25, a band of dedicated NRA Members rolled up their sleeves and went to work at the NRA-ILA Grassroots Workshop that focused on grassroots campaigning in a congressional election year. Attendees participated not to find out what they could do to defend our rights, but what MORE they could do!

The event was held in conjunction with NRA's Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Indianapolis, Indiana. Though most attendees were home state Hoosiers, NRA members were represented from states from across the country. Diversity in geography notwithstanding, all were united in a single mission--learning what more they can start doing TODAY to ensure a victory for gun owners in November!

Florida Leads Reform of Zero-Tolerance Abuse

In a move that will hopefully mark the beginning of a return to sanity in the administration of scholastic "zero tolerance" polices, the Florida Senate on Thursday passed HB 7029 by an overwhelming margin of 32-6. The bill now awaits Gov. Rick Scott’s signature.

Often referred to as the "The Right to Be a Kid Act" or the "Pop Tart Bill," the legislation arose in response to numerous episodes of ordinary, harmless behavior being ensnared by overly-broad school weapons policies. Illustrating the need for change, the policies have been interpreted in various places to require punishment of students for such things as Second Amendment t-shirts, squirt guns, hand gestures, and even a half-eaten pastry.