Gun clubs can be organized under any number of tax statuses, but many will put them in a category where they may not be able to engaging in outright electioneering. However, one New York gun club sends a pretty clear message about the issue they want to see resolved without naming any candidates on a giant billboard.
I hate that the only place I ever witnessed really well organized gun clubs willing to get involved in the political fights to the degree that they were legally allowed to was in Massachusetts. It really was a case of too little too late there, and other states don’t have to follow that model if their clubs and organized shooters would get together and engage in just a little bit of activism.
Good luck to New York gun owners making your presence felt on 11/4.
I’m already getting antsy over election day. I know every election is the most important election ever, but for gun owners, this one is really freakin’ huge. Gun control hasn’t been pushed this hard in 20 years. The fact that 163 of 199 Democrats in the House think that publicly agitating for gun control is a vote-getter is troubling. The perception that gun control is a toxic issue still exists, but its definitely fading. We really need to reinforce it in a big way in November.
That’s a really good photo of the people standing under their billboard. It’s effective because they’re just regular folks who wanted to send a message in their community. (Much more persuasive/powerful than a single wealthy person who doesn’t live there buying a billboard.) Plus, they’re simply standing there and smiling — not posing with guns or “striking a pose” to look internet-badass.
Also agree with Bitter’s remark about the tax. Gun clubs aren’t 501c3 charities so doesn’t matter.
The chains hang lightly on Mass.’s once-strong gun-rights organization, GOAL (Gun Owners Action League). It is currently “neutral” on a bill that makes permission to own a single-shot rifle or shotgun “may issue.” Since the original bill, sponsored by Senate President and organized crime figure Robert DeLeo, has been modified so that the issuing authority now has to state a reason for the denial (it doesn’t have to be a good reason, a flimsy excuse is just fine).
In my opinion, the reason Democrat incumbents are pushing hard for gun control (Schumer-Manchin-Toomey registration, criminalizing family transfers, anti-hunting measures, new AWB) is because they see the 2014 election as hinging on base turnout. Everything they’re doing now is meant to feed blue meat to their base. They’re taking a calculated risk of turning off independents on the theory that anyone blasé enough to be independent is going to be too enervated to turn out election day.