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A TALE OF TWO RALLIES |
The Gun Rights Internet in Missouri has recently been buzzing with messages about rallies in Jefferson City, which to attend, unity of the movement, etc… So here is my $.02 worth for those willing to listen. A RALLY ON FEBRUARY 25, 2004 A rally has been scheduled for February 25th, 2004 in the Capitol Rotunda set to begin at 9 am. This rally date was picked by, and the rally organized by, one group that did not attempt to coordinate with any other group in the state [even the ones that are now participating out of a desire to show "unity"] prior to the "selection" of this date. The February rally will go ahead as scheduled and several groups will attend and participate. Several other groups have elected not to attend. THE 12th ANNUAL GUN RIGHTS RALLY ON APRIL 21, 2004 The original and 12th annual Gun Rights Rally has been scheduled for April 21st, 2004 in the Capitol Rotunda. This rally date was picked by, and the rally organized by, a coalition of state groups under the umbrella of Missourians for Personal Safety [MPS]. MPS and its forerunner, the Missouri Legislative Issues Council [MOLIC] has been putting on these rallies every year from year one. WHY DOES MPS RUN THE ANNUAL RALLY AND WHY ATTEND THEIR RALLY? MPS has always attempted to coordinate the efforts of those grass roots groups willing to act in concert and coordination to defend and promote the rights of honest Missourians to own and use firearms… especially passage of LTC. They have been successful in coordinating the activities of these groups for many years and thus increasing our effectiveness in our state legislature. MPS and its member organizations have continuously since year one been making our voice heard and our wishes known to our state legislators. We got a LTC bill through our state legislature and now have a LTC LAW before our state's Supreme Court because of the coordinated efforts of the member organizations of MPS. That is a fact. The efforts of MPS, and supporting members, are why YOUR interests in LTC were heard in St. Louis Circuit Court [and the bond raised from $5000 to $250,000] and in the Missouri Supreme Court. The efforts of MPS and supporting members [Tim Oliver, learntocarry.com and others] contributed substantially to why the Assistant Attorney Generals, who, working with our Legal Team defending the law before the Supreme Court, were so well prepared in the two written Briefs and supporting case cites and understood the matter from the Pro-LTC citizens point of view. The NRA's attorneys, while not representing a party to the case, provided a very well done Amicus (friend of the court) Brief at both the Trial Court and Supreme Court level and we are grateful for their support. [Note: There are only three defendants in this case, the State of Missouri, the Attorney General's Office and our attorneys on behalf of the Intervener, Bullseye Range, LLC.] In addition, our non-paid Pro-LTC attorneys such as Kevin Jamison, TJ Mullin and Derek Ward and others provided ideas, strategies, case cites, drafts, reviewed briefs and gave of their time freely to help our Legal Team of Peter von Gontard, Russell Makepeace and the other 6 attorneys at Sandberg, Phoenix and von Gontard AND the AGs attorneys. Working in a coordinated effort with the AGs attorneys, who know Handcock issues as well as we know weapons and weapons law, is the reason we made such a strong case before the Trial Court and the Supreme Court. We knew from the beginning we would have a better result by working in closely coordinated efforts. The same way MPS member groups have always worked together. IS ONE RALLY REALLY BETTER THAN THE OTHER? As an individual interested in your gun rights, ask yourself what is the primary item you would like to see accomplished during this year? Most importantly, successful implementation of the License-To-Carry law for qualified, honest Missourians once the Missouri Supreme Court rules on the case. Now ask yourself, how can we best support this outcome? No rally should be held with the intent to just "do something" or to "get people moving". This is poor planning and shows a lack of understanding where we are at in the process of achieving the above goal. Frustration over the dragging of the court process is highly understandable. The desire to "do something" can be great. There are those who have contended that we are "doing nothing" and that that we must "do something" [even if it is wrong]... But if in "doing something" you do the WRONG THING, there could be dire consequences to achieving our stated goal [LTC being the LAW for the state] after THIRTEEN years of hard work on the eve of success. For instance, you cannot hold a rally to influence a court decision… especially a Supreme Court decision. In fact, if the February 25th rally attempts to influence the Supreme Court, or is perceived as an attempt to influence the court, or presents anything that may be perceived as offensive to the Court, the rally may very well backfire and actually DAMAGE our chances of a successful outcome. The MOSC is non-political in that you DO NOT lobby the Justices! PERIOD. A rally to inspire the legislature to "do something" also shows a lack of understanding and long range planning. The legislature is equally stalled on this issue UNTIL the MOSC rules and provides their opinion. The legislature cannot modify a law [if necessary] when it is NOT a law. The fact is that HB349 et al is in LIMBO until the MOSC rules. Our legislature cannot modify it [again… IF necessary] until it IS a law. WHAT IS WRONG WITH FEBRUARY 25th? The Missouri Supreme Court generally takes 60 to 90 days to publish its ruling and opinions on cases that it hears. The MOSC can rule at any time so the ruling may come early [I predicted that we may hear by the end of this month or early in March]. It is the content of this ruling and the attached opinion(s) that will determine our next step and course of action on LTC in our state legislature [IF necessary]. If the MOSC rules on our side on all counts, then the ruling publication day will be the TRUE day to congratulate ourselves and our legislators for finally achieving victory on making LTC a reality. IF the MOSC rules against us, how the ruling comes down will determine the next step that may very well require some action by our legislature THIS session. Since the MOSC heard the case on January 22nd, a February 25th rally comes at around 30 days elapsed. If the MOSC issues their opinion on say February 24th and IF it is in part against us, there will be insufficient time to promote a proper correction at the February 25th rally. MPS and its member organizations know this and have been making contingency plans for the various scenarios of what we may have to do IF the MOSC rules against us. The details of the options we may have to exercise will have to be saved for another communication. Each year that MPS has run THE ANNUAL GUN RIGHTS RALLY DAY, the date was debated and chosen after considering the goals and strategies for the state. This year was no different. The April 21st date was chosen to give us proper time to implement the proper contingency plan based on the MOSC ruling IF we need to initiate corrective language to HB349. WHAT IS WRONG WITH TWO RALLIES? Nothing... IF the two rallies support our goals and the strategy to achieve those goals. First, there was no need for two rallies. Second, the February rally will be conducted on a date that cannot adequately support what we may need to achieve IF the MOSC returns with a less than favorable ruling and opinion. Third, by scheduling and holding this rally unilaterally, the February rally may weaken the attendance at BOTH rallies. The annual rally historically takes place on a workday to allow our supporters to show up while the legislators are in the capitol. That means the attendees at the rally are sacrificing a day off work or other activities. This is a major commitment on their part. Asking them to take off two days sacrifices their resources and may diminish one of our primary goals in holding the rally: To pack the rotunda and make the biggest possible showing at a critical time to assist in impacting pending legislation. The February 25th date, again, was chosen by one organization without any attempt at consulting any of the various groups it has now chosen to invite to show "unity" in the gun rights movement BEFORE this date was chosen. This rally date was NOT chosen to support any of the potential actions that we may need to pursue THIS legislative session. The April 21st rally date was discussed amongst the several groups who got us here [a LTC law before the MOSC] and the same groups that have been bucking up [sending $$$$] to pay the legal fees necessary to protect our interests throughout the long court process and the same groups that picked the April 21st date as a part of a strategy or contingency effort [if needed] to help see LTC become the full law for Missouri. WHAT ABOUT "UNITY" OF THE MOVEMENT? To pick a date for a rally based on nothing but a desire to "do something" without even consulting ANY of the other well known groups that have been actively pushing LTC or even contacting THE organization that is responsible for THE ANNUAL GUN RIGHTS RALLY and then claiming that attendance at the rally should occur to show "unity" is a hollow argument at best. Unity would occur by working in concert with, or at a minimum consulting with the other well-known groups BEFORE unilaterally running off to "do something." Plus, you can inadvertantly damage our goals if the "doing something" is doing the "wrong thing" that in the end is harmful to the cause. Unilateral actions are not the hallmark of organizations truly interested in "unity" and may reveal a lack of understanding not only where we have been as a movement and how and who got us here, but more importantly reveal a lack of knowledge of where we may need to go and how to achieve our primary goal… LTC LAW for honest Missourians. That being said, anyone should feel free to attend any rally they chose… any time they chose. If you can attend only one rally, pick the one that you feel will best support your goals. FINAL THOUGHT We do not know how the Missouri Supreme Court will finally rule on the issues presented to them on HB349 et al. The next scheduled day for the MOSC to publish rulings is February 24th. IF the MOSC issues its ruling and opinion on our case on this date and they rule with us on all counts, we will truly celebrate. We do know what some of the possible outcomes are IF the MOSC rules against us. As we [MPS and supporting organizations and individuals] have always done, we have and are strategizing and planning various options and contingencies and setting up the plans to implement them in a timely manner... IF needed. Just my $.02 worth… back to contingency planning and other legislative activities. Greg Jeffery |