From time to time here in Illinois, the NRA, the Illinois State Rifle Association and Guns Save Life urge our members, friends and fellow gun owners to call certain politicians to urge them to take a specific action on one or more bills.
We all try to be selective on which ones we ask you to call for as we don’t want to be the little boy that cried “wolf” too often.
Why?
We’ll tell you why: Those calls work.
They have worked here in Illinois, and in recent days, Missouri’s gun owners have given us a shining example of how they worked in the Missouri legislature as well.
See, Missouri was on the cusp of passing a nullification bill when a certain low-information, anti-gun legislator added a poison pill: a “lost or stolen” amendment that would penalize gun owners for failing to report a gun lost or stolen within an arbitrary period of time. (Sounds good, but what if the gun is stolen and you don’t know it?)
Jefferson City, MO (News-Leader) — A Democratic senator may have forced Republican lawmakers into a conundrum: vote against nullifying federal gun laws and disappoint hardline conservatives, or vote to nullify and risk the wrath of the gun lobby.
Last night, the Senate voted to amend Senate Bill 613 — which nullifies federal gun laws — to require individuals to report stolen firearms to police within 72 hours after discovering a gun has been stolen.
Amendment author Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis, said the NRA opposes the requirement.
Well, at this point, the NRA and local gun groups in Missouri put the word out: Call Jamilah. Call everyone who voted in support of the “lost or stolen” amendment. And call them well.
Six days later:
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Ozarkfirst.com) –– No state senator admits National Rifle Association pressure has gotten to them, but those who voted last week to require gun owners to report the theft of guns within 72 hours have reversed their votes.
Senator Jamilla Nasheed’s amendment had gone on a bill last week letting the state decide what federal gun laws and regulations it will enforce, and limiting federal agents enforcement of federal gun laws.
The NRA quickly asked members to contact Senators and get them to reverse their votes. Late last night Republican Senators who had voted for the 72-hour reporting period reversed themselves and took the amendment off of the bill in a straight party line vote. Nasheed, a Democrat, says the vote says a lot about who really controls the state senate.
Yeah, it does, Jammy. THE PEOPLE control the senate, you silly woman. And they should control the House as well.
If phone calls work then Illinois gun owners need to make a lot of phone calls.
agreed
There was no penalties in that Amendment. The author of the article is wrong as was the NRA. The amendment said that a person shall report a stolen gun within 72 hours upon REALIZING it was stolen. There was no fines, no penalties, nothing, no registration. However the NRA came out and said it had all the above. Mind you I am an NRA member and was not fond of the amendment however there is importance in honesty. I figure if I can’t trust the NRA to be honest on this what can I trust them on. I think I may have to join the Gun Owners of America instead.
Hey Mr Missouri man you can join us we”de love to have you on board !!