#GRPC '14 Day 2

Day 2 of the GRPC in Chicago.  This morning, I ran into Ethel, a wonderful lady I met at the GRPC three years ago.  It was her first gun event that she had shown up to just to see what the controversy was about first hand.  She ended up staying the entire weekend and joining all the alphabet organizations.  This morning she told me she has her FOID card and is still involved.

 Currently sitting and chatting w/ Dean Weingarten of Gunwatch and Robert Sadtler of the VCDL.

Also got a chance to talk to David Young before things got started.

Call to Order (Peggy Tartaro)

Shootout at the Airwaves Corral
Tom Gresham (Gun Talk Radio), Malia Zimmerman (Hawaii reporter)

Zimmerman: Hawaii 1 million reg. firearms.  9 hr wait to register w/ metered parking & no R/R.  No women CCW licenses since 60’s.  If you get murdered, you’ll get a candlelight vigil but they won't let you defend yourself w/ a gun.   

Gresham/Zimmerman:  Skills to be a radio caller.  Turn your radio off!  Stay on the phone. You're on a stopwatch so be ready to talk and be on point. Not a conversation, it's a performance.  Have notes if you're nervous. Worst guests ever.... Lawyers.  If you're in a hostile environment, take examples from politicians for the 'Non-Answer answer' (ex. Hillary Clinton and Karl Rove).  Limit what you say so they can't use fluff against you.  If on TV, dress professional (not red, stripe, polkadot) sit up straight. Don't fidgit.  You're there to make your point, not answer their questions.  If we buy into their questions, we fail. Don't 'fill the silence' w/ babble.  Don't (verbally) attack/insult the interviewer or assume they're anti-gun.  Don't talk over host. 

Science vs Fiction in Public Health Policy
Vikram Khanna (Khanna on Health), Timothy Wheeler (Dr's for Responsible Gun Ownership)

Khanna:  John Hopkins upset they’ve trained a pro-gun advocate.  Twitter feed from anti included heavy profanity and is a professed Christian w/ description “ Jesus says to tell you you’re an F-ing Moron. “

Got into guns by a neighbor who took him trap shooting.  Other neighbor was local drug dealer.  Police not there 24 hrs a day.  That was the switch.  Healthcare system being manipulated to work against individuals. SG nominee wants Dr's to regularly question patients about guns. Electronic medical records would contain that info. That data not safe. 

Wheeler: FOPA act in Florida passed in '11. Pediatrician kicked out patient after they refused to answer gun question.  Law currently set to go ahead.

Tackling Media Bias on Guns & Gunowners
Charles Heller (Liberty watch Radio)
Don Irvine (Accuracy in Media)

Inexpensive to get PSA's made. First exposure to 'gun culture' may be a radio ad. Use social media because even the reports aren't reading papers anymore.

Expanding Carry Options for America
Tim Schmidt (US Concealed carry,Inc)

CC stats and history.  11 million people w/ licenses. Bad guys don't want to get shot. Where to we go? Shaneen Allen, This is what happens when we need to get 'permission'.

Investigating Gun Related News & the Rise of the Citizen Journalist
David Codrea & David Workman

 Codrea: Internet is burying us in extremist data and siphons money from newspapers.  Make it more expensive through ‘Progressive energy tax’ .  They are the opposite in what they say and what they do.  Like dinosaurs wanting tax on mammals.  Unauthorized Journalist compared to ‘real reporters’ or ‘legitimate media’.  ‘Just a blogger’.   How many AFT whistleblowers came to ‘legitimate’ media to expose F&F. Was told at a public rally he wasn't 'authorized' to speak, that it wasn't 'free speech'.  How MSM slant stories and ignore others. Parroting talking points. Use the same stock phrases over and over. Thinks Holder will be able to escape justice since he's not directly in front of Congress anymore. Media ignorance on firearms (Ferguson earplugs = rubber bullets).  We need 'force multipliers' since we're the 'small voices'. We are all leaders for attending and being active (like IGOLD being snowed in and thousands still attend)  

Workman: Forward links of articles to people who don't know.  Spent near 2yrs on F&F.  Obama took ownership of F&F when he extended exec. privilege to documents. Most MSM ignored F&F. Blogs get the word out and facts that MSM misses/ignores. We don't have to rely on Dan Rather. If it wasn't for Codrea/Vanderbough, there wouldn't have been a F&F. I don't deal in 'Truth', I deal in facts.

Bloomberg, Holder & the Mid-Term Elections
John Fund (NRO)

Holder resignation clearest sign administration is running scared and they're going to try and push nominations during lame duck.  Holder approval rating 15%.  SCOTUS 14 times ruled unanimous against administration last 2 years. Only winning 37% of cases compared to 75% avg.  Jones v US.  Tracking device w/o any due process or suspicion of crime. Holder worst AG in history of US. Half of Inspector Generals protested administration stalling investigations. Most appointed by Obama. We're going to have last laugh.

Tying it all together
Gottlieb

David Young won the attendee raffle for a Ruger handgun. 

Following that, Gottlieb attempted to explain his support of SAF's version of UBC's.  It is not going over well, expanding on the conflict that was brought up yesterday.  There's lots of heated argument between him and many attendees. He feels we're going to lose the UBC fight while others such as Chris Knox (Firearms Coalition) and Mike Weisman (ISRA VP) disagree vehemently. George Owens (AL Gun Rights) vehemently agreed w/ Gottlieb.