[NineseveN]

...and the reply...

Andy replies:

Hang on -- I can't remember the last time I've styled myself to be
anything but a commentator, and one that avoids most public forums,
at that, unless invited. The possible exception being when I speak in my
last official capacity, as the legislative chairman of my gun club. And
I've never said the grassroots don't matter; in fact I've said a time or
two that the grassroots is the ONLY thing that DOES matter, but they are kept
passive by all the people who style themselves as their "leaders," from the
NRA right on down to the regional and local groups bantering in back rooms
with selected legislators. The guys in the back rooms are NOT the
grassroots. They're generally the ones that prevent the grassroots from
being effective.

Pass along my congratulations to Harry, et al, for doing such a great job
of getting the word out about all that legislation they've been fighting so
hard. Even the people who forward their stuff to me seem to have missed
all of those alerts about (e.g.) HB1744, at least until quite recently. I'm
really glad they, personally, do such a sterling job of "bottling legislation
up in committee."

What happens when they fail? Where exactly does the grassroots come in,
at that point?

Incidentally, I failed to see the words "We oppose this legislation" in
that ACSL item about HB 1744. Was that an oversight, or are there amendments
to make this Good Legislation, massaged properly in some back room? So that
the grassroots can't be trusted to distinguish between Good Gun Control and
Bad Control, and our leadership might Lose Control of their personal intrigues
if the grassroots were told to oppose it?

I will allow Godshall's statement to stand on its face. "Isolate Quisling
leadership?" That's a pretty good cover for "I never heard of the people
who style themselves as leaders for all of Pennsylvania's gun owners." It
leads me to wonder exactly who is isolating who.

But even if it were true as stated, my frequent question remains, which I
will flesh out slightly: What controls the way legislators vote, other than
respect for what the grassroots VOTERS will do? And if they never heard
of anyone other than the NRA, who can seriously influence the gun owner vote
in PA, WHO exactly IS controlling them? Do we really want the Quislings to
be so "isolated" they never heard of anyone but the NRA who can oppose them?

Where has the power of a grassroots PA organization been demonstrated,
that any of them should respect? Or is their respect limited to being
for the magnificent, arcane gun wisdom of those backroom dealers -- that
most have been isolated from even hearing about?

Let's put it plainly -- was Godshall LYING, (and even I hope he was)
or was it TRUE he never heard of our leaders and their political
intrigues?

And you know perfectly well the contexts in which I say "Law doesn't
matter," and what I mean when I say that: Law affects you and me
when there are no greater political issues at stake; when there
ARE greater political interests -- or simply if we are poor or
powerless or unsophisticated or simple can't afford to access the
law -- it then becomes meaningless. And to that I would append
that the greater the political issues involved, the more expensive
and less accessible law becomes for the common man. For him it
becomes meaningless. If I'm wrong, just take the Uniform Firearms
Act down to the State Police and read them the sections about a firearms
registry. Or for an easier start, come to Montgomery County or
Bucks County, etc., and read the sheriffs the sections about the
limitations on what they can charge for a CCW. I did, here in Bucks,
but he must not have heard me right, because he's still charging nearly
double. It would appear The Law is meaningless, until someone spends
a bundle to make it mean something; in the interim the politicos
make a bundle, and that is what law usually is all about.

Last I have to say that your own sidekicks can attest that you are
giving me FAR too much credit. I am told that legislators assure
Serious Gun Rights Advocates that they regard me as "nothing but a
clown." So why are you all so worried? Laugh a liitle, along
with your legislator friends! How many divisions has Andy?
For Chrissake, I don't even have a website!

I have to say I'm glad for all your sakes you have a boogeyman to blame
if one of your intrigues go south; just like back in the days of the
20 Stalwarts Letter of Concern to the PSP, if *I'M* the best excuse
your "pro-gun" legislators can come up with for not producing for you guys --
and you believe that -- they must REALLY have you people buffaloed.

Or was the word "isolated?"


--Andy