2011 Keep 2nd Amendment Liberty in PA is Second to None rally & lobbying event

[andrewjs18]

Hello all
I was the leader of team 11 and I have been made aware of the various comments accusing me of being a racist. These comments are totally false.

1. I never made any comment about the politics of any legislator other than there position on guns.

2. I commented that senator Williams was not a friend of gun owners and had voted against us on almost all legislation including Castle

3. When our group visited the Senators office we were introduced to a black staff assistant by the secretary. she agreed to talk with us. I led the discussion about how we needed Castle, she was not receptive and said we disagree. Several others questioned her as to why the Senator was against the Castle bill.

4. On leaving the office a thin man from Philadelphia area commented that she was just there to blow us off. I felt the group was becoming disheartened and needed some coaching.

5. I did comment that I felt the staffer was nervous having so many GUN OWNERS (race was never mentioned) in the office and it was probably intimidating for her. I also said that everyone did a good job.

6. I said it was important that we show the anti-gunners that we are not the stereotypical media portrayed gun nuts. And that is why even when we are blown off it is still a good job.

7. The only comment on race and I did make it was that all to often white people fear black people and black people few whites. HAD I BEEN ALLOWED TO FINISH MY COMMENT and that is why it is important that we show up and dispel the stereotypes. However, at that point I was interrupted by one of the Philadelphia guys who said baloney he wasn't afraid of black people and asked if anyone in the group was.

I and at least one other person said yes when going down a street in the city at night I was intimidated. Jesse Jackson made the same comments.

In answer to your posts and suggestions of racism you are mistaken.
At no time did I ever discuss or mention anything about the politics of any of Senator or Representative that was not related to guns.

ON THE SECOND ISSUE OF HOW THE GROUPS SHOULD BE ORGANIZED. I AGREE WE SHOULD BE GROUPED TOGETHER SO THAT INDIVIDUALS CAN SEE THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS

sir, if I recall correctly, Ken didn't ask anyone if they were afraid of blacks until you were done talking.

also, do you remember being paranoid about my buddy, Scott, having his camera around his neck?

[Elmar]

First of all, I waited till you were done talking and then I asked if anyone there was nervous around black people since you said whites were nervous of blacks and blacks were nervous of whites.

Second of all I am not from Philadelphia. I understand this is hard because you repeatedly referred to everyone from the eastern half of Pa as from Philadelphia even making the comment aloud that anyone east of Harrisburg you considered from Philadelphia. Believe it or not people from 50 miles away from Philadelphia don't consider themselves part of it because they are not part of either the city or county.

Your comments about race in an attempt to justify your own obvious nervousness at talking to a black female and attempting to project the roots of that nervousness onto both her and the rest of us were not appreciated, were shockingly collectivist and insulting, and if/when overheard would serve only to reinforce the popular stereotype of second amendment supporters as racist hicks.

Your approximate comment about race was that she was nervous because of so many people much like how blacks are nervous around whites and whites are nervous around blacks. If you had said gun-owners I wouldn't have batted an eye and neither would Andrew because we understand and have seen people be nervous around things they've had no experience with and been taught to fear.

I think you are mis-remembering your words as three different sets of ears (on this forum) confirm your racially colored language.

[B2Luv2Hunt]

I'm sorry to have missed you. I would have really liked to meet you face to face and say hello.

I was standing just behind you when the lady was taking the picture of your gun. I did talk to you once at the FOAC Meeting at Cabelas in Hamburg. I had just tried on a hat that did not fit my large head and you tried it on and it fit. I said it did not fit me. You joked I should not brag because I still had a full head of hair.
Just behind you in this picture with the tinted glasses. I did not get to say hello because we moved while you were getting interviewed.

DSC_2586.jpg

[PennsyPlinker]

I was standing just behind you when the lady was taking the picture of your gun. I did talk to you once at the FOAC Meeting at Cabelas in Hamburg. I had just tried on a hat that did not fit my large head and you tried it on and it fit. I said it did not fit me. You joked I should not brag because I still had a full head of hair.
Just behind you in this picture with the tinted glasses. I did not get to say hello because we moved while you were getting interviewed.

DSC_2586.jpg

I had forgotten about that. Well, I am old and stricken in years. Next time... I just can't imagine making a joke like that though, especially to someone I had just met.

[CenterTree]

Hello all
I was the leader of team 11 and I have been made aware of the various comments accusing me of being a racist. These comments are totally false.

5. I did comment that I felt the staffer was nervous having so many GUN OWNERS (race was never mentioned) in the office and it was probably intimidating for her. I also said that everyone did a good job.


7. The only comment on race and I did make it was that all to often white people fear black people and black people few whites. HAD I BEEN ALLOWED TO FINISH MY COMMENT and that is why it is important that we show up and dispel the stereotypes.


In answer to your posts and suggestions of racism you are mistaken.
At no time did I ever discuss or mention anything about the politics of any of Senator or Representative that was not related to guns.

[jshwak]

Oh man.. rep to you for making me look like a laughing fool in front of my co-workers..

[ChamberedRound]

I'm going to say this once: This side discussion about Team 11 better stay above board.

I think it's important to have "after action" talks to make sure that any concerns are voiced, so that next time changes can be made in how we deal with legislators. HOWEVER, there's a big difference between after action talks and Monday Morning Quarterbacking; I don't want to see this turn into the latter.

Keep it civil, and make sure it stays relevant to the topic of the rally.

[Kimba]

I couldn't make it this year but in past years, the groups were assigned in order to line up with their elected officials.

From what I have read, it didn't seem to be that way this year. Does any one know why the change?

Were the team leaders easier to find?

We handed the rally organizers a list of things that could have made improvements in how to handle some of the issues. I'm not sure that they were taken into consideration.

If you got a sheet that asks for suggestions, fill it out. It might make things easier in the coming years.

[andrewjs18]

I couldn't make it this year but in past years, the groups were assigned in order to line up with their elected officials.

From what I have read, it didn't seem to be that way this year. Does any one know why the change?

Were the team leaders easier to find?

We handed the rally organizers a list of things that could have made improvements in how to handle some of the issues. I'm not sure that they were taken into consideration.

If you got a sheet that asks for suggestions, fill it out. It might make things easier in the coming years.

we weren't sure which group we were in so we just picked team 11 because when we go up to where he was, no one was standing beside him. that being said, we had people from ALL OVER the state with him. central PA, western PA, eastern PA. he also had a few politicians on his list from the Philadelphia region so yeah...

[Elmar]

Having organized activities where segregating activities by legislative district is fundamental these would be my suggestions:

Have a pre-registration sign up so people can flag if they want to attend the enter in their address. This generates a list of likely to show individuals and their respective rep and senator. For those who show up without pre registering there is one or two people at the sign-in table with laptops who do a live look up and then give the team assignment to them as they sign in and get a tag. Each team leader has a map highlighting their route and the position of the offices they will be hitting ...a walking map so to speak and each member should be given one as well so they can check back if (when) it turns out their rep or senator was not in.

Teams can be divided up in two ways: Senate teams and Rep teams. Or inclusive teams (there are advantages and disadvantages to each).

Senate and Rep teams - Have people team up first for their Senate group and they go and hit their senators and then at a pre-set time these teams break and indivduals form up their Rep teams.
+ It gets rid of difficulties where overlap occurs between a Senator and a Rep districts
+It allows leaders to only have to concentrate on one area of the capitol at a time.
- It is more hectic as groups need to reform
- Some in the first phase might not be done by the time the second phase starts

Inclusive teams - Teams are pre-arranged to go to specific senators and reps.
+ Less hectic as team is with one leader and not under a time constraint
- Individuals may be in a team with their senator but not their rep or with their rep and not their senator due to regional overlapping of districts.

Also little handouts to team members about our focus issues and a bullet list of talking points would help for future contact with our elected officials after individuals leave their rep/senator a form and specifically request to be contacted about their visit.

Constituents or donors - those are the only people most politicians will care to hear about a topic from.