View Full Version : My day at the VA General Assembly
I attended my first "Lobby Day" with the VCDL today at the Virginia General Assembly Building.
What an eye opener that was. The team I was on had I think 7 delegates to visit, including on who was the sponsor of a silly bill to make possession of unregistered "silencers" against the law in Virginia. I guess the federal law isn't enough. But she could find time to see us, anyway.
Passing through security was uneventful. Show your DL and permit, and you're good to open carry in the GA building if you want to. Some people did.
We spoke to mainly legislative aids, and they were all polite but most informed us that they were not going to vote "our way."
I kept quiet at first, but then couldn't help but speak out when we visiting the office of Delegate David Toscano of Charlottesville. I am from the area, but he's not my delegate, however I work in the City of CVille and felt compelled to speak up.
Us: "How do you think Delegate Toscano will vote on the issue of allowing CHP holders to finally carry their guns concealed in restaurants?"
Legislative Aid: "Probably not with you..."
Me: "What is the reason for the delegate not supporting this bill?"
(Now, this brings me to my favorite quote of the day.)
Legislative Aid: "Something could happen." :eek:
Me: "That's kind of the point - something could happen anywhere, to anyone."
Something could happen. So that's the reason to not support a piece of legislation. Something could happen. When I came home and told my family, my 9 year old said "Duh! Of course something could happen, that's why you need to carry your gun!"
So, a 9 year old gets it. Apparently, Delegate Toscano of the Charlottesville district if fearful "something could happen" and thinks disarming the population is the solution to said problem.
On a brighter note, Mary Katherine Ham spoke at the rally. She asked where all the anti gun people were, and the crowd pointed to the TWO members of the Brady Bunch who showed up to oppose a few hundred VCDL members and some stragglers (seemed we were joined by some bikers who were there lobbying for for something else but felt the need to come join us!)
Mary Katherine Ham is now a woman after my heart - her response to seeing the TWO Brady Bunch folks standing there alone - "Oh, how cute!"
Priceless.
Good man! Thanks for representing!
MarshallDodge
01-19-09, 21:35
Good man! Thanks for representing!
+1
Mary Katherine Ham is now a woman after my heart - her response to seeing the TWO Brady Bunch folks standing there alone - "Oh, how cute!"
Priceless.
That's classic! :D
Awesome. Mary Katherine Ham in person? Be still my heart.
Awesome. Mary Katherine Ham in person? Be still my heart.
Yeah.
Us: "How do you think Delegate Toscano will vote on the issue of allowing CHP holders to finally carry their guns concealed in restaurants?"
Legislative Aid: "Probably not with you..."
Me: "What is the reason for the delegate not supporting this bill?"
(Now, this brings me to my favorite quote of the day.)
Legislative Aid: "Something could happen." :eek:
Me: "That's kind of the point - something could happen anywhere, to anyone."
Something could happen. So that's the reason to not support a piece of legislation. Something could happen.
So, nothing happens with open carry but if it's under your jacket then that could cause something to happen? Oh, there I go again, looking for common sense among all those sensible restrictions.
So, nothing happens with open carry but if it's under your jacket then that could cause something to happen? Oh, there I go again, looking for common sense among all those sensible restrictions.
We were under direction to be nice and pleasant to everyone during our visit, but answers like that made it difficult to say the least.
But then again, coming from Charlottesville it doesn't surprise me. The politicians here are a bunch of left wing dipsticks.
Glad things went well yesterday. A few of the less informed folks out there made some comments on news sites about how horrible it was to have the gun lobby day on MLK day. It was a great opportunity to educate them about the racist roots of gun control and gun control as a tool of oppression across world history.
By the way, if any of you are William & Mary alums, make sure you read the Winter 2008 (most recent) alumni magazine. They have write-ups on all the Alumni Medallion winners, one of whom is Sarah Brady - yes, THAT Sarah Brady. Be sure to write to the Editor and the College and let them know what you think of that selection.
It was a great opportunity to educate them about the racist roots of gun control and gun control as a tool of oppression across world history.
Why stop there? Why not tell them about the racist roots of the death penalty? Why not tell them about how 'racist' our justice system is? I bet they'd love to hear about how 'racist' our 'military industrial complex' is. Really, when you get down to it, every person and institution in America is racist. Well its either say that or face the fact that people fail most often because of their own inadequacies, and not because of some grand racist conspiracy.
Eventually we'll reach a point of singularity in which we do nothing but stand face to face and scream RAAAAAAAACIIIIIIIIIISSSSST at each other. You're the racist! No, you're the racist! Well, that thing you're doing is racist! Oh yeah? Well your activity is historically racist!!!
Meanwhile 13 percent of the population just voted 99 percent along racial lines...not racist.
Why stop there? Why not tell them about the racist roots of the death penalty? Why not tell them about how 'racist' our justice system is? I bet they'd love to hear about how 'racist' our 'military industrial complex' is. Really, when you get down to it, every person and institution in America is racist. Well its either say that or face the fact that people fail most often because of their own inadequacies, and not because of some grand racist conspiracy.
Eventually we'll reach a point of singularity in which we do nothing but stand face to face and scream RAAAAAAAACIIIIIIIIIISSSSST at each other. You're the racist! No, you're the racist! Well, that thing you're doing is racist! Oh yeah? Well your activity is historically racist!!!
Meanwhile 13 percent of the population just voted 99 percent along racial lines...not racist.
Um, I think you missed his point. Gun control in the deep South in the first half of the 20th century truly was along racial lines, and gun control was a big part of the Jim Crow laws. It was racist, by the real meaning of the word, not what its turned into today, like me being called "racist" because I didn't vote for Obama.
Mary Katherine Ham addressed the Brady Bunch's horror of having our rally on MLK day. They claimed that if was an affront to his teachings of "non violence."
Ms. Ham researched and found a quote from MLK claiming his support for a person's right to protect themseleves. So apparently MLK and his teaching of non-violence didn't extend to "stand there and be a victim."
Non-violent protest and resistence to an injust political system has NOTHING to do with self defense. MLK got it, but the Brady Bunch does not.
Imagine that.
Um, I think you missed his point. Gun control in the deep South in the first half of the 20th century truly was along racial lines, and gun control was a big part of the Jim Crow laws. It was racist, by the real meaning of the word, not what its turned into today, like me being called "racist" because I didn't vote for Obama.
I didn't miss any point. You could say it was along racial lines, and you could also say that spreading ant poison on a ant hill is 'specist' behavior and unfairly targets ants. Or you could say that you're trying to control the ant population, and taking the appropriate measures. I guess it depends if you're holding the bag or getting a mouthful of poison.
Go take a walk into the ghetto and tell me whether my ancestors were 'racists' or 'realists.' Did you know that anti-carjacking laws are racist, because they unfairly target blacks? Just like my ant poison unfairly targets ants.
It amazes me that even people who you assume are 'conservative' are caught up in the 'everything that happened in America in the past was "racist." My ancestors were people just like you and me, and they dealt with problems just like you and me. It begs the question...what exactly are we trying to conserve? Just the parts we can cherry pick?
I'm tired of playing the racist game, shout it at me, tell me how evil my ancestors were...it holds no power over me...because however 'bad' my ancestors were, theirs were probably worse. Would you have rather lived in America, 1905, or Africa, 1905? Yeah, and that's why the bitching is getting old.
Why stop there? Why not tell them about the racist roots of the death penalty? Why not tell them about how 'racist' our justice system is? I bet they'd love to hear about how 'racist' our 'military industrial complex' is.
1. Because nobody was talking about or lobbying about the death penalty, the justice system, or the military industrial complex.
2. Because it's fun to throw a liberal's snotty argument under the bus and watch him flail.
Go take a walk into the ghetto and tell me whether my ancestors were 'racists' or 'realists.' Did you know that anti-carjacking laws are racist, because they unfairly target blacks? Just like my ant poison unfairly targets ants.
It amazes me that even people who you assume are 'conservative' are caught up in the 'everything that happened in America in the past was "racist." My ancestors were people just like you and me, and they dealt with problems just like you and me. It begs the question...what exactly are we trying to conserve? Just the parts we can cherry pick?
Hmm. Well, your argument still doesn't make much sense. Car-jacking laws aren't racist, because if they were, they would say that it was illegal for black people to carjack, yet it was legal for white people to do so. The fact that more black people carjack, or get caught for it, does not mean its a racist law, because its still illegal for white people to do as well. The gun control laws in the South specifically prohibited blacks from owning firearms, while allowing whites to own them. That is the true definition of a racist law. Just because statistically there are more black offenders, that doesn't mean the laws themselves are racist, it just means that more black people break them.
The gun control laws in the South specifically prohibited blacks from owning firearms, while allowing whites to own them.
Not just in the South, and they weren't just targeted at blacks. In the North (Boston and New York), the discretionary licensing systems were developed toward the beginning of the 20th century so that local police could screen out "undesireables" which might also include some white people who happened to come from the wrong country.
Not just in the South, and they weren't just targeted at blacks. In the North (Boston and New York), the discretionary licensing systems were developed toward the beginning of the 20th century so that local police could screen out "undesireables" which might also include some white people who happened to come from the wrong country.
Yes, the Sullivan laws of NYC.
Awesome.
I wasn't able to make Lobby Day this year, but the times I've gone in the past it has been a great experience.
It's not fair to the criminals for you CHP thugs to be jumping out and protecting yourselfs. It's cheating.
RTA,
I have no clue who you are or why you are here. But, please stay with the topic at hand. If you have some other issues take it somewhere else because most of what you said is just crap anyways.
I am fairly certain that if you continue to go off on a tangent here you will be extracted rather quickly.
I didn't miss any point. You could say it was along racial lines, and you could also say that spreading ant poison on a ant hill is 'specist' behavior and unfairly targets ants. Or you could say that you're trying to control the ant population, and taking the appropriate measures. I guess it depends if you're holding the bag or getting a mouthful of poison.
Go take a walk into the ghetto and tell me whether my ancestors were 'racists' or 'realists.' Did you know that anti-carjacking laws are racist, because they unfairly target blacks? Just like my ant poison unfairly targets ants.
It amazes me that even people who you assume are 'conservative' are caught up in the 'everything that happened in America in the past was "racist." My ancestors were people just like you and me, and they dealt with problems just like you and me. It begs the question...what exactly are we trying to conserve? Just the parts we can cherry pick?
I'm tired of playing the racist game, shout it at me, tell me how evil my ancestors were...it holds no power over me...because however 'bad' my ancestors were, theirs were probably worse. Would you have rather lived in America, 1905, or Africa, 1905? Yeah, and that's why the bitching is getting old.
RTA,
I have no clue who you are or why you are hear. But, please stay with the topic at hand. If you have some other issues take it somewhere else because most of what you said is just crap anyways.
I am fairly certain that if you continue to go off on a tangent here you will be extracted rather quickly.
Why would you know who I am or why I'm here? You practicing for a career as a LEO? I'm a gun owning internet user, and I'm here to mostly read words, and sometime type words, beyond that, I'm not sure what you think someone would intend to do here.
The topic seems pretty general...and its in 'General Discussion.' I responded to someone specifically, about something in his post, and his post was on topic. So I'm not sure how I'm off topic, except that perhaps you didn't like what I have to say.
Jay Cunningham
01-20-09, 18:24
http://my.fit.edu/~jbobosky/BBS/Thread-hijack.jpg
John_Wayne777
01-20-09, 18:28
Mary Katherine Ham addressed the Brady Bunch's horror of having our rally on MLK day. They claimed that if was an affront to his teachings of "non violence."
Ms. Ham researched and found a quote from MLK claiming his support for a person's right to protect themseleves. So apparently MLK and his teaching of non-violence didn't extend to "stand there and be a victim."
Non-violent protest and resistence to an injust political system has NOTHING to do with self defense. MLK got it, but the Brady Bunch does not.
Imagine that.
Ba-Zing....
Good job. One of the reasons why Virginia still has reasonably sane gun laws is because guys like you take the time to go make sure the elected officials see how passionate voting Virginians are about the issue.
Everyone in the Commonwealth who can buy and carry a gun owes the hard working folks in the VCDL a great debt.
John_Wayne777
01-20-09, 18:30
Why would you know who I am or why I'm here? You practicing for a career as a LEO? I'm a gun owning internet user, and I'm here to mostly read words, and sometime type words, beyond that, I'm not sure what you think someone would intend to do here.
When the guys with blue or yellow titles give friendly advice, it's best to listen to them....else the guys with the red titles might be forced to do something nobody wants to do.
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