ATTENTION ONE AND ALL!
There is a critical upcoming (March 10th) Second Amendment rally in Springfield.
This event is sponsored by the Illinois State Rifle Association and has doubled in attendance each year since 2007 with over 5000 + people
taking part in 2009. Patriot Gal and Bowfisher both participated last year and really enjoyed having a chance to let their voice be heard.
With the US Supreme Court poised to issue a ruling this summer on whether the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments (as opposed to just the federal government as is now the case), a strong showing of support in Illinois for Second Amendment rights is critical.
Your presence will go a long way towards convincing our elected officials that more laws, bans, and restrictions aren't the answer and that their past actions have only served to leave us defenseless. Illinois is the only state in the US that completely prohibits citizens from carrying defensive firearms. The citizens of the other forty-nine states all enjoy some form of "right-to-carry," resulting in reduced violent crime (without the "wild west shootouts" as predicted by the fear mongers who oppose the right to keep and bear arms). Should we at Appleseed not provide a full 'all hands on deck' turn out for this event wearing our shooting jackets also?
Of course this event gets little or no attention from the mainstream media. In fact, it was no surprise last year when a small group of a dozen or so Chicago counter-protesters showed up a few days after the 2009 event and garnered way more media attention than the 5000+ of us who peacefully marched through the streets of Springfield to the Capitol and then went into the building to speak with our elected officials. Women presented a pink rat tailed comb to the governor elect to remind them that this was all they (the government suggested women defend themselves with in case of rape).
Is it not time for Appleseed in Illinois to wake up and join the rest of the country and for our elected officials to begin respecting our constitutional rights.?
Or are we all all born only to shoot and tell history? Is it not our job to also make history?
They need our proactive support not only in passive membership dues but full proactive membership turn out for such an event.
If ISRA is doing it, then we should be supporting them.
As Fred said, the time monkey is on all our backs. This is our opportunity as Appleseed to make a difference in Illinois and for the rest of the country.
Garand69, EEL, The Guy, and all Illinois Appleseeders are you willing to make this an Appleseed day? I will be commiserating with our 912 PROJECT
friends who are ardent Appleseed supporters to likewise turn out for such a constitutional affirming event.
Will you join ISRA in Springfield on March 10, 2010 along with Patriot Gal, Castle Mountain, Bowfisher and take our place at the table for this critical conversation? YES? NO? There may well be 10,000 or more show up and if we work the phones and get more out it will make a difference.
Can we get a 100 percent Appleseed turn out for this day? If our second amendment rights get abused we have ourselves to blame.
I perceive this to be a must show up Appleseed event. WHAT SAY YOU?
Castle Mountian
I had planned on taking March 10 off of work for IGOLD. Do you think you'll do the ISRA bus or drive down?
Castle Mountain
Appleseed in not a 2A org. or a Political Action org. Appleseed is Appleseed.
BUT, I believe as many of us who live in IL as possible should be in attendance, this directly affects you as a Citizen of Illinois. I also recommend that you contact ISRA and request IGOLD flyers so that you can hand them out at the Waterman shoot.
I do not recommend showing up to Springfield in a shooting jacket, period. This is not an Appleseed event, so show your support in an IGOLD Tshirt. A supply of SWAT re-prints with IL schedules in them would be nice to have to hand out to IGOLD Attendees.
I have added the date to the IL calendar, and the location has been on the IL Appleseed Trail Map for sometime. Again, anyone that can attend this event should attend, THIS IS YOUR STATE FOLKS!!! STRENGTH IN NUMBERS!!
Here is a link..
http://igold.isra.org/ (http://igold.isra.org/)
Thanks Garand, appreciate your advice and direction. You offer a good plan to follow. Thats a big 10/4 good buddy! O0
You are a good man!
CM
IGOLD is an excellent time for Appleseed attendees and instructors to talk up the Appleseed program informally with fellow IGOLD attendees on our bus trips to the Capital / Capitol, and between visiting offices of our elected representatives.
At the same time, it would do well us as Appleseed-types to encourage participation in events such as IGOLD. We're about awakening Americans to their heritage and protecting it, are we not?
Here's the link to a flyer you can hang up in your office or social locations.
http://igold.isra.org/igold_gain_flyer.pdf
Set aside March 10th for a trip to Springfield. You'll meet people you already know.
Dress should be business casual or, wear an IGOLD shirt. Leave your camo & related gear at home. That goes for pocket knives as well.
John
I went down on the bus from Peoria last year. It picked up in the Walmart parking lot on University. Was very nice. Got to visit w/some real good people from Illinois. I think I was the only woman on the bus. :o
We need to coordinate our Appleseed promotion effort for this. Is the plan to disperse materials at Waterman in March? I could use a stash for this and other events.
I will be in attendance and probably drive down instead of riding the bus.
Sound off if you will be in attendance.
Hello Group; I hope that all of you have read and understand that APPLESEED IS NOT A 2A group!!!! You did read the post by G-69 --- Right???
I will have hand outs if you need them to SOM SOM... Understand... Pappy
I plan on being there, maybe with a flag or two. Will we have the new fliers by then?
Of course, Appleseed not being a 2nd admendment group, I wouldn't plan here, >:D
But is anyone metting anywhere in particular prior to the march? Dunno if I'm taking the bus or driving.....
Anyone near 61820, 21, 22, 01, or 02 driving?
The lot of yas,
Garand, Boba fett & I will still be at WSMR on the 10th. Please go on our behalf. Illinois needs a HUGE turnout for this event.
As stated, wear regular clothes. NO camo, shooting jackets, orange hats, BDUs etc. We need to show we are all just regular people that want our rights. If you can hook up with a ISRA rep...buy an yellow IGOLD shirt. The sea of yellow is impressive!!!
I will have 1,000 Illinois Appleseed Tour schedules with me at Waterman on 3/6-7. Pappy, if you can bring SWATs and Dillons...that would be great.
I'll have 1,000 basic fliers announcing the record breaking event at Waterman on 9/11-12. They won't be as pretty as something CM puts together...but it'll get the word out.
EEL
BTT
Don't Forget IGOLD folks!!!!!
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y121/Garand69/Everything%20Else/fee5d62f.jpg)
IGOLD is almost here. EEL gave me a lot of flyers that I will need help distributing. If you are going to be in Springfield on Wednesday, send me a PM with your phone number and we can develop the yet to be determined flyer distribution plan.
What I did at the State Capital today.
Met an Appleseeder from Chilicothe. Got some fliers from him to hand out to some of the people on the bus. I think I got a few of them excited about coming out to an Appleseed. ^:)^
Met my State Senator and had a good discussion with him. In hindsight I wonder if I should have invited him out to an Appleseed...
Also got to carry a flag in the parade to the Capital Building. Flag has some special significance. Flag is simiar to the Town of Bedford Minutemen flag, used at the Battle of Concord, April 19, 1775.
Klippefurt, myself, and a fellow Appleseeder, Trenton handed out a bunch of flyers that I got from EEL at Waterman. I still have a lot left so if you are working gun shows, let me know.
It was a neat experience and the nice weather made for a good day in Springfield.
Excellent 7th Steppin' Folks!
Let me apologize for not mentioning training (to certainly include Appleseed by name) during my remarks to the IGOLD audience at the pre-rally meeting.
It was my first time in front of an audience that size and let's just say it was a cluster.
I was told I forgot to mention GSL too!
Next year, I'll ask the audience to make sure their efforts don't stop marching on the Capitol, but include practicing, training, and sharing safe and effective shooting.
John