VCDL Update Post-SCOTUS 2A Decision

[Bob A]

From the email:

Virginia Citizens Defense League Defending Your Right to Defend Yourself

1. Maryland Shall Issue (VCDL counterpart in MD) says it’s time to get training for MD CHP 2. Help needed: Richmond gun show on July 9 and 10 3. Confusing or equating the abortion and gun rights rulings in the Supreme Court 4. So, how will NY, NJ, CA, MD, MA, and HI thwart the Bruen ruling? 5. Virginia Board of Health Commissioner Greene points out the truth about the term “gun violence” and causes a meltdown 6. VCDL lawyer article on the Castle Doctrine in Virginia 7. Town of Dumfries having a hearing on a proposed gun buy-up 8. VCDL in the news 9. Hmmmm. BATFE asks judge to order Hunter Biden’s illegal gun possession inquiry swept under the rug 10. Recycle your copies of the defender by leaving it with other periodicals in waiting rooms, etc. 11. Bi-partisan gun-control bill signed into law 12. VCDL member’s gun rights poem 13. Washington Post: Where teachers carry guns, community feels more secure 14. How to answer the door at 3 am 15. Yesli Vega to challenge Abigail Spanberger in new 7th Congressional District 16. Conditions for protecting yourself on public lands 1. Maryland Shall Issue (VCDL counterpart in MD) says it’s time to get training for MD CHP Maryland Shall Issue (MSI) has told me that now is good time for Virginians that want to get a Maryland CHP to enroll in a Maryland Wear and Carry Permit class, since the classes are filling up and there will probably be a delay in getting into a class. You have to have taken the class before applying for a Maryland CHP. Maryland Shall Issue is modeled after VCDL and is a good organization to be a member of if you are interested in protecting your right to carry a gun in Maryland. For more information on getting a MD CHP, click here: https://www.marylandshallissue.org/jmain/index.php 2. Help needed: Richmond gun show on July 9 and 10 There will be a Richmond gun show July 9th & 10th at the Richmond International Raceway, 600 E Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA 23222. If you are unfamiliar with the location, you can find it easily on google maps or at the link below. The website for the show is https://www.showmastersgunshows.com/richmond-gun-show-1-.html We are looking for volunteers for all shifts, both days. The available shifts are: Friday (setup), July 8, 4:30pm - 6:00pm Saturday, July 9, 9:00am – 1:00pm Saturday, July 9, 1:00pm – 5:00pm Sunday, July 10, 10:00am – 1:30pm Sunday, July 10, 1:30pm – 5:00pm We have many new members who want to know how they can support VCDL. Volunteering for a few hours at a gun show is a great way for both new and established members to get involved and support VCDL. It's also a great opportunity to interact with people who have similar interests in the 2nd Amendment! Helping at a gun show is fun and requires no previous experience. First-timers are needed and very welcome. One great perk is that gun show volunteers are admitted free and many of the exhibitor/vendors offer discounts to our volunteers. If you are a first-timer, don't worry, we'll have experienced member-volunteers on every shift to help you. Mark your calendars. It's time to step-up and get involved! If you are interested or have any questions, contact: gunshows.richmond@vcdl.org The details... Parking and admission * First, you need to be a member of VCDL prior to volunteering. Don't worry, you can join or renew at the show. * Admission to the show is free for VCDL volunteers scheduled to help at the show. * Parking is free. * Those volunteers scheduled for the AM shift Saturday and Sunday, please try to arrive 10-15 minutes before your shift. They usually have FREE coffee and doughnuts! * Check-in with the on-site VCDL coordinator per the schedule that will go out a few days prior to the show so you can get your badge, etc. without having to go to the main desk. * If you have NOT contacted the on-site VCDL coordinator, there will be a Showmasters staff member or a police officer at the entrance. * Tell them you are a VCDL volunteer scheduled to work at the show. * They will either direct you in to the VCDL table or to the show office to get an exhibitor badge. I will have badges at our table. * Remember to wear your badge at all times at the show. You will have time to wander and see what's going on. Many of the other exhibitors will offer discounts to VCDL volunteers. You do NOT have to wear a face mask. There is no vaccination requirement for entry. IMPORTANT - Please note... While you may wear your handgun open or concealed, loaded guns and magazines are not allowed. All firearms will be checked and zip-tied at the entrance. What to bring, what to wear - * Gun shows are casual and fun. Dress comfortably but presentably. You are there as a representative of VCDL. * Please... NO attire with ANY political or controversial message. VCDL polos, "Guns Save Lives" t-shirts are great. We will have some there in most sizes if you'd like to buy one. * Wear comfortable shoes. Athletic shoes are fine * VCDL caps are fine but, again, no caps with political or controversial messages, please. * There will be chairs at the VCDL table, but if you have a folding camp chair you may bring it along. * However, if it is one of those camp chairs that is large, wide and is somewhat like a lounge chair, that will likely not work. There will be limited space at our table. * This venue does have a concession stand and there are restaurants in the area. * Feel free to bring a cooler with snacks and drinks. * As in the past, we will have a table outside and I would like to have everyone that is willing and able spend at least some time at the outside table, so I encourage you to dress accordingly. A few of you are first-time volunteers at a gun show. That's great!! Gun shows are the frontlines in our efforts to rally firearms enthusiasts to join us in the fight to defend our fundamental right to defend ourselves, our families and our communities. Please don't think that our recent success with SCOTUS and at the state level means that we can relax. Getting the word out about how our rights and freedoms are endangered is more important now than ever! To volunteer for this show or if you have any questions, contact: gunshows.richmond@vcdl.org Thank you! John Gosney gunshows.richmond@vcdl.org 3. Confusing or equating the abortion and gun rights rulings in the Supreme Court First, I will repeat what has been said here many times before: VCDL is only focused on guns. We take no position on things like abortion. Other groups cover other issues. That said, there are many people who are confusing or equating the recent U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) rulings on guns and on abortion in regard to the U.S. Constitution and the various state constitutions. Let’s look at why these two issues are very different and why SCOTUS says guns are protected at the federal level and abortion is not. The right to keep and bear arms, unlike abortion, is an enumerated right which is specifically protected under the U.S. and various states’ constitutions. The 14thAmendment binds all states in adhering to the 2nd Amendment. On the other hand, the right to abortion under Roe v Wade was derived from other rights rather than being specifically enumerated in the U.S. Constitution. Now that the Court has ruled that Roe v Wade was improperly decided, abortion isn’t immediately banned, but rather returned to the various States to evaluate under their laws and constitutions. In summary, under the NYSRPA v Bruen holding, the U.S. Constitution protects the right to keep and bear arms, as it is an enumerated right. Abortion, having been found not protected by the U.S. Constitution, the power to regulate or allow abortions reverts to the states under the 10th Amendment. The SCOTUS holdings on these two issues should NOT be confused or equated, since the authority, history, and rationale is different for each holding. 4. So, how will NY, NJ, CA, MD, MA, and HI thwart the Bruen ruling? Tyrants will search for ways to make sure the People don’t have any rights they can exercise. I expect we will see as many “gun-free zones” as the current “may issue” states can dream up. They will also try to set a high bar for required training to get a CHP. If you want to carry in MD, NJ, NY, CA, MA, or HI, do NOT let them deter you from getting their permit. Do NOT let them win. Colion Noir: The Truth About the Supreme Court's Gun Ruling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwJmxIKVvIw - NJ Drops ‘Justifiable Need’ Requirement for Concealed Carry Following SCOTUS 2A Ruling https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/06/24/new-jersey-drops-justifiable-need-requirement-concealed-carry/ - Twitter slams Gov. Hochul’s anger over SCOTUS gun ruling: ‘Sorry the Constitution happened to you’ https://www.foxnews.com/media/twitter-slams-gov-hochuls-anger-over-scotus-gun-ruling-sorry-constitution-happened - Blue states scramble for fixes after Supreme Court eases rules on concealed carry of pistols https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/jun/24/blue-states-scramble-fixes-after-supreme-court-eas/ - JUST IN: I was right. NY is going to try every dirty trick in the book (no surprises). What a bunch of sleaze balls in the NY legislature.  Some of this will hopefully be struck down under Bruen: https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2022/06/28/exclusive--ny-lawmakers-to-vote-on-new-gun-legislation 5. Virginia Board of Health Commissioner Greene points out the truth about the term “gun violence” and causes a meltdown The Virginia Board of Heath members attack their commissioner, Dr. Colin Greene, for daring to state the truth. The Board, appointed by Northam and McAuliffe and which clearly needs to have all new members, melted down because Dr. Greene dared to state the truth that the term “gun violence” was a Democrat talking point. The key part of the article is snipped out, below. Kudos to Dr. Greene for standing up for the truth. https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/06/23/board-of-health-calls-commissioners-comments-an-embarrassment/ [snip] … he [Greene] stood by other comments in sometimes-tense exchanges with board members. Those included his objections to the term “gun violence,” which he described to the Post as a “Democratic talking point.” “I’m worried about getting the message across and losing the audience,” he told Prichard, who asked if his concerns over offending people with the term outweighed its importance in describing events like the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. “Gun violence is a term that actually combines — and again, conflates — four different issues,” Greene said. He told the board that firearm-related deaths as a category includes suicides, homicides and a relatively small number of accidents and mass shooting events, all of which have different sources and motivations. “To lump those all together by the fact that there was a firearm involved ignores the fact that there are very different origins for those four different problems,” he said. “And I’m concerned that we’ll miss the opportunity to actually address the root causes of why people choose to take their own lives, why people choose to take other people’s lives, how dangerous items like firearms are handled carelessly to allow children to be hurt, and what it is in our society that causes people to want to be mass murderers.” “Those are the things that I think we should be looking at,” Greene continued. “Not the actual method that people are using.” [/snip] 6. VCDL lawyer article on the Castle Doctrine in Virginia In Virginia, the Castle Doctrine is merely a specific application of the State’s self-defense laws. VCDL Board member and gun attorney Gilbert Ambler has an article on Castle Doctrine in Virginia: https://amblerlawoffices.com/blog/f/what-does-the-castle-doctrine-mean-in-virginia 7. Town of Dumfries having a hearing on a proposed gun buy-up Virtue signaling by the Town of Dumfries Town Council. Money will be provided by a third-party and guns will be destroyed unless sellers state otherwise in writing: https://www.potomaclocal.com/2022/06/23/dumfries-gun-buy-back-program-headed-to-public-hearing/ 8. VCDL in the news Interview with John Reid with WRVA in Richmond: https://www.audacy.com/newsradiowrva/podcasts/richmonds-morning-news-20797/philip-van-cleave-june-24-2022-1478518086 - Interview with NBC 12 in Richmond: https://www.nbc12.com/2022/06/24/both-sides-react-new-gun-reform-bill-passed-by-senate/ - Interview with ABC 8 in Richmond: https://www.wric.com/news/politics/capitol-connection/virginias-red-flag-law-has-been-used-hundreds-of-times-since-taking-effect/ - Another interview with ABC 8 in Richmond: https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/is-richmonds-gun-ban-in-jeopardy-after-landmark-scotus-decision/ 9. Hmmmm. BATFE asks judge to order Hunter Biden’s illegal gun possession inquiry swept under the rug People every day are prosecuted to the full extent of the law for misstating an answer on the Form 4473 when buying a gun. Often this is because the person doesn’t realize that when she shoved her husband 20 years ago and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor domestic violence, she had lost her firearms rights forever. But, if it’s the President’s drug-addicted son who lied on a Form 4473 about being addicted to drugs, why that’s totally different! Why, why, Hunter has privacy concerns that outweigh public interest in the case! Yeah, right. The ATF is asking a judge to toss out David Codrea’s FOIA, which is trying to find out if the ATF was involved trying to cover up for Hunter. Exclusive: ATF Asks Judge to Order Hunter Biden Gun Inquiry Closed https://www.ammoland.com/2022/01/exclusive-atf-asks-judge-to-order-hunter-biden-gun-inquiry-closed/ 10. Recycle your copies of the defender by leaving it with other periodicals in waiting rooms, etc. Member Steve P. send me this: A suggestion. Perhaps in your regular email ALERTs, ask your members after reading "The Defender" to blot out their name/address and place it where other periodicals are - waiting room, common area, etc. There is a ton of great information in "The Defender" and placing it where non-members are located could possibly result in a better educated public and increased VCDL membership. 11. Bi-partisan gun-control bill signed into law Biden signs gun control bill in wake of deadly mass shootings: 'Lives will be saved' https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-signs-gun-control-bill-deadly-mass-shootings - Final gun control bill largely empty https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2022/06/22/final-gun-control-bill-largely-empty-n477826 - And the gun controllers will never be happy until we are disarmed: Chris Murphy: This Senate bill will allow us to do more on guns in the future https://hotair.com/allahpundit/2022/06/23/chris-murphy-this-senate-bill-will-allow-us-to-do-more-on-guns-in-the-future-n478189 12. VCDL member’s gun rights poem While poetry is not my strong point, Board member Bruce Jackson, for example, is very good at it. So is Sharon Williammee-Wallingsford, who sent me a poem she composed about America, the right to keep and bear arms, and our freedoms generally. It is very appropriate as the 4th of July is just around the corner: American Independence America has your youth forsaken you? Many committed to national ridicule, and woefully being used. Too concerned with social networks, upon which they gorge. Long forgotten are the bloodied feet and empty bellies of Valley Forge. Boisterous demands to relinquish our arms to keep us safe! Consequently, any brutal enemy could determine our final fate. Thus, the intellect does not matter anymore! It’s sad as we let patriotism go out the door. Brother against brother at the Gettysburg’s war. All women cried salty tears and demanded no more. But nowadays our courageous history takes a back seat. While the cruel and insolent search for loyal citizens to beat. Great leaders will not divide society by income, religion, or race. Otherwise, it resonates Hitler’s dreaded socialist’s traits. He robbed Luxembourg cradles and exploited them as military bait. So, the poor, innocent, and oblivious became messengers of his hate. But the fearless Greatest Generation stood up against this bully. They gave of their souls and fought so fully. Veterans of WWII would never allow themselves to be disarmed. As they understood the deadly penalties of this devil’s charms. This juvenile country was created from the blood of all heroic men and women. Their brave hearts fought many battles, so we could mend. A great nation flourished and survived with countless imperfections. Constituted by mankind’s steadfast devotion for “self-governing” protection. Sharon Williammee-Wallingsford, 2022 13. Washington Post: Where teachers carry guns, community feels more secure VCDL prefers the Utah Model, where any citizen with a CHP can carry in a school. It is a powerful deterrent, as a bad guy has no idea who is carrying a gun on any given day or at any given time. There have been no mass murders in Utah schools. But, allowing only teachers who wish to carry to do so is the next best thing: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/06/27/armed-teachers-texas-uvalde-permit/ 14. How to answer the door at 3 am Masaad Ayoob - How to answer the door at 3:00 AM (video) https://youtu.be/iEi9Qpnro34 15. Yesli Vega to challenge Abigail Spanberger in new 7th Congressional District Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger has represented me for years now. Like our two Senators in Washington, she claims to be a gun owner and claims to support the 2A, but she has voted for every single harebrained gun control scheme that has come her way. Luckily, she’s been redistricted away from me. Yesli Vega, who is now running against Spanberger in the new 7th District, has answered the VCDL Candidate Survey “very pro-gun.” https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/yesli-vega-wins-gop-nomination-to-challenge-spanberger-in-7th/article_e8c9772e-4792-5e80-b2ae-98a834d21aaf.html 16. Conditions for protecting yourself on public lands Carrying Firearms on Our National Lands https://www.nrawomen.com/content/carrying-firearms-on-our-national-lands/