An alert from the other side of the river

[WallPhone]

http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001-Z4x8hfwYW_Og6AbbxjWP7V6lnLf3bmcRrO353qBYQwEQPVvIzJdl5iR-lkjnoiI729sGTJQZLWWE97GhNhhLz9OWABznhpe4w9zvNZd8xc%3D

                                                               February 12, 2010
Dear Members and Friends of Iowa Gun Owners,

Yesterday you received our email alert where we told you about the outrageous conduct of Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal. The full story, including photos of the incident, are included below.

We also have included a pre-written email that we are asking you to send to Senator Gronstal. We forgot to include his email address however and are happy to provide it to you here:

mike.gronstal@legis.state.ia.us

So please, if you have not already done so, read the alert below, and then contact Senator Gronstal and express your outrage! Feel free to let your own elected officials know as well.

For Freedom,

Aaron Dorr
Executive Director
     Betrayed!


Voters in the Council Bluffs and Carter Lake area today were slapped in the face by their State Senator, Mike Gronstal.

For a long time Senator Gronstal has told the voters in his district what he's recently been telling representatives of Iowa Gun Owners: I'm pro gun.

Knowing that he says he's pro-gun and knowing that he's received an A+ endorsement from a national gun group, not to mention the fact that he took money from that organization, one would think that he would be quick to help us pass our REAL Right-to-Carry bill.

What a faulty assumption!

After approaching him two weeks ago to ask him for his direct support to move our Senate version of the REAL Right-to-Carry bill (S.F. 473) out of committee and onto the floor for a vote and getting a noncommittal answer, we approached him again today.

This time we brought with us hundreds of petitions that many of you signed at our gun shows in Council Bluffs (this is Sen. Gronstal's district so these petitions were signed by his voters) or through the mail that you've received from us. We brought these to him to show him that you - the voters in his district - want him to represent you and support the 2nd Amendment.

We presented these petitions to him and respectfully asked him to help move this bill and guess what he did with your petitions: he threw them on the floor!!!!

That's right; at the Capitol, in the rotunda, in front of a hundred people. His actions spoke loud and clear on what he thinks of your 2nd Amendment rights. He thinks its trash - not even worth looking at!

Further, he made it very clear what he thinks of your right to petition the government for redress of grievance when he threw your wishes on the floor without even looking at them.

This is outrageous! Senator Gronstal may be the Senate Majority Leader and one of the most powerful men in Iowa, but he was put in that position by the voters of Senate District 50.

...

[dl_schneider]

For those that aren't aware, Aaron Dorr and Iowa Gun Owners have been trying to get a bill passed that would be more of an Alaska/Vermont style carry bill. Their tactics have been threatening and they have a very small chance of their bill seeing the light of day.

There is also a bill that was written by the NRA, and supported by Iowa Carry, that will provide shall issue and reciprocity for the state of Iowa. This bill has made it out of subcommittee as a "shell bill" before yesterday's funnel and the finishing touches will be made in committee. This bill has a very good chance of passing and Governor Culver has said if it reaches his desk, he will sign it.

I don't want to tell anyone who they should support, but personally, I do not like the tactics used by Mr. Dorr and his organization. I feel that Iowa Carry is acting in a much more professional manner and that is why the NRA came on board to help the state and work with Iowa Carry to get this bill written. If you haven't done so already, please stop over at IowaCarry.org and read their bill and learn what they are doing to help those in Iowa.

[Gunscribe]

I don't give a crap how anyone feels about any organization. By denigrating one organization over another detracts from the egregious act by a servant of the people.

What needs to happen is both of these groups need to team up with as many other grassroots (of any issue) in the state and go after this scum sucking Statist. 

Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal needs to be held accountable for his complete and utter disregard for his constituency.

Make an example of one and the rest will start responding favorably to the will of the people the are paid to represent.

 

[Dan W]

Alaska/Vermont style freedom was attempted along side the CCW bills in Nebraska for many sessions before the current law passed.

I believe that Alaska/Vermont concealed carry should be our goal over the long term. But in my years of fighting this battle I have recognized that an incremental approach is effective too.

I do think that both strategies need to be vigorously exercised. In fact I think that the hard liner may make the middle road easier to navigate.

Core principals must be honored. The uninfringed right to keep and bears arms must be our goal. 

 

[DanClrk51]

Indeed Dan W. we have to continue to fight for the uninfringed "right to keep and bear arms". Maybe Iowa Gun Owners' tactics have not been very polite, but lawmakers that deny you your right to keep and bear arms are not abiding by the law of the land and are a threat to your liberties as well as your safety.

Arizona and Wyoming are considering REAL right to carry this year by removing the requirement for a permit to carry concealed. Wyoming has already passed the measure in their House.

[dl_schneider]

I will not say Senator Gronstal did or did not do what Mr. Dorr claims in his email alert, but I am very leary of what is presented by IGO and Mr Dorr because of what I know about his tactics and flat out lies concerning the Shall Issue bill written by the NRA.

Mr Dorr has been very vocal against passing shall issue and instead going directly to a no permit needed system. His quest started when under the current may issue law he was denied a permit by the sherriff. I agree, that no one should need a permit to excercise a right, but what he wanted was to be able to carry a firearm. Shall Issue will give him that. Unfortunately, it appears he would rather live with no permit and complain about the current system than do what is needed to help so he can get a permit.

I will definately give him credit though, his hardline all or nothing stance has made the Shall Issue bill look like a great compromise (and politicians love that "c" word) and maybe deep down he understands that. After a fair shall issue bill is passed, I would love to see IGO and IowaCarry both go after a no permit needed system. Until that time, I will stand by my original views that Aaron Dorr and Iowa Gun Owners is a group of individuals I do not want to be associated with in any way shape or form.

[DaveB]

This is a reply a friend of mine from Council Bluffs got from Mr. Gronstal concerning the incident.

Dear Mr. XXXX

Thank you very much for your email on legislation relating to the carrying of weapons by law-abiding Iowans.

As a strong supporter of the Constitutional right to bear arms, I'm happy to consider any legislation that strengthens that right and protects public safety. That's one of the reasons I was endorsed by the NRA in my last campaign.
However, what I won't accept is for any individual or group to intimidate Republican and Democratic legislators on any issue. And, more important, I won't stand by silently while groups such as Iowa Gun Owners lie about my record and the record of dozens of other legislators.
I will not have any relationship with an organization that will literally lie about my record. I hope you understand that I have no quarrel with the members of the organization but the leaders that represent you in Des Moines are liars.
I am not alone. Conservative Republican Rep. Clel Baudler of Greenfield -- a former Iowa State Trooper -- recently described the tactics of the Iowa Gun Owners organization as "thug politics and bullying tactics." Unfortunately, the tactics of Iowa Gun Owners only harm the efforts of well-meaning, honest Iowans who want the Legislature to pass meaningful legislation that strengthens the right to bear arms and and protect public safety.

Again, thanks for taking the time to contact me.

Mike Gronstal

Senate Majority Leader
Senate District 50
Representing Council Bluffs & Carter Lake

[Gunscribe]

"I hope you understand that I have no quarrel with the members of the organization but the leaders that represent you in Des Moines are liars."

That doesn't excuse the fact that he dissed hundreds of his constituents. He may have a problem with the leadership, but to toss the petitions of many of those that voted for him is the act of a pompous, swelled up with himself, ass.

"thug politics and bullying tactics."

Likely he and his fellow Senators have been engaging in thug politics and bullying tactics on those that elected him for years.

"I won't stand by silently"

The way I see it he had a perfect opportunity to mend so fences or correct some alleged misconceptions levelled at him. Instead this servant of the people kicked those tha he serves right square in the balls. Seems like he is the bullying thug to me.