maybe just a quick barb .... are we as effective as we could be?

[labgrade]

We've an incredible network of political activist types within the TFL ranks.

Are we connected within our states to make the best of our efforts, or are we all sorta floundering around making what hay we might & with just our own efforts?

Maybe unite a tad within state boundaries & use that synergism?

Why suffer alone when we can make a better difference?

I know that in Colorado we have an unbelieveable force to be reconed with, but I've yet to see a cohesive TFL-force unite & kick some serious butt through the TFL network. Yup, some "side-band" stuff here'n there, but what if we did the state-level "kick-ass" political activism & used that energy to really hump the duck ... ?

Stuff on the horizon that needs it ...

(dipe post to suggest & feedback .... a states' forum? I dunno .... )

 

[wolfman97]

As someone who helped organize other campaigns against bad laws through the Internet, I have to say that gun owners really don't have it together too well as far as making their voices heard. There are other activist groups that are far smaller that are doing a far better job of getting their message out.

Is anyone really interested in making this an effective force? Perhaps. Do they know how to do it? Not entirely.

 

[Bogie]

Gun owners tend to be TOO focused. Folks tend to see one small bit of a problem, and they go after that bit. Everyone else is wondering why they're ranting about it.

 

[wolfman97]

That's one problem (egocentrism is a universal trait, of course), but there are bigger issues. Some are:

1) The internet resources to make the fight really effective don't seem to be there. (The other side seems to be beating gun owners to the punch, more often than not.)

2) The gun crowd on the internet seems to be a mob, not an army. That's partly because of 1, above.

3) The leaders of the movement don't seem to have caught on to the full power of the internet. (In fairness, it took the leaders of other activist groups to realize that, too.)

4) A lot of gun owners don't seem to have caught on to other issues that affect the calls for gun control and, therefore, have not fought for those issues, and have not recognized other groups who ought to be natural allies in many respects.

 

[40ozflatfoot]

The internet resources to make the fight really effective don't seem to be there. (The other side seems to be beating gun owners to the punch, more often than not.)

What do you want in the way of internet resources?

The gun crowd on the internet seems to be a mob, not an army. That's partly because of 1, above.

What are the other reasons?

The leaders of the movement don't seem to have caught on to the full power of the internet.

If you can say this, then you must have identified some, if not all, of these leaders. Have you shared your experience with them? If so, what did they say?

A lot of gun owners don't seem to have caught on to other issues...

Can you be more specific? What issues are those? We can't fight for an issue or a cause if we don't know what we're fighting for, and we can't be effective unless we're all fighting for the same thing at the same time. An avalanche can put out a forest fire, but a snowfall might not.

 

[Art Eatman]

I hate to be "Doin' the Mediahhh whine", but the name of the game is getting one's position in front of the public--and in a positive manner. The only positive publicity we ever receive is when we pay for it. "Just news" about gun issues is invariably presented in a negative manner.

Anti-gun people are always spoken of in a positive manner.

Generally, pro-gun people can only reach one or two people at a time. The anti-gun people, for the same amount of effort, reach many.

Given this situation, a "best bet" is to start taking newsies to dinner, springing for a few drinks and a steak, explaining why you believe as you do...

Art

 

[40ozflatfoot]

Given this situation, a "best bet" is to start taking newsies to dinner, springing for a few drinks and a steak, explaining why you believe as you do...

That could work in some places, but IMO it would have a hard time in those places that are rabidly anti-gun already.

I've heard it said that the best tool for persuasion is the grass-roots effort. Imagine how many converts we could get if we could organize a nation-wide grass-roots info campaign like the folks that distribute the Watchtower, and go knocking on doors to spread the Word.

The problem is motivating that many RKBA advocates to invest their time and shoe leather...

You could also set up tables in malls, parking lots, flea markets, fairs, even garage sales. Offer copies of Gunfacts to anyone that asks, along with other sources of information.

Get it here:

http://www.keepandbeararms.com/images/gunfacts.pdf

The problem is motivating that many RKBA advocates to invest their time and money...

Heck, you could do it from the back of a parked car. The problem is motivating that many RKBA adfvocates to invest their time, gas, and vehicle...

 

[dZ]

whats cool is calling your local group the [X] chapter of the TRT

we get written up in Washington DC,
as if we are part of a vast organization of second amedment activists

the MMM certainly knows us by our actions locally
and the National MMM convention met our picket line

any reporter doing research on your chapter
will assume theres an organizational structure

 

[labgrade]

"Dialing into local newsies" is an excellent way of breaching the wall = The Wife 'n I've used it with limited success .... matters as to your audience & the "purpotrator." - a real blend-relationship.

Point is, you must make the effort to make any inroads at all.

TRT has an excellent avenue, if done "correctly enough," to expouse The View/s. Sadly, locally, I don't see that happening ......


Colorado is one of those caucus-states that still alllows a precinct-level/grass roots nomination of party candidates - we do try to use that, but I'd say with limited successes to date .... time will tell ....

Whole point of the late-night post was to see how we can, if at all, more effecetivelty use a more states' grassroots level of activism ...... I think that's where it'll start & where it'll be most effective.