Diagnosing “Gun Derangement Syndrome”

I recently received a tongue-in-cheek message from the Virginia Citizens Defense League. While humorous, it also carries more than a little truth, so I thought it worth sharing in full.

Do you know someone suffering from Gun Derangement Syndrome?

Gun Derangement Syndrome, or GDS, is a severe mental disorder characterized by irrational beliefs and behaviors despite objective evidence. There is no age, sex, race, or other demographic characteristics that predispose someone to this disorder. This insidious disorder can affect anyone. However, individual susceptibility can occur with other irrational beliefs such as: criminals are the victims, the police cause crime, the First Amendment includes government censorship, or disarming someone makes them safer.

To receive a diagnosis of GDS one must meet 3 of the following diagnostic criteria for at least 21 days. 

1. A belief that merely owning a gun can turn any good, honest person into a deranged killer.
   
   
2. A belief that a gun can plan a crime and carry it out by walking to a victim’s location, aiming itself, and pulling its own trigger.
   
   
3. An obsession with firearms such that they use a gun-centric vocabulary. For example, if they use “gun violence,” but not machete violence, beating violence, or strangling violence. Or they use “gunman,” but not macheteman, beatingman, or stranglingman.
   
   
4. A belief that the gun, and not the criminal holding the gun, is responsible for shooting someone, while also believing that a police officer, and not his gun, is responsible for shooting someone.
   
   
5. A belief that all gun owners are “gun nuts.” 
   
   
6. A belief that guns are so easily obtained that guns are found lying in the street. Or they believe that guns are easier to obtain than a book. Or they believe that guns are only designed to kill humans as fast as possible.
   
   
7. Having anger-management issues and falsely projecting that character flaw onto peaceful gun-owners.
   
   
8. Knowing absolutely nothing about guns, including how they work, but claim to be an expert on “gun safety.” They usually believe that guns “just go off” on their own. They often call for a ban on “assault weapons” or “barrel shrouds”, but they can’t give you a definition of either one. They use gun word-salads, like banning “high-velocity magazine clips,” to attempt to hide their ignorance.
   
   
9. Stating that an openly carried gun makes them afraid but then say that a gun carried concealed makes them afraid.
   
   
10. Holding innocent gun owners to blame for the misuse of guns by criminals, while not holding themself to blame for owning a car, which drunk drivers use to create horrible carnage on our roads.
    
    
11. Stating a magazine limitation of “X” rounds is safe, but they are unable to explain how having “X+1” rounds would be dangerous.
    
    
12. Complaining about the loud noise coming from a neighbor’s shooting range but stating that suppressors should be outlawed because they make guns quieter.
    
    

Additional Note: This diagnosis may coincide with other personality disorders and maladaptive personality traits. Individuals meeting the diagnosis of Gun Derangement Syndrome may be strongly influenced by other irrational sub-cultural beliefs. Resistance may be very strong during treatment.

The good news is that GDS is not necessarily a lifetime disorder!  A person with GDS can cure themself by getting to know a few gun owners, getting educated on guns and gun safety, and making a trip to the range!  Alternatively, you can reach out to someone with GDS to help free them from GDS’s grip.

GDS is also commonly referred to as “Hoplophobia.”

For more information on the VCDL, and the good work they do for Virginia gun owners, visit the organization's web site at vcdl.org.

Cheers!

Parents Lobby To Keep Kids Unsafe

The Virginia Citizens Defense League alerting members on the efforts of the Virginia PTA.

The Virginia Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is distributing their 2018 Legislative Priorities and it looks like Michael Bloomberg wrote it.

What is the PTA doing lobbying against our civil rights?!  That is NOT what they are supposed to be doing and we need to let them know that.

Here is item #5 on their agenda:

5. Gun Violence Prevention

* Support legislation requiring and maintaining schools as gun-free zones
* Support increased penalties for possession, discharging or brandishing weapons within school buildings
* Support the right of Virginia's children to an education in an environment that is safe and non-violent
* Support universal background checks for the sale and possession of firearms and closing the gun show loophole

-

OK, let's look at those items, one-by-one:

* Support legislation requiring and maintaining schools as gun-free zones

Gun-free zones are the PROBLEM, not the solution.  Over 90% of mass public shootings are in gun-free zones.  This policy endangers the safety in schools by giving the armed attacker the advantage.  The attacker knows that if the resource office isn't there, the attacker has total control of the school and can begin killing people immediately.  (Resource officers are not assigned to some schools and are not always present when they are assigned, as they might be in court or perhaps checking on another school.)  If the resource officer is there, then the attacker knows he will have to kill the officer first with a sneak attack and then the school is his to with as he pleases.

* Support increased penalties for possession, discharging or brandishing weapons within school buildings

It is ALREADY a FELONY to have a firearm on school property that is not unloaded and stowed in a vehicle (except CHP holders can have a loaded, concealed handgun in the vehicle as long as the CHP holder stays in their vehicle).  You can't really increase the penalty beyond that unless you make it a capital crime.

* Support the right of Virginia's children to an education in an environment that is safe and non-violent

Who does't want this?  But violence, including deadly violence, involves much more than just firearms, but that's really all the PTA is concerned with.

* Support universal background checks for the sale and possession of firearms and closing the gun show loophole

Most of the school killers are children, who can't yet purchase a gun and, therefore, are not subject to background checks of any kind.  Of those killers who are 18 or older, virtually all of them either passed a background check or stole their gun.  So universal background checks would make NO difference in reducing attacks on schools.  A background check for POSSESSION of a firearm is what Illinois has - works great in Chicago, doesn't it?  The fact that the PTA supports BOTH universal background checks AND closing the non-existing gun-show loophole, tells me they really don't understand either one.

-

ACTION ITEMS

1)  If you are a member of the Virginia PTA, consider dropping your membership and be sure to tell them why you are not renewing.

2)  Contact both the president, Sarah Gross, and the Advocacy Chair, Kim Chandler, by email:

Email address: advocacy@vapta.org; president@vapta.org

Suggested Subject: The Virginia PTA should not be lobbying against our civil rights!

Suggested Message: (Updated June 14)

 I don't appreciate the Virginia PTA lobbying to restrict my civil right to own a gun and carry it for self-defense.  The Virginia PTA should be supporting our civil rights, not opposing them.  Schools being gun-free zones endanger students; it does not make them safer. Utah and New Hampshire schools are not gun-free zones and they haven't experienced the shootings that gun-free schools have in Virginia, Florida, Colorado, and other states.

Students who are too young to legally buy a gun commit most school shootings - they won’t have had a background check since the system only checks legal gun purchasers.  The older killers have either previously passed a background check or have stolen the gun. Either way, universal background checks will NOT reduce school violence.

The Virginia PTA needs to remove ALL gun-control advocacy from their legislative agenda and stay away from denying the civil rights of Virginia's gun owners.

Sincerely,


3)  You can also contact the PTA by phone: (804) 264-1234

******** 

Whenever the left trots out the "do it for the children" angle, you can be sure they are just dancing in the blood of the dead in order distract from their real agenda. Nothing the VA PTA  proposes makes children safer. These proposals ONLY affect law abiding citizens. The agenda of "gun control" is control, not safety.

Remember, school officials in Parkland, Florida chose to ignore expert advise that would actually have made students safer. In fact, the school essentially AIDED the shooter through their inaction.

I've often quipped that sending your child to public schools might be akin to child abuse. That seems to be moving ever-closer to the truth.

Virginia Church Self Defense Ban

Virginia has fairly decent laws regarding the carrying of firearms for self defense. Other than needing to pay a tax in order to exercise your 2nd Amendment right, it's moderately easy to get a VA Concealed Handgun Permit. However, according to some on the left, your right of self defense is abrogated if you happen to be praying at the time the need arises. These are the same mental midgets who claim that school "gun free zones" prevent school shootings. The Virginia Citizens Defense League is taking on the ridiculous prohibition on carrying a gun during a religious service.

We need to repeal the Jim Crow era Blue-law that forbids a person from having a weapon **in a place of worship, during a service.** (18.2-283).

While the General Assembly is not currently in session, and won't be in session again until January, we can use this time to build up steam for the repeal next year!

ACTION ITEM #1

Starting NOW, and for the rest of the year, we need to be educating faith leaders, and the public, about the church-service weapon ban and to get as many people as we can onboard in helping us to accomplish the repeal. It would be great to flood the Governor and the General Assembly with phone calls, emails, and letters all summer long. (VCDL will also be distributing postcards to the Governor at gun shows all year.)

Don't assume that faith leaders and your friends haven't fallen for the other side's lie that repealing 18.2-283 negates any church leader's right to make decisions about guns on their property. To win this we need to educate as many people as we can to the facts and truth.

To that extent, I have a copy of a letter from Delegate Dave LaRock, who put in the 18.2-283 repeal bill for VCDL earlier this year. His letter, and my cover letter, can be printed out and handed to faith leaders or distributed to your fellow worshipers, friends, family, and coworkers. The link to the letter can also be emailed instead:

https://vcdl.org/resources/pdf/2018_03_02_Church_Service_Ban_Letter.pdf

ACTION ITEM #2

Here's VCDL's webpage on the repeal, with ACTION ITEMS for contacting the Governor and the General Assembly:

https://vcdl.org/repeal_church_ban

Although a former VA Attorney General posited that self-defense was a legitimate reason for being armed in a church, the legal question is far from settled. Bad things happen in church too. The doors of your church are not talisman against violence. It is foolhardy to not be prepared.

Share this with your priest, your pastor, your rabbi and any other religious leaders and friends.

VCDL ALERT: Well Funded Attack On Gun Rights Leaders

I'm posting this alert from VCDL in its entirety. Forewarned is forewarned. Ignorance, hysteria and outright lying is part and parcel of the leftist psyche, and the "gun control" actors have it down to a science.

February 20, 2018

Last weekend, while doing what seemed to be a regular interview, I discovered that a movie is being made with the intent to discredit gun-rights leaders across the country.

No, this is not a joke, it is real and we need to get the word out to other gun-rights organizations, gun-rights leaders, and prominent firearms trainers across the country and we need to do this FAST.

Back in 2014, alleged Hollywood sexual predator Harvey Weinstein said he was going to make a movie “that would make the NRA wish they weren’t alive.”  (All gun organizations are the NRA in his mind.)  And he was dead serious.  Michael Moore has been attempting to discredit gun owners and leaders for years by tricking people and using creative editing techniques to make them look foolish or idiotic.

Who’s behind this effort isn’t clear, but they are EXTREMELY WELL FUNDED PROFESSIONALS.  For example, to reel me in and to try to make me feel beholden to them, they laid out the red carpet, by providing luxury accommodations, limousine service, and providing a generous monetary allowance to cover meals and other expenses for two days.

They use psychological manipulation, as well as lies and tricks to put their victim into comedic situations that subject them to public shame, embarrassment, and ridicule.  I believe the intent is to destroy reputations and even lives.

I did some detective work in the days immediately following the “interview,” and I managed to find out they had targeted at least one nationally known firearms trainer and I know there are more.  They appear to be setting up near gun shows.  I also found out they covered their tracks carefully to avoid revealing their true identity.

It started when VCDL received an email last week from a company called “First Freedom Television” to do an interview with an “Israeli security expert” on the “shared security interests of like-minded countries, such as the U.S. and Israel.”  It went on, “Unlike the misguided position of American liberals, who aim to eradicate guns altogether, Israel has proven that universal gun training and widespread gun ownership actually leads to a safer society.”

I do interviews all the time, and this one didn’t seem to be all that much out of the ordinary.

On Sunday, February 11, 2018, I did the interview in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  About 5 minutes into the interview, my radar turned on big time when the interviewer was making claims about Israeli schools training selected children to use firearms from age 17 down to age 4 (!) as a last ditch effort in stopping a terrorist attack on a school if the teachers and security staff had been killed.  The children would have codes to unlock secured firearms in such a case.

When I balked at 4-year-olds being able to do that, he showed me an alleged newscast video on his iPad.  The text was in Hebrew, but with an English-speaking narration, talking about how a 4-year-old boy had indeed stopped a terrorist attack at his school.  The newscast said that he killed two terrorists using his dad’s gun, which he had brought to school in his backpack to show a friend, in violation of school rules.  Israeli Premier Netanyahu was touting him as a hero in the video.

While I’ve never been to Israel, I do know they have some serious terrorism concerns, especially at schools and other public gatherings.  The way they handle some of their security can be very different from what we have in the U.S.  But that news story just didn’t look right, and 4-year-olds can hold a gun and fire it with supervision, but not take on terrorists, and especially manage to shoot and kill two of them.

Because of this and various other odd things I noticed during the interview, I was now convinced that something wasn’t right.  This wasn’t real and probably some sort of a set up.

I could only think of Hollywood’s threat.  At a minimum, it could be a comedy which would play only in Israel, but it could be a more damaging attempt to make a “mocumentary,” by someone like Michael Moore, or, even worse, a Sacha Baron Cohen-esq “Borat”-type of shock comedy meant to be devastatingly embarrassing and humiliating to the victim in the crosshairs.

As the 15-minute interview terminated, the interviewer asked me if I, as an English-speaking firearms trainer, would help him make a “gun safety” training video for children of various ages.  This had to be the “kicker,” I thought.

For better or for worse, I decided that I would play along with the scheme so I could find out who was behind this and where this was going.   I figured if I was right about this being a set up, I could blow the whistle and get a warning out to the gun-rights community across the country to protect as many people as possible and maybe derail this attack.  If it turned out to be nothing, then no harm, no foul.

We recorded for almost 3 hours using Airsoft guns as props.  They even had a teleprompter!

I was right – it was a set up - and it was much worse than I could have imagined.  If you’ve seen the 70’s movie, “The Sting,” it was much like that.  It was a well-orchestrated, well-choreographed, psychological manipulation, with a production cast of at least 10 people, to slowly lead a person down the primrose path.

We went step-by-step with a ready, and seemingly logical, answer every time I balked at some crazy part of the training.  They seemed to have thought of every thing that a person might question.  All I can say is that these people were extremely good at deception and manipulation.  And no matter how stupid the things the interviewer and I were doing (we were side-by-side the whole time), no one else cracked a smile or laughed once, and I was watching.  The professional actors were keeping up the appearance that this was a serious project.

The end goal was to get the victim to make a “training film” teaching 3 and 4-year-olds how to shoot guns hidden in toy animals at  “bad” people, to sing little songs and make gun noises during the training to make it “fun for children,” and even teach little kids how to shoot a rocket-propelled-grenade or a squad automatic weapon at an approaching suicide bomber vehicle!  

It all sounds unbelievable.  But everything was elaborately and expensively staged; every contingency planned for, with explanations that make unbelievable things seem plausible (fake documents and videos about how Israel handles security in their schools, for example). The interview moved along at a pace, designed not to give the “mark” time to reflect on where things are going.  The craziness factor very gradually got more extreme, like cooking a frog by slowly heating up the water so he doesn’t realize what’s happening until it’s too late.  It’s a con game, a sting, plain and simple.

I don’t know if they have other scenarios or they will use other company names to continue concealing their identity, but anyone doing an interview dealing with gun rights where they sense something odd should terminate that interview.  Or, better, bring a recorder and tell the other party you are going to make your own recording of the interview.  If they say “no,” then walk out.  I am going to make that my own policy going forward to protect against any future fake interviews.  BTW, they had me leave my cellphone in an office “because it might interfere with the recording devices,” but I think it was so I couldn’t take any photos of them or make any video or audio recordings on that phone.

In the end we played each other and I confirmed what I feared this was all about.  Sadly for me, I’m sure I’m going to be in whatever crazy film finally comes out, looking really stupid and, just as sadly, I’ll probably be in good company.  A few of us will no doubt get hammered, but if we can get the word out IMMEDIATELY, we might be able to save the reputations of many other good people. 

Finally, looking at the possibilities and what I saw while making the “training film,” I’m betting this is going to end up being a “Borat”-style film and it’s going to be vicious on the victims.

Please share this alert far and wide.

Philip Van Cleave
President
Virginia Citizens Defense League

Reports from other freedom advocates are starting to come in as well. If you have access to Facebook, read Rob Pincus' account here.

VCDL 2018 Legislation Tracking Tool

The Virginia Citizens Defense League has posted the 2018 Legislation Tracking Page. This is a handy way to keep track of bills affecting gun owners in Virginia. Follow the page for the latest information as bills work their way through the legislature. Here you'll see who's defending your rights, and who's "goose-stepping toward gun-control."

You can also get legislative updates as they happen via the VCDL Twitter feed.

This is an extremely important year for gun owners. The Governor-elect has stated that his number one priority for his administration is disarming law abiding Virginians and making them the victims of predators.

It's actually not hard to understand why leftists constantly make the absurd claim that disarming law abiding people keeps criminals from committing crime. It's well known that liberal men prefer defenseless victims. In truth, gun control advocates are concerned only about their own power and keeping others subordinate.

Sic semper tyrannis

VCDL: Legal Protection Plan Comparison

The Virginia Citizens Defense League has put together a comprehensive comparison of legal protection plans available to civilians in the event they are involved in a self defense shooting. One can face daunting expenses and legal obstacles as the result of a self defense shooting, even when it's justified. As such, these plans are recommended by many experts in the field. There are many types of protection plans available, covering different situations and levels of service. Choosing the one that's right for you can be a difficult process.

PERSONAL DEFENSE LEGAL PROTECTION PLAN COMPARISON

The VCDL document currently compares seven different offerings. The online resource will be updated as plans change and new products or service providers become available.

VCDL Petition For National Reciprocity

Today's alert from VCDL has an important action item for gun owners and 2nd Amendment supporters nationwide.

I just created a White House petition asking the President to urge Congress to pass H.R. 38 as soon as possible and get the bill on his desk!

THIS IS TIME SENSITIVE AND WE NEED TO SPREAD THE WORD FAR AND WIDE ACROSS THE NATION!

The petition requires 100,000 signature BY AUGUST 17TH to be considered by the President. Please sign and forward to any and all gun groups you know - from gun clubs, gun organizations, chat groups, friends, family, coworkers, and fellow church members!

We can do this, but we need all the help we can get from gun owners across the nation.

Here is the link to the petition:

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/national-reciprocity-nations-17-million-concealed-handgun-permit-holders

August 17 is not that far off. Please give your support to this petition. Sign today and share.

Campaign For National Reciprocity

This alert from VCDL contain important information regarding the push for national reciprocity. ("National reciprocity" is the catch phrase for "respecting the Constitution.")

A MAJOR FEDERAL CAMPAIGN BEGINS NOW! 

On occasion VCDL will get involved at the federal level. Now is one of those times.

We need to pull out all of the stops and push Congress for national reciprocity!

The horrific assassination attempt of Congressmen at a ballpark in Alexandria is a strong catalyst that will hopefully get Congress off their collective behinds and make national reciprocity a reality.  BUT, we need to move now and we need to move decisively.

Why?

Because, for example, a bill was just introduced that would ONLY ALLOW MEMBERS OF CONGRESS with CHPs the ability to carry in DC and not the rest of us!

I refer to that as the "Oh, HELL no!" bill.  We need to make sure Congress understands that such a bill is a NON-STARTER and WE WILL, as part of the national reciprocity campaign.

THE BILLS VCDL WILL BE FIGHTING FOR AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL

There are THREE excellent bills that we need to fight for:

OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY: H.R. 38.  H.R. 38, called "The Concealed Carry Act of 2017," was introduced by Congressman Richard Hudson of North Carolina.  It makes CHPs good in all states, clarifies that the federal Gun Free School Zone law does not apply to CHP holders, and allows CHP holders to carry on all federally owned lands that are open to the public.  CHP holders will have to obey the "no carry" limitations of the host state, but as I read the law, CHP holders might be exempted from any ammunition or magazine limitations imposed by the host state.

This bill is currently sitting in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is headed up by Virginia Congressman Bob Goodlatte!  The people living in Congressman Goodlatte's district are going to be critical to our success.  The bill has 99 cosponsors as I write this.

The following Virginia members of the House of Representatives have signed on as co-sponsors, and we will thank them as part of the campaign:  Dave Bratt, Scott Taylor, Barbara Comstock, Tom Garrett, and Rob Wittman.

The following Virginia members of the House should be signed on, but have NOT done so yet. VCDL members in their districts will be contacting them in due course:  Bob Goodlatte and Morgan Griffith.

The usual suspects from Virginia have not signed on, but they, most of all, need to hear from constituents:  Bobby Scott, Don McEachin, Don Beyer, and Gerry Connally.

SECOND PRIORITY is H.R. 1537, called the "Second Amendment Enforcement Act of 2017," was introduced by our own Congressman Tom Garrett.  This bill makes DC "shall issue" for resident and non-resident CHPs, has training requirements similar to Virginia's requirements, has a 21-day turnaround, and a $75 cap on cost.  The bill also allows DC residents to buy guns in Virginia or Maryland and removes DC's ammunition and magazine restrictions.

The bill is currently in the House Oversight and Government Reform committee.

The only other Virginia Congressman signed on is Rob Wittman.  Hopefully we can bring many more on board.

THIRD PRIORITY is H.R. 2909, called the "D.C. Personal Protection Reciprocity Act," was introduced by Congressman Thomas Massie of Tennessee.  This makes makes DC honor CHPs from all other states.

The bill is currently in the House Oversight and Government Reform committee.

This is a new bill and no one from Virginia has signed on as a co-sponsor yet.

The need for legislation "allowing" the exercise of rights that are already protected by the Constitution shows the absurdity of our nation's laws regarding self defense. I don't believe for a moment that we should need to rely on elected officials "granting" us rights that we already have, and which are not the government's to give (or take.) However, this is where we find ourselves so we must fight on all fronts. VCDL will be organizing a campaign to encourage citizens to contact their legislators in support of these bills. I'll post more info as it becomes available.

McAuliffe Shows His Allegiance to Criminals

Last week Virginia Governor McAuliffe vetoed a bill designed to protect victims of domestic abuse. The democrat politician was more concerned over the danger to the abuser than the victim. This week he continues his attacks on law-abiding Virginia citizens with his amendment to a bill to keep the state from sharing concealed handgun permit holder information with states that don't honor Virginia permits. The governor is using the recent arrest of gun runners in New York as an excuse to curb the rights of Virginians by proposing to bring back the one handgun a month law. Only in the mind of a leftist would it seem logical to pass laws affecting law-abiding citizens in response to criminals breaking existing laws. Limiting the firearm purchases of law-abiding people only serves to benefit the criminal element.

The Virginia Citizens Defense League has issued an alert regarding the Governor's shady maneuver.

*** SPREAD THIS FAR AND WIDE - WE NEED PHONE CALLS AND EMAIL SENT IMMEDIATELY ***

We have GOT to protect CHP holders when they travel to states like Maryland!

Governor McAuliffe wants to gut SB 1023, Senator Stuart's bill to keep Virginia from sharing concealed handgun permit holder information with states that don't honor our permits, by replacing it with a One Handgun a Month bill!

What does "One Handgun a Month" have to do with not sharing CHP holder information with hostile states?  Nothing, of course.  As far as gun traces out of Virginia, nothing changed when we got rid of One Handgun a Month and nothing would change if we reinstated it.  It is nothing but political theater.

Unfortunately, McAuliffe seems to be far more interested in appeasing the anti-gun politicians in his home state of New York than he does protecting law-abiding Virginians.

To pass SB 1023 we need both the House and Senate to reject the Governor's changes and then to pass the enrolled version of the bill with a veto-proof 2/3 majority in each body.

WE **CAN** DO THS!  SB 1023 ORIGINALLY PASSED WITH  A VETO-PROOF MAJORITY, BUT WE MUST HANG ON TO THAT MAJORITY OR THE BILL WILL DIE.

URGENT ACTION ITEMS

We need to flood the Senate and House with phone calls and emails, urging them to reject McAuliffe's changes to SB 1023 and to pass the enrolled version of the bill.

THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE DEMOCRAT LEGISLATORS, IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO THIS! It does NOT matter if they usually vote wrong: this bill is different - it is more about privacy than guns.

1.  Send a pre-written email to BOTH your Senator and your Delegate - this takes less than 20 seconds, figures out who your legislators are, and sends to both at one time!  Click here:

http://tinyurl.com/mpf4whs

2.  Call your Delegate and Senator at their DISTRICT office, too.  Calls can really help. Their district phone numbers can be found by clicking here:

* Delegates: http://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php

* Senators: http://apps.senate.virginia.gov/Senator/index.php

* If you are not sure who your legislators are, click here to find out: http://whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov/

NEWS ARTICLE ON SB 1023 AND MCAULIFFE

Here is an article on McAuliffe's changes to SB 1023:

http://www.richmond.com/news/local/city-of-richmond/gov-mcauliffe-s-proposal-to-restore-virginia-s-one-gun/article_63be6252-b782-5718-8046-e680c8519d38.html

As someone who was recently harassed and frisked on the side of the road by Maryland State Thugs, solely for legally transporting firearms in Maryland, this privacy bill strikes close to home. I encourage all Virginian's, gun owner or not, to take action to help fight the Governor's move. Other state governments have no right to the private information of Virginia citizens, especially when they use it solely to hassle law-abiding travelers.

Virginia Governor Shows His Disdain For The Military

Once again, Governor McAuliffe shows his disdain for the Constitution, self defense and U.S. military personnel.  From a VCDL Alert...

Governor McAuliffe just vetoed HB 1582, Delegate Campbell's bill to allow active duty and honorably discharged military members who are over 18 and under 21 to apply for a concealed handgun permit.

The Governor has never been a fan of gun owners and is now also showing an anti-military position to boot.

HB 1582 passed the House by a whopping 79 to 18 vote! THAT IS VETO PROOF as long as the Democrats (and Republicans) stand their ground on this bill.

The House will get the first chance to override the veto. If that succeeds, then the Senate will have its chance to do the same.

Unfortunately, the bill only passed the Senate by a 24 to 15 vote, with one Republican not voting (Senator Wagner). Assuming that he votes correctly when he gets a chance, the vote would be 25 to 15, only two votes shy of a veto override.

HOWEVER, there are several Senate Democrats who voted against HB 1582 who also represent large military areas. They may well change their vote under pressure.

ACTION ITEM #1

We need EVERYONE to send an email to their Senator on overriding the veto, ESPECIALLY IF YOUR SENATOR IS A DEMOCRAT!

Click here to send the email:

http://tinyurl.com/zjyhp7x

ACTION ITEM #2

Also make sure the House overrides the veto by contacting your Delegate:

http://tinyurl.com/j2wbc65

ACTION ITEM #3

To push even harder, click below to get the phone number to call your Senator and Delegate [immediately]:

http://leg1.state.va.us/171/mbr/MBR.HTM

It's unfortunate that people who surround themselves with armed security have so little concern for the safety of "regular" people. In addition, the elitist's veto prevents Georgia from honoring Virginia Conceal Handgun Permits. 

The Threat to VA CHP Holders in MD

As someone who sometimes travels in Maryland for shooting matches or to visit family, I find this of great concern. When traveling in the not so "Free State" I am aware of the threat of unreasonable searches of my person and vehicle by agents of a state which doesn't respect the Constitution. That threat has become even more worrisome.

From the alert sent by the Virginia Citizens Defense League:

THE DANGER TO CHP HOLDERS

There have been some real problems with Virginia CHP holders being stopped in Maryland and the Virginia State Police telling Maryland law enforcement that the driver has a Virginia CHP.

There is a bill in the General Assembly that will put an end to that issue, BUT THE SITUATION HAS JUST GOTTEN EVEN MORE URGENT.

Two days ago the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, whose rulings affect Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and South Carolina, said that during a stop an officer can frisk ANYONE AT WILL if he believes THEY HAVE A GUN, whether possessed LEGALLY OR ILLEGALLY - including being possessed by those who have a CHP!

So now, if you are stopped in Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, or South Carolina, and the officer finds out you have a CHP, he can frisk you without the need to have either reasonable, articulable suspicion or probable cause that you are armed AND dangerous.

This was a horrendous decision.


THE SOLUTION

Senator Stuart's SB 1023 is the solution. SB 1023 prohibits the Virginia State Police from sharing a person's CHP status with any state that does not honor a Virginia CHP. That makes perfect sense. If a state considers our CHPs to be nothing more than toilet paper, why even bother telling that state that you have such a "worthless" permit?

The good news is that HB 1023 cleared the Senate Courts of Justice today and is headed to the Senate Floor and then to the House.

Our critical challenge is that we need to get as many legislators of both parties on board to be in a position to override a possible veto by the Governor.


ACTION ITEM

WE NEED **ALL** OF YOU TO SEND THE MESSAGE BELOW TO YOUR SENATOR TO 1) DRUM UP SUPPORT AND 2) TO EDUCATE THE SENATORS ON THE NEW FOURTH CIRCUIT RULING.

This is one bill that many Senators, who normally are not good on guns, might well support!

Click here to send the pre-written message to your Senator and please do this NOW:

http://tinyurl.com/z8tayz3

LET'S GET THIS DONE, VCDL!!

If you are a Virginia resident, please use the link above to contact your senator. Even if you are not a CHP holder, or don't travel in Maryland, please show your support. This is a concern to all citizens who value freedom and the right to free travel.

VCDL Legislation Tracking Tool

The Virginia Citizens Defense League has posted the 2017 Legislation Tracking Page. This is a handy way to keep track of bills affecting gun owners in Virginia. Follow the page for the latest information as bills work their way through the legislature. Here you can see who's defending your rights, and who's working to take them away.

You can also get updates as they happen via the VCDL Twitter feed.


The Virginia Constitution
Article I. Bill of Rights
Section 13. Militia; standing armies; military subordinate to civil power
That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; that standing armies, in time of peace, should be avoided as dangerous to liberty; and that in all cases the military should be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.

Fight McAuliffe Mandated Killing Zones

This alert from the Virginia Citizens Defense League highlights the hypocrisy of Governor McAuliffe and his support of gun free killing zones, applicable only to law-abiding citizens. If you are a Virginia resident, please read and take action now.

STATE AGENCY GUN BAN - POLITICS AT ITS WORST

Late last year Governor McAuliffe put into effect an "emergency" ban on the carry of firearms in state agency buildings (DMV, ABC stores, etc.), banning even those with CHPs.

What was the emergency situation that the ban was addressing?  There was none.  When was the last time you heard of a shooting in a state agency building?  When was the last time you heard about one of Virginia's 421,000 CHP holders committing a violent crime?

Everything the Governor does is based on politics and its associated rhetoric.  The state-agency gun-ban is just another example of McAuliffe putting politics over the SAFETY and RIGHTS of Virginia's citizens!

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AGREED WITH VCDL AND TRIED TO STOP THE BAN

VCDL urged the General Assembly to clarify that state agencies cannot have any kind of gun ban without the permission of the General Assembly.  Delegate Mike Webert put in HB 1096, a state-agency preemption bill, to do just that.  The bill passed the House by 65 to 33 and the Senate by 21 to 17, but did not become law because McAuliffe showed his disdain for the General Assembly and gun owners by vetoing it.

THE PERMANENT VERSION OF THE GUN BAN HAS A HEARING ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31ST

Emergency regulations cannot be in force forever; they have to be replaced with a "permanent" version.

Your written requests for a public hearing on the emergency regulation earlier this year worked! That's why the Commonwealth is having a public hearing on the permanent regulation.

The hearing is next Wednesday, August 31, from 10 AM to noon at:

Pocahantas Building (a block south of Capitol Square)
900 E. Main Street (northwest corner of 10th and Main)
Richmond, VA

**Carry is NOT allowed, with everyone having to go through metal detectors (McAuliffe, always the hypocrite, sure likes HIS security, doesn't he?)**

ACTION ITEM #1: I REFUSE TO ROLL OVER!  WE WILL FIGHT FOR EVERY INCH OF GROUND.  LET'S **PACK** THE MEETING ROOM ON WEDNESDAY!

This is a hearing, so everyone who wants to speak will be allowed to do so.  There is a sign-up sheet, with names called in the order they are on the sheet.  You will have two minutes to speak. No signs are allowed, but VCDL GSL stickers will be available.

You can simply say, "I oppose this regulation."  If you wish to say more than that, here are some talking points:

1.  Where is the problem this is supposed to solve?  There have been no shootings in Virginia state agency buildings and the ban on concealed carry is even more unreasonable, as CHP holders are the most law-abiding group of citizens in the Commonwealth.

2.  The Governor has no direct authority from the General Assembly to ban guns in state agency buildings.  To that end, this year the General Assembly passed a bill clarifying that the Governor cannot do any type of gun control without the express permission of the General Assembly.  The only reason that bill did not become law is that the Governor vetoed it!  This action ignores the will of the People, as expressed through their elected representatives in the General Assembly.

3.  Since 1960, all but two of the public mass-shootings have been in gun-free-zones, like this regulation creates.  This would make state-agency buildings in Virginia less secure, not more secure!

ACTION ITEM #2: WE ALL NEED TO COMMENT ON THE PERMANENT BAN

Click here to leave your written comment opposing the permanent regulation (my comment is the first one on the list).  The title should clearly state that you oppose the regulation:

http://townhall.virginia.gov/L/comments.cfm?stageid=7579

The written comment period ends on October 21.

The megalomaniac in the governor's mansion is the same elitist who violated the Virginia constitution in an attempt to pad the voter roles for Hillary Clinton. The governor is a political thug who cares only for his leftist comrades, not the people of Virginia.

I am a Virginian ... And I Carry

A new promotional video from the Virginia Citizens Defense League.

I am a Virginian ... I am VCDL ... I Carry!
from Virginia Citizens Defense League on Vimeo.

Do you? If not, how many more reasons do you need?