Winter 2011 The Wisconsin Gun Owner Page 8 Constitutional Carry: Barometer of Change By Corey Graff, Executive Director concept to them — this notion of things. But look at the events that how in places like Vermont, the coalesced from 1865 through 1870 A Publication of Wisconsin Gun Owners, Inc. Winter 2011 Vol. VI No.4 government actually does not step on in the War Between the States — its citizens’ inalienable right to bear un owner “Our first efforts to introduce arms. It was like trying to describe the concept of Constitutional Countdown to Constitutional Carry life on an alien planet — a place Carry fell on deaf ears, but today Democrats flee the state as gun owners set sights on concealed where people are free to carry their Mission carry legislation private property without government our pro-gun message seems To restore and defend the right welcomed — and legislation Gto keep and bear arms through permission slip. More than one on-target strategy, and to hold Madison, Wis. — While the Wisconsin After many years of pushing, elected official exclaimed, “That’ll is being discussed.” accountable all those who legislature debates the budget, gun perceptions begin to budge never happen in Wisconsin!” Others surrender that right owners prepare for their own protests pounded their fists on the table and merely five years — events that through compromise. if movement is not swift to repeal turned red. I’m talking about the brought about massive philosophical Wisconsin’s ban on carrying concealed arack Obama ran his reaction we got from republicans — changes to the political landscape. weapons. presidential campaign on can you imagine the treatment from Wisconsin’s ban on carrying In the wake of the chaos broiling over B the promise of change. But democrats? concealed weapons came on the in Madison, WGO leadership engaged the only change he had to offer was heels of that conflict amidst a in talks with legislators to support from the big government socialism Contempt and Ignorance of the catastrophic sea change in political constitutional (Vermont-style) carry. of neoconservative republicans, to Issues power. That the CCW ban happened Such a bill would not require any permit, the big government socialism of in 1871 was no coincidence — it fees, background check, fingerprinting or democrats. And that’s hardly change Every election cycle, WGO surveys didn’t appear out of thin air. the establishment of criminal databases to write home about. However, candidates for the legislature with Where does that leave us today? to carry a weapon for self-defense. Will Governor Walker support let me tell you a story about real a series of tough questions that go After being fleeced by globalists and Continued Page 2 a repeal of Wisconsin’s ban on change. beneath the usual surface-level centralized bankers, and with our carrying concealed weapons? One maxim steering good political inquiry like, “Do you support financial backs against the wall in strategy is that the extremes concealed carry?” a crumbling economy, the political Wyoming Passes Constitutional Carry determine the middle. Emboldened The first year the survey deployed, “Wisconsin’s time to winds of change are blowing in The Badgers gear up to follow the Cowboys in the fight to restore by our knowledge of this, we we asked specifically about uphold its citizens’ anew, with fresh attitudes about founded WGO (now almost eight Vermont-style concealed carry. Second Amendment the right to self-defense — Page 2 freedom. years ago) and launched onto the That is, does the candidate support rights is now, and there is Our first efforts to introduce the scene with both barrels blazing. citizens going armed without a no reason what-so-ever concept of Constitutional Carry We showed up at the State Capital permit, background check, and that it shouldn’t be in the fell on deaf ears, but today our pro- and immediately earned the ire of mandatory training? Six legislators gun message seems welcomed — form of a Constitutional the institutional gun lobby as we answered yes. Many scribbled notes and legislation is being discussed. Concealed Carry bill.“ proceeded to lobby for Vermont- on the survey indicating they’d never — Bill Cramer Wyoming has just become the fourth style concealed carry — a notion heard of “Vermont-style carry.” See more comments online at state to restore this right. Wisconsin thought frankly to be “too extreme.” How could that be, we wondered? wisconsingunowners.org is next. And that, as they say, is The kicker is, we were doing this Had the establishment gun lobby change you can believe in. Inside while a vote was going down on a completely failed to educate them • Get Ready for Carry Bill really bad permit-to-carry bill. We on this foundational issue? We were Published by • Pratt: CCW By Right got lots of angry looks. We were off making friends left and right. Wisconsin Gun Owners, Inc. • Judge Strikes CCW Ban to a dandy start. PO Box 329 As Providence Turns the Tide Waupaca, WI 54981 • WGO Media Impact The cold welcome continued. tel 888.202.1645 • C4L on Concealed Carry We’d meet with legislators and Eight years of effort isn’t a drop fax 866.208.1346 • High-Cap Mag Ban Alert www.wisconsingunowners.org discuss what was obviously a foreign • ATF Tactical Shotgun Ban in the bucket in the big scheme of Wisconsin Gun Owners, Inc. is a non-profit, 501(c)4 tax exempt organization and is a registered lobbying principle with the Wisconsin Ethics Board. Page 2 The Wisconsin Gun Owner Winter 2011 Winter 2011 The Wisconsin Gun Owner Page 7 WGO and Concealed Carry need a license to exercise freedom (WyGO). “The plain and simple Continued from Page 1 of the press and people don’t need truth is when push came to shove, Milwaukee: Judge Rules Concealed Carry Law to undergo background checks to it was your phone calls and emails If you can legally buy the gun, attend the churches of their choice. that pushed this freedom-restoring Unconstitutional you can carry it, said WGO. Likewise, the right to bear arms is bill through the legislature. According to a report in the Feb. 13, few other choices. While a time frame for introduction an inalienable right.” To read more “This legislation marks a fantastic 2011 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “a “Watts’ ruling comes as gun of a bill is expected soon, gun of the story with a link to the full first step toward restoring your right Milwaukee County judge has ruled rights advocates expect the new owners are urged to contact their report, visit wisconsingunowners. to self-defense in Wyoming. Now the state’s ban on concealed weapons Republican-controlled Legislature legislators now and urge them to org. is the time for us to forge ahead and unconstitutional as applied to a man to allow concealed carry in stand united with Wisconsin Gun repeal the numerous criminal safe who had an unloaded, encased gun Wisconsin, one of two states, along Thank You! Owners for constitutional carry. Wyoming Becomes Fourth zones in Wyoming. under his car seat three days after he with Illinois, that ban it entirely. At To all the members who generously Leading this fight with WGO State to Pass Constitutional “Even though the Jennings-Jaggi had been robbed at gunpoint in the least one Wisconsin prosecutor last supported our emergency office equipment upgrade. Thanks to your are Campaign for Liberty, Gun Carry bill has made it possible to carry same area of the city. year declared he would not enforce Owners of America and the a firearm without going through a “In an eight-page decision and the current concealed carry ban in generosity, we were able to secure On Wednesday, March 2, 2011, a new machine, which will allow National Assoc. for Gun Rights. laborious permit process, we are order, Circuit Judge J.D. Watts light of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Wyoming Governor Matt Mead us to increase our effectiveness in Other groups, including the still a long way from being done. agreed that for Jeremy Pinnow to that overturned Chicago’s handgun signed Constitutional Carry into defending our gun rights! United States Concealed “Wyomingites are still exercise his right to bear arms for ban.” Carry Association and not allowed to defend security and self-defense, he had Wisconsin Carry have themselves in their places publicly expressed their of worship, where they support for constitutional teach their children, or carry. And while the NRA even when out to eat with has stated that Vermont their family. That is simply and Alaska will be used wrong. as the “Model” for a “Our Constitution doesn’t carry bill, NRA-ILA State come with a list of places lobbyist Jordan Austin where our rights no longer continues to refuse to apply. That’s why Wyoming answer simple questions Gun Owners’ number one from NRA members priority is eliminating these about the organization’s Left to right is National Association for Gun Rights Executive places where criminals are intent on this issue. Director Dudley Brown, WyGO Director Anthony Bouchard, armed, but the law demands Senator Kit Jennings, Representative Lorraine Quarberg, you to be unarmed.” WGO Media Impact Is your WGO Membership law while saying his office had been current? Renew or join online at WGO lead a recent statewide clogged with emails and phone calls wisconsingunowners.org! media blitz with impact in a story from people demanding he sign by Jim Coller writing for Gannett the Jennings-Jaggi Constitutional media. The story, Proponents hope Carry bill. concealed carry issue finally gains “The anti-gun crowd fought this approval in Wisconsin, ran in the legislation every step of the way,” Appleton Post Crescent, Oshkosh said Anthony Bouchard, Executive Northwestern and online. WGO was Director of Wyoming Gun Owners quoted as saying, “Reporters don’t

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What Is Constitutional Carry? worst, an outright denial of it. There are currently only three Eager to exploit the Tuscon, Arizona “The bill closes a loophole in the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, expired assault weapon ban that let gun states that recognize and protect In the parlance of the concealed U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn owners buy high-capacity magazines carry debate, laws fall into one their citizens’ right to keep and bear McCarthy has vowed to unleash a new made before the ban took effect in of four categories: Constitutional arms: Vermont, Alaska and, most gun control bill. 1994. Carry (also called unrestricted or recently, Arizona. These states “The bill carries a penalty of Vermont-style concealed carry), have unrestricted, Constitutional “There is no reason that these up to 10 years in prison. Shall-Issue, May-Issue and No Carry laws which allow law-abiding devices should be available to the “‘The only purpose for the existence of these devices is Issue. At present, Wisconsin is a citizens to fully exercise their general public.” No Issue state — one of only two in Second Amendment right without to be able to shoot as many people as possible as quickly the entire nation — where citizens infringement. Several other states — Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D) as possible,’ McCarthy wrote cannot carry concealed weapons. are considering Constitutional Carry laws. Wisconsin has a great in a letter to her colleagues that Some gun groups in the state are accompanied the bill. ‘There is opportunity to join these states and lobbying hard to move us toward According to politico.com, “Rep. no reason that these devices should be end its denial of citizens’ most basic a Shall-Issue concealed carry law. Carolyn McCarthy’s (D-N.Y.) bill also available to the general public.’” Rep. Carolyn McCarthy has vowed Shall-Issue means that the law will liberties. goes further than the assault weapon ban Concealed carry is coming to to introduce legislation to ban so- lay out the requirements to obtain For this reason, Wisconsin that expired in 2004, outlawing the sale Stay tuned to our website at Wisconsin. It is an absolute called hi-capacity magazines and a permit and anyone who meets Campaign for Liberty (http://www. or transfer of clips that hold more than wisconsingunowners.org for further certainty that before the current expand the Clinton-era assault those requirements must be given campaignforliberty.com) is proud to ten rounds, even those obtained before updates about the hi-cap mag ban and legislative session is complete, a weapons ban. a permit by the government. This partner with Wisconsin Gun Owners the law takes effect, according to a copy related legislation. concealed carry law will be passed is admittedly better than a May- and other groups in the state to lobby of the bill obtained by POLITICO.” and the governor will sign it. Such Issue law, which gives authorities our legislators from the grassroots. legislation has passed the legislature discretion to refuse to issue a Together, we are working hard to before, but has always fallen victim permit even to those who meet the have a Constitutional Carry bill to the governor’s veto pen. Not this requirements. May-Issue, Shall- introduced, passed and signed time around. Issue and No Issue laws all fail to into law. We encourage you to But what kind of concealed carry recognize the right to keep and bear contact your state representative law will we have? arms as a natural right, a concept and senator and let them know how For many, it seems, there is a that is plainly evident to everyone important this issue is to you and LOAD UP ON GUN BOOKS ... AND SUPPORT WGO! disconnect between the rights with respect to First Amendment why a Shall-Issue law does not go asserted in the First Amendment and rights. far enough in recognizing the rights Visit wisconsingunowners.org and rights asserted in the Second. No of Wisconsinites. click the “SHOP” button to browse state requires a permit to exercise To do so, sign the Campaign for thousands of books, CD/DVDs and the freedom of religion. You do not Natural Rights At Stake Liberty Online Petition to demand Downloads from Gun Digest! When you click have to go to the government, prove Constitutional Concealed Carry. To through from wisconsingunowners.org and make that you meet the legal requirements, A quick primer on natural rights is sign the petition, visit us online at a purchase, not only will you SAVE BIG on books and receive permission to invite in order. Natural rights come from www.WisconsinC4L.com/CCC. about concealed carry, handguns, rifles, shotguns, a group of friends to your home. God, not government. The only gunsmithing, relaoding, gun collecting and more You cannot be jailed or fined for legitimate function of government Richard Church is the Regional ... but a portion of your sale will also go to support exercising your freedom of speech is to recognize and protect the rights Coordinator for Wisconsin Wisconsin Gun Owners and gun rights! Build up your without a permit. As a society, we of those under its jurisdiction. Campaign For Liberty. gun book library. Support the Second Amendment. are fiercely protective of our rights For further reading, see the Holsters, knives and Declaration of Independence. Any to freedom of religion, speech, press thousands of tactical gear and assembly. However, we are far requirement to obtain a permit items are also available. Visit Visit wisconsingunowners.org and too quick to make concessions on to exercise a right is, at least, an wisconsingunowners.org and click “SHOP” today! the right to keep and bear arms. infringement of that right and, at click “SHOP.”

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Concealed Carry by Right By Larry Pratt ATF To Ban “Tactical” Shotguns? Wisconsin is Next in Line to Restore the Right of the People to Bear Arms A gundigest.com story reveals that Editor’s Note: Read the full story the ATF has proposed banning at http://www.gundigest.com. Click importation of tactical shotguns. on “News” and “Gun Rights.” Gun it says that our gun rights “shall not to the American public. But tens owners have until May 1, 2011 to be infringed.” We hear statists say of thousands of fully automatic The story, BATFE Wants To Ban Importation Of “Military” Style submit comments on the shotgun ban that all of our rights are subject to machine guns have gone missing proposal. being balanced by the “interests” from the Mexican military. And, Shotguns, reports that, “A report of the government. Such a view strange as it may seem (sarcasm), just released by the Bureau of would have us forget that “We the same planes and boats that are Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and IS YOUR WGO MEMBERSHIP CURRENT? the People” are the boss, and the used to smuggle drugs also smuggle Explosives (BATFE), ‘Study on the Newsletter Special! government works for us. We have firearms. Importability of Certain Shotguns,’ Send in this coupon for a membership the “interests;” but the government has proposed that, ‘military discount in Wisconsin’s only no-compromise gun rights has only one responsibility — to do “Constitutional carry is the shotguns, or shotguns with common organization. Renew. Upgrade. Or tell a friend. what it is told. term Gun Owners of America military features that are unsuitable For the people to be the sovereign has applied to carrying for traditional shotgun sports’ be q $25 One Year q $60 Three Year (Save $15) — not just in theory, but in fact — we firearms without getting prior prohibited from importation. q $75 Five Year (Save $50) q $400 Life (Save $100) “This ban would apply to all must be armed. For our employees approval from the government. to tell us how, when and where we shotguns—not just semi-automatics. It recognizes that the Second As a press release by the National Name ______America has come a long way might be armed is a role reversal. A Amendment is serious when it Rifle Association (NRA) noted, from its 17th century founding. disarmed sovereign is a sovereign ‘as in previous ‘working group’ Street ______Massachusetts and Virginia had laws that has suffered a coup d’état. says that our gun rights “shall studies on rifles, the study fails to requiring travelers to be armed. In Constitutional carry is also a not be infringed.” give proper credit to the widespread Massachusetts, congregants had to recognition that gun control only City ______State ____ Zip ______use of these guns in newer shooting be armed. restricts the good guys. Criminals More civilians were murdered sports, or to their adaptability to That all changed, though, over the are not deterred by gun laws. in Juarez last year than civilians Phone ______hunting.’ next couple of centuries when states Criminals are in the business of in Afghanistan. Right across the “Under current federal firearms began imposing massive amounts breaking laws, and breaking a gun border in El Paso, the murder rate *E-Mail ______law concerning imports, the of gun control. These restrictions law does not result in a crisis of is enormously lower. Texans own We will never rent, sell or share your e-mail address. Your privacy is important Attorney General has to first approve turned countless Americans into conscience for criminals. guns, and many of them carry to us. By providing your e-mail, you’ll receive free gun rights alerts. the importation of any firearm mandatory victims, and many It is a huge mistake to think that concealed. ‘generally recognized as particularly innocent lives were lost as a result. any of the gun control measures So, let’s get a grip on reality. Let’s Please make check or money order payable to: suitable for or readily adaptable to But now, we are ever so slowly on our books, or which have remove the obstacles that impede “Wisconsin Gun Owners, Inc.” or “WGO” sporting purposes.’ The problem inching our way back to removing been proposed, deter criminals. the sovereign from arming himself with that? As the NRA explained, the mountain of prohibitions on Consider that in Mexico, in spite where he chooses and when he ‘This ‘sporting purposes’ test was Mail to: being armed in public. Prior to of a constitutional declaration of a chooses. It is the constitutional imposed by the Gun Control Act in Wisconsin Gun Owners (WGO) this year, three states had stopped right to have guns, there is only one thing to do, after all. 1968, a time when the right to self- PO Box 329 requiring law-abiding citizens to gun store in the whole country -- in defense with a firearm was not as Waupaca, WI 54981 first get a permit to carry firearms Mexico City. If you manage to get Larry Pratt is the executive director widely respected by the courts as it concealed in public. And now, a permit, it will be for a handgun of of Gun Owners of America (GOA). is today.’” legislators in Wyoming have added a fairly ineffective caliber, or for a For more information, and to join Or Join Online at wisconsingunowners.org! the Cowboy State to this growing limited selection of long guns. Then Gun Owners of America, visit list. you can make your appointment and www.gunowners.org. Constitutional carry is the term travel to Mexico City to finally get Gun Owners of America has your gun. applied to carrying firearms without Yet what dominates the news getting prior approval from the coming out of Mexico? Guns. And government. It recognizes that the the ones used by the drug traffickers Second Amendment is serious when are not usually the ones available

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