Gun Owners of America has issued an urgent appeal to contact U.S. Senators concerning pending legislation that would silence the free speech of grassroots citizens' organizations. Contact your Senators TODAY. Below is the story from GOA, as well as a sample letter you can use to send to your Senators. NOW is the time to act to protect our FIRST AMENDMENT as well as our 2nd Amendment rights!
Senate Takes Up Legislation To Stymie Grassroots Lobbying
Gun Owners of America
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102
Springfield, VA 22151
(703)321-8585
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
When you look at GOA's year-ending report, you can see that your grassroots efforts had a tremendous impact upon the legislative process last year.
There is no doubt that you guys have made a difference.
That's why GOA is so concerned about legislation currently pending on the Senate floor which would attempt to intimidate organizations like GOA that work with members and friends to pressure Congress to support the Second Amendment.
The legislation (S. 1) would regulate "grassroots lobbying" by requiring groups like us to monitor and report the amount of money we spend to exercise our First Amendment rights on behalf of gun ownership.
Suffice it to say that a government which can force us to monitor and report on our "grassroots" activity could just as easily force us to provide even more sensitive details of these efforts.
This could include demands for our membership list -- that is, attempts to get REGISTRATION lists of gun owners' names -- and the specifics of communications with our friends!!!
Thankfully, there is an effort underway to knock out the most egregious parts of this bill, found in Sec. 220. Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Robert Bennett (R-UT) are offering an amendment (Senate Amendment #20) -- to be voted on later this week -- that will knock out the S. 1 restrictions on grassroots lobbying.
That's why we need your help right now.
The best way to keep from sliding down this slippery slope of unconstitutionality is to tell the government -- now -- to keep its nose out of our constitutional rights.
Just as the Second Amendment guarantees our right to keep and bear arms, the First Amendment protects our rights to petition the government for redress of grievances. And the power to regulate and monitor our grassroots activities on behalf of gun ownership is, ultimately, the power to destroy those rights.
ACTION: Contact your two Senators and ask them to support Senate Amendment #20 to S. 1. You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center to send your Senators a pre-written e-mail message. And, you can call your Senators toll-free at 1-877-762-8762.
---- Pre-written letter to your Senators ----
Dear Senator:
S. 1 is an effort to intimidate organizations, like Gun Owners of America, that work with members and friends to encourage Congress to support the Second Amendment. Thankfully, Senators McConnell and Bennett are offering Senate Amendment #20 -- to be voted on later this week -- that will knock Section 220 out of S. 1.
I urge you to support that amendment. And if the amendment is defeated, then I would strongly urge you to oppose the underlying bill. Gun Owners of America will be rating both of these votes.
Just as the Second Amendment guarantees our right to keep and bear arms, the First Amendment protects our rights to petition the government for redress of grievances. And the power to regulate and monitor our grassroots activities on behalf of gun ownership is, ultimately, the power to destroy those rights.
Please know that this is as much a Second Amendment issue as direct efforts to seize our guns from our hands.
Sincerely,
(place your name here)
Here is a link to the GOA:
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