May 31, 1999 

It is beyond time to let the genie out of the bottle. 

For months, I have been fighting a losing battle to establish a coalition of pro-second amendment groups to check their egos at the door and focus on the OBJECTIVE. 

Routinely, when I suggest an aggressive pro-active approach to combating the gun grabbers, the alleged pro-gun types get scared.  They fear the wrath (and money) of Handgun Control Incorporated. 

I am beyond frustrated, p.o.-ed, and ashamed.   I am a realist, and frankly, I have a keener insight into the procedural nightmare that masquerades as lawmaking in the California BillMill than many.  I am sensitive to how the game is played in Sacramento, why tactics which appear myopic may be mitigated by longer-range strategic considerations. 

HOWEVER, today I am announcing to all those organized gun owners organizations:  LEAD...FOLLOW...OR GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY. 

If you don’t STAND for something, you WILL fall for anything.  Listen, we are LOSING….incrementally, daily, monthly, and consistently.  The cabal of Villagrosia, Burton, Perata, Polanco et al is riding rough shod over not only the Constitution, but also common sense, and reality.  Notwithstanding the abundance of FACTS, we allow (by our silence and inaction) the socialist to expand their agenda piece by piece. 

People I like, people I have great respect for, have cautioned me to not wake the 800-pound gorilla.  Owwwwwwwwwwww….don’t get HCI mad, or they’ll spend millions of dollars fighting us.   SWELL, let the fight begin.  We may bleed, we may lose…we may even shock the diffident and win, but I guarantee you THEY will bleed also…they’ll bleed dollars…Millions of dollars.   If they win any victory, let it be Pyhrric…make them PAY….BIGTIME. 

Listen folks, we are LOSING now!!!!  Step by step..inch by inch…the gun grabbers are winning. They are winning by lying, by controlling the media, by suppressing FACTS which contradict and undermine THEIR preconceived opinions…………….The groups we send money to, the supposed defenders of our rights can’t or won’t do squat.  They posture and pose.  They cash our checks. However, as soon as some tragedy is used to manipulate public opinion, our presumed defenders fold like a host of cards. 
 

• There is abundant data for myriad sources to counter the emotional excrement of the Rosie O’Donnell types.  By the way Rosie, Guns are no more responsible for a school shooting than Spoons are responsible for your weight challenge. 
• Dr. John Lott’s seminal University of Chicago Study is compelling. 
• His recent book is compelling. 
• The remarkable failure of Australian gun control which has caused a marked increase in violent crime and has even caused the law’s socialist authors to cry for a “do over” with less draconian requirements is awesome. 
• Every day more crimes are PREVENTED with firearms than occur with firearms.

Since we can’t seem to get our representatives (elected or volunteer) to represent us, it is time to really see if we get the government we deserve, OR if we can turn up the heat sufficient for them to see the light. 

Here’s the deal: The California Constitution includes a provision, which allows US to challenge bad legislation and actually VETO the Governor. If or when he signs into law legislation which a majority of us feel is flat out wrong, we CAN, and SHOULD VETO the Governor.  The tool is the Referendum. 

Although I have been unable to get alleged ‘leaders’ to do this, I offer the concept to any and all of you as a tool.  Here is the procedure (which I will post to my web page http://www.geoffmetcalf.com): 

• Governor signs onerous bill into law (ie: SB-23 Assault Weapons ban).
• ASAP someone or group (ANYONE, or ANY group) submits a ‘REFERRAL’ letter to the Secretary of State.
• Immediately upon receipt of the ‘Referral’ the law signed by the Governor GOES ON HOLD for 90 days.
• During the subsequent 90 days (a very short time) over 480,000 VALID registered voter signatures must be submitted through county registrars of voters.
• IF or when sufficient valid signatures are submitted the law signed by the Governor REMAIN ON HOLD AND DOES NOT become law.  The Indian Casinos have already done this…….Rather it is put on the ballot and VOTED ON BY THE ENTIRE STATE in the next General Election.

However, unless or until we enter the FIGHT we will continue to see our INALIENABLE rights, attrited, eroded, and undermined. 

I don’t have the time, money or organization to do this alone.  Our presumed allies apparently don’t have the desire, commitment, or courage to do this.  IF this valuable tool is to be used effectively it is going to HAVE to happen with a massive, coordinated grass roots effort. 

I have already orchestrated a network, which potentially can and (hopefully) would collect 300,000-400,000 through on line petitions.  I am going to try  to coordinate like minded talkshow hosts to help, but frankly, soliciting cooperation from talk show hosts is kinda like herding cats.  But I am going to give it a shot anyway, even if I fail miserably. 

I’d rather fight the fight and lose, than stagnate, atrophy, and itch and moan about being victimized by gun grabbing anti-Constitutional hypocrites and frauds. 

I would welcome the organizational help, support, and guidance of the National Rifle Association, Gun Owners of America, Gun Owners of California, American Rifle and Pistol Association, and any and all others……but I’m not going to hold my breath or kiss any more rings. 

 

 

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