Harrisburg 2nd Amendment Action Day?

[hyperbuzzin]

Anyone ever been to one of these? The Sportsmans Club I belong to is sponsoring a bus ride to one this Tuesday and I'm just wondering what to expect.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

I went to the one that was right after Sandy Hook and then a second one followed close behind it. The first was interesting. The second was uneventful.

First, dress nice. I suggest business casual, clean shaven. Don't be a stereotype. I couldn't help myself and open carried an inert plastic training glock so people knew I was there for one reason. I probably wouldn't do that again because I think it distracted from the conservation with my one representative.

Second, know who your state house and state senate rep is, if they're in the office that day, and then find their office and talk to them. Tell them where you live, that you either support or don't support them, why you're there, etc. Keep it concise, they're probably busy and you might not even get to see them if they're between meetings and lunch, etc. I was lucky to be able to sit down with both of my representatives, tell them what I believed in, confirmed their support, and shook hands and left without incident. I didn't bother to go see other anti-gun reps. Some guys will crash their offices and ruin their day haha. I heard last year one Philadelphia rep was trying to hold his door shut or something.

Third, if you don't have to check a firearm, you can go right from the rally on the front steps and into the court house through the metal detectors pretty fast. I did that the second time, because it takes FOREVER to check firearms at the rear entrance where that has to be done. I also had steel body armor in my backpack (place could be a crazy magnet) and my inert training gun that they let me pass through with. I would try to beat the crowd to the back entrance if checking a firearm. You have to pass through a metal detector, then they put your firearm in a lock box and give you a receipt. If they lock boxes at the entrance are full, you have to take an elevator to the security office and start checking them there. It took some time. Also you can't take in a flag pole. They let me leave it in the office.

The first rally/action day was the "dueling" action day. The anti-gun people showed up in "force" or some pathetic attempt at it. They bussed in a lot of little old ladies with nothing better to do than be busy bodies and a whole lot of underprivileged people, who once given their free lunch and t-shirt found a bench to sit on and do nothing. A nice contrast to the many pro-gun activists who took a day off work, drove for hours using their own car and gas or paid for a bus ride, and actively sought out their representatives to talk to them. I saw a few foaming at the mouth anti-gun people on the brink of irrelevant insanity, but for the most part it was passionate and professional debate that went on between the opposing groups. I mostly observed other conversations but I did engage a group of high school teenagers who were coincidentally there that day on a field trip from a Philadelphia school. Their teacher seemed pretty anti gun so when he left for a moment I approached them and ended up talking to them for a long time. I think I did some good, and being younger and not looking like a hillbilly they could relate to me. The anti-gun group set up a large media carnival in the one atrium, with sobbing women who's babies had been shot on the hard street of Philly and so on. Typical emotional response stuff.

I don't think you will see that kind of crowded and exciting event tomorrow due to the current political/cultural atmosphere, but they might have a group there. That's why the second rally I went to was a lot more low-key. Things had calmed down and there wasn't a big anti gun presence.

It's nice to visit the capitol building. It's large, architecturaly beautiful, historic, and you can go to the overlook balcony if the senate or house are in session and observe their lack of professionalism. I sat up there for about 10 minutes, watched reps playing on Facebook and Youtube while issues were being presented, pushing other people's buttons to vote for bills, and sleeping or whatever. You will leave feeling both disgusted at what you see and proud of yourself for actually taking the time to witness the internals of the political machine.

Here was the big rally on the front steps:





And then me and a friend had our flags so we tried to get up on this water fountain and be in the back ground of the anti-gun media circus on camera. They scrambled to get their posters in front of us. It was fun, they were so annoyed.





There were 5 other forum members there that day, maybe they will chime in, but that's how it was from my recollection. I feel like I'm blurring together memories from the two trips. I would definitely go back if things got more "heated up" again, which is the wrong attitude, but I currently don't have the time to go out there (flying to Alabama tomorrow).

[hyperbuzzin]

Some great info!! Thanks

[hyperbuzzin]

I was on my phone there ^^^ so will add more now....

I won't be on my own to speak to the Reps. Each bus (there are 3 going) will be broke down into 4 groups. Each group has Team Leaders who will initiate conversations with the Reps and we are free to add our own input.

The majority of our mission are the following...

1. Eliminate the PICs System – HB 921 & SB 725
2. Hunting with semi-auto Rifles – HB 366
3. Modify the Transportation of Firearms Laws – HB 718
4. Constitutional Carry (known as two-tiered carry) - HB 230
5. Firearm Freedom Act – HB 510
6. Right to Bear Arms Protection Act – HB 357 & SB 357
7. Prohibition on Maintenance of Firearms Registry – HB 783
8. Firearm Storage Device Sales Tax Exclusion – SB 629 & HB 283
9. Disparity of Force – HB 45
10. Firearms Offenses Sentence – HB 44
11. LTCF Reciprocity – HB 80

I've read up on these bills somewhat but am by no means an expert on them. Hopefully I can put in my .02¢ on at least a few of them.

This is the first time I've done anything like this and admit I may be a bit nervous. I've never been much of one to speak among groups of people.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

That sounds like a good plan! Definitely a pro-active agenda. When I was there it was more for post Sandy Hook knee jerk reactions.

As far as public speaking, I suggest you practice telling your thoughts on those bills to one or more people, or just to yourself while driving. I always feel like practicing saying the words you're thinking makes a big difference when they need to be articulated in front of a group.

I also get a serious confidence boost from waving my arms in the air, beating my chest, and pretending to yell (move air but don't make sound). Seriously. And do it in private haha. I got that from a documentary on public speaking. It really works.

[justin'sbig7]

I was with josh, we traveled together the first trip and I drove out with my dad for the second. Josh's recollection is pretty spot on... If I have learned anything from that trip it's that I pretty much have no faith in our govt from any party... Politicians are there to get their palms greased and don't seem to GAF about their constituents till its time to vote

[sethman15210]

My personal opinion is don't take a weapon. As josh said, it's a nightmare to get into the building with all the people checking in weapons. You can still make your point without being armed.

[hyperbuzzin]

Thanks guys. Getting ready to leave. Weapon will remain locked up at home.
Pics to follow.

[hyperbuzzin]

All in all the Rally turned out pretty good. We had 3 buses leave at 4:00am for Harrisburg. Unfortunately, on those 3 buses were only 4 members of the Sportsmens club I belong to.
Some of the speakers included Judges, State Representatives, the founder of the F.O.A.C (Firearm Owners Against Crime), members of law enforcement, including a Texas Sheriff who sued the Federal Government (over state laws vs. federal law) and won.

After the rally we went into the capitol and met with some of the representatives and or the representatives staff, all of which I thought went very well.
During lunch, myself and two of the others from my club broke away and visited the offices of Game and fisheries Committee Chairman, Keith Gillespie, Game and Fisheries Committee member Hal English and local representative Robert Matzie asking for their support of HB366 (Hunting With Semi-Automatic Rifles).
Pennsylvania and Delaware are the only two states which don't allow this. Really sad for hunters from those states.

I was kind of surprised there weren't more people carrying long guns. I heard more than a few people comment about the number of guns being carried at events such as this. There were quite a lot of pistols on peoples sides, but only 2 or 3 long guns that I saw.

So, all in all, Beaver County was well represented, but not my club.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

I didnt see many long guns when I went, and I'm not sure if the capitol police can even check those, so maybe that's why.

Sounds like a good day though!

[joshs1ofakindxj]

There was a rally in Greensburg, and I remember talking about carrying belt feds with my buddy that also has one, as the ultimate display of 2A firepower haha, but between the obnoxiousness and the fact that I cant carry it without muzzling a lot of people we dropped that idea.