Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition
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December 9, 1999: Colorado State Representative Andy McElhany gave us his predictions on what pro- and anti-gun legislation may be presented during the Colorado 2000 legislative session. He anticipates several anti-gun bills, but doesn't think any will pass. Likewise, it may be a tough fight for any pro-gun bills this session either. Andy, a strong pro-gun supporter, will be running for the Colorado Senate next November and we need to ensure he makes it. More than 100 PPFC members and guests also took part in a great pot luck. Next month Colorado Springs Police Chief Lorne Kramer will be our speaker.
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November 11, 1999: The Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition honored KKCS "Hot Talk 1460" radio talk show host Chuck Baker for his support of our right to keep and bear arms, especially during the preparations for the anti-gun forum held in October. NRA-ILA Colorado Representative Mary Anne Bradfield flew in from Washington to present Chuck a letter from NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and a beautifully framed limited edition print featuring a soaring eagle. Forensic expert Dr. Larry Howard gave an interesting presentation on how his office -- he was the director of the Georgia State Crime Lab -- helped solve the Wayne Williams serial murder cases in Atlanta in which 28 young boys were killed over a three year period. Using only fiber evidence from the victims' bodies, the Crime Lab was able to build a case against Williams who was convicted of 12 of the murders (the prosecutor picked the 12 best cases). We also voted on which messages we'd like to put on billboards in Colorado Springs and Denver. We are putting together a cost proposal on the billboards. It looks like the Denver board will be very expensive and we may have to join forces with some other pro-gun groups do afford it. We had a short introduction to the upcoming political season stressing the need to get involved at the caucus level.
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October 14, 1999: More than 600 members of the Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition and other pro-gun rights citizens jammed Centennial Hall to attend a forum featuring anti-gun physician Dr. Arthur Kellermann from Atlanta. About 350 people made it inside with another 250 listening on a hastily erected speaker system outside. A panel discussion followed Kellermann's speech featuring El Paso County Sheriff John Anderson, Colorado Springs Chief of Police Lorne Kramer, District Attorney Jeannie Smith, School District 11 Superintendent Dr. Kenneth Burnley, and others. The HUGE pro-gun turnout forced Dr. Kellermann to moderate his anti-gun presentation. This was the largest turnout for a gun rights event ever in Colorado Springs!
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September 9, 1999: El Paso County Sheriff John W. Anderson spoke to a large group of PPFC members and guests on the future of concealed carry in the state of Colorado. He updated us on a effort among Colorado sheriffs to establish an uniform system for issuing concealed carry permits in all Colorado counties. He said they were close to reaching an agreement. Colorado chiefs of police have agreed to let the Colorado sheriffs be the only issuing authority in the counties and to support the program. Sheriff Anderson said he thought even the Denver Public Safety Director (the City and County of Denver equivalent to a sheriff) would go along with this effort. An informative discussion took place between the sheriff and the audience over the issue of raising the age to buy a firearm from 18 to 21 and the destroying of confiscated firearms. Sheriff Anderson told us he would only support a pro-concealed carry successor when he leaves office. Undersheriff Ivan Middlemiss and Sgt Jim Groth also attended.
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August 12, 1999: Colorado Lieutenant Governor Joe Rogers spoke to nearly 100 PPFC members and guests on defending our Second Amendment rights. He told us we should concentrate on showing the evil that exists within the recent mass shooters. It is difficult for us to fight the anti-gun emotion with pro-gun facts. We need to redirect the discussion from the tool used by these criminals to the evil which motivated them. Lt. Gov. Rogers reiterated his support for our right to keep and bear arms and that he will support a shall issue concealed carry bill in the State Legislature.
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July 8, 1999: US Representative Joel Hefley (R-CO5) spoke to a packed house of 105 PPFC members and guests on our 2nd Amendment freedoms. He gave us some backgound on the recent House vote that killed the gun control measures. He chided the Clinton Administration and some Democrats for trying to "captialize" on the terrorist attack on Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado on April 20, 1999. As each new gun control measure was considered, Representative Hefley asked the question, "Would this new law have prevented the Columbine attack?" In every case, the answer was "no". Colorado State Representative and House Majority Leader Doug Dean (R-18) gave us an inside account of what happened in the State Legislature after Columbine. On Monday, April 19th, Representative Dean met with the House Speaker and they mapped out a plan to have the firearm preemption and the concealed carry bills passed by the end of the week. He stated they had the votes to pass these important bills. Then came Tuesday, April 20th and Columbine. Out of respect for the victims and families, the leadership in both houses agreed that this wasn't the time to be debating gun bills and they were "laid over (killed)". Representative Dean stated he doesn't believe there will be a special session to discuss gun control measures. He also told us there will be many anti-gun bills introduced next session but he doesn't believe they will pass. He did think that some, or all, of the pro-gun bills introduced last session would be introduced this session.
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June 10, 1999: The NRA video Banned! was shown. This "must see" video shows what happened in England and Australia after school shootings. Could this happen in the United States? After the video, NRA Field Representative for Colorado, Dave Lee, told us about the NRA and gave us some insight into the scaling back of the NRA Annual Meeting in Denver. The Executive Director for the Colorado State Shooting Association (CSSA), Amiee Rathburn, gave us an overview of the CSSA - the NRA affiliated association for Colorado. Jim Shaver, Director of the National Training Center Junior Shooting Club at the US Olympic Training Center, told us about their program to teach shooting sports to juniors (20 years and under). This is an excellent program for our youth to get involved in the shooting sports. They use the USA Shooting facility at the Olympic Training Center.
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May 13, 1999: The Colorado Springs Gazette political cartoonist, Chuck Asay, gave a great presentation on freedom. We also had a terrific pot luck. Colorado State Senator Mark Hillman and State Representatives Andy McElhany and Richard Decker also attended.
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April 8, 1999: Mr. Doug Wilson, Deputy Public Defender for the 4th Judical District, gave a talk on protecting our rights. Most often, public defenders are displayed as people who try to get guilty criminals off. Mr. Wilson made a very good point: "If we don't protect the rights of the suspected criminal, how long before we all lose our rights?" A lively discussion followed his talk. |
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