GRPC, DAY TWO

From 9 AM to well after 1 PM, we got useful information from the front lines. Discussing media relations, Tom Gresham and Malia Zimmerman noted among other things that ranting against liberals is counterproductive, because in their collective experience they’ve found that as many as 30% of liberals are pro-gun, and it’s never wise to insult potential allies.  There was a three-man panel on dealing with anti-gun media bias. Herb Stupp advised appealing to reporters’ and editors’ sense of fairness: “I appreciate your interest in this issue. Have you considered how many lives are saved by guns?”  Herb noted that big city papers often have an ombudsman who handles complaints about press bias.  “Speak to the editor if you can’t get through to the reporter,” he advised, “and look for columnists who are friendly or open-minded to the issue.”

Don Irvine from Accuracy In Media (AIM) noted that of 216 stories on gun policy analyzed in the first thirty days after Sandy Hook, eight out of nine favored “gun control.” CBS was the worst with a 22:1 ratio.  “Make judicious use of Twitter and Facebook” was his advice. “This is how today’s journalists get their news,” he said.

Charles Heller of Liberty Watch Radio, who does three talk shows in Arizona, advises gun rights advocates to make themselves information resources to journalists.  Tell them, “We will get you information,” and follow through with solidly researched material.

Tim Schmidt of the US Concealed Carry Association came out strongly for permitless carry. He spoke of having to kiss the ring of the king for an inalienable right, and saw permits as “goofy little concealed carry cards.”

John Fund of National Review celebrated the recently announced resignation of Eric Holder. His take: Democrats are taking the popularity polls and voting predictions, and wanted a new AG in place before a Republican-controlled Senate would have to approve his replacement. Fund noted that one out of ten House Democrats voted to find Holder in contempt of Congress.  With document production now having been compelled by the Court in the Fast and Furious matter, he sees the Holder departure as “getting out of town ahead of the sheriff.”  Fund contends that Eric Holder is/was the worst Attorney General in US history.  When it is pointed out that Nixon’s AG, John Mitchell, went to prison, Fund counters that Mitchell was sentenced there for things he did as Nixon’s campaign manager, not anything he did as Attorney General.

After the conference, on his Gun Talk radio show, Tom Gresham gave the best answer as to why this conference was held in anti-gun Chicago.  Alan Gottlieb’s Second Amendment Foundation funded the lawsuits that won concealed carry for Illinois, and handgun ownership rights for Chicagoans.  Gresham explained simply, “It was a victory lap.”

Next year’s Gun Rights Policy Conference, the thirtieth, will take place the last full weekend of September 2015 in super-gun-friendly Phoenix.  Attendance is no charge and you can pack your pistol without need for a permit.  Hope to see you there.

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