From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: NRA Sues Seattle Over Illegal Gun Ban Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:27:40 -0500 NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS ALERT Vol. 16, No. 43 10/30/09 NRA Sues Seattle Over Illegal Gun Ban Click here to vote in this week's poll. On October 28, NRA filed a complaint in the Superior Court of Washington State against the City of Seattle, asking the court to enjoin and declare invalid a recently enacted parks and recreation administrative policy that prohibits firearms in parks, community centers and other city-owned buildings. Other plaintiffs in the case include state correctional officers and private citizens. "NRA members are outraged that the City of Seattle has ignored and defied state law and an opinion of Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna," said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox. "The NRA will continue to fight this senseless infringement on the rights of law-abiding Seattle gun owners." Outrage Of The Week: Over the past few years, we have reported on numerous, outrageous cases of "zero-tolerance" enforcement defying logic and rational thought. There seems to be no shortage of this kind of miscarriage of not only justice, but of common sense. So here we go again: This week's "Outrage" comes to us from Des Moines, Iowa, where a school recently suspended an 11-year-old girl for bringing a handful of empty shotgun shells to school. During a family trip to a ranch in South Dakota, the blank rounds were fired as part of a show, and the sixth-grade student gathered the harmless, empty shells as souvenirs. Once again, these were harmless, empty shell casings from fired, blank rounds! .But We're Not Through: This week's second outrage comes to us via Tennessee Attorney General Bob Cooper (D), who recently issued an official opinion that landlords can prohibit law-abiding tenants from possessing their legally-owned firearms within the leased premises of their rented apartments, even if the tenants have a valid carry permit! According to an October 28th article on Knoxnews.com, the opinion is in response to a request from state Representative Tony Shipley (R-2), who said he had thought the answer would have been different. Can't Spell "Freedom's Voice" Without Free! As the days wind down to Election Day in Virginia-November 3rd-once again, Grassroots staff is on the road-where we belong and where we thrive! We will be traveling across the state, working with our members and supporters to elect pro-gun candidates. Another Way To Get Involved: Online Social Networking: Internet social networking has exploded in recent years. Websites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter attract millions of users. These on-line communities foster a connection between their users, and allow distribution of user-generated content (like pictures, profiles, music, video, and text). NRA has been a part of this social technology for some time now, with a presence on each of these sites. By actively participating in these new media, we are able to reach out to more potential members and supporters than ever before. Clearing Up the Rumors: The Truth About The "Gun Tax Bill" Over the past few months, NRA-ILA has received hundreds of e-mails warning us about "SB-2099," a bill that would supposedly require you to report all your guns on your income tax return every April 15. Like many rumors, there's just a grain of truth to this one. Someone is recycling an old alert, which wasn't even very accurate when it was new. Help Defend Your Gun Rights One Click At A Time: We have a revolutionary yet simple tool that will allow you to stay connected to NRA-ILA and raise valuable contributions to defend our Second Amendment rights without spending a dime! It's the NRA-ILA Toolbar, and you can make a difference by downloading and using it. STATE ROUNDUP (Please note the only items listed below are those that have had recent action. For other updates on state legislation, please go to the state legislation section at www.NRAILA.org, and check each week's issue of the Grassroots Alert.") MICHIGAN: Parking Lot Legislation Headed to the House Floor! On Tuesday, October 27 the House Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources Committee approved House Bill 5302 and House Bill 5303 by a 9 to 1 vote. HB5302, introduced by State Representative Paul Opsommer (R-93), and HB5303, introduced by State Representative Joel Sheltrown (D-103), would prohibit employers from firing employees who safely and lawfully store their firearms in locked vehicles while at work. The bill now moves to the full Michigan House of Representatives where a vote may be taken any day. Please contact your Representative TODAY and respectfully ask them to support this important Second Amendment legislation. To find your representative and contact information please click here. NEW JERSEY: Tuesday, November 3 is Election Day! Be sure to "Vote Freedom First!" If you have questions about candidate grades and endorsements, please call our Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) or visit www.NRAPVF.org. For more information about voting in New Jersey, please visit http://www.njelections.org/. NORTH CAROLINA: Tar Heel State to Start Producing NRA License Plates! In 2005, North Carolina established an NRA license plate, but we needed 300 North Carolinians to commit to purchasing them before they could be issued. We have finally reached the magic number! The applications, along with the necessary payments, have been submitted to the North Carolina DMV, and we thank everyone who has been patiently waiting for their chance to show support for NRA on their vehicle-especially those who applied in the beginning. It has been a long road, but your patience will soon pay off. We will be sure to post further updates as soon as we can, to let you know when to expect your NRA license plate. Our special thanks go out to NRA Western North Carolina Field Representative Doug Merrill, who has been handling all of the submitted applications, and fielding anxious calls looking for updates. Again, thank you for your patience! SOUTH CAROLINA: Volunteers Needed to Assist with Range Clean-Up and Maintenance The Twin Ponds Rifle Range in the Francis Marion National Forest is in need of clean-up and repairs after it was closed in September because of vandalism over the last 12 months. The Forest is hosting a volunteer clean-up and repair day in order to get the range reopened by Sunday, November 1. Already, a number of shooter-volunteers, along with a troop of Cub Scouts, have pledged their help that day. The Forest can always use additional volunteers for that day and in the future to keep the range safe and clean. For more information, please click here. TENNESSEE: Clay County to Address Repeal of Ban on Firearms within State Parks On Monday, November 2 at 6:30 p.m. the Clay County Commission will consider an ordinance that would repeal an earlier vote that bans the possession of firearms within County parks. The meeting will be held at the Clay County Community Center, located at 145 Cordell Hull Drive in Celina. The meeting will be open for public debate so be sure to arrive early if you would like the option to speak. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please contact County Mayor Dale Reagan and the County Commissioners at 931-243-2161 and respectfully urge them to support the removal of the existing gun ban. To contact the Mayor and County Commissioners, please click here. Ordinance Banning Firearms in Parks Dealt a Blow in Bartlett An ordinance which would have outlawed the possession of firearms in local parks, even by those who possess Right-to-Carry permits, failed to pass on Tuesday, October 27. Thank you to all of the NRA members who made their voices heard. Please continue to visit www.nraila.org for up-to-date legislative alerts on this issue. TEXAS: Attention NRA Members in Henderson & Kaufman Counties! Please make plans to attend upcoming town hall meetings for your State Representative and strong Second Amendment supporter, Betty Brown (R-4). The events are being hosted by the Texas Conservative Coalition -- the conservative caucus of the Texas Legislature. The first meeting will take place on Tuesday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m.in the Trinity Valley Community College cafeteria, located at 100 Cardinal Drive, in Athens. The second will be held on Wednesday, November 4 at 7:30 AM at Covenant Generations Church, located at 10342 W. Highway 80 in Forney. Two key NRA-backed bills did not pass during the 2009 legislative session: a proposal prohibiting employers from enforcing policies against hard-working Texans who store their lawfully-owned firearms in their locked motor vehicles while parked at work, and a measure allowing concealed handgun licensees to protect themselves on college and university campuses. Rep. Brown co-sponsored both bills, but House leaders failed to set either of them for a timely vote by the full House. This is your chance to thank Rep. Brown for her support and to urge her to push House leaders for a floor vote on both issues next session! VIRGINIA: Remember to Vote Freedom First on Election Day! Tuesday, November 3 is Election Day in the Old Dominion. Be sure to "Vote Freedom First!" If you have questions about candidate grades and endorsements, please visit www.NRAPVF.org, or call our Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683). For more information about voting in Virginia, please visit http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/Election_Information/Index.html. With the Virginia elections now merely days away, we need you to increase your volunteer activism in support of our candidates. To find out how you can assist with our final push, please contact your NRA-ILA Campaign Field Representatives (CFRs). For CFR contact information, please click here. WASHINGTON: NRA Sues Seattle Over Illegal Gun Ban On Wednesday, October 28, the National Rifle Association filed a complaint in the Superior Court of Washington State against the City of Seattle, asking the court to enjoin and declare invalid a recently enacted parks and recreation administrative policy that prohibits firearms in parks, community centers and other city-owned buildings. Other plaintiffs in the case include state correctional officers and private citizens, as well as the Second Amendment Foundation, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and the Washington Arms Collectors, Inc. The city is in violation of Washington's preemption statute, which forbids localities from enacting this type of ban. In October 2008, Attorney General Rob McKenna issued an opinion that put the City of Seattle and Mayor Nickels on notice that Washington cities may not enact local laws prohibiting possession of firearms on city property or in city-owned facilities. 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