Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Over the last 2 weeks, temperatures have begun to fall, the leaves continue to change color, some folks are mailing in ballots, and Biden once more capitalizes on tragedy to push to restrict the rights and liberties of law-abiding Americans.
On Thursday, October, 12, 2022 a crime of violence took place in Raleigh, NC. A 15-year-old boy murdered his brother and 4 other victims. As of yet, the police have not reported a motive or what type of firearm this criminal used, but Joe Biden wasted no time in using this tragedy to push his political agenda of gun control by calling the legislature to pass the “Assault Weapon Ban of 2022”. The AWB2022 passed the House in July.
A witness of the Raleigh tragedy reported that the assailant “…had a long-barrel shotgun. He was dressed in camo”, and “He had a full backpack on that was also camouflage.”
The facts are not “in” but the narrative is pushed “out”.
We should learn the facts about Raleigh in the coming days, but no matter what the facts actually are, Joe and the elected class are ready to ban a list of firearms, register the ones that are in circulation, and confiscate your property while limiting, restricting and infringing upon your right to protect yourself and those that you love.
Ironically, on October 13th, the murderer who assassinated 17 people at Parkland High School in 2018, escaped the death penalty. On October 10th, 4 people were killed in a “drug related” shooting in Texas. Multitudes of criminals are set loose on the citizenry by activist judges and “do nothing” prosecutors. Sadly, examples like these are all too common. Law abiding American citizens are constantly victimized by criminals, the failings of the justice system, the inaction of prosecutors, and the zealous pursuit of tyranny by the elected class.
How can Americans protect themselves and their families from these threats?
#1: ARM yourself and exercise your right to self-defense
When seconds count, police are minutes away. YOU ARE YOUR OWN FIRST RESPONDER. Get an efficient tool of self-defense and learn how to use it properly. Read this article I wrote for the pre-ILLEA newsletter called “The Right Tool for the Job”. It should help you to choose a defensive firearm that will be reliable, efficient, and work well with what the body does naturally.
#2: EDUCATE yourself by seeking out proper defensive training
Although I will never support mandatory training (unless it happened at the grade school level), I ALWAYS support voluntary training. The 2nd Amendment talks about being “well-regulated”. That means trained. Even the founders felt that training was important enough to protect in the Bill of Rights.
#3: VOTE against those who empower criminals
If a candidate seeks to empower criminals by making it easier for criminals to do criminal things, then vote against them. If a candidate seeks to defund the police while calling criminal activity “mostly peaceful”, vote against them. If a candidate consistently fails to enforce laws that would hold criminals accountable, vote against them. If a candidate promotes open borders where criminals and contraband can freely flow across the border, vote against them. If a candidate seeks to de-criminalize everything, then vote against them.
#4: VOTE against those who seek to limit or restrict the rights of law-abiding Americans
If a candidate would rather restrict your rights than enforce the law, then vote against them. If a candidate believes the answer is to punish YOU rather than the criminals, then vote against them. If a candidate thinks it is a good idea to restrict, register, and confiscate your means to protect yourself and your family, vote against them.
#5: HOLD elected officials accountable
Make it know to your elected officials that the entire Constitutions of the US and Pennsylvania are there to restrict government. These elected officials swear an oath the uphold and obey the Constitution(s). Help them live up to that promise.
#6: HOLD yourself and those around you accountable
You are a free American. No matter what an elected official may try and make you believe, your rights are guaranteed in the Constitution(s) and paid for with the blood, sweat, and tears of generations of patriots. The Constitution of the US and the Pennsylvania Constitution preempt all laws, legislatures, executives, agencies, and agendas. We can only keep our status as free Americans if we exercise our rights, do our civic duty, lead those in our sphere of influence (call it your community), to do the same, and stand up for all of the rights of all Americans.
Some folks have already sent in their ballots; however, many are going to vote the old fashioned way by going to the polls on November 8th, 2022.
Have you done your candidate recon?`
Would you rather have a Senator Oz or a Senator Fetterman? Would you rather have a Governor Mastriano or a Governor Shapiro? Who will most likely empower you, restrict you, and empower the criminals?
Anti Gun / Anti Liberty organizations, Mom’s Demand Action, CeaseFirePA, and Everytown for Gun Control have all endorse Shapiro and Fetterman. Mom’s Demand Action, CeaseFirePA, and Everytown for Gun Control also support an Assault Weapons Ban, Red Flag Laws, Magazine Restrictions, and Universal Background Checks. Mom’s Demand Action, CeaseFirePA, and Everytown for Gun Control, all opposed, Constitutional Carry, Strengthen Preemption and National Reciprocity. Mom’s Demand Action, CeaseFirePA, and Everytown for Gun Control, ALL oppose YOUR individual liberty and YOUR right to self-defense AND the ALL also endorse Shapiro and Fetterman.
NOT VOTING is casting a vote for tyranny.
VOTE against the those that will restrict law abiding Americans and whether directly or indirectly, empower criminals.
An armed and educated citizenry is the true check and balance in our Constitutional Republic and the ultimate homeland security.
By Stephen LaSpina, FOAC-ILLEA Board Member
I recently had the opportunity to attend three seminars presented by Ed Monk of Last Resort Firearms Training. The first was on general active shooter information, the second was geared toward schools, and the third was directed toward law enforcement.
Mr. Monk has studied active shooter events in great detail and compiled an enormous amount of data. His slideshow and presentation skills are second to none. You could hear a pin drop for the duration of each three-hour seminar.
Ed Monk brings unique life experience to the conversation of dealing with active shooters. Not only has he served in both the Army and law enforcement, but he was also a public school teacher. This has given him multiple perspectives when it comes to training organizations and individuals to respond to this specific threat.
In crunching the data from past active shooting events, Mr. Monk discovered that two factors are vital to this conversation: time and math. The longer an active shooter is permitted to continue his plan uninterrupted, the more casualties will be sustained. The faster he is stopped, the fewer casualties there will be.
Mr. Monk states plainly that a plan to stop an active shooter is not enough. After all, these events all end eventually. What is key is that the plan stops them QUICKLY, ideally within 30 seconds from the start of the attack.
Additionally, he very clearly articulates that wishing for no casualties in this kind of event is hope, and “hope is not a plan.”However, a plan that stops the killer within 30 seconds will generally keep the victim count to single digits (0-9 victims). Mr. Monk advocates for this 30 second standard to be adopted by organizations. As he walks through specific past events one-by-one, you see his formula borne out over and over again in real life active shooter attacks.
Mr. Monk also offered us hope in reminding us that these active shooters, while often clever and conniving, are largely not well-trained. He declared that the best plan for humanity is confronting and stopping them.
The data he has collected shows great success for people intervening when they have three factors: they are armed, they are present, and they are willing. (This is not to suggest that someone without a firearm cannot stop an active shooter; there were multiple real life examples we were shown where this occurred. But counter-attacks with a firearm were statistically more successful.)
You can find excerpts from his full-length seminars on YouTube, and he has also made various appearances on radio shows and podcasts where he imparts the wisdom gleaned from his hours of research and study. I dare say that Mr. Monk has cracked the code when it comes to understanding and building an effective response plan to this threat.
If you are ever presented with the opportunity, I highly recommend attending one of these seminars. I regularly read, study, and teach on this subject, yet I came away learning MUCH. I am sure you will, too.
Originally published by Publius Huldah (Joanna Martin, J.D.)
Legislation recently filed in Congress shows that the assurances pro-convention lobbyists have been making to State Legislators to induce them to apply to Congress for Congress to call a Convention under Article V of our Constitution are false.
These lobbyists have convinced too many State Legislators that our Framers said that when the federal government violates the Constitution, the solution is to get a convention to amend the Constitution. Our Framers never said such a silly thing! But thatis what is behind the push for an Article V convention.
Article V of our Constitution provides two methods of amending the Constitution 1) Congress may propose amendments by two-thirds majority in both Houses; or 2) Congress, upon the applications of two-thirds of the State Legislatures, calls a convention where the Delegates may propose amendments. The second method has never been used – it’s dangerous!
Nevertheless, the pro-convention lobby has been assuring State Legislators that a Convention is perfectly safe because State Legislatures will control it: They will determine the amendments to be considered at the Convention; Congress can’t call a convention until Congress receives 34 applications from State Legislatures which ask for the same amendment; and Delegates to the convention may consider nothing but amendments requested by 34 State Legislatures.
If Congress calls a convention, would Congress or the Delegates to the Convention be constrained by the Lobbyists’assurances to State Legislators?
Of course not! The Delegates - as Sovereign Representatives of The People - would have the self-evident Right, recognized by the Declaration of Independence, “to alter or to abolish” our “Form of Government.” Accordingly, Congress isn’t empowered by Article V or anything else in the Constitution to call a limited convention restricted to considering only the amendments requested by 34 State Legislatures.
And now, legislation consistent with this “self-evident Right” has been recently filed in Congress:
On July 19, 2022, Congressman Jodey Arrington of Texas introduced H.Con.Res.101, which calls a convention; and H.R. 8419, which sets forth how applications for a convention are to be counted.
These Resolutions show that the convention pushers’ assurances that Delegates to the Convention can do nothing but consider amendments requested by 34 State Legislatures, are false:
H.C.R. 101 §1(a) (1) says, “…Congress hereby calls a convention for proposing amendments…”
H.R. 8419 creates subsection (c) of 1 U.S. Code, § 106, which directs the Archivist of the United States to count all non-rescinded applications asking Congress to call a Convention; and to notify Congress of its duty to call a Convention when the Archivist receives non-rescinded applications for a Convention from two-thirds of the States.
H.R. 8419 doesn’t permit the Archivist to sort the applications by the amendments specified by State Legislatures. Instead, H.R. 8419 directs the Archivist to count all non-rescinded applications together.
One group pushing for a Convention has already admitted that Congress can “mix & match” the various applications for a convention: This group combined non-rescinded applications passed in 1789, several passed in 1861 to avert the Civil War, and during 1901 for popular election of US Senators with applications passed in recent decades for a balanced budget amendment. 1
And the Archivist of the United States is, in effect, directed by H.R. 8419 to mix and match the various applications! If an application is non-rescinded, the Archivist is directed to count it to get to 34.
So H.C.R. 101 & H.R. 8419 really are consistent with the “self-evident right” of a People to alter or abolish their government and set up a new one. And they reveal that whoever drafted these Resolutions also understands that State Legislatures have no power to dictate what is considered by Delegates at the convention. In State Legislatures’ applications to Congress for a convention, they sometimes insist that they will control the convention (see p. 2, line 19 thru p. 7 of this application in the Pennsylvania Senate); but the Truth is that the Constitution sets forth what Congress has the power to do respecting an Article V Convention; and State Legislatures cannot change this by wishful thinking. And State Legislatures cannot dictate to Congress how Congress is to exercise a power the Constitution grants to Congress!
If Congress calls an Article V convention, you can be sure that a new Constitution will be imposed on us. 2 The convention of 1787 was called “for the sole and express purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation”. But the convention proposed a new Constitution which had a new mode of ratification and which created a new form of government. James Madison warned that those who secretly want a new Constitution would push for an Article V Convention under the pretext of “getting amendments”.
State Legislators need to open their eyes and see that while they are being used to get a Convention; they will have no power over the Convention; and won’t be able to do anything to stop a new Constitution with its own new mode of ratification from being imposed on us. State Legislatures must immediately rescind the applications for a convention they already sent to Congress.
Endnotes:
1 At the time the “BBA” organization prepared their chart, the applications they counted were non-rescinded. They counted 33 States with active applications on file with Congress. But thankfully, after their Chart was published, several of the States listed on their Chart wised-up and rescinded their applications. Other States whose previous applications for a convention are still active better rescind them before the Archivist gets her hands on them!
2 A member of Mark Meckler’s “COS” Legal Advisory Board, Princeton Law Professor Robert P. George, has already co-authored a new Constitution which grants massive new powers to a new federal government and imposes gun controls with red flag confiscations. Read it & tremble for your Country.
The semi-annually gun bash is our biggest fundraising event and the best gun bash in Western PA and maybe the entire Commonwealth. This bash I had the pleasure of being the sole MC all day long. I made a few folks’ heart flutter once or twice when I rattled off a winning number in the wrong order, however, it was an excellent time and a lot of attendees walked away with some nice new property to add to their own “freedom arsenals”. It was an honor to fellowship with fellow Americans, FOAC-ILLEA members, and pro-liberty elected officials and candidates.
Special thanks to the FOAC-ILLEA officers and board members and volunteers for making the bash a huge success. Thanks to the Marine Corp League 1138 for presenting the colors, and thanks to Aubrey Burchell for an amazing performance of our National Anthem. You can listen to Aubrey’s newest recording on iTunes.
Our next gun bash will be held in the same venue on March 18th, 2023. I hope to see you all at the bash!
FOAC-ILLEA Volunteer Kevin Jackson, FOAC-ILLEA Volunteer Lisha Mihalko, PA Representative Jim Marshall, FOAC-ILLEA 1st VP Jim Stoker, and FOAC-ILLEA Volunteer Bob Canova at a Firearms Law Seminar, October 5th, 2022
FOAC-ILLEA presents Concealed Carry Seminars with Pro-Liberty Elected Officials, works with County Sheriffs at Satellite License To Carry Events, provides information tables at Gun Shows, and organizes for Pro-2A Rallies and events. To see the most up to date schedule of FOAC-ILLEA Events, CLICK HERE.
By Naveen Athrappully Originally Published by Epoch Times
The FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has implemented a new policy that seeks to collect the addresses of gun purchasers in a bid to comply with a new federal law.
Federal firearms licensed (FFL) dealers now will be required to provide the FBI with the personal addresses of individuals who attempt to make a purchase but are rejected or have a delayed transaction. The FBI will also provide local law enforcement with details of failed or delayed transactions, as well as the personal information of those individuals.
Prior to the change, firearm dealers only had to provide a purchaser’s state of residence rather than their full address in cases of a denial or delay.
Last month’s change in policy is a result of President Joe Biden signing the appropriations package for fiscal 2022 in March. The package contained the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act, which includes the NICS Denial Notification Act.
In an FBI email dated Sept. 22, obtained by Gun Owners of America, the agency details how the new policy will be implemented:
“The NICS Denial Notification Act of 2022 requires the FBI’s NICS Section to notify state, local, or tribal law enforcement of all FBI NICS denied transactions within 24 hours. The FBI must provide notification to law enforcement based upon the location of the FFL and if different, the purchaser’s address.”
The FFLs must provide a buyer’s complete address to the NICS as recorded on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473 when transactions are “denied or delayed,” the email reads.
“The address information will be required before the status can be provided or retrieved either by the NICS contracted call center or via the NICS E-Check,” the email states.
The FBI didn’t respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.
Overreach by the FBI?
Central Texas Gun Works has slammed the new move as unconstitutional.
In a Sept. 26 statement, Michael Cargill, owner of the company, questioned the mandate requiring FFLs to record addresses of customers whose transactions are merely delayed, despite being ultimately approved for a firearm transaction.
Such a mandate wasn’t set forth in the law passed by Congress, he noted.
“Neither the ATF nor the FBI can act beyond the authority of Congress and violate the Constitution by furthering the ultimate goal of creating an illegal firearms owner database,” he said in the statement.
The FBI decision is the latest in a series of moves that gun owners say will curtail their rights. Last month, Visa announced it’s willing to join other credit card firms to tag firearm-related purchases. The National Rifle Association said Visa’s move is “eroding the rights of law-abiding Americans.”
According to a National Firearms Survey conducted last year by research firm Centiment, Americans own more than 415 million firearms. Given that the U.S. population is estimated to be about 333 million, that would mean there are 1.25 firearms for every U.S. citizen.
“I signed up to protect this country. I do not choose the wars.”
-Chris Kyle
For my “final thoughts” this edition I am going to continue to repurpose some of what I wrote previous editions.
We need more folks to get involved.
Here we are in last months of 2022. It is time to mobilize your friends and family to spread the word, stand up, and go to the polls on November 8th. We must take a stand for Liberty and vote for Liberty-minded Candidates. We must hold elected officials feet to the fire and help or in some cases make them uphold their oath to obey and protect the US and Pennsylvania Constitutions. We must educate our fellow Americans about their rights, the exercise of them and the civic process in our Constitutional Republic.
FOAC-ILLEA is continuing to fight for the hearts and minds of our fellow Pennsylvanians to promote individual liberties and freedoms. We are steadfast and resolute and dedicated to protecting our Constitution and advancing the cause of the 2nd Amendment and Article 1 Section 21 of the PA Constitution.
FOAC-ILLEA’s educational efforts are expanding across the Commonwealth. FOAC-ILLEA volunteers are teaching more concealed carry classes each month and additional virtual education events are forthcoming.
FOAC-ILLEA is continuing to fight in the courts. Whether this means new litigation to challenge local tyrants, fight the bureaucrats that make it harder for Pennsylvanians to exercise their most basic rights, or the funding of amicus briefs to support others who are already involved in court battles, we are actively helping to establish case law that will help advance the cause of liberty.
FOAC-ILLEA volunteers research proposed legislation, consult with experts, and offer advice to elected officials about legislation as well as educate the public on the strength or folly of legislation that could have lasting positive or negative effects upon our liberty and the liberty of our children.
Get involved!
If you have read this entire newsletter and made it here to this statement… you are already interested and vested.
Donate your time, or your talents, or your treasure. VOTE pro-2A and get your friends to vote pro-2A as well. Become a member and get your friends to become a member. If you are already a member, consider “upping your membership” to a higher level. Join us at the gun bash, purchase a ticket. Volunteer to help at the bash. Volunteer to join a committee to send emails, write letters, make phone calls… NOW IS THE TIME TO DO. DON’T PUT IT OFF. “We the People” have been sitting on the sidelines too long.
An Armed and Educated Citizenry is the true check and balance in our Constitutional Republic and the ultimate homeland security!
Stay Armed and Be Well Regulated!
Yours In Liberty,
Klint Macro
FOAC-ILLEA 2nd VP
