Thursday, July 7, 2011

Paul Helmke's Parting Remarks

 The Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne Indiana reports


“We needed more people at the local level talking to their elected congressional representatives,” he said. “Even in northeast Indiana, there’s a lot of folks I know who agree with me on these things. I hear from them. They are NRA members, they are gun owners. But they agree with the specifics I talk about. But somehow I haven’t in northeast Indiana translated that into pressure on (former Rep. Mark Souder and Rep. Marlin Stutzman) sufficient to convince them. And that’s the same thing multiplied in congressional districts throughout the country.

“I came from the local level, and I see the power in change in Washington is coming from the local level, and I wasn’t able to translate that idea into juice at the local level to get it done. Looking back, I probably should have put more emphasis on that more quickly and started building at the local level … get our numbers up a little higher than they are now.”

Not to worry, Paul, that's exactly where we come in, grass-roots level carrying of the message.

The pro-gun bloggers and antagonistic commenters that we seem to have so many of are really a tiny percentage of what's out there. Many gun owners agree with the sensible gun control laws we're talking about. I predict a turnaround within the next five years.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

10 comments:

  1. Hold your breath dumb-ass.....

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  2. You are correct in that the pro-gun commentors you here from are indeed just a small percentage of the number of us out there. That is why you keep winning.

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  3. I'm going to miss Teddy Bear Newt. His ability to lie and make stupid stuff up off the top of his head is amazing. His best involve saying that Brady was not a gun control organization and that gun manufactures put orange tips on guns to make them look like toys.

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  4. "Many gun owners agree with the sensible gun control laws we're talking about."

    Of course they do - they just disagree with the far more numerous irresponsible laws you crave.

    "I predict a turnaround within the next five years."

    It has already begun. More states than ever are allowing concealed carry, and few have the irreponsible "assault weapon" ban on their laws.

    Like it or not, common sense *is* winning. It's just that a lot of what you want is not common sense.

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  5. Actually I have never met a gun owner or hunter or NRA member who agrees with helmke once they know the full truth. If you get past his catch phrases you learn that he will never be satisfied with the gunlaws until all guns are gone or fitted with some fantasy technology that records all shots fired and only allows shots at paper targets.

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  6. "Not to worry, Paul, that's exactly where we come in, grass-roots level carrying of the message. "

    And a small patch of grass it is. Luckily you've got plenty of Astro Turf at your disposal in the form of the Joyce Foundation, Media Matters, etc.

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  7. Not to worry, Paul, that's exactly where we come in, grass-roots level carrying of the message.

    Which apparently isn't translating into VPC or BC memberships. Your 'grassroots' campaign isn't growing and a majority of you can't pony up enough cash to keep Helmke employed.

    Yup. His 5 year contract is up and BC can no longer afford his services. lol

    Did you know the Brady Campaign has been selling its member list to raise cash (since June)? Google it.

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  8. All right, I admit we've got a long way to go around here before we can take up the slack. But you know how the might oak got started.

    Helmke is a great man. The fact that he is so universally maligned by gun owners says more about you than him. You're the ones who keep lying by putting words in his mouth and pretending to know what his "real intentions" are.

    Henigan's a great man too. Let's see where he takes the organization.

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  9. " You're the ones who keep lying by putting words in his mouth and pretending to know what his "real intentions" are."

    Mike - you yourself posted what the real intentions of gun control advocates is - the removal of all guns.

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  10. maybe you misunderstood, Jim. Either that or you're just trying to turn this into a tedious exercise of making me explain and explain what I really mean.

    Don't bother, please.

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