If you are an Iowan who understands and treasures your natural and fundamental right to keep and bear arms, you are surely concerned about the serious threats to that right posed by the anti-gun, anti-liberty forces currently controlling our federal government. However, after a decade of pro-Second Amendment legislation here in Iowa, culminating in the recent repeal of the requirements for a Permit to Carry Weapons and a Permit to Acquire Pistols and Revolvers, you’re probably feeling pretty confident that at least here in your home state, your Second Amendment rights are recognized, protected, and respected by the law.
But let’s imagine for a moment that you live in another state…
That state requires you to:
- Apply for, qualify for, pay for, and wait for a Permit in order to buy a handgun
- Apply for, qualify for, pay for, and wait for a Permit to carry a handgun – and furthermore
- A local official has absolute discretion whether to grant that Permit to Carry and as to what restrictions to place on it
- That “personal protection” is not considered a valid reason to issue a Permit to Carry
- There is no appeal available to those denied a permit – and no refund
- The permit application process must be repeated every year
- All permit application information is available to the public and regularly published in newspapers and online
- As a result, fewer than 1 person in 100 is ever granted a permit
For those (nearly everyone) who do not have a Permit to Carry, the weapons laws are so strict that:
- An ammunition magazine containing even a single round is considered to be “a loaded firearm”, even if no gun is present
- The mere act of carrying a firearm may be considered “going armed with intent”
- Instructing a youth under age 14 in the safe handling and use of any handgun is a serious crime – and a felony on the second offense!
- A permit holder commits a crime if he/she does not possess and display it on-demand to any peace officer
- Hunters in the field are prohibited from carrying a defensive handgun
- It is a crime to carry a defensive handgun on an ATV or snowmobile, even with a Permit to Carry or on one’s own property
- Carrying a stun gun or a knife with a blade over 5” under one’s coat or in a purse is a serious crime
- Firearm sound suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns are classified in the same way as machine guns and possession is a felony
- Local governments, library and park boards, etc. feel free to place local restrictions on your right to keep and bear arms. If you decide to petition your legislators at the Capitol, you will find yourself disarmed at the door.
- Those citizens who may be forced to use reasonable defensive force to repel aggressive force against themselves or their families may have a “duty to retreat” and can be subject to prosecution if a prosecutor, judge, or jury believes they should have done so.
Even if you are one of the lucky few who were issued a Permit to Carry in that state after jumping through all the hoops, you’d probably feel that your Second Amendment rights were being pretty seriously infringed upon. Right now, you are probably wondering what state that is (Illinois? Massachusetts?) and are grateful for being an Iowan.
Well, the state described above was Iowa just a decade ago!
We Iowans are fortunate, in that over the course of the last ten years our legislature has removed every single one of the restrictions on our Second Amendment rights listed above. The last of them fell away on July 1st, when the most recent changes to the law went into effect. Now, if you are an adult lawfully in possession of any weapon, you may carry it on or about your person or in a vehicle, openly or concealed, without the need of a permit. Unlike in most states, there are only a handful of places that are off-limits to the otherwise lawful carrying of weapons.
The changes noted above – and others – did not happen by chance, but are a testament to what determined and sustained effort by a few citizens can accomplish. Fifteen years ago, four men who were unhappy with Iowa’s terribly inequitable “may issue” weapons permit system, began to organize a movement to change the law to a “shall issue” system, as so many states had already done since the late 1980s. That movement quickly grew from a coffee klatch to an email bulletin board group and then to a statewide organization called Iowa Carry, Inc. The movement gathered attention and strong support and by 2010, legislators and the Governor were convinced to change the law and enact a very good “shall issue” system.
Iowa Carry had accomplished its singular goal and was forced to make a decision. Should the group disband – or should it broaden its goals and become a permanent organization? It chose the latter course, became Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC), and officially affiliated with its ally, the National Rifle Association.
Since that time, IFC volunteers have worked continuously to further improve Iowa’s laws and regulations governing weapons, use of force, hunting, etc. Working with our partners at NRA, we have had tremendous success in persuading legislators to do the right thing, especially in the last five years. You can see the list of IFC initiatives and our many legislative victories at our website, www.IowaFC.org. IFC has a strong presence on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/IowaFirearmsCoalition. We are also on YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram.
What Is Yet to Be Done? How Can YOU Help?
In recent years, IFC’s political action committee, IFC PAC, has become a growing force on Iowa’s political scene, working to maintain pro-Second Amendment majorities in the Iowa House and Senate. This is critically important, as the accomplishments of more than a decade could be reversed – or worse – in a single legislative session if anti-gun, anti-liberty politicians are allowed to gain control.
In order to prevent that from ever happening, IFC has worked for years to add strong protections of the right to keep and bear arms to Iowa’s Constitution. We are presently one of only six states that has no such constitutional provision. The adoption of what we call the Freedom Amendment would make it difficult or impossible for a future legislature to restrict or deny the free exercise of our Second Amendment rights.
The Freedom Amendment will be on the ballot in November of 2022. IFC PAC intends to play a major role in ensuring that Iowa voters approve it – and by a large margin. This campaign will be an expensive battle, as our opposition will be lavishly funded by out-of-state billionaires and politicians like Michael “Nanny” Bloomberg, Chuck Schumer, and Nancy Pelosi.
To finance this critical campaign, IFC PAC is launching a major fundraising effort. Check your email for a message on this from IFC President Dave Funk.
Your generous support, as an IFC-PAC President’s Hundred ($1500), an IFC-PAC Spartan ($300), or an IFC-PAC Defender ($50) will provide the vital ammunition we need for our digital ads and campaign to the overwhelming majority of Iowans who are staunchly, constitutionally pro-2nd Amendment.
You may contribute online at https://www.ifcpac.org/donate/ or copy/paste/print the contribution form at the bottom of this page to mail in a check. There is a recurring monthly payment option to help you budget your commitment between now and October 2022. As you know, we at IFC strive every day to not waste a volunteer’s time or a donor’s money. Let’s change Iowa’s Constitution and let’s change Iowa history together.
This amendment, the “Freedom Amendment,” is undoubtedly the single most important 2A initiative you will ever impact in your lifetime. Help us help you, your children, and your grandchildren. Stand with the volunteers of IFC!
$1500__ President’s Hundred Member – Includes an IFC-PAC President’s Hundred special pin, an IFC Limited Edition Spartan Patch, quarterly briefings, and victory dinner in 2022. (Pictured)
$300 __ IFC-PAC Spartan – Gets a limited edition IFC-PAC Spartan Patch (Pictured)
$50 __ IFC-PAC Defender
Mail to IFC-PAC, PO Box 310, Moville, Iowa 51039
IFC PAC is on the web at www.IFCPAC.org and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/IFCPAC
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