The Member’s Field Report was submitted by a long-time IFC Volunteer. Enjoy!
“OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE”
Children enjoy playing Hide and Seek. As they make their way to Home, the Hiders do their best to not be discovered by the Seeker who would then Tap them OUT. Once they are seen, the kids run as fast as they can to reach Home and then yell out “OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE”! It is a “Catch as Catch Can” game. You either Win or Lose, it is pure competition at its best. The lessons learned are valuable.
In our State Capitol, our legislators play the same game. It is easy for those of us around the State to become frustrated by the whole process, and we throw up our hands in despair.
Well, wait a Minute! Iowa has 99 Counties; each one is unique unto itself, and each one represented in the Legislature. I recently had the opportunity to visit one of those Counties and found “OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE” in the hundreds!
In Franklin County, in the town of Hampton, Iowans who value Our Republic held a Republican Fundraising Rally featuring several Top Line speakers. The flyer introduces Sheriff Mark Lamb from Pinal County Arizona.
In addition, we heard from Iowa’s Attorney General Brenna Bird and from State Representative Shannon Latham.
Sheriff Lamb told us that our Nation IS facing serious problems. He described the illegal border crossing situation in down-to-earth terms. The illegals pass right on through Arizona on their way to Iowa and other States. We have seen them moving North as we drive to Arizona! The Sheriff made his point clear that we are ALL Border States now!
He discussed the assault on our 2nd Amendment rights. The Sheriff showed us that our country was founded as a Constitutional Republic…we are Not a Democracy! As he spoke about “The Rain” coming down on us, he advised us to Not throw up our hands in Despair! “The Rain” encourages us to do something, to Engage in the battle for our Country. He invoked George Washington several times as a Fighter in “The Rain”!
Sheriff Lamb has Firsthand Experience with these issues facing our Nation. The man knows what he is talking about! It was an informative and interesting program. He noted that our 2nd Amendment Rights are Fundamental to the Nation! He encouraged us to Get Involved!
Iowa’s Attorney General, Brenna Bird, spoke about the challenges we are facing. She made it clear that “President” Joe Biden never fails to give her an opportunity to sue his administration, which she Gladly looks forward to every day! The attack on the 2nd Amendment was a Big Constitutional Issue for her. She had to return to Des Moines that evening to deal with yet another lawsuit against the Biden Administration!
Agriculture and the Iowans engaged in it are an important part of regaining control of our Nation! The State Representative from North Iowa, District 55, Shannon Lathamspoke about the challenges that Farming Communities faced, especially Eminent Domain issues and underground pipelines. She is deeply involved in the Legislative process and The Game of Hide and Seek. She was confident that the Citizens of Iowa would be able to declare “OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE” at the end of this session.
We were Greeted warmly after the 90-minute drive North to Hampton Iowa. SURPRISE! There were over two hundred conservative Iowans who value our Constitution and Bill of Rights! The meeting began with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Honor Guard Detail presenting the Flags followed by The Pledge of Allegiance.
Our Fellow Iowans were positive and determined to step forward and take back control of our Nation. We came away from this Rally looking forward to better times!
The Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC) is major factor in the State Legislative process. Our lobbyist is Richard Rogers, who is known as one of the very best lobbyists in the State. He understands the game of Hide and Seek!
The IFC is working to protect our 2nd Amendment Rights, even as the ATF is now trying to make each of us a Law Breaker. The IFC can Loudly call out “OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE”, as they were involved in making our schools safer places through Teacher Firearms Training.
If we follow Sheriff Lamb’s advice…we will step forward and renew our memberships in the IFC. Write our Senator and Representative. Attend a Rally. Pass on the word that “The Rain” encourages Patriots to take action to protect our Homes and Nation. He finished with this thought…. “If You don’t Fight, you won’t Win”. Fight to protect your 2nd Amendment Rights!
I mentioned earlier that Iowa has 99 counties. Every County has a group like those in Franklin County. The IFC supports these Pro-2nd Amendment groups. Every one of these conservative groups is working to protect our Nation so that they can declare – “OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE” – and come Home to Our Republic!
Is the New Finland Firearm Policy a New World Gold Standard? If it isn’t, it is a close second to the very best! I was sent this article by a friend earlier today outlining Finland’s bold and savvy approach to the country’s firearm policy. From the article:
Finland is taking a bold step forward in national defense and public safety with its groundbreaking initiative to open 300 new shooting ranges across the country. This extensive project not only aims to enhance military readiness and civilian preparedness but also integrates responsible gun ownership into the fabric of Finnish society. As geopolitical tensions rise, Finland’s proactive strategy sets a global standard for empowering citizens while fortifying national security.
WOW! That’s like a dream come true. In reality, it simply makes sense. But, when you’re used to silly and ignorant people making far-left policies, acronym agencies dreaming up all-new restrictions and calling them “regulations,” along with a Biden White House and Dept of Justice gone mad, you tend to lose your perspective on what constitutes common sense.
Finland is pushing a government initiative to build 300 new shooting ranges, which is tantamount to some serious civic investment. This will create jobs, keep people working, and provide safe environments to realize their liberties. Not only does this encourage and make simple things like responsible gun ownership and safe practices, it also provides a sense of patriotism and preparedness to a country with a LOOOONG border with Russia. This eventually leads to a strong nation less likely to be attacked, unlike the Ukraine where firearm ownership was mostly barred. The Fins will be out sport shooting, hunting, and practicing, all while boosting their proficiency. Any bets on crime? That’s right… Provided they keep the stats and report them without fudging the way the US departments like to, you’ll see crime fall. From the same article:
Finland’s strategic expansion of shooting ranges represents a robust approach to enhancing national security and fostering a culture of responsible gun ownership. By creating more opportunities for training and education, Finland not only strengthens its defensive capabilities but also boosts local economies and supports recreational activities. This comprehensive initiative serves as a model for countries worldwide, demonstrating the importance of preparedness and resilience in an unpredictable global landscape.
I couldn’t have said it better. Take a long hard look at what firearms ownership SHOULD look like when encouraged for all the right reasons by a government that wishes to empower and TRUST the public they seek to serve, rather than take rights from them in a clumsy attempt for control.
If the Bank of America is de-banking conservatives and working to have us labeled as domestic terrorists why should we care? What happens when we get de-banked? Who is going to help us? According to this ARTICLE at foxnews.com:
Over a dozen Republican attorneys general are warning a major U.S. bank against alleged practices of “de-banking” certain customers because of their religious or political views.
In a letter obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, along with 14 of his Republican colleagues told Bank of America CEO Brian T. Moynihan that the company “appears to be conditioning access to its services on customers having the bank’s preferred religious or political views.”
I’m glad our next-door neighbor has an Attorney General willing to defend its citizens. Guess who else has an Attorney General willing to defend its state? IOWA! Attorney General Brenna Bird is leading the charge to protect Iowans from discriminatory practices and collusion to label Iowans as domestic terrorists with the Biden White House.
Too bad there aren’t a few ways to get ahead of this intrusion specifically in Iowa. THERE ARE. Support AG Bird in her reelection bid, and THANK your legislature for pushing through an MCC bill (AKA the 2nd Amendment Privacy Act) yesterday (check those specifics out over on ifcpac.org where we track legislation and legislator’s actions HF2464). With HF2464 the state of Iowa disallows “merchant codes” that essentially rathole purchases of firearms, ammo, etc. into a certain category for future action.
This isn’t anything new. The Obama administration ran Operation Chokepoint. The Feds leaned on banks that did business with firearm retailers, manufacturers, resalers, etc. by placing them in “high risk” status. This “high risk” status made it hard for them to bank, insure their businesses, and operate. This is the literal enactment of a weaponized government against completely legal, ethical, and moral businesses. Biden learned well from his old boss.
Find the letter AG Bird signed that pushes back against de-banking customers and working with the FBI and others in weaponizing against Americans below!
Serving IFC’s membership and for that matter all Iowan’s God-given right of self-defense, is what drives every one of our volunteers here at the Iowa Firearms Coalition. As your President, I’ve always strived to be a good steward of our volunteers’ time and our donors’ money. Our whole team here are volunteers, unlike other groups.
After several years of using the same vendor for our membership management system, that vendor has raised prices significantly, reduced the quality of the services they have provided to IFC, and suffered “lost files” issues. We made the decision last year to go with a different membership management system. The cost of the new system is less than one-fourth of what we were paying for the previous system.
That rolling “cutover” has not been without its growing pains. The most significant has been with the automatic renewal of annual memberships. You should be receiving emails reminding you to renew your membership in advance of it’s expiring, and if it has expired. However, due to the changeover, please don’t automatically assume your auto-renewal will handle that. You will need to go in and reset your password and manually renew this year. Your auto-renewal will restart after that. Also, if you could add membership@iowafc.org to your contacts list, that should prevent our emails from being directed to your spam box.
IOWA LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
There was a lot of progress made late last week in the Iowa Senate with that body passing several important IFC-supported bills. Some bills are on the way to Governor Reynolds for signature; others went back to the Iowa House for final reconciliation due to small amendments by the Senate. Hopefully, they will be acted on quickly by the Iowa House.
Update: Monday, April 15th, the House passed HF2586 with the Senate amendment, on a vote of 61-36. This is the hard-won Students First Safety Act, headed now to the Governor’s desk for signature!
HOGG SLAPDOWN: AKA “THE GUN CONTROL DEBATE IS OVER”
From our friends over at RedState, in an exchange from self-proclaimed firearms expert David Hogg and a Chinese immigrant who escaped communism:
LILY TANG WILLIAMS: Hi, my name is Lily Tang Williams. Welcome to my live free or die state. Actually, I am a Chinese immigrant who survived communism. And under Mao, you know, 40 million people were starving to death after he sold communism to them. And 20 million people died… murdered during his cultural revolution. So my question to you, David, is that can you guarantee me, a gun owner tonight, that our government in the U.S., in D.C., will never become a tyrannical government? Can you guarantee that to me?
DAVID HOGG: There’s no way I can ever guarantee that any government will not be tyrannical. LILY TANG WILLIAMS: Well then the debate on gun control is over because I will never give up my guns. And you should go to China. Never. Never. And you should go to China to see how gun control works for the dictatorship of the CCP.”
You can see the exchange on X by following this link.
Looks like the aforementioned anti-gun activist, David Hogg has turned his PAC into a fundraising machine for his personal benefit — like some ineffective, no-compromise, allegedly pro-2A groups.
Please stay Ready at All Times, and help us defend all of Iowa’s rights by joining or renewing your IFC membership here today.
Shoot Straight, Speak The Truth, and Never Surrender Our Liberties.
Random Thoughts. We all have them. Here are a few of mine from the last few days:
Judge Shopping
If you are a leftist and you want a favorable judicial ruling, you go to San Francisco Federal Court to file your lawsuit. Remember that bad cases make bad case law. You know that at the SF Federal Court, you will get a reliable leftist activist judge (because they all are), to hear your case and rule in your favor.
Causing the adults in the room to spend years and possibly millions of dollars to get the case to the US Supreme Court to get it corrected. But if you are a conservative, you go somewhere like the Northern District of Texas where there is only one Judge, who happens to be pro-freedom, and he will rule in your favor.
Funny that now Senator Chuck “U” Schumer wants to make sure you can’t do that. He wants to force those lower court districts to have more than one judge. Hat’s off to Attorney Mark Smith at the Four Boxes Diner in his YouTube video “Anti-Gun Senator Tries to Stop 2A “Judge Shopping”“. He pointed out this bit of backroom arm twisting. The linked video is worth watching if you want to know how the sausage is made.
Fake Data?
Professor John Lott, PhD. sends out a weekly email newsletter. This week’s newsletter was incredible because it highlighted two things:
underreporting of crime since Covid
that 92% of violent crime does not include the use of a firearm!
This new research, I think is really important. The American news media has been working overtime to convince people that violent crime is dramatically falling, and castigating Americans for falsely believing that crime is increasing. However, new research shows that Americans are right and the media is wrong.
Arrest rates have plummeted since COVID. In 2022, only 20% of reported violent crimes, and 4.5% of reported property crimes in cities with over one million people, resulted in an arrest. As arrest rates have fallen, people have been less likely to report crimes to police. This led to criminals committing more crimes, as they have little to worry about. The end result is that reported crimes have fallen even as total crimes have risen. To show how law enforcement is collapsing in these large cities, only 8% of all violent crimes and 1.4% of property crimes result in an arrest.
But, there is a big problem with using the FBI Uniform Crime Report data on crimes reported to police because victims don’t report most crimes. More importantly, the number of crimes reported to police falls as the arrest rate declines. If people don’t think the police will solve their cases, they are less likely to report them to the police. While the violent crime rate reported to police fell by 1.7% between 2021 and 2022, the National Crime Victimization Survey shows that total violent crime (reported and non-reported) rose from 16.5 to 23.5 per 100,000. Violent crime in 2022 was above the rate the last year before the pandemic in 2019 and above the average for the five years from 2015 to 2019.
Additional research, also from John R Lott, PhD, shows that over 92% of violent crimes over the last eight years ending in 2022, did not involve guns. It doesn’t exactly fit the frequent claim that violent crime is a gun problem.
The short answer is YES! And I fully expect it will while we have such a weak and compromised President in the White House. TownHall.com editor and author Kurt Schlichter wrote a piece on March 25th, 2024 that you should read. “America is Going to Be Targeted for a Massive Terrorist Attack, Will You Be Ready? Describing an October 7th type of attack, I know I am ready and I hope you will be too. Please stay Ready at All Times. Be it ChiCom or ISIS, you are America’s first responders. But then, we are Iowans and we are used to taking care of business.
Help us defend all of Iowa’s rights by joining or renewing your IFC membership here today.
Shoot Straight, Speak The Truth, and Never Surrender Our Liberties.
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In Franklin County, in the town of Hampton, Iowans who value Our Republic held a Republican Fundraising Rally featuring several Top Line speakers. The flyer introduces Sheriff Mark Lamb from Pinal County Arizona.
our country was founded as a Constitutional Republic…we are Not a Democracy! As he spoke about “The Rain” coming down on us, he advised us to Not throw up our hands in Despair! “The Rain” encourages us to do something, to Engage in the battle for our Country. He invoked George Washington several times as a Fighter in “The Rain”!
spoke about the challenges that Farming Communities faced, especially Eminent Domain issues and underground pipelines. She is deeply involved in the Legislative process and The Game of Hide and Seek. She was confident that the Citizens of Iowa would be able to declare “OLLIE-OLLIE-OXEN-FREE” at the end of this session.
This new research, I think is really important.
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