Remembering Herb Lanford… Many of you may not have known Herb. In truth, I didn’t know Herb before working with him on the NRA’s Clubs and Associations Committee. In fact, I wasn’t familiar with the majority of the NRA board members at that time years ago. I was, however, humbled and excited to be selected as a committee member of what I believed and still do believe is one of the most crucial committees NRA has – Clubs and Associations. That excitement carried through to the first meeting I attended.
Herb wasn’t a man of large stature. I think I might have been a full foot taller than him. Picture a small thin man, with a distinct southeastern accent, and a shiny pair of cowboy boots… You’ve got that picture now, don’t you? Herb was continually well-spoken, a skilled orator, and based on his vocabulary, seemed to know most of the Merriam-Webster dictionary. He was polite to a fault and had a way of addressing everyone that invited them into his invisible sphere. Herb was a welcoming man, and I don’t ever recall anyone thinking otherwise.
I assumed I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the committee. Instead, I found a different atmosphere. Herb ran a structured meeting. He offered meticulous practice of Robert’s Rules of Order and led with precise action. There was no melee of verbal judo. At first, I was put off by our speed and the exact nature of the work. This caused a strained relationship with Herb. We were very cordial, but I could tell he wasn’t enthusiastic about the “new guy” and his go, go, go, approach to everything. I often have that impression on people, and I’ve come to realize, I too, can be an acquired taste.
After some time and reflection, I decided to watch more and run my yap less. …Which is what I should have done in the beginning. To Herb’s credit, he could have easily made arrangements to have me removed. After all, Herb was the chair of that committee and had been for many years. But, he didn’t. Over time and discussion with Herb, both in group and private arenas, I came to appreciate Herb. He was continually decent and kind. He didn’t allow things to spiral out of control, did a good job of herding all of the kittens, and ultimately was passionate about the protection of the Second Amendment. Much like this country’s founders, Herb chose to measure twice and cut once. He never wanted to shortcut anything – it was too important. Herb Lanford would strive to make sure we were making the best possible decisions possible.
I remember one time we had a problem with a state association in the Midwest. There was a communication barrier and we’d had all kinds of trouble getting to the bottom of some simple things. What did Herb do? On his own time and dime, he flew from his home in SC to the Midwest, rented a car, and drove to the person’s home in charge. They sat down, had a great conversation, and all was well moving forward. I remember thinking at the time how few people would do that. Most would hand over that problem to somebody else, rely on the same things that weren’t working, and tell themselves that they tried. Not Herb. It was important, had gone on long enough, he knew it, and he handled it with poise and purpose. I have grown a tremendous respect for Herb. While we may not have always agreed on the nature of change and how to best achieve it, I always felt secure with his motivation.
I’m still serving on the Clubs and Associations Committee and I love it. Our committee helps many people in many ways and I’m proud to be a small part of something so very important. My view of the committee and its purpose have morphed over time, and I have Herb to thank for that in no small part. Frankly, I grew up a little bit over this period with these fellow committee members, and have learned more than I can relate under Herb’s guidance.
Join me in thanking Herb, one last time, for his continual work. I hope to catch up to him on the other side.
Six Minutes That Could Change Everything! Time and math. Six minutes that could save hundreds of future lives in our schools. If you are a parent, school board member, teacher, administrator, coach, cook, bus driver, or fan in the stands, please watch and consider. This should interest you, especially if you know the gratuitous harm of innocent children is wrong. If you wish to take a deeper dive, check out this IFC blog and theVideo.
The IFC Educator Academy results are in. 13 Iowa educators participated in 36 hours of firearms and active shooter training. 10 of the 13 were able to complete standards of 90% or higher on a qualification where no shots were allowed outside the target’s outline. IFC Chair John McLaughlin discusses this at length with Ed Monk, active shooter planning and response expert, and Adam Winch, owner and creator of Defenders USA. These folks came to Iowa and taught Iowa School Staff from the ground up and now reflect on the past and point to future possibilities.
2024 is a critical year in the fight for our Second Amendment rights! Make plans now to attend an important online NRA-ILA Grassroots Webinar focused on federal updates, featuring NRA-ILA Director of Federal Affairs, Brian Calabrese, on Tuesday, February 13th, at 7:00 p.m. EST. Be sure to RSVP below for the webinar link
The fight to protect our rights at all levels hinges on active patriots that remain educated on important Second Amendment issues. Your NRA-ILA team looks forward to sharing important updates with you regarding the battle to protect the Second Amendment on Capitol Hill and across the nation, as well as answering your questions and providing you with the grassroots tools you need to make your voice heard.
Stay tuned for invites to future webinars here: 2024 NRA-ILA Grassroots Webinars. All NRA-ILA webinars are Webex based and can be accessed via desktop computer, smartphone, or via call- in. You can find more information on Webex at www.webex.com
Is There an Illegal “No Guns” Sign in Your Neighborhood? Maybe you didn’t know that political subdivisions (counties, cities, townships, their extensions, etc.) can’t deny your civil rights. But they’re often in the habit of doing so. This letter should interest you! If there are illegal “No Guns” signs in your neighborhood, you’ll want to understand what you need to do, and how you need to handle it. This is an example of the daily work IFC does that few understand, which is why we need your continual support.
This is a recent correspondence from our board member and longtime lobbyist, Richard Rogers, to an Iowa County that plastered “No Guns” signs on public property. Let’s call the recipient of the letter, “Mr. Smith,” and the county, “County,” to make this universal. Here you go:
Dear Mr. Smith,
Please allow me to introduce myself. I am a Board Member and a longtime volunteer lobbyist for Iowa Firearms Coalition (IFC). A primary mission of IFC is to ensure that Iowa governments recognize, protect, and respect the fundamental right of Iowans to keep and bear arms. This right is protected from government infringement by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and Section 1A of the Iowa Constitution.
I am writing to you because I have been informed that the County Center (CC) has in place a “No Weapons” policy and currently displays signage to that effect in your facility (or facilities?). It appears to me that CC is owned and operated by the County. Therefore, please be informed that Iowa Code 724.28 prohibits counties, cities, and townships from establishing or maintaining any such policies, whether directed at the public or employees. Here is the relevant excerpt:
724.28(2) A political subdivision of the state shall not enact an ordinance, motion, resolution, policy, or amendment regulating the ownership, possession, carrying, legal transfer, lawful transportation, modification, registration, or licensing of firearms, firearms attachments, or other weapons when the ownership, possession, carrying, transfer, transportation, or modification is otherwise lawful under the laws of this state.
Furthermore, any person “adversely affected” by such a policy has standing to sue for declaratory and injunctive relief and damages. The prevailing party in such a suit will be awarded attorney fees and court costs [724.28(3)].
There is a provision [724.28(4)] that would allow for a “no weapons” policy in your facility under very specific conditions. That is “if adequate arrangements are made by the political subdivision to screen persons for firearms or other dangerous weapons and the political subdivision provides armed security personnel inside the building or physical structure where the restriction is to be in effect.” Without both of those measures in place, any policy restricting the carrying of possession of weapons is unlawful.
“Monroe County and its officers, employees, and third parties under its control, are enjoined from enforcing any policy,practice, ordinance, or resolution contrary to Iowa Code § 724.28, including the posting of signageappearing to communicate such a policy.”
It may also be of interest to you that a bill, HF518, has been introduced in the Iowa House that would establish a schedule of significant monetary damages to be assessed against those individuals who participate in establishing or maintaining a policy in violation of Iowa Code 724.28. Such a statute was enacted by Florida in 2011 and proved to be very effective in eliminating legacy violations of the state’s firearms preemption policy and preventing new ones.
I strongly urge that the management of CC act promptly to comply with Iowa law. This communication should not be considered to be a threat of legal action, but rather my attempt to inform you of the facts regarding Iowa’s preemption of weapons regulation to the state. Please feel free to contact me if I may be of assistance in this or any other matter.
Sincerely, Richard S. Rogers Board Member, Iowa Firearms Coalition
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