The September sun rendered a warm and relaxed atmosphere in Manville, Rhode Island, where the town’s Sports Rod and Gun Club hosted Settler’s Day. Families enjoyed rock climbing, tomahawk throwing contests as well as archery and gun practice.
A day of leisure was a welcome pause from turbulent events unfolding in their communities. As Tony Isabel, a COSA volunteer, commented, “There is a calm confidence that gun owners convey in how they conduct themselves.”
COSA volunteers, Tony Isabel, RI State Director, Chris Welch, RI Events Coordinator, and Shelly Grimaldi, State Content Writer, worked the Convention of States Action booth. Numerous people attending the celebration observed our posters, and several stopped in for spirited discussion on how to diminish burdensome overgrowth and overspending of the federal government. Most signed the Convention of States Action Petition, and several expressed an interest in becoming more involved in our movement.
Also present at the expo, was Federated Rhode Island Sportsmen’s Clubs Inc. whose members participate in legislative hearings and are active in restorative and preservative endeavors of wild-life habitats in our state. The women’s auxiliary of the club features over 1,600 active women.
Gun owners are knowledgeable and concerned citizens as they see Second Amendment freedoms being encroached upon. Despite Rhode Island’s CDC ranking in the top five lowest gun related fatalities per capita nationwide, legislators are chipping away at our right to bear arms.
Rene' Barrett, a Convention of States Rhode Island volunteer, attended the committee meeting at the RI State House Senators Gordon and de la Cruz responded to constituents questions and comments, however one of the other senators “corrected” a woman who was testifying regarding crime rate statistics. The senator falsly claimed a higher rate.
The 2019 CDC reports Firearm Injury Deaths in Rhode Island ranks in the top five lowest fatalities, nationwide.
Senators Jessica de la Cruz and Gordon E. Rogers stood up for Rhode Islander's rights, as to the recent gun control bill proposals. However, during COVID lock-down, which limited citizen access to the judicial committee procedures at the statehouse, two new gun laws were passed.
These laws were passed expeditiously, and without sufficient public awareness or protest. These types of processes will dissolve gun rights, if left unchecked. Organizations such Federated Rhode Island Sportsmen’s Club Inc aims to promote engagement of its members at these flash points.
The two new laws created more government restraints on so-called straw purchases and concealment on school properties.
According to the NRA website, straw purchases, were already against the law. What this law really does is create traps to ensnare those who might “transfer” firearms. Simply handing-off a gun from instructor to student could potentially result in serious legal jeopardy. The law creates a new felony and would result in a lifetime gun ban.
Prohibition of concealed carry-on school property really amounts to a mandate to leave your gun unattended in the parking lot. The existing school carry law has been on the books for decades with no problems. This legislation is a solution in search of a problem. Unfortunately, this bill creates new and potentially dangerous problems, as it would require gun owners to unload in the parking lot and then leave their firearm in an unattended vehicle.
Convention of States Action continues to boost We The People, by our efforts to limit government overreach.
We aim to build an engaged army of self-governing grassroots activists and inspire a political and spiritual awakening in America. Learn more at conventionofstates.com.
