In the wake of President Trump’s recent endorsement of ‘Red Flag Gun Seizure’ legislation, gun owners across the country are stunned.

At the same time, gun rights organizations at the state level across the country are trying to decide how to react.

Most will simply fall right into line, afraid of angering state and federal lawmakers who keynote their annual events and make them look good.

But gun rights leaders in other states — battle ground states especially — are asking the tough questions.

Last night, a group of state level gun rights leaders were circulating an analysis of this situation, asking our informal group for input.

While I can’t share the names of these people as the letter was internal, I did receive permission to share the message, having redacted private information.

I share this with you, so that you can better understand why the President’s decision to support this terrible legislation was such a bad decision.

If you have a different analysis, feel free to email it to me directly at [email protected].

Remember, this decision is going to empower lawmakers at the state level to try to push the same thing through here in Des Moines.

Get ready for this fight, by joining Iowa Gun Owners today.

— Aaron

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From: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
To: <State Leaders List> Aaron Dorr [email protected]
Date: 08/08/19 at 11:19pm (CST)
Subject: Am I wrong…this is how this shapes up to me

All -– I missed the press conference, was at work until 4pm, but I’ve watched it twice and have been thinking about it for the last two days.

I sketched out some of my thoughts on this, mostly just to be able to see if my assessment was the same on paper as it seemed to be in my head. 😊

Again, we all agree that this bill sucks b/c there is no requirement to be convicted of a crime before losing your guns — it’s the end of due process rights.

I’m thinking more about the political mistakes that have been made, and they seem to have been some doozeys!

Tell me where I’m wrong, please.

Trump seems to have broken at least four of his own rules, rules that he’s lived by since the day he came down the escalator to announce his candidacy.

First, you never defend, always attack!

The President has lived by this rule better than any other President in my lifetime, maybe better than any other President in history.

But in his press conference, he was totally on defense. He reminded everyone that he had bump stocks banned (which infuriates gun owners) and that he agreed to pass Dianne Feinstein’s FIX-NICS bill, both in 2018.

All this did was remind gun owners that he’s already given them reason to doubt his loyalty; his public statements at the NRA conventions clearly are just for show.

What should he have attacked?

Well, ‘Gun Free Zones’ for one thing. The shooting in Wal-Mart took place in a GFZ, as have virtually every single mass shooting over the last decade or more.

He could have gone after the failure of background checks, too. The Dayton shooter went through them, bought his guns legally, and still killed 9 people.

He could have attacked the Dems for trying to expand these background checks with H.R. 8, when they’ve done nothing to stop crime so far.

And he could have attacked Pelosi for refusing to grant floor votes on national reciprocity, which would allow Americans to carry that much more easily.

Second, you never give the enemy an inch, because they won’t acknowledge or credit it to you in any way!

It’s almost like he thought that the left would…what …back down or thank him for agreeing to this radical proposal.

The truth is that they only attacked him HARDER!

Everytown for Gun Safety’s email subject line was, “President Trump: we’re not falling for it!”

The Brady campaign’s Facebook page was almost identical, they blistered him for not talking about banning AR-15’s, high cap mags, etc.

While Moms Demand Action hit him for not demanding that Mitch McConnell call the Senate back from their August recess to pass these bills immediately.

So, after he granted the leftists exactly what they wanted with ‘Red Flags’ — they lit into him just as hard as they had the day before!

Third, by using wedge politics, you always get the enemy to turn on each other and attack each other!

I mean, a week ago he attacks Elijah Cumming, reminding the world that Baltimore is a rat-infested dump. Predictably, Al Sharpton flies out there to ‘stand with Baltimore.’

Trump then attacks Sharpton, and, predictably, the entire Democratic left is forced to stick up for this utter fraud and conman, reminding Americans how nuts the Democrats are!

That’s how he’s always done it, using a wedge issue to force these Dems to circle the wagons and act like the morons the American people know that they are.

Another example. When Trump attacks ‘the squad’ (AOC, Ilhan Omar, etc) he forces Nancy Pelosi to stand up and defend them, reminding everyone in America how truly insane these people are. 

But this was the exact opposite!

By siding against gun owners, President Trump has just thrown a grenade into his own base and has outraged a massive number of people that he needs in battle ground states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin and North Carolina.

Fourth, you always, always stand tall for your own base.

This is somewhat similar to the third point, but it’s more than that.

Anyone who has ever been to a Trump rally knows that they are electric. And the President knows exactly what to say to them to remind them that he loves them and that he will fight for them.

So what has he done for gun owners, a core constituency?

Other than making claims about being willing to fight for gun owners, this is what he’s done for us so far.

March 23, 2018 – he signs Feinstein’s FIX-NICS bill.

March 26, 2019 – the ATF follows his directive to make us
   criminals for owning bump stocks.

August 5, 2019 – he calls for passage of ‘Red Flag Gun
   Seizure’ legislation.

This isn’t an attack on the President.

And in case any of you think that I’m here to attack the President, you’ve read this all wrong.

I’m very concerned that this entire situation will blow up in his face, especially in key states where gun owners are a major voting block.

I’m thinking about states like Iowa (which Obama carried twice) where gun owners are a major fighting force, thanks to Dorr.

Or consider Ohio (which Obama carried twice) where the 2A has become one of the biggest single issues in the state over the last few years. 

What about Florida (which Obama carried twice.) I mean it’s the ‘Gunshine State’ for heavens sake, don’t we think that gun owners are needed there?

I could go on and on…

What’s Next?

In conclusion: the President’s support of ‘Red Flags’ has only made his enemies hate him more, gun owners distrust him more, all while establishing a disastrous precedent that he will ‘do something’ after every mass shooting.

What’s next on the chopping block?

30-round mags.

The AR-15.

How about requiring gun owners to carry an umbrella liability policy, which I hear about more and more.

This seems to be an unmitigated disaster.

It’s bad policy, bad politics, won’t stop crime, and will only lead to further nibbles at our gun rights as time goes on.

Now, feel free to tell me where I am wrong. Lol! I really hope that I am.