The Second Quarter 2009 LOCKED AND LOADED …



LOCKED AND LOADED …
Words From RSA President
Rich Shepler

It doesn’t seem time for the 2nd Quarter RSA Journal, but time
flies when you are busy and even faster if one is having fun.
Your RSA has been active and by the time you read this, we
will have had displays and participated in the Colorado Gun
Collectors Association and NRA Annual Meeting shows. Many
of you will have been to, and hopefully successful at other late
winter and spring gun shows. We are looking forward to the
upcoming 14th RSA Annual Historical Seminar on July 29th – 31st
in Ilion, New York.

Details regarding this year’s
seminar are posted on the previous
page of this Journal. A visit to the plant
in Ilion is always a great experience and
an interesting program agenda is
developing nicely. Several participants
will have outstanding exhibits and there
will be something there to appeal to all
Remington interests. This year’s
seminar promises to be a great one and
many folks have already registered. If
you have been procrastinated sending
in your registration or are undecided,
don’t delay further. We still have room
for additional participants and guests,
but there are capacity limits for the meeting room at the armory
and for our dinners. Contact me now so that you do not miss
out on this wonderful opportunity to be immersed in Remington
history, see what is new with the company, renew acquaintances
and make new friends who share your interests in things
Remington. Having a collection and knowing history and
information about collectibles is more rewarding when we can
share it with others.

People sometimes think that they do not know enough to
write an article or make a presentation at the seminar. They
typically underestimate both what they know and over estimate
what it would take to get involved. Even tidbits of information
and insight can be gems of knowledge for others, and there are
multiple ways to share pieces of what you know and have. I
encourage you to think about writing a piece for the Journal –
even a short one. Roy Marcot will help you polish it and get it
ready for publication. Making a presentation at an RSA seminar
can be anywhere from very short to longer. I can help you with
that, including audio-visuals. You may just want to do a
Remington exhibit at a gun show or just help the folks who are
doing so. Bob Pryor is always looking for volunteers to assist,
and frequently gun show promoters will give the RSA a free
table to show attendees what the RSA is all about. I encourage
you to attend the upcoming RSA Seminar and bring some
interesting material for show and tell. And lastly, we encourage
you to attend next year’s RSA Annual Membership Meeting in
Las Vegas. You can help to pass on your enthusiasm and
recruit new members for the RSA.

 

Another way we all need to get involved is in the political
and legislative scene. There are more anti-gun laws being
proposed now than ever before in history, and the Obama
cabinet and administration is peppered with overtly anti-gun
people. Don’t be fooled into thinking that your antique and
vintage gun collection is beyond the
interests of these people. It is only a
matter of time and even some current
proposals would affect guns you might
think are far removed from controversy.
Proposals to require registration and
restrictions on semiautomatic firearms
would apply to your Remington Model
11 shotguns and all semi-autos which
followed, as well as your WWI
Remington Model 1911 and Model 51
autoloading pistols. Demonizing of
removable clips and magazines applies
to not only your Remington semiautomatic
pistols but even to your vintage
.22 rifles which use clips. One proposal
even attacks all repeaters, including
slide action rifles and shotguns and possibly revolvers.

The list goes on and on and those who want to ban guns
completely believe that their most effective strategy is to
whittle away using seemingly innocent or well intentioned
restrictions which many gun owners will ignore because they
think the current issue does not affect them. History has
proven time and again that registration is the first step to
confiscation of firearms from law abiding citizens. If it is
accepted that a firearm can and should be prohibited because
of the way it looks, the definition of unacceptable looking guns
will grow unstoppably. Benjamin Franklin was referring to more
than what would later be the Second Amendment to the USA
Constitution. But he said it best when, as he signed the
Declaration of Independence, he said “We must all hang
together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

Find out what gun related legislation has been proposed or
is being discussed. Contact your legislators and tell them how
you want them to vote. Pick one or more gun rights organizations
you are comfortable with and support them. If we do not
get involved, we will lose what we have.

       
Best regards,

       
       
Rich Shepler

       
       
RSA President

On-line Search/Sort Journal Index

How can I submit an article for a
future issue?

How can I purchase back issues
of the RSA Journal?

On-line Journal Articles

New Journals have links to

  • From the editor
  • Classifieds
  • The Last word –