Some of the people I've done mental health clearances for are not even slightly annoyed that they had to fly to another island to get me to allow them to practice a constitutionally protected right.  Why isnt steam coming out of your ears?  I'd be mad as hell if it was me. 

EXACTLY. Seems like many think of this as a privilege not a GOD GIVEN RIGHT.

Its FVKIN annoying

My email to them (cut & pasted for the House Bills too), get your wives/girlfriends (or both!) to write in how this is stripping their ability to defend themselves, and how these senators & reps need to “shut up and stand up” for women (to quote Mazie):

Aloha. I wish to express my concern regarding Senate Bill 1334. I am a paramedic, and I realize full well the importance of having what you need- when you need it- during an emergency. Countless times I have seen disaster averted by a responsible citizen with an AED, fire extinguisher, or first-aid kit. Nearly as often, we have had to call HPD for backup with combative and violent patients, and waited for several tense minutes for them to arrive. That may not sound like a ton of time to you, but a lot can happen. My wife and I are responsible firearm owners, and I take comfort in knowing that she can defend herself if I’m away at work and someone decides to break into our apartment. We don’t live in a fancy building; we don’t have security guards on-site, the main doors are not 100% secure, and if even if my wife were able to call 911, HPD doesn’t have a key to gain access into our building. Her best option to defend herself is with a semi-automatic rifle. It is easier to control and aim than a pistol, holds more ammunitlion should she face multiple attackers, and the features that you use to define it as an “assault weapon” are the very features that allow us to both safely utilize it despite her being left-handed and a foot shorter than me.

Let’s be honest here: Hawaii does not have a gun problem. We have a drug problem. For you to propose banning firearms as a solution to a non-existent issue just appears to the citizens as toeing the party line and being too lazy to pursue a real solution. Studies have shown the “Assault Weapons Ban” of 1994 to have had no effect on reducing gun crime, no increase in “assault rifle” homicides since it ended, and that hammers and clubs have been responsible for more deaths than semi-auto rifles. There definitely is a correlation between mass shooters and psychiatric medications— specifically those on SSRIs for depression and ADHD meds. If you want to fix real problems, start with bills regulating these medications. I realize that the pharm lobby is far larger than the NRA, but taking this course of action will do more good than criminalizing law-abiding citizens for a feel-good law that’ll do little more than pad your resume come next election cycle.

Add instances of armed, violent and other robberies and assaults here in Hawaii. Use news articles and any data from the AG reports

Violent crime is up. And no methods of defending ourselves. There is a reason porcupines have quills...

http://ag.hawaii.gov/cpja/crime-in-hawaii-2017/
January 11, 2019 —The State of Hawaii’s annual Uniform Crime Report, Crime in Hawaii, 2017, shows that in Calendar Year 2017, a total of 43,969 Index Crimes* were reported in the State of Hawaii, yielding a rate of 3,080 offenses per 100,000 resident population
Other highlights of Crime in Hawaii, 2017 include:
The rate of reported offenses for three violent Index Crime increased in the State of Hawaii in 2017: murder, by 11.5%; robbery, by 9.4%; and aggravated assault, by 3.5%.
Thirty-nine murders were reported statewide in 2017, marking an 11.4% increase as compared to the prior year. Males comprised 84% of the alleged murder offenders and 67% of the victims in 2017.  Slightly more than half (53.9%) of the murder victims knew the offenders, and strongarm weapons (i.e., hands, fists, and feet) were used in about 41% of the murders.
Of the 3,010 murders, robberies, and aggravated assaults reported statewide in 2017, 43.3% were committed using strongarm weapons; 26.0% with “other” or unknown weapons; 19.0% with knives or other edged weapons; and 11.7% with firearms. (show that firearms are not the problem, people are - strongarm weapons)

My email to them (cut & pasted for the House Bills too), get your wives/girlfriends (or both!) to write in how this is stripping their ability to defend themselves, and how these senators & reps need to “shut up and stand up” for women (to quote Mazie):

Aloha. I wish to express my concern regarding Senate Bill 1334. I am a paramedic, and I realize full well the importance of having what you need- when you need it- during an emergency. Countless times I have seen disaster averted by a responsible citizen with an AED, fire extinguisher, or first-aid kit. Nearly as often, we have had to call HPD for backup with combative and violent patients, and waited for several tense minutes for them to arrive. That may not sound like a ton of time to you, but a lot can happen. My wife and I are responsible firearm owners, and I take comfort in knowing that she can defend herself if I’m away at work and someone decides to break into our apartment. We don’t live in a fancy building; we don’t have security guards on-site, the main doors are not 100% secure, and if even if my wife were able to call 911, HPD doesn’t have a key to gain access into our building. Her best option to defend herself is with a semi-automatic rifle. It is easier to control and aim than a pistol, holds more ammunitlion should she face multiple attackers, and the features that you use to define it as an “assault weapon” are the very features that allow us to both safely utilize it despite her being left-handed and a foot shorter than me.

Let’s be honest here: Hawaii does not have a gun problem. We have a drug problem. For you to propose banning firearms as a solution to a non-existent issue just appears to the citizens as toeing the party line and being too lazy to pursue a real solution. Studies have shown the “Assault Weapons Ban” of 1994 to have had no effect on reducing gun crime, no increase in “assault rifle” homicides since it ended, and that hammers and clubs have been responsible for more deaths than semi-auto rifles. There definitely is a correlation between mass shooters and psychiatric medications— specifically those on SSRIs for depression and ADHD meds. If you want to fix real problems, start with bills regulating these medications. I realize that the pharm lobby is far larger than the NRA, but taking this course of action will do more good than criminalizing law-abiding citizens for a feel-good law that’ll do little more than pad your resume come next election cycle.

#TRUTH
#micdrop

My email to them (cut & pasted for the House Bills too), get your wives/girlfriends (or both!) to write in how this is stripping their ability to defend themselves, and how these senators & reps need to “shut up and stand up” for women (to quote Mazie):

Aloha. I wish to express my concern regarding Senate Bill 1334. I am a paramedic, and I realize full well the importance of having what you need- when you need it- during an emergency. Countless times I have seen disaster averted by a responsible citizen with an AED, fire extinguisher, or first-aid kit. Nearly as often, we have had to call HPD for backup with combative and violent patients, and waited for several tense minutes for them to arrive. That may not sound like a ton of time to you, but a lot can happen. My wife and I are responsible firearm owners, and I take comfort in knowing that she can defend herself if I’m away at work and someone decides to break into our apartment. We don’t live in a fancy building; we don’t have security guards on-site, the main doors are not 100% secure, and if even if my wife were able to call 911, HPD doesn’t have a key to gain access into our building. Her best option to defend herself is with a semi-automatic rifle. It is easier to control and aim than a pistol, holds more ammunitlion should she face multiple attackers, and the features that you use to define it as an “assault weapon” are the very features that allow us to both safely utilize it despite her being left-handed and a foot shorter than me.

Let’s be honest here: Hawaii does not have a gun problem. We have a drug problem. For you to propose banning firearms as a solution to a non-existent issue just appears to the citizens as toeing the party line and being too lazy to pursue a real solution. Studies have shown the “Assault Weapons Ban” of 1994 to have had no effect on reducing gun crime, no increase in “assault rifle” homicides since it ended, and that hammers and clubs have been responsible for more deaths than semi-auto rifles. There definitely is a correlation between mass shooters and psychiatric medications— specifically those on SSRIs for depression and ADHD meds. If you want to fix real problems, start with bills regulating these medications. I realize that the pharm lobby is far larger than the NRA, but taking this course of action will do more good than criminalizing law-abiding citizens for a feel-good law that’ll do little more than pad your resume come next election cycle.

OUTSTANDING testimony! 

The response I got from Sen. Wakai's office:

Aloha XXXX,

I will keep an eye on SB 1334. So far it hasn’t been scheduled for a hearing.

Thank you for alerting me to this measure and for conveying your thoughts on it.

Mahalo,
Glenn

My original email to him:

Senator Wakai
Senate District 15
Hawaii State Capitol, Room 407
Re: SB1334

Aloha Senator Wakai,

I know you are very busy with the new session, so I’ll be brief.  I recently found out that SB1334 has been introduced and I would urge you to oppose it.  I’m not sure if you’ve had a chance to read it, but it would turn every gun owner on Oahu into a felon with the stroke of a pen.

The bill turns almost every rifle, with the exception of perhaps, black powder muskets and lever action cowboy style rifles, into assault weapons.  Yes, that’s correct, the bolt action rifle someone uses to harvest feral pigs or axis deer, would become an “assault weapon”.  The standard issue handgun for HPD, the Glock, would also be considered and “assault weapon” by this bill’s definition.  Even the venerable .22 cal rifle used to by the Boy Scouts would be an “assault weapon” because it has a detachable magazine.  The air rifles used by the Moanalua High School air riflery team would be illegal to posses, let alone compete with locally, because the rifles have a thumbhole stock that would classify them as “assault weapons” .

As you can see the only people impacted by this bill are the law abiding ones.  This bill would have zero impact on crime because as you well know, criminals don’t follow laws to begin with.  I would hope that you would be in agreement with myself and other law abiding gun owners.

Sincerely,

XXXXX

I used the firearms coalition email to send a message but is the bill open to submitting testimony yet?

I used the firearms coalition email to send a message but is the bill open to submitting testimony yet?

not yet

not yet

Ok, good. Was afraid I missed it. I will be there giving testimony in person (if they don't try to cancel it)

just got this email, I used reps@capitol.hawaii.gov to email all reps about the House Bills and sens@capitol.hawaii.gov for the Senate bills

Aloha e Steve,
 
Mahalo for your email regarding SB 1334. I’m taking a close look at this bill.
 
Best wishes to you and your ‘ohana.
 
Me ke aloha pumehana,
 

Senator Mike Gabbard

just got this email, I used reps@capitol.hawaii.gov to email all reps about the House Bills and sens@capitol.hawaii.gov for the Senate bills

Aloha e Steve,
 
Mahalo for your email regarding SB 1334. I’m taking a close look at this bill.
 
Best wishes to you and your ‘ohana.
 
Me ke aloha pumehana,
 

Senator Mike Gabbard

I just got that exact response from Senator Gabbard as well.

Senator Gabbard is the only legislator that has ever responded to my many emails to all the legislators. He also was the only one who was willing to sponsor and introduce the three bills (repeal electric gun ban, handgun mags limit from 10 to 17, "shall issue" CCW) I asked him to introduce (okay, even he wouldn't introduce my requested "permitless carry" bill... ). What does it say about our legislature, and the strategy of using legislative means to have our rights restored, when even the few "Republicans" fail to even acknowledge such communications? Seems they are only willing to consider taking action when there is a pending judicial judgment against them (electric gun ban, open carry). Even then the strategy seems to be to introduce even more draconian measures (treat electric guns as firearms, e.g. registration, licensing, training, etc., or impose even more ludicrous requirements should any ordinary citizen ever be granted a license to carry, etc.). I guess we gotta try anyway.

Maybe send this meme to all the legislators? Maybe not... but I'm just sayin'... ah, what the hell, I'm already on all the lists...

Already heard the first story of people out burying their rifles. 

as they say, if it is time to bury your guns it is time to use them.  But at least burying them is better than confiscation.

Reid Heinrichs, Valor Ridge, 12 minutes.  2A isn't about burying your guns.

Reid Heinrichs, Valor Ridge, 12 minutes.  2A isn't about burying your guns.

Blowhard Gun Nut! Giving away the ops strategies to the enemy!

But seriously, I was laughing out loud... never seen him that worked up before. Good for him.

I wonder if anyone will listen?

I seriously thought he was going to mention HI when talking about gun grabber states.  But I guess no one cares about us.

emailed all senators and representatives

I seriously thought he was going to mention HI when talking about gun grabber states.  But I guess no one cares about us.

we have Hoe Leiomano and Ihe , not firearms. 

Our 2A brethren in Oregon face a similar battle with D supermajorities in both Houses. He makes a few good talking points that I'll be including in future opposition letters.

Our 2A brethren in Oregon face a similar battle with D supermajorities in both Houses. He makes a few good talking points that I'll be including in future opposition letters.

That kid's bill died in committee Friday but was likely a diversion for the other anti-gun bills submitted and made it through committee in Oregon.  The one signature petition his briefly mentioned at the beginning that got shot down by the oregon supreme court was because of the name the AG gave it was determined to be illegal.  Several pro-gun oregon groups had to fight that.  But it was just introduced again for the 2020 legislature.  It basically makes every gun an assault weapon and bans them  (The church that is pushing the petition hides illegal aliens from ICE, one of them has a multi-million dollar home in Portland).

There is a coordinated effort across the country to try to ban guns.  Legal or illegal, constitutional or not (mostly not). 

I give them credit for being organized and coordinated.  Day 1 after the elections and day 1 of state legislatures opening for session there were a flood of anti-gun bills across the country. 

Imagine if gun owners did everything legal and illegal, constitutional or not to oppose them  We mostly sit around and whine that we may offend anti-guners if we use to strong of words.