By BRIAN PORTER | Rocky Mountain Voice
LOVELAND — A collection of state legislators, advocates and gun dealers gathered here Saturday at The Gallery Range & Restaurant in an effort to unify the state’s 2nd Amendment supporters.
“This is the first step we are a taking as a caucus,” said state Rep. Ryan Armagost, who with Rep. Scott Bottoms chair the newly-formed 2nd Amendment Caucus in the Colorado House.
“We’re trying to get the word out on a lot of levels,” Bottoms added. “What does it mean to be a firearms owner in Colorado?”
They were joined by freshmen Reps. Rebecca Keltie, in El Paso County’s District 16, and Larry Don Suckla, from the eight-county District 58 on the Western Slope.
“I’m not just a gun advocate,” Keltie said. “I support the 2nd Amendment. I believe in constitutional carry.”
Suckla pledged he would “do everything I can to help people defend themselves.”
Some attending criticized the National Rifle Association for not doing enough to encourage youth involvement in shooting sports, but the NRA operates Friends of NRA specific to the philanthropic purpose of youth grants. Since 1992, Friends of NRA has raised more than $1.1 billion to support The NRA Foundation’s mission, the organization’s website reads.
Bottoms pled with gun owners to make a change when it comes to elections.
“Forty percent of gun owners vote,” he said. “That’s not a good number. Maybe we could talk about that.“
Both the co-chairs of the caucus encouraged those in attendance to unify under a common cause to protect their constitutional rights.
“If we don’t band together, there’s not going to be gun shops in Colorado to compete with each other,” Bottoms said.
Added Keltie, “We need everyone to stand up and fight with us.”
Though not a gun shop, an example might be Magpul Industries, which was founded in Boulder. In 2014, the company left Colorado when the high-capacity magazine law effectually ended its business in the state. Magpul now operates a production facility in Wyoming and corporate offices in Texas.
Armagost is confident the 22 Republican members of the House will join the caucus, and he’s hopeful there will be Democrats who at least engage with the caucus. He encourages them to join as well.
“Part of what we’re trying to do is education,” Bottoms said. “If you haven’t been around it, this is what a firearm is, this is what the 2nd Amendment is.”
He notes many legislators or activists against firearms may be in the position “out of ignorance. They probably haven’t ever held a firearm.”
Rocky Mountain Gun Owners maintains a 2nd Amendment Bill Watch list. In the 75th General Assembly, it is opposing six measures, including a semi-auto firearms ban, a voluntary red flag law, a bill it terms the “federal gun control money mandate”, and an ammunition ban for those age 21 and under. Among the bills the organization is supporting will be a constitutional carry bill by Rep. Ron Weinberg.
In the 74th General Assembly, Democrats passed legislation supporting an expansion of gun-free zones, increasing concealed handgun licensing requirements, for tracking of gun purchases, empowering the Colorado Bureau of Investigation to investigate gun crimes, setting stiffer requirements for gun storage in a personal vehicle, putting a guns and ammunition tax on the ballot, and permitting of gun shops.
“It is important everyone pays attention,” said Ian Escalante, executive director of the no-compromise RMGO. “Right now, Senate Bill 3 is the shiny object. If we pay attention solely to this one Senate bill, that’s how we get these other bad bills.”
Additionally, the newly-formed We the Second presented to those attending the event.