 I received the following in an email this morning, and found the content interesting enough to pass along here, in its entirety.
The Event Not Held.......
Yesterday, Reed Exhibitions announced it was "postponing" the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show. Originally scheduled to begin on February 2 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the nine day show is the country's largest outdoor show, and regularly attracts as many as 200,000 outdoor enthusiasts. It also puts an estimated $44 million in direct revenues into the region's economy.
Some hoteliers and restaurants say this decision will "make for a very long winter" in their area. Many of the more than 1,000 exhibitors come from out of the region and provide a huge boost to a slow season during the nine-day event.
Reed kicked off a controversy when managers announced their decision not to allow any presence of the AR-rifle platform at the Eastern Show. That prohibition even extended to images of the rifle used to solicit raffle ticket sales. In other words, the AR (initially, they called it an "assault rifle") was a non-starter at what Reed considered a pure hunting and fishing show.
"Our original decision not to include certain products in the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show this year was made in order to preserve the event's historical focus on the hunting and fishing traditions enjoyed by American families," said Chet Burchett, Reed Exhibitions President for the Americas. "In the current climate, we felt that the presence of MSRs would distract from the theme of hunting and fishing, disrupting the broader experience of our guests. This was intended simply as a product decision, of the type event organizers need to make every day. "
It was seen by the industry as anything but a product decision.
Major sponsor Cabela's was the first to announce a pullout. Others, including Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Trijicon, and Crimson Trace followed along with organizations including the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Dozens of small exhibitors, many with products unrelated to the modern sporting rifle, pulled out in support of gun rights.
The small exhibitors' decisions not to attend were especially impactful. Many of them depend on sales at the Eastern Show's for a majority of their annual income. Recognizing their sacrifice, several in the industry reached out to these vendors with the support they needed by purchasing products from them.
At that point, observers realized this had the potential to become a watershed moment in the fight to preserve gun rights.
The tipping-point may have been the National Rifle Association's announcement that it, too, was pulling out. At that point, the matter moved from a widespread ad-hoc protest to a full-out Second Amendment fight.
Now every small exhibitor is faced with the same problem: finding a way to provide without the benefit of the Eastern Show. With Reed's announcing a postponement rather than a cancellation of the event, there are operational questions still unanswered. For example, does a postponement entitle exhibitors to refunds, or freeze money until a show IS held?
Not cancelling the show is probably the right call at this point. Historically, few shows ever cancelled return to their previous levels of attendance or participation.
Meanwhile, other shows across the country are working to get the word out they are not banning any type of firearms from their shows. The Portland Sportsman's Show, the second largest consumer sportsman's show in the country, contacted us with word that they have "no intention of outlawing any legal sporting product from their exhibit floor-and wants the entire industry to know that."
We've learned that at least one other exhibition company is attempting to acquire the Eastern Show from Reed Exhibitions.
And what of Reed's future in the outdoor industry? That's being discussed at the highest levels of the industry. Can a company that has taken (for whatever the reason) a stand against the most popular firearm in America continue to profit from that industry?
The NSSF's SHOT Show is the marquee event in the industry, and Reed is their longtime management partner.
The NSSF's statement on the Eastern Show made it very clear that their "intense, frank discussions" with Reed management in an attempt to change their minds were unsuccessful.
With their refusal to reconsider their policy, Reed essentially, rendered itself toxic in the outdoor industry. That's the reason the NSSF is "considering all options regarding the management of future SHOT events."
Ending the Reed relationship and finding a new SHOT Show management company, despite the difficulties that will cause, seems the only real option at this point.
This controversy has distracted many of the industry's leaders at a critical time in the battle to defeat Congressional efforts to institute restrictive new gun laws. With that legislation now formally having been introduced, the scene shifts from this skirmish in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to a full-blown, set-piece political engagement in Washington, D.C.
Hopefully, many of the anti-gun legislators have taken note of the fact that the outdoor community- across the board- has made their position known when it comes to any restrictions on the modern sporting rifle.
As always, we'll keep you posted.
--Jim Shepherd
EDITOR'S NOTE: Our request for an interview with Mr. Burchett was declined. The company, we're told, will have "no further comment on the matter."
 From Newsbusters: School Removes God From First-Grader's Poem By Noel Sheppard When the word "God" becomes inappropriate in public schools, America really has ceased to exist. Consider the story of a first-grade girl in West Marion, North Carolina, who had the word "God" stripped from a poem she wrote and was going to read at her school's Veterans Day assembly earlier this month. The poem honored her two grandfathers who served during the Vietnam War. “He prayed to God for peace," she wrote of one of them. "He prayed to God for strength.” Unfortunately, a parent found out about this, and complained to the school district. At a McDowell County Board of Education meeting last week, employee Chris Greene said, "We had one parent concerned with the use of the word God in this program. This parent did not want the word God mentioned anywhere in the program. When the demand from this person was heard, the rights of another stopped. It did so by hushing the voice of a six-year-old girl.” "I believe that this little girl’s rights were violated," Greene continued, "and that those who worked so hard to prepare this program should receive an apology.” “We need to keep in mind what was our country founded on,” said McDowell County resident Esther Dollarhyde. “It was founded on God and Jesus Christ, and our veterans went out and fought for us so we would have a free country, but if we aren’t allowed to honor them the way that the children want to then America is getting lost.” School Board member Lynn Greene told McDowell News, "My understanding on the law is a teacher cannot promote any certain religion, but when it comes to students voicing their opinion or expressing themselves in a poem we pretty much have to give some leeway. To me this whole thing is a violation of that child’s rights. Nobody forced her to write the poem, that was her part of the program. She was asked to write a poem about veterans and she did. My personal opinion is that her rights were violated.” After fully examining the issue during the BOE meeting, President and Chief Executive Officer Ken Paulson stated the school did in fact have the right to remove the word "God" from the child’s poem. Continue Reading Here
 What has happened to common sense?
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
A Muslim officer crying "Allah Akbar" while shooting up an army base is considered to have committed "Workplace Violence" - while an American citizen boasting a Tea Party bumper sticker is classified by the Secretary of Homeland Security as a "Domestic Terrorist." (Source) (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
You can get arrested for expired tags on your car, but not for being in the country illegally. (Source) (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
Your government believes that the best way to eradicate trillions of dollars of debt is to spend trillions more of our money. (Source) (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
A nine year-old boy can be thrown out of school for calling his teacher "cute" but hosting a sexual exploration or diversity class in grade school is perfectly acceptable. (Source) (Source) (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
The Supreme Court of the United States can rule that lower courts cannot display the 10 Commandments in their courtroom, while sitting in front of a display of the 10 Commandments. (Source) (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
Children are forcibly removed from parents who appropriately discipline them while children of "underprivileged" drug addicts are left to rot in filth-infested cesspools. (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
Working class Americans pay for their own health care (and the health care of everyone else) while unmarried women are free to have child after child on the "State's" dime while never being held responsible for their own choices. (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
Hard work and success are rewarded with higher taxes and government intrusion, while slothful, lazy behavior is rewarded with cell phones, EBT cards, WIC checks, Medicaid and subsidized housing. (Source) (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
Being self-sufficient is considered a threat to the government. (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
A 79-year old Korean War veteran can be arrested because he has in his yard the junk he sells to buy medications for his wife, while at the same time known terrorist groups are free to have training camps inside the United States. (By the way, both in York County, South Carolina). (Source) (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
Politicians think that stripping away the amendments to the U.S. Constitution is really protecting the rights of the people. (Source) (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
The rights of the Government come before the rights of the individual. (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
You pay your mortgage faithfully, while your neighbor defaults on his mortgage, buys iPhone, big screen TVs and new cars, and the government forgives his debt and reduces his mortgage with your tax dollars. (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
Your government can add anything it wants to your kid's water (fluoride, chlorine, etc.), but you are not supposed to give them whole milk. (Source) (Source) (Source) (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
Being stripped of the ability to defend yourself makes you "safe." (Source) (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
You have to have your parents signature to go on a school field trip, but not to get an abortion. (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
An 84 year old woman can be stripped searched by the TSA, but a Muslim woman in a burqua is only subject to having her neck and head searched. (Source) (Source)
You know America has been turned upside-down when...
You can write something like this just by reading the news headlines in the media. Unfortunately, this list could go on and on. Thanks to political correctness and other liberal false teachings, America has indeed been turned upside-down.
As most folks have already heard, Dan Cathy, president of Chick-Fil-A restaurant, made statements that suggested they were supportive of Biblically defined marriage, and not supportive of same sex marriage. The result has been a firestorm of anti-Christian rhetoric. Chicago Mayor Rahm “never let a good crisis go to waste” Emanuel has suggested that he will block any attempts by Chick-Fil-A to open a new restaurant in Chicago. Emanuel said, “Chick-Fil-A’s values are not Chicago values. They’re not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members. And if you’re gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values … What the CEO has said as it relates to gay marriage and gay couples is not what I believe, but more importantly, it’s not what the people of Chicago believe. We just passed legislation as it relates to civil union and my goal and my hope … is that we now move on recognizing gay marriage. I do not believe that the CEO’s comments … reflects who we are as a city.” (Source) Focus on that line “if you’re gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values.” In the context of Emanuel’s statement this means accept gay marriage regardless of your beliefs or stay out of Chicago.
Emanuel’s anti-Christian attack is supported by Chicago Alderman Proco Moreno said, “There are consequences for one’s actions, statements and beliefs. Because of this man’s ignorance, I will deny Chick-Fil-A a permit to open a restaurant in my ward.” (Source) (Excuse me? Consequences for one’s beliefs?)
Boston Mayor Tom Menino is also in support of banning Chick-fil-A based on Cathy’s religious beliefs, saying, “Chick-Fil-A doesn’t belong in Boston. You can’t have a business in the city of Boston that discriminates against a population. We’re an open city, we’re a city that’s at the forefront of inclusion … That’s the Freedom Trail. That’s where it all started right here. And we’re not going to have a company, Chick-Fil-A or whatever the hell the name is, on our Freedom Trail.” (Source) Menino later said “I can’t do that. That would be interference to his rights to go there.” However, in light of his promise that the acquisition of permits for restaurant construction “will be very difficult … unless they open up their policies” seems to indicate that Menino is simply trying to protect his rear from any future lawsuits that may stem from any difficulty Chick-Fil-A may experience when they apply for those permits.
San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee has also jumped on the anti-Christian bandwagon, tweeting, “Very disappointed #ChickFilA doesn't share San Francisco's values & strong commitment to equality for everyone.” And, “Closest #chickFilA to San Francisco is 40 miles away & I strongly recommend that they not try to come any closer.” (Source)
As the brouhaha continues, and voices from both sides of the debate continue unabated, there are a few points that I would like to make. To begin with, the pro-gay community is openly accusing Chick-Fil-A of hate, simply because it’s president is opposed to same-sex marriage. But isn’t denying Chick-Fil-A a business license based solely on the religious belief of its president a form of hate, and a form of discrimination based on hate? Yes, it is. The bigotry expressed by the above mayors and Alderman Moreno is reprehensible and is an open display of intolerance and hate. If they, and others in the pro-gay community wish to harbor hate, bigotry and discrimination against Christians and Christian belief, then that is their right. And if they want to protest against Chick-Fil-A, then that is their right as well. But they do not have the right to make threats against Chick-Fil-A or anyone because of their religious beliefs.
The 1964 Federal Civil Rights Law, 18 U.S.C. § 245(b)(2), permits federal prosecution of anyone who "willingly injures, intimidates or interferes with another person, or attempts to do so, by force because of the other person's race, color, religion or national origin" because of the victim's attempt to engage in one of six types of federally protected activities, such as attending school, patronizing a public place/facility, applying for employment, acting as a juror in a state court or voting. (emphasis mine). Public Law #103-322A, a 1994 federal law, defines a hate crime as “a crime in which the defendant intentionally selects a victim, or in the case of a property crime, the property that is the object of the crime, because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation of any person.” (again, emphasis mine).
By definition, because all three mayors and the alderman are singling out Dan Cathy and Chick-Fil-A for punishment simply because of Cathy’s religious beliefs, they are guilty of a hate crime, and they should be prosecuted for it.
I would also like to point out that contrary to the prevailing opinion of the pro-gay community, they do not have a right to marriage. In fact, no one, straight or gay, has a “right” to be married. They may choose to be married, but there is no Constitutionally protected right to marriage. I do understand their (the homosexual community) desire to have the same benefits as straight married couples, i.e. insurance, survivorship, medical benefits, etc.; but again, there is no right to these benefits. Insurance companies and employers make that decision, and they are free to deny these benefits for any straight couple that may apply for them. Again, there is no Constitutionally guaranteed right to any of these benefits.
The reality is that homosexuals want special rights. Rights that are guaranteed only for them and for no one else. And that is just plain wrong. Simply because they have made the conscious decision to be homosexuals does not mean that they should be granted federally protected rights. And don’t go down the “homosexuality is genetic” road. It is not genetic, it is a choice. (Source). For those of you who disagree with me, and I am sure there are many, before you begin to rail against my religious beliefs as so many are doing against Dan Cathy, my answer to you all is: “I am not ‘anti-gay’, I am anti-homosexuality. There is a difference. Your tolerance for intolerance is a definite indicator of your hate and bigotry against any and all who disagree with you.” There’s your answer, now spare me your bigoted ramblings.
But the crux of this matter, what we should all be focusing on, is that the attacks against Chick-Fil-A are government led. They are an attempt at government regulated religion. The First Amendment specifically states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;…” And for a duly elected government official, acting in his or her official capacity to attempt to regulate religious beliefs (“if you’re gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values.” – Mayor Rahm Emanuel; “There are consequences for one’s actions, statements and beliefs. Because of this man’s ignorance, I will deny Chick-fil-A a permit to open a restaurant in my ward.” – Alderman Proco Moreno; [Construction permits] “will be very difficult … unless they open up their policies” – Mayor Tom Menino; “Closest #chickFilA to San Francisco is 40 miles away & I strongly recommend that they not try to come any closer.” – Mayor Edwin Lee), is a very dangerous, very slippery slope that can, and will lead to a further erosion of our freedom.
When I read what these government officials have said while acting in their official capacity, I am reminded of the words of two of communism’s favorite sons, Vladimir Lenin and Karl Marx. Lenin said “A Marxist must be a materialist, i.e., an enemy of religion, but a dialectical materialist, i.e., one who treats the struggle against religion not in an abstract way, not on the basis of remote, purely theoretical, never varying preaching, but in a concrete way, on the basis of the class struggle which is going on in practice and is educating the masses more and better than anything else could”(from his book, Private Property and Communism). And Marx said “Communism begins from the outset with atheism.” (Introduction to a Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right).
The Founding Fathers wanted the people of the United States to be free, and to remain free. Communists, and from the looks of things certain duly elected public officials, want the exact opposite. There was no place in Lenin’s regime for the church, and the church is facing similar persecution in the United States today.
Government regulated religious beliefs are a very dangerous thing. For government, or anyone for that matter, to openly or otherwise take any steps to ban Christian beliefs or even Christian speech, is a violation of the First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion. If the Constitution is to stand, then these rights, and all other Constitutionally protected rights must be protected at any and all cost.
 Brett Kimberlin, the Speedway Bomber If you have been following the story about Brett Kimberlin which have been popping up all over the dextrosphere, then you know not only who he is (the Speedway, Indiana Bomber), but also what he and his minions have been up to. Or at least what they have been allegedly up to.
Since the Kimberlin story broke, and people became aware that the former terrorist of Speedway, Indiana (is there such a thing as a former terrorist?) was involved with the Democratic Party and had ties to the White House, conservative bloggers, including myself, have been hard at it getting the news out about this individuals nefarious past and what he is currently up to. As a result, several bloggers have found themselves the target of a campaign of harassment. Some have been SWATted (where the perpetrator - presumably Kimberlin or one of his associates - calls the police and claims to be the blogger, and states that they have shot someone in their home. The police arrive, and you can imagine the rest). At least one has had to take his family and go into hiding in order to protect them. Lawsuits, harassment and threats have become the preferred method employed (or allegedly employed) by Kimberlin and his minions. And now it may be happening to yet another blogger, Paul Lemmen, who blogs at An Ex-Con's View. Paul has blogged about his experience, and his response to the harassment that he and his disabled wife have experienced. I would encourage everyone to visit Paul's blog and see for yourself what is happening, and if you are a blogger as well, then I also encourage you to write about this episode as well as the other forms of harassment that have been happening to so many, simply because they refuse to relinquish their First Amendment rights.
Read Paul's account by clicking on the link here -> http://anexconsview.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/to-the-idiots-photographing-my-home-today/
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