Also, don't miss today's "Task Force Member Training with Merissa Hamilton" Noon today. Register here:
Friend,
As a nonprofit social welfare organization, PIME trains its laser focus on election integrity issues. Today, two additional constitutional rights are under assault here in Michigan. Should these bills pass into law, their ripple effects stand to tarnish all Michigander rights, ranging from to the right to bear arms, to religious freedom, and to election integrity.
As a nonprofit social welfare organization, MFE and PIME trains its laser focus on election integissues. Today, two additional constitutional rights are under assault here in Michigan. Should these bills pass into law, their ripple effects stand to tarnish all Michigander rights, ranging from to the right to bear arms, to religious freedom, and to election integrity. grity. rity. ity. ty. y. .
Call to action #1: Oppose three imminent gun laws: "Red Flag," "Safe Storage," and registration requirements to all guns, not just handguns.
In the wake of the senseless and heart-wrenching shootings at MSU last week, and “just like clockwork,” Bill writes, progressives are pushing gun legislation.
None of the proposed laws would have prevented the horrific incident, and there are things our legislators could do if they really wanted to help make campuses and public areas safer. Instead, the progressives are sticking to their agenda, which seeks only to punish lawful gun owners and not actually reduce any crime or make anyone safe.
The Red Flag laws, as Bill describes them:
Would allow any family member to file a complaint saying that you should have any and all of your firearms taken away because you are a risk to yourself and others. The accusers don't have to provide their address. The gun owners don't get notified of the hearing, so won’t be able to defend themselves. No due process is afforded under the law.
North Korea and totalitarian nations have perfected the science of turning neighbor against neighbor and family member against family member. Thankfully, for almost 250 years, our nation has operated under a legal system that accords citizens the right to face their accusers, to trials of their peers, and due process under the law. The Second Amendment (2A) guarantees the right to bear arms. Contrary to popular opinion, the Founders enacted 2A, not for hunting purposes, but to equip citizens with the ability defend themselves against harm from an out-of-control and oppressive government.
The three proposed bills—the so-called “Red Flag,” "Safe Storage," and registration requirements on all guns, not just handguns—appear to trample on these fundamental constitutional rights.
Below for you to adapt and use is Bill’s letter to his representative, plus a spreadsheet describing the bills in detail.
Bill’s sample letter offers other solutions to help, not just things that push the “anti-gun agenda.” He writes, “I ask you to please act in the next 24 hours. The way things are going they may act on these immediately, and they need to hear from all of us.”
Call to action #2. Religious freedom bill TODAY from Marian Sheridan
Today’s “pending legislation before the Michigan Legislature will impede religious protections that safeguard faith-based organizations' freedom to operate in keeping with their faith,” writes Marian Sheridan, newly re-elected grassroots vice chair.
“Proposed Elliott Larsen civil rights act amendment will destroy religious freedom.”
Regardless of a person’s beliefs as to sexual orientation and gender identity, separation of church and state form the foundation of this constitutional republic. People have a right to their own thoughts and to live according to their spiritual beliefs. My rights end where yours begin, so to speak. Today we have before the Great Lakes State Legislature a bill that would, by state government decree, eliminate religious exemptions.
If passed, Senate Bill 4 expands the definition of sex to include sexual orientation and gender identity. “We will be the first state in the Union to have zero religious exemptions.” Sheridan said the definition was put forth by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights last year and affirmed by the Michigan Supreme Court. The bill on today’s docket would codify that ruling.
Senator Jim Runestad has offered an amendment which will be voted on before the vote on the overall bill. His amendment protects religious rights by codifying them so as to prohibit discriminatory practices, policies, religious orientation, and identity.
“This legislation to amend the state's civil rights law is moving quickly. Legislators need to hear your voice.” Sheridan urges readers to contact the lawmakers below who won their senate seats by slim margins. “Tell them to vote to include religious protections. With grassroots support we can work to change their vote.”
Senator Hertel 517 373-7315,
Senkhertel@Senate.Michigan.gov
Senator McDonald-Rivet 517 373-1725 Senkmcdonaldrivet@Senate.michigan.gov
Senator Veronica Klinefelt 517 373-7670 Senvklinefelt@Senate.Michigan.gov
Marian and Bill urge readers to forward this message and encourage as many people as possible to contact their Michigan legislators, plus the three above.
Sample letter from Bill:
Dear Senator Shink,
I am writing you this evening, not only because I am one of your constituents in the 14th District, but because you are the majority vice-chair of the “Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety” committee, and you have some pending firearm legislation in your committee.
I understand that you want to ‘do something’ about the tragedy that happened on the MSU Campus last week. No one likes to see these events occur. But I don’t think these bills are the right ‘something’ to do. I am writing you today to ask that you vote NO on the group of gun control bills that are being proposed for two reasons:
1. None of these bills would have prevented the tragedy at MSU, or even made it less severe.
2. Some of these bills will put people at MORE risk, not less risk as you claim to seek.
The Red Flag law (Extreme Risk Protection Order) acts to prosecute people without due process and puts them at risk by taking away their means to protect themselves. Having this law on the books would not have stopped the shooter at MSU.
The ‘Safe Storage’ bill puts home owners at higher risk because they can’t possibly defend themselves if someone breaks in their home and their protection is locked up in a safe. Having this law on the books would not have stopped the shooter at MSU.
You should also be aware that the Supreme Court of the United States ruled against such ‘safe storage’ laws in its “District of Columbia v. Heller” ruling. Please have your office look it up.
And changing registration requirements from ‘pistol’ to ‘firearm’ only aims to create a more complete firearm registry. Having this law on the books would not have stopped the shooter at MSU.
Two things you CAN do if you really want to make your constituents safer:
1. Enforce the laws that are already on the books and avoid ‘soft on crime’ policy. The MSU shooter could have been convicted of a felony in 2019. This would have eliminated his right to purchase a firearm legally, and absolutely could have prevented the tragedy at MSU.
2. Eliminate so called ‘gun free zones’. These zones don’t deter criminals, they only take away the ability of people in these zones to protect themselves when a criminal does try to take their life. This had the potential to make the MSU tragedy less severe. And we know there are students who want to carry their firearm with them, the picture of the painted rock on campus (saying “Allow Us to Defend Ourselves & Carry On Campus”) proves this if you had any doubt.
Again, if you really want to make some changes to protect us, your constituents, then make some changes, but make changes that will actually have an impact. Not changes that are done to push an agenda and put us at more risk.
I thank you for your time, and pray you do the right thing,
[Insert your name, address and phone number]