Sevens wrote:If we have to have a Frank discussion... fine. I'd much rather have a Chuck discussion, but this will have to do.
^This is a typical example of what I often add to these pages. Inconsequential cracks and such. I will also spew off a short rant when I find someone "in the news" that peeves me off, such as the drunken ghost of Ted Kennedy, former officer & card-carrying steaming turd Harless, etc etc.
Probably more than anything, I enjoy discussing handloading and I try my best to offer help in that area any time I can, because I feel that I'm somewhat skilled at it and I can be helpful. In other words, 180 degrees from sorting and interpreting the ORC which I am painfully BAD at doing.
OFCC events, I do have opinions on those.
PITP, I attended for 4 years consecutively, iirc. Early on, the prize table had my interest the most. After attending two of them, it was the comraderie of a small handful of friends that was the draw. The location is certainly easy for me and maybe my opinion gets easily discounted because I live in the middle of the State but I think it's a silly suggestion when out of towners complain that it never moves from Central Ohio. Ummm, that location makes it easiest for EVERY Ohioan, not to mention the guest speakers who are far more than "familiar" with events near the Capitol (as opposed the possibility being hundreds of miles away from some alternate event site.
The Fun 'n Gun is my event. I think I've done the last six. The only true annoyance is how few folks that seem to live on the forums seem to EVER show up to this event. The FnG is not only important because it's a genuine find raiser for this organization... but for cryin' out loud it's a bunch of good folks with guns -- and shooting. I cannot understand why everyone isn't chomping at the bit to be there!
As for the organization and the forums... it occurred to me years ago that the two are related but not "one." It seemed to me long ago that the forums had many "loud voices" and the organization (whoever those actual people were) paid very little attention to the forums at all and seemingly had very little interest in anything (ANYTHING!) discussed on the forums.
About that ^^^, a couple things:
A) I believe that is much different here in 2017 than it was in say 2009 or 2011. I believe this is due to the work of guys like Chuck, Morne, Mgal380, Jake, Jedi and others whose names escape me but are no less important. I believe the time & energy they spend on the forum AND discussing organizational business is extremely important to the (seemingly large number of) people who have a need to have a voice in something they support.
B) as it happens, I'm not that kind of people. While I realize fully that this -is- a grassroots org, and OFCC and the political issues OFCC deals with are both important to me, neither crack the top handful of things that require my time, passion and energy. God bless retired guys, actual lawyers and folks that exhibit obvious above average intelligence AND the charisma and ability to present good ideas to others, especially to lawmakers.
Why am I a Patron member? Because I'm a laborer by trade and I clock 55+ hours a week. That I can give some cash and maybe some activity on the forum and a little handloading advice is a way that I can (hopefully) help. No, I cannot get to the State House, I have about 90 mins before and after work when I'm not actually at work or commuting. I have children also. I post almost always at slow moments in the middle of my chaotic work day.
I also support this organization for two big reasons-- because I feel that I owe them for PAST accomplishments in the State of Ohio and because I trust their drive and direction on future accomplishments here in Ohio.
I am sure that I most certainly have NO CLUE how to best accomplish the things that OFCC accomplishes. And I also don't know the best way to "sell" the organization and generate interest in OFCC. And maybe I'm a jerk (been accused of it before, don't care about the critics enough to argue any critics) but when I hear posters that cry, whine or complain about this organization...
usually I just chuckle. Awww, look... someone's having a tough day.
Y'know what else?! My posts are TOO DAMN LONG. Who in their right mind wants to read all of that?!
I've often wanted to ask of those who frequent this forum, especially those who are not "paid' members of OFCC, the questions that Chuck has posed here in this discussion.
And I'd like to discuss a few things Sevens has brought up.
A little background on my involvement with OFCC is in order here, along with why I continue to stay with them,(OFCC).
Before 2012, I wasn't really involved , (or maybe interested in at all , for that matter), in my rights as a gun owner and the effort it takes to change those laws which infringe on those rights that we "should" be able to exersize (which, I think, is at the heart of the lack of activism among gun owners , not only in Ohio, but with most gun owners as a whole.
I first became involved with BFA before 2012....by involvement, I mean as a forumite only, not a paid member....... then I found OFCC .
I knew very little back then regarding the issue between the two organizations and I suspect that is the case with most of those that frequent BFA's forums AND ours, by the comments I see on both forums . In the short time I have been involved with OFCC, I have learned from Chuck , (and others), each organization has its priorities.
Yes , both are involved in the legislative process, but much of what we "now" benefit from, since "04, and the resulting changes in our carry laws since then, have been in large part, due to the hard work and persistance of those in OFCC who do the "work" behind the scenes. If it were not for the efforts of the few, and I mean VERY few , that actually get involved, we would not be as far along in reclaiming our rights as we are now. Unless you are "actively" involved at the statehouse, most really don't understand how things work and why things "seem" to move at a snails pace AND because most DON'T get involved, for whatever reason, our voices aren't heard, except through the efforts by those at OFCC. Please consider this the next time you "think" OFCC isn't productive enough or active enough in the legislative arena and you choose NOT to join through a paid membership or donate. One person, Jeff Garvis, chose to start this whole thing we know as OFCC. And through his efforts, and the efforts of the "few" that have chose to join him at OFCC, have tried to represent ALL gun owners in Ohio, on our own time AND dime. They aren't doing it for the money, that's for sure. And don't think we can rest for a minute, as the anti-gunners would surely reverse and undo all we've accomplished if they could.
There is a thread where Chuck asked for volunteers and I saw it and responded. As a result, I took on some of Chucks responsibilities freeing him up for more important things, things that I'm not good at. Can you do the same!
Now, as far as some of the comments Sevens made that I haven't discussed.....
(1) As far as the locations , (and reasons for those locations), that OFCC has chosen to hold it's "Party in the Park", "Fun & Gun" and so forth, there are reasons for those locations being where they are, as I understand it, which I can't go into here.
As for setting up Meet & Greets in your area, bring the issue up in our events forum, others in your area might like to do the same. I set one up in my area earlier this year at a local restaurant and there were about fifteen people show....ya have to start somewhere.
(2)Do you know how to accomplish what OFCC volunteers do or have done in the past? Are you willing to learn and /or take the time to do those things on your own.
If not, then what are your alternatives ? Do you want to go out there and start your own gun rights organization and start from scratch , learning what OFCC has already learned and spent the last eighteen years or so, putting into practice ?
It's not easy. So if you can't do what OFCC is doing on your own, you need to "trust their drive and direction" as Sevens puts it, and join us. Together, we are stronger.
If OFCC disbanded today, what would our future look like in Ohio for gun owners in regards to keeping those gains we have made in the past and furthering those rights in the future ? We as gun owners in Ohio, need OFCC to keep those gains made in the past and to press forward in the future and OFCC needs two things to accomplish that, (1).....Volunteers, and (2) money. That's just how it is. If you can't volunteer your time, then give what you can monetarily . If you can't give your time OR your money, then please don't complain.
Don't ask what is OFCC is doing for you, but rather we should "each" be asking what we can do to help OFCC and the cause to advance our rights. Yes , I volunteer as much as I can and am frustrated when I can't give as much time and/or money as I'd like, but I won't complain about things that are out of my or OFCC's control.
I'm not trying to point a finger here , just trying to keep things in perspective.