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GCO Sues Corps of Engineers Over Right to Carry On Corps Property

I donate to GCO a few times a year also, they do a lot of good for our rights. Sounds like a win in CO, which will probably mean a win here in GA as well. I was actually under the impression we could carry on ACE land. I wouldn't visit any of the places described with out mine. We have camped at Doll MTN and Woodring, both times I was armed.
 
Seems a little misguided to not support the local statewide Gun Rights organization that is responsible for all of the pro gun legislation since 2007. We went from about the 43rd worst carry state to arguably the 4th best carry state since GCO began. HB89, SB308, HB60 and others. We have pretty good carry/possession laws in GA bc of them. Hell......the NRA finally started helping us a couple years ago too. They are effective. No one else is in GA.

I can't speak for the GCO Board, but I have spoken to a lot of them about issues like this. GCO wants the GWCL to go away, but feels passing Permitless Carry legislation would be detrimental to fighting for and removing the rest of the "Off Limits Places" still in the GA Code.

GCO fights the battles that they think they can win under the Gold Dome, and the legislative leadership has reiterated time and time again that Permitless Carry is a no go at the capitol. So, GCO is not going to waste any of it's political power trying to get Permitless Carry passed in GA right now bc we know it's DOA. But not fighting for it does not mean GCO is fighting against it. GCO has publicly agreed with Permitless Carry, and is for it.............but will let NAGR/GGO get it passed.

If we pass permitless carry how do we get?

1. Church Carry
2. Carry in all Govt Buildings including Courthouses up to the entrance of a courtroom.
3. Carry on and at all State Publicly Owned Property and Land even when the Govt leases that property to a Private Entity. (Macon Cherry Blossom Festival, North GA Air Show are examples)
4. Carry at and inside K-12 schools (currently only in vehicles)
Tying the two together is ridiculous. Get rid of the government issued permission slip. Fight the off limit places as needed. They are not related regardless of the wording of current legislation.
I have my suspicions why they fought it. Support them, or not, as you choose. When they refused to support the removal of THE SINGLE MOST EGREGIOUS INFRINGEMENT on our 2A rights and couldn't articulate a intelligible reason why (worried that "teenagers couldn't hunt with their fathers"? Give me a freaking break) in this state, I was done. The permit requirement is the only infringement that affects ALL Georgians. They'd rather (apparently) to claim victories over relatively inconsequential battles. Keeps the funds flowing I guess.
 
There are lots of reasons to be against a particular bill even if you believe the end result is good.

I was a little surprised that the NRA-ILA was urging people to tell their Utah state reps to vote AGAINST the Constitutional Carry bill there, but it turned out it was so poorly written, people would be in worse shape if it passed, due to other (pretty bizarre) restrictions they have on the books already.

If GCO had unlimited money, time and people I'd be all over them to push for Constitutional Carry in GA.

The reality is they can only focus on one thing at a time, and I'm 100% on-board with them limiting their scope to getting rid of gun free zones, whether they are in Atlanta Botanical Gardens or Corp land.

While in theory a 'permission slip' should not be required, in reality GA has one of the best systems in the US. I'll live with that if it means GCO can focus on more pressing issues.
 
I let my membership expires when they refused to back (and actually fought apparently) the elimination of the GWL (I'll stop short of calling it Constitutional Carry). This is effort well spent on their part.
If I feel my life could be in danger somewhere, I either don't go (option A), or I go armed. Simple as that.
There's no place safe anymore and I fish all the time so being unarmed while doing so pisses me off greatly.
 
New US House bill on this issue introduced about a month ago.

H.R.1045 - Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act of 2017

Sponsor: Rep. Gibbs, Bob [R-OH-7] (Introduced 02/14/2017)
Committees: House - Transportation and Infrastructure
Latest Action: 02/15/2017 Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/1045/text

New bill introduced similar to one in 2015.

http://www.guns.com/2017/03/15/bill-filed-to-end-army-corps-of-engineers-ban-on-guns/
Similar legislation was proposed by the Ohio lawmaker in 2015, gaining 92 co-sponsors as a standalone bill before it was rolled into the larger Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act. Approved by the House, the package was left on the table at the end of the last Congress.

Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House have rebooted a plan that would lift the current gun free zones on lands controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The measure, H.R. 1045, the Recreational Lands Self-Defense Act, would allow otherwise lawful permit holders to carry their guns in the 12 million acres and over 90,000 campsites the Corps administers.

U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio, the sponsor of the legislation, argues that in 2009 the National Park Service and National Wildlife Refuge System dropped their ban on possession of firearms on their property while the Corps resolutely continued with their prohibition.

“If an American has lawfully obtained a concealed-carry permit, he or she should be able to exercise their constitutional rights on federal recreation lands, regardless of the agency,” said Gibbs in a statement.
 
Even though the Corps has won its right to deny gun carry on their federal property in court, it is choosing to review individual applications for written permission to carry.
The Corps has granted that permission to several of us GeorgiaCarry.org members who submitted a letter requesting that written permission and gave the Corps copies of the front and back sides of our Georgia Weapons Carry Licenses.

I got my carry approval letter in the mail today.
 
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