The ninth annual "Firearms Freedom Conference" will be on Saturday, February 24, at the Doster Center in Prattville.
"…shall not be infringed." You will hear those four words a lot at the conference. They are the final four words of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
"…the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."
Details and tickets can be found here.
The Doster Center is located at 424 S. Northington Street, Prattville. Doors open at 8 a.m. The conference runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The conference is held annually by BamaCarry, a no-compromise gun rights group. They will lay their plans to protect the rights of gun owners in the regular session of the Alabama legislature, which began February 6.
A principal speaker at the conference will be State Rep. Shane Stringer (R-Citronelle). He sponsored the "Constitutional Carry" bill that has passed the legislature and been signed into law. It abolished the requirement to have a permit to carry a concealed weapon. BamaCarry was a primary supporter of the Constitutional Carry bill.
Ann Eubank of Vestavia Hills, the chair of Legislative Watchdogs, a conservative citizen action group, will give a report on the legislative session.
The conference's theme is "messaging on Alabama—where we've been, what's happening now, and what we need to accomplish—as part of a full day of networking, learning, and strengthening 2A advocacy."
"It's both daunting and refreshing to turn the spotlight on ourselves this year," said Board President Linda McKinney, "but we've listened to our members, who requested that we concentrate on efforts for best supporting the Second Amendment in our state. It's important for us all to remember that we can never be idle when it comes to protecting our rights and freedoms, and we want to have clarity, both as an organization and as a 2A community, as we move forward this year and into the future."
"Beyond enjoying presentations, event participants will be able to mingle and network, check out vendor tables, and enter to win a variety of door prizes. Guests may also learn more about BamaCarry and even become members on the spot. Membership in the non-profit organization goes a long way towards education about the Second Amendment and Alabama state gun laws, public awareness regarding local legislation, and the continued support for—and restoration of—the natural right to self-defense."
State Auditor Andrew Sorrell will speak on state issues.
The group will hear from Jordan Stein, director of communications for Gun Owners of America, on national issues.
The closing speaker will be Beth Alcazar, the editor-at-large of the newsletter U.S. Concealed Carry (USCCA).
The group describes itself as:
BamaCarry, Inc. is Alabama's only "No Compromise" gun rights group. A membership-based organization, BamaCarry believes in gun rights the way the founders of our Country and the original authors of our State Constitution intended. The group firmly believes every law-abiding citizen has the right to bear arms in defense of self and state, and the organization's goal is to return to those principles.
Details and membership information here: BamaCarry, Inc. – Defending Gun Rights in Alabama
"…shall not be infringed."
Jim Zeigler is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor.
You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
