Feedback from a Watchdog concerning the Reedsport Rally
There were about 42 attendees and a lot of them were new. I guess that there might of been 6 or 8 that were completely new to me and 10 or 12 were first timers that I did know. Some arrived after attending the
Fly fishing Expo across the street. Seeing the cars in the parking lot had attracted them. We had three very good speakers. It really was a long program but people stayed for all of it..
We led off with Frank Barth, who is our new City Councilor. His message was short, telling people that he would most likely be voting alone, but that he intends to represent the people that elected him. He primed the group to be ready to oppose the attempt to over-ride 10-119 in the May election.
Our next speaker was Tom McKirgan of Oathkeepers. Tom gave a synopsis of the Oathkeeper movement, citing the need to make the candidates oath an important element of elected service. Tom's presentation was
concluded with the group standing and repeating the Oath to protect and defend the Constitution. For many it was a re-affirmation, but there were some that did it as a first time experience.
Tom was followed by Connie Martin, who is a certified firearms instructor and a very strong constitutional advocate.
Our third speaker was Rob Taylor from Bandon. Rob started off with really challenging the group to get involved in Council or Special Board s by being a candidate or finding a good one to support. He complimented Frank for stepping forward. Rob then told of his activism in Coos County, where property rights have come under assault by the Natures Conservancy and Federal forces, who have sights set on returning a lot of Coos County to
"nature". It seems that the people of the land that are in the way of the critters. The goal is to remove all dikes along the Coquille River.
I closed the meeting telling people that if this move succeeds, they can expect to find the same thing happening in Reedsport as they surely will want to open tidegates and remove dikes to return the Waggoner Ranch, Leed's Island, the Providence Creek drainage and most of the diked areas along Smith River to "natural use".
It surprised me that the group seemed to have bonded through this experience and they stood around afterward in groups sharing opinion and concern. Several asked me if this could be repeated monthly and I said that we are looking for a satisfactory time to schedule future meetings. I think that we may have found that time and day. We certainly have a good location.
I want to send this out to those that missed this experience, but will circulate it to be sure that I have not missed
anything. Will those that receive this posting please respond with comments pro or con?
Merv
Emerald Coast Defensive 'New Shooters Orientation/Basic Pistol' Class 3/2/2013
Reedsport Resistance Rally a Pro 2nd Amendment Gathering