NRA takes aim at Colorado's 2014 election

It should be all hearts and flowers when Governor John Hickenlooper signs the civil unions bill at History Colorado this afternoon. But we're betting that this historic moment will also have a history-making amount of security, given the vehement response to Hickenlooper's signing of three gun measures yesterday -- just...

By Patricia Calhoun

March 21, 2013

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It should be all hearts and flowers when Governor John Hickenlooper signs the civil unions bill at History Colorado this afternoon. But we're betting that this historic moment will also have a history-making amount of security, given the vehement response to Hickenlooper's signing of three gun measures yesterday -- just after Department of Corrections executive director Tom Clements was killed.

The NRA has already issued a call to arms -- and it wants its members to take aim at the ballot box.

Here's the message the NRA sent to members yesterday:

Colorado: Governor Hickenlooper Signed Away Your Rights Today

Today, Governor John Hickenlooper (D) sent a message to the citizens of Colorado that he cares more about pleasing New York City's mayor than he does about the constitutional rights of Coloradoans when he signed into law the most sweeping anti-gun legislation in the history of the Centennial State. Despite overwhelming opposition to this legislation, and despite the rich hunting heritage and deep respect for the right to self-defense by all Coloradoans, Governor Hickenlooper proved that he is only interested in pleasing Mayor Bloomberg and playing New York City politics.

House Bill 1224 -- Bans magazines with a capacity greater than fifteen rounds and would make a magazine with a removable floor plate illegal.

House Bill 1228 -- Imposes a "gun tax" for a background check when purchasing a firearm.

House Bill 1229 -- Criminalizes the private transfer of a firearm.

Governor Hickenlooper has tried to brand himself as a moderate during his tenure in elected office. However, in a matter of months, he has pulled back the curtain of moderation, revealing himself as a fanatic with no respect for the Second Amendment.

The voices and constitutional rights of Colorado's gun owners and sportsmen were ignored by Governor Hickenlooper and the anti-gun legislators in Denver who care more for their own personal agenda than upholding the constitutional rights of the law-abiding citizens they were elected to represent.

Thanks to Governor Hickenlooper's signature, close to one thousand jobs, if not more, will now be leaving Colorado as Magpul and many other valuable businesses in Colorado are forced to leave the state. And law-abiding citizens, through no fault of their own, will now be labeled as criminals when these new laws take effect on July 1.

The fight in Colorado to protect and now restore your individual rights is anything, but over. In the coming days, weeks and months, the NRA will be using every available resource at its disposal to rectify this situation. It should be clear to the voters, gun owners, hunters, shooters and supporters of the Second Amendment in Colorado that Governor Hickenlooper and the legislators who contributed to the destruction of your rights DO NOT REPRESENT COLORADO VALUES. In preparation for the 2014 elections, it is very important that every gun owner in Colorado be registered to vote.

From the Calhoun: Wake-Up Call archive: "Colorado a swing state in 2012...and a hate state in 1992."

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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