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Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association

Articles by Daniel Pehrson

Last Chance to Pass Castle Doctrine!

Over the past few months you and other gun owners have rallied, emailed, called and walked the halls of our capitol in support of getting Castle Doctrine passed in Pennsylvania. You have seen the ups and the downs of this process along with some of the frustration of seeing anti-gun politicians play games to prevent it’s passage and gun owners sometimes disagreeing about the best way forward.

But none of that matters right now because on Monday November 15th we have one last chance to pass Castle Doctrine, and we need your help to do it!

  • If you believe that gun owners should be able to legally defend themselves anywhere they have a right to be, we need you to tell your legislators one more time.
  • If you believe that gun owners shouldn’t be sued by their criminal attackers if they are forced to defend themselves, we need you to tell your legislators one more time.

All we need you to do is email Speaker Keith McCall immediately and politely urge him to to bring House Bill 1926 up for a vote on Monday November 15th and to vote for concurrence on it. Then if you want, you may follow your email with a phone call to his office (717-783-1375) on Monday morning.

Additionally, we strongly encourage you to email your state representative immediately and also call them on Monday morning, politely urging them to support a concurrence vote on HB1926. If you are not sure who your representative is, you can use PAFOA’s Politician Search Tool.

This has been a long journey with plenty of hard work, but with your help we can make it all pay off.

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Daniel Pehrson
Posted on
November 13 2010 2:25:48 PM
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Lose Your Rights if You Don’t Exercise Them: Tom Corbett Shows His Support for Gun Rights in Pennsylvania

What if every gun store in Pennsylvania was shut down on January 18, 2011? Did you know that anti-gun groups are actually testing the waters for such a proposal here in the Keystone State?

Every election year, we hear every candidate claim that this is the “most important election ever.” Depending on the issues you care about, it may be true. Just one look at the legislative battle over Castle Doctrine should be a reminder to gun owners that even when we have overwhelming support, frustrating obstacles can get in the way of meaningful reform. This year, we have the power to change state government and get the reform we need in Pennsylvania.

Trusted pro-gun organizations such as Firearm Owners Against Crime and The National Rifle Association have issued endorsements that thousands of gun owners will use when they go to the polls. While PAFOA does not issue endorsements, our members did submit questions that we passed along to both gubernatorial candidates on the ballot in November to find out more about their views on various issues that gun owners face right now.

Only one candidate responded. This alone should speak volumes about the respect that any candidate will show to you as a constituent – let alone tens of thousands of constituents active with PAFOA.

Attorney General Tom Corbett took the time to respond to concerns about future legislative attacks, real crime policy concerns facing Pennsylvanians, and what he has done in his previous experience to support our Second Amendment rights. Here’s a brief look at the messages he has for gun owners across Pennsylvania:

Lawful Sale of Firearms & Ammunition

CeaseFire PA sent their own questionnaires (PDF) to candidates earlier this year to test the waters for rather extreme policies – including closing down gun stores within an arbitrary, undefined distance of any school, daycare center, park, or residential area. This policy, brought to the national scene in 2008 by then-presidential candidate Barack Obama’s past support for it, would effectively shut down nearly every gun store in Pennsylvania. President Obama supported a ban on these small businesses within a 5-mile radius of any park or school. When testing the waters on this subject, Dan Onorato didn’t exactly say no to the idea. CeaseFire PA merely listed him as “No Position.”

Tom Corbett, on the other hand, recognized exactly what this would do to lawful businesses in Pennsylvania and made it clear he would not support such an extreme policy. He added: “Interference with the locations of responsible firearms retailers would not serve a public policy goal and could create an unnecessary inconvenience to sportsmen.”

Gun Bans vs Current Enforcement

Political leaders in some urban areas of the state have called fore more restrictions on lawful firearms owners when crime spikes or makes headlines. We all know that gun bans wouldn’t stop criminals intent on killing innocent people, but some politicians do take these bans seriously.

Tom Corbett was clear in his opposition to reviving bans styled on the Clinton Gun Ban of the 1990’s, and it is a stark contrast to his opponent who voice enthusiastic support for a state-level ban and federal ban on firearms based on cosmetic features.

Going above and beyond the issue of gun bans, Corbett went straight to the heart of the crime problem and highlighted his own effective record on the issue: “As Attorney General, I formed a Gun Violence Task Force to target illegal firearms trafficking and straw purchasers in southeastern Pennsylvania. So far, that effort has netted nearly 500 arrests and seized nearly 1,000 firearms from suspects who illegally possessed or trafficked them. Effective prosecutors are necessary to ensure that the disposition of the criminal cases reflects the severity of the offense, but the entire community must also demand accountability from our judges to ensure that violent offenders are not continually permitted to reoffend.”

Beyond Talk: The Practical Impact on Gun Owners

What stands out the most about Attorney General Corbett’s answers may well be his reminder that he has had a very practical impact on the lives of Pennsylvania’s gun owners. Sometimes we forget that these large issues do really influence our every day lives. For those who carry, for those looking to see criminals put behind bars, and those who celebrated with us in the landmark cases against gun bans in Washington, DC and Chicago, Tom Corbett has been working for us: “In addition to my commitment to combat violence by increased enforcement of current law, I have had the opportunity to protect 2nd Amendment rights by joining in the successful litigation against unconstitutional handgun restrictions in Washington, DC and Chicago. Since taking office I have also more than tripled Pennsylvania’s concealed carry reciprocity agreements. As governor, I will maintain my commitment to protecting constitutional rights and my support of Pennsylvania’s great sporting heritage.”

Our Civic Duty

It is not only our right to vote in free elections, but our duty to be informed citizens when we cast our ballots on Election Day. Make sure that you show up to the polls on November 2, and please vote freedom first. Stand up for those who defend our rights.

Many groups who issue endorsements also have contacts to get involved in key races throughout Pennsylvania. If you’ve got an hour or two to dedicate to freedom this weekend, contact Firearm Owners Against Crime or the National Rifle Association to help turn out the vote for pro-rights candidates.

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Daniel Pehrson
Posted on
October 27 2010 9:17:56 PM
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Important Castle Doctrine Vote Monday 9/27!

Over the past year gun owners in Pennsylvania have made great strides in getting Castle Doctrine (H.B.40), past all the anti-gun roadblocks placed in our way, and believe me, they’ve tried every trick in the book. On Monday, September 27, there will be a pivotal vote on a discharge petition, which would put a stop to all the dirty tricks from anti-gun politicians, and get us one step closer to an actual vote on the House floor. The Castle Doctrine bill that has wide bi-partisan support, and should easily pass if we can get this discharge petition moving H.B.40 forward.

Because of this we need you to contact your state representative and politely let them know you expect them to support the discharge petition and floor vote for H.B.40. If you are not sure who your state representative is you can find out using PAFOA’s Politician Search.

Your action on this matter is urgently necessary for us to pass these much needed reforms. Reforms that would protect law-abiding gun owners, like yourself, from prosecution and lawsuits should you ever be forced to defend yourself inside, or outside of your home.

Thank you,
Daniel Pehrson
Founder & President
Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
http://www.pafoa.org/

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Daniel Pehrson
Posted on
September 26 2010 1:02:02 PM
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The Move to Gut Pennsylvania’s Concealed Carry Reciprocity Agreements

A few weeks ago Bryan Lentz (D-161) introduced House Bill 2536, a bill designed to gut the way reciprocity of Pennsylvania Licenses To Carry Firearms are handled in the Commonwealth. With a few small changed to wording, Rep. Lentz’s bill attempts to implement the misguided anti-gun agenda laid out by Philadelphia’s anti-gun crowd and remove the ability for Pennsylvania residents to carry a firearm on an out-of-state permit. The justification by gun control proponents for such a drastic restriction on your rights boils down to a handful of claims that Pennsylvania residents who were arrested (but not yet convicted) who subsequently had their permits revoked, continued to carry on out-of-state permits. In the eyes of anti-rights groups, you are apparently guilty until proven innocent.

The truth behind the matter however is that most Pennsylvania residents who seek out-of-state permits do so not to avoid the law, but to avoid abuses by their issuing authority, namely the Philadelphia Police Department. It is well known among Philadelphia residents and anyone who is paying attention that Philadelphia only begrudgingly complies with state law when issuing LTCFs and does everything in it’s power to prevent Philadelphia residents from receiving them. They force you to apply in person and limit the hours they allow this to the middle of work days, they demand additional documentation not outlined in state law and require character witnesses to execute affidavits. If you can actually get this far it is not unlikely that the Philadelphia Police Department will look for any excuse to deny issuing your permit, such as in the case of one Korean War Vet who claims being denied for having admitted to “pointing guns and shooting at people” – in reference to his service record.

These abuses are just examples of what happens in the process of applying for a LTCF through the Philadelphia Police Department, should you actually receive one they will look for any excuse to revoke it. For example, if a criminal breaks into your house and steals a firearm, the Philadelphia Police will twist that into a justification to revoke your LTCF. As ridiculous as it sounds, this happens every day and may explain why Philadelphia County is responsible for 30-40% of all state-wide revocations each year.

The irony of House Bill 2536 is that in attempting to use poor arguments to push extreme legislation, anti-gun forces have simply shone a spotlight on abuses by issuing authorities throughout the Commonwealth. As a result gun owners need to be oppose House Bill 2536 in it’s current form (printer’s no. 3790) and demand reform to prevent subjective abuses by issuing authorities.

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Daniel Pehrson
Posted on
June 14 2010 10:16:13 AM
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Committee Vote on Castle Doctrine and 3 Anti-Gun Bills Tuesday

Tomorrow, the House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on Castle Doctrine legislation – a move we’ve been waiting on since November 19 when they held a hearing! However, it comes at a price.

In addition to the vote on the important self-defense reforms, the committee is planning to vote on three anti-gun bills on the same day!

Contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee today. Tell them that you want their support on HB40 – the Castle Doctrine bill. This specific Castle Doctrine bill will ensure that law-abiding gun owners can feel safe knowing that they can defend themselves from attackers whether it is inside or outside your home. It also protects citizens from the expense of fighting civil lawsuits filed by criminals or their families when self-defense was justified.

But tell them that they must vote down the three gun control bills:

  • HB1043 which would create a “Firearm Trafficking Czar” and lead to another bureaucratic agency looking for ways to restrict gun sales in Pennsylvania.
  • HB1044 that would end preemption and allow cities to create their own gun bans and carry rules, and
  • HB1045 that would arbitrarily ban certain semi-automatic firearms in the Keystone State.

Self-defense reform should not come with a price that includes gun bans, wasteful spending on a new government-funded anti-gun leader, and gutting our state’s gun laws.

Contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee today. Based on the response to Castle Doctrine in other states, we know that gun control groups will get involved in this fight, making it seem as if we will have gun fights on every street corner. As we know, such dire predictions have yet to come true. Make sure you voice is heard! Call, e-mail, or even tweet – just make sure your voice is heard!

« Email Judiciary Committee Members with two clicks! »

« Show support for Castle Doctrine on Twitter with two clicks! »

Below are the members of the committee who have not signaled clear support for our rights on these four bills. Please focus your efforts on contacting these lawmakers.

Representative Phone Number Alternative Contact
State Rep. Thomas Caltagirone (D-127) (717) 787-3525 Email
State Rep. Kathy Manderino (D-194) (717) 787-1254 Email
State Rep. John Pallone (D-54) (717) 783-1819 Email
State Rep. Dom Costa (D-21) (717) 783-9114 Email
State Rep. Joseph Brennan (D-133) (717) 772-9902 Email
State Rep. Paul Drucker (D-157) (717) 705-2003 Email

Twitter
State Rep. Bryan Lentz (D-161) (717) 787-8574 Email

Twitter
State Rep. Josh Shapiro (D-153) (717) 783-7619 Email
Twitter
State Rep. Greg Vitali (D-166) (717) 787-7647 Email
State Rep. Chelsa Wagner (D-22) (717) 783-1582 Email
Twitter
State Rep. Ronald Waters (D-191) (717) 772-9850 Email
State Rep. Ron Marsico (R-105) (717) 783-2014  
State Rep. Mike Vereb (R-150) (717) 705-7164 Twitter
State Rep. Will Gabig (R-199) (717) 772-2280  
State Rep. Dick Stevenson (R-8) (717) 783-6438 Email
State Rep. Glen Grell (R-87) (717) 783-2063  
State Rep. Kate Harper (R-61) (717) 787-2801 Twitter
State Rep. Bernie O’Neill (R-29) (717) 705-7170 Email
State Rep. Katie True (R-41) (717) 705-7161  
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Daniel Pehrson
Posted on
May 24 2010 9:00:15 AM
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PAFOA Members Help Frustrate MAIG in the Southeast

The “Lost and Stolen” ordinances that have been introduced by Mayors Against Illegal Guns and CeaseFire PA, in communities around the Commonwealth, have come to the Southeast. But we’re happy to report these ordinances, which are illegal, and violate state preemption, have run into some trouble. That trouble is gun owners.

We’re very proud of some of the work of our individual members in helping to frustrate and defeat the passage of virtually all of the ordinances that have been introduced in the new year. First in Radnor, which has tabled the bill for now. On the same day CeaseFire Pennsylvania was pushing for the ordinance in Radnor, Mayors Against Illegal Guns pushed Lost and Stolen in Hatboro. Hatboro has rejected the ordinance in favor of a resolution, which they will be hearing Monday March 22nd. We still oppose the resolution, which urges the General Assembly to pass a statewide law, but we’ve made progress. Ambler Borough decided not to pursue an ordinance a few weeks ago. This week Swarthmore, Pennsylvania has decided to table its Lost and Stolen ordinance.

There is still much work to do here, but we just want to take time to thank our members who put so much time and energy into helping organize other gun owners to fight these ordinances. We particularly want to thank those members who were residents of these municipalities who showed up to speak out against the ordinance to their local elected officials. If we can replicate this excellent example of organization and motivation across the Commonwealth, perhaps we can begin to push Bloomberg’s Mayors group back to New York City where it belongs.

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Daniel Pehrson
Posted on
March 12 2010 7:13:56 PM
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Open Letter to the Radnor Board of Commisioners Regarding Lost & Stolen

To Members of the Radnor Board of Commissioners:

I write to you as the Founder & President of Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association, an organization representing tens of thousands of gun owners across the Commonwealth, including many in Radnor. We share concerns about the ordinance you may discuss and vote on tonight brought forth by CeasefirePA, as noted in your published agenda.

The so-called “Lost-and-Stolen” firearms ordinance is illegal under current state law. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court held 14 years ago, in the case of Ortiz v. Commonwealth that “The General Assembly, not city councils, is the proper forum for the imposition of [firearms] regulation.” Today, the majority of voters from all parties support that decision, as was reflected in a recent statewide poll.

As you will likely hear from many gun owners tonight, the legal issues that will be created with this ordinance will likely result in costly litigation for the city should you pass and enforce it. These are financial burdens that few city officials will find easy to justify to hardworking taxpayers. However, the members of PAFOA would like to offer an alternative to such expenses. Rather than passing a toothless ordinance designed only to harass gun owners, consider diverting what you plan to budget for the enforcement costs and legal defense to general law enforcement funds. Focus on reducing all crime and fully funding investigative teams who can help put dangerous criminals behind bars.

There are already many federal and state laws on the books that target straw purchasing and other types of criminal gun trafficking. Using what limited resources the town has to fully fund law enforcement needs will help bring the full weight of current laws – all of which are far more strict – down on those who pose a true danger to Radnor’s residents.

We ask that you either table the ordinance indefinitely or take a solid vote against a redundant, meaningless ordinance which will ultimately cost the city far more than its taxpayers can afford in these tight times.

Sincerely,
Daniel Pehrson
Founder & President
Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association

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Daniel Pehrson
Posted on
February 08 2010 1:37:29 PM
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Choosing the Political Fight instead of Law Enforcement

According to a report by the Philadelphia Daily News, police leadership and prosecutors are upset that law-abiding gun owners are seeking licenses to carry from states that are more strict and uniform in their issuing practices. In an effort to create controversy where little evidence exists, the Daily News embraces sensational hypotheticals that, when broken down, truly reflect upon the dysfunction within Philadelphia’s criminal justice system.

For example, Lt. Lisa King cites concerns that applicants to out-of-state licensing authorities might have been arrested, but never convicted of any crimes. To her, such a situation seemingly demands the denial of Constitutional rights without any effort by authorities to prove guilt. Fortunately for those of us who believe in the rule of law, our justice system is one based on a presumption of innocence until the state can prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury of our peers.

District Attorney Seth Williams, whose office frequently refuses to process cases of known criminals who are disqualified from owning – let along carrying – a gun, announced plans for his “legislation unit” to look into the matter. Residents of Philadelphia might ask why their tax dollars are being used to lobby rather than prosecute those who have actually committed crimes.

As initially mentioned to the Daily News reporter, PAFOA has firsthand accounts of those who have faced the abusive and arbitrary licensing requirements of the City. When licenses of the victims are regularly revoked simply because a home or car is broken into, it is clear that the Police Department would rather pick on easier targets – those who seek to follow the law – than investigate cases of actual criminals.

Attorney General Tom Corbett’s spokesperson came to the defense of those who opt for an out-of-state permit, noting that the requirements for Florida are actually more strict than Pennsylvania. Though that did not stop the anti-gun group, CeasefirePA from blaming him for the practice. In an admission to the paper, the organization said this is an opening salvo in a planned attack on the Attorney General in the upcoming gubernatorial elections.

Finally, the article does reveal that the Police Department plans to work closely with the District Attorney on the issue. One might assume this means they will work together to prosecute more cases against violent criminals. However, rather than concentrating on getting dangerous people off the streets of Philadelphia, King announced a plan to subpoena records from Florida in order to target the Philadelphia residents who have lawfully obtained a permit from the state. It speaks volumes that the City leaders would rather use resources and manpower to target those who can pass multiple background checks and have appropriate firearms training rather than focusing on putting more hardened criminals behind bars.

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Daniel Pehrson
Posted on
February 05 2010 4:28:42 PM
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Philadelphia Daily News Smears Florida/PA Reciprocity

Many of you have no doubt seen this article in the Philadelphia Daily News, outlining the completely lawful practice of Pennsylvanians obtaining concealed carry licenses from the State of Florida, and using that license to carry in Pennsylvania, a “loophole.” We are currently working on a more detailed rebuttal to this article, but in the mean time we thought we would share with you our statement to the Daily News reporter when we were asked to comment on this issue:

As most gun owners in Pennsylvania know, owning or carrying a firearm in the city of Philadelphia can be risky given the history of abuses by the city’s police department. Under current PPD policy, law abiding carry license holders have had their license revoked for being victims of theft, including having their houses broken into. At PAFOA, we’ve also had reports of the police department illegally revoking permits of members issued by other counties when the victim’s car was broken into while visiting the city.

In fact, the abuse of license holders is reflected by the PPD’s inexplicable permit revocation rate of nearly 12%, while every other county (including Allegheny which contains Pittsburgh) is well below 1%. When the stats are run, Philadelphia is responsible for  30-40% of all carry permit revocations in the entire state each year.

As a result, it is not surprising that some gun owners may opt for the more uniform standards of another state license over the discriminatory abuses of the Philadelphia Police Department. In times of tighter budgets, some gun owners may also opt to carry only one license from a state which is more widely recognized than ours instead of getting multiple.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.

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Daniel Pehrson
Posted on
February 05 2010 1:10:08 PM
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PAFOA is Looking for Volunteer Bloggers

PAFOA has been considering for a while the idea of building out a group of volunteer bloggers to help keep the PAFOA Blog up to date with fresh information important to Pennsylvania gun owners and the time has come to do it! We’re looking for a few good men or women who have some experience in operating a blog to step up and volunteer their time aggregating news and information about what is happening in the world that affects our lives as gun owners.

The Requirements

All applicants are required to:

  • Provide their real name, address, and phone number to the organization.
  • Blog under their real first name and last initial (at least.)
  • Have experience blogging.
  • Be willing to dedicate enough time to submit at least one blog post a week (assuming there is something to submit of course.)
  • Be willing to work with an editorial staff to ensure the quality and consistency of the blog.
  • Be OK working with us as we collectively figure out how to smoothly run such an operation. This is going to be a learning process for all of us.

Applicants will get bonus points for:

  • Having a history of positive contribution to our discussion forum.
  • Experience with Wordpress.
  • Experience blogging in the gun blogosphere.
  • Being willing to blog under their real, full name.
  • Being a resident of Pennsylvania.

To Apply

UPDATE: We have received a bunch of applications which we will be reviewing shortly and choosing the first round of bloggers. Thank you to everyone who volunteered, applications are no longer being accepted at this time.

Email blog@pafoa.org with the following information:

  • Your Name.
  • Your PAFOA Forum Username, if you have one.
  • A summary of your blogging experience.
  • Links to any blogs you run or have written for.
  • Days/times when you will/will not be able to post entries to the blog. (For example if you can’t blog during work hours, please let us know.)

PAFOA thanks all applicants in advance and we look forward to hearing from you! Please keep in mind that we are not yet sure how many applications we are going to get, so depending on that not all applicants may be selected in the first round.

Posted by
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Daniel Pehrson
Posted on
December 10 2009 4:02:02 PM
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