Anyone here do a gun show?

[Mastiff]

I'm wondering how to approach it. Get a table, or just hang around out front? If you get a table, what's the presentation like? Lots of flyers, signs, stickers, videos? Maybe a video going on a TV?

[Lord Xar]

I'm wondering how to approach it. Get a table, or just hang around out front? If you get a table, what's the presentation like? Lots of flyers, signs, stickers, videos? Maybe a video going on a TV?

I think it depends on where you are located. I went to one in Glendale, Ca. -- and it was't much of a gun show, but alot of gun enthusiasts went.

I think you should just set up a table, put Ron Paul banners behind you and make it look nice with flyers and buttons etc.....

I am sure they are all different - the gun shows. I am sure you will get alot of veterans and 'gung ho' types, but many - like me, for home protection.. etc.... Just be prepared to have some talks on "patriotism" and "foreign intervention".. be prepared to bring up 'going bankrupt and funding" etc... But I think this is a very good avenue for Ron Paul.

You could stand out front, but not sure how comfortable that would be. I would call the place and find out "how much" it is to put a table IN the place. You could also perhaps put a table at the entrance of the place -- I saw that the NRA had one these.

[LibertyEagle]

Those 2nd Amendment flyers have great information on them. They say what gun enthusiasts are going to be the most interested in hearing. I mean, have plenty of the other flyers, stickers, pins, but I think it is the 2nd amendment flyers that should be front and center.

They're in Campaign Material on this forum.

[Joe Knows]

I think it depends on where you are located. I went to one in Glendale, Ca. -- and it was't much of a gun show, but alot of gun enthusiasts went.

I think you should just set up a table, put Ron Paul banners behind you and make it look nice with flyers and buttons etc.....

I am sure they are all different - the gun shows. I am sure you will get alot of veterans and 'gung ho' types, but many - like me, for home protection.. etc.... Just be prepared to have some talks on "patriotism" and "foreign intervention".. be prepared to bring up 'going bankrupt and funding" etc... But I think this is a very good avenue for Ron Paul.

You could stand out front, but not sure how comfortable that would be. I would call the place and find out "how much" it is to put a table IN the place. You could also perhaps put a table at the entrance of the place -- I saw that the NRA had one these.

Guns show would be great. Too bad the largest gun shows in Florida signed an exclusive agreement to pass out Fred Thompson literature. Ron Paul will not be allowed at the gun shows. Looks like Fred is trying to stifle free speech.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/237311.html

[Syren123]

The Irvine meetup group with the help of other members from other meetups did the Crossroads of the West Gun Show at the Orange County fairgrounds (CA) about 3 or so weeks ago and it was AWESOME!! They had three tables. The gigantic signs from HQ had arrived and they were very impressive. They also had 2 types of gun-related bumper stickers which were a huge hit. They had a tv hooked up and played the DVD they were giving away (the free RonPaulDVD.com one) over and over. They handed out slimjims. All kinds of people came by to talk. I think it was very successful and a lot of fun.

[Syren123]

Guns show would be great. Too bad the largest gun shows in Florida signed an exclusive agreement to pass out Fred Thompson literature. Ron Paul will not be allowed at the gun shows. Looks like Fred is trying to stifle free speech.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/237311.html

That is so wrong.
Set up a table OUTSIDE the gun show anyway!

[Ronulan]

Unlike us Ronpaulians. We welcome all dissenting voices.

[Joe Knows]

That is so wrong.
Set up a table OUTSIDE the gun show anyway!

The promoters won't let anyone do that. It is kind of ironic that a gun show promoter who makes money off the second amendment will support a candidate who voted for McCain-Feingold-Thompson which effectively prevented the NRA from doing any advocacy campaigning for pro-gun candidates.

[Ronulan]

Darn. Gun shows are our best chance to snag our target supporters with free slim jims.

[LibertyEagle]

The promoters won't let anyone do that. It is kind of ironic that a gun show promoter who makes money off the second amendment will support a candidate who voted for McCain-Feingold-Thompson which effectively prevented the NRA from doing any advocacy campaigning for pro-gun candidates.

Not to mention the fact that 'ol Freddie has voted for several pieces of anti-gun legislation.

[Mastiff]

The promoters won't let anyone do that. It is kind of ironic that a gun show promoter who makes money off the second amendment will support a candidate who voted for McCain-Feingold-Thompson which effectively prevented the NRA from doing any advocacy campaigning for pro-gun candidates.

If it's at a fairgrounds or something, can't you still put slim-jims under wiper blades in the parking lot? I know it risks annoying people, but drastic times...

[LibertyEagle]

If it's at a fairgrounds or something, can't you still put slim-jims under wiper blades in the parking lot? I know it risks annoying people, but drastic times...

Yeah, but use the 2nd amendment slim jims. They do a better job of getting the point across to this audience. That, and the letter from Larry Pratt.

[Mastiff]

Yeah, but use the 2nd amendment slim jims. They do a better job of getting the point across to this audience. That, and the letter from Larry Pratt.

2nd amendment slim jims? Are those just the original ones, or something else entirely?

[jblosser]

It depends entirely on the location, the company doing the show, etc. Get a table front and center if you're able but you'll probably have to pay and they may have requirements like 85% of the table has to be gun merchandise. Alternately try to get existing gun tables to give you a corner. We've run into plenty of gun show tables where the vendors knew and liked Ron already. If nothing else, carry signs and flyers on the public property outside, just make sure it's clear you are PRO gun and not protesting the gun show or anything. Clear pro-gun banner messages are key here.

[LibertyEagle]

Thompson courts gun advocates in Florida

LAKELAND, Fla. - Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson walked through rows of assault rifles, pistols and other firearms, signing autographs and greeting people at a gun show Saturday.

Despite his pitch for support, some of the gun advocates were not convinced that the former Tennessee senator was completely on their side.

"I was all for him until I started reading the votes," said gun dealer Ken Strevels, standing at a table lined with machine guns, including an enormous .50 caliber rifle held up by a tripod. "I'm not sure now. He's flipping on the vote. It's like he's working both sides."

A Gun Owners of America report said Thompson voted "anti-gun" 14 times on 33 votes the group tracked during his eight years in the Senate, ending in 2003.

Tim Smith, a Winter Haven dealer, said the report raises questions about whether Thompson is entirely pro-gun. But among the Republican candidates in 2008, Smith said Thompson may offer the best choice.

"We really have nobody that we would consider a 100 percent pro-gun candidate running," said Smith, who acknowledged that some of Thompson's votes came on issues that were "borderline anti-gun issues."

Among the votes the group listed as "anti-gun," for example, were ones to appoint a federal judge and restrict political fundraising. The group's Web site said Thompson generally votes against gun control.

Thompson said he did not know what Smith was talking about. "He'd have to look pretty hard to find one," he said.

Thompson was met with enthusiasm when he arrived at the show in this central Florida town between Orlando and Tampa. The Pasco County GOP chairman, Bill Bunting, introduced him to the crowd as a strong supporter of the National Rifle Association.

"He's one of us. He's an endowment member of the NRA. That's a heavyweight," said Bunting, who is a concealed weapons instructor.

"It's good to be among friends. I've been to a lot of shows like this," Thompson said. "I need your help. I want to work with you because you're my friends, and you're going to be my friends all the way to the White House."

Thompson attended the show during the last day of a three-day bus tour of Florida, where he drew large crowds around the state the week after getting into the race.

Later Saturday, Thompson shook hands with fans at the Florida-Tennessee college football game in Gainesville.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070915/ap_on_el_pr/thompson_gun_show

[john_anderson_ii]

Get a table. Find some friends with some cool guns. Like modified pistol grip shotguns, or decked out AR-15 and/or AK-47 civilian models. Put them on the table to attract people over.

On the guns, where a price tag normally goes put "Not for sale: Just Like Ron Paul"

When people come over have some 2A fliers or slim jims to give them, along with a regular slim jim so they can see where he stands on the issues.

You can also get your meet up involved to flier the parking lot, or had out slim jims at the gates.

However, a political boot with no eye candy at the gun show will likely be passed up, so make it flash so it attracts folks.

[amberj]

Joe Knows- Do you think they could kick you out for wearing Ron Paul shirts, hats, or buttons? That's incredibly ridiculous...

What my boyfriend and I do at gun shows is just go in wearing our Ron Paul gear and walk around. You'd be surprised at how many people at least know who he is. Just the shirts start a lot of conversations. And if you find a vendor who likes Ron Paul, give him a stack of slim jims and bumper stickers and let him keep them at his table. We've had some pretty good success that way.

And like a friend told us, some of those people at the gun shows aren't necessarily "pro-gun" in the sense that they would fight for that right. That just happens to be how they make money. If guns were banned, they'd sell something else. Find the people who truly believe in the second amendment and focus on them. If you give them enough Ron Paul material, they'll take it to every gun show they go to until they run out.

[granny miller]

My husband wore a Ron Paul tee shirt & brought bumper stickers, slim jims & 2nd Amendment flyer's to the Harrisville & Harmarville, Pa. gun shows today.

He gave away everything he had ( it was a load) & was cleaned out by the time he got home:)

Many people with tables requested he leave Ron Paul stuff for their tables so they could pass it on.

Lots of people already knew who Ron Paul was & those who didn't loved everything they heard.
People can't get enough.

My husband was told that a group of ladies came through the show earlier with Ron Paul tee shirts, but didn't stay.

Could be part of the Western Pa MeetUp?

Gun Shows are a great way to campaign.

My husband told me that the biggest problem people are having with Ron Paul is the War in Iraq.
I think it is hard for a lot of them to tune out talk radio propaganda and get a different perspective.
It is something to keep in mind if you do a gun show.

[ksuguy]

I'm going to be handing out slim jims at one next week. I'm about as pro gun as you can get, but I'm hoping I don't have to argue with people about Iraq. Unfortunately, that is the main beef that many gun owners have with Ron.

[Paul4Prez]

I volunteered with the Irvine Meetup to do the Crossroads of the West gun show in Costa Mesa. If you just sit behind the people, very few people will walk up. They are there to look at guns, not learn about politicians. We had to get out in the aisles and hand out slim jims.

When people were interested, we gave them more detailed flyers on his positions. Most people had no idea who he was, but the response was quite positive. Only one person I talked to all day even mentioned another candidate. Some people liked Ron Paul, but thought he didn't have enough support to take seriously. I pointed out that the none of the other candidates had dozens of volunteers showing up to work the gun show, so he must be doing something right. I also mentioned the various straw polls where he had won or done very well, and the large crowds he was drawing wherever he went.

[10thAmendmentMan]

People aren't going to take fliers or walk up to you. You pretty much have to shove them in front of people in order for them to take 'em. How many actually read the fliers? Who knows.

Also, a good fact to throw out, if someone asks, is that Ron Paul is rated A+ by the Gun Owners of America (essentially NRA on steroids for those of you who are unfamiliar with it).

[SlapItHigh]

Our meetup group went to a local gun show today. We did not get a table, but did consider it. There was some question as to whether or not we would qualify for a table because the rules state 90% of table contents must be gun or gun paraphernalia. We stood outside the doors of the convention center and passed out more material than we have ever passed out before. The people coming and going from the show were extremely receptive to the message and the material. We use the original campaign slim jims and various other RP literature. I did print out as many of the 2nd Amendment Slim Jims as I could before I left but those didn't last long. I did make some changes to the 2nd Amendment Slim Jim because Fred Thompson wasn't mentioned and I wanted to make sure to point out his negative voting record on guns. There were some Fred supporters at the gun show.

We are going to go again tomorrow.

[SlapItHigh]

People aren't going to take fliers or walk up to you. You pretty much have to shove them in front of people in order for them to take 'em. How many actually read the fliers? Who knows.

Actually that wasn't our experience at all. Many people were walking up to us asking us for the information. The rest of the time, all I had to do was hold out my hand with a flier in it and people were taking them. Sure a few declined but this was the most receptive audience I have seen yet. I also saw many people reading the fliers, even as I was leaving I could see peopel reading them on their way to their cars. Yes, some will throw them out without reading them but I think this is less likely to happen with the audience at gun shows.

[Mastiff]

Our meetup group went to a local gun show today. We did not get a table, but did consider it. There was some question as to whether or not we would qualify for a table because the rules state 90% of table contents must be gun or gun paraphernalia. We stood outside the doors of the convention center and passed out more material than we have ever passed out before. The people coming and going from the show were extremely receptive to the message and the material. We use the original campaign slim jims and various other RP literature. I did print out as many of the 2nd Amendment Slim Jims as I could before I left but those didn't last long. I did make some changes to the 2nd Amendment Slim Jim because Fred Thompson wasn't mentioned and I wanted to make sure to point out his negative voting record on guns. There were some Fred supporters at the gun show.

We are going to go again tomorrow.

What are these 2nd amendment slim jims? Anyone have a link?

[SlapItHigh]

I did a search in the campaign material section of the board to find the link...

eta - here it is http://www.scribd.com/doc/279692/Ron-Paul-Gun-Rights

here is the thread - http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=16780&highlight=2nd+amendment

I substitued the 2nd amendment report card on this one - http://files.meetup.com/506777/GunShowFlyer-TriFold.doc since it mentioned Fred. That flier was great as well but I needed something where I could get at least several on a page and didn't have to fold b/c these babies went like hot cakes!

[Kregener]

IMHO Gun Shows are GREAT place to garner support for Ron Paul.

[LibertyEagle]

I did a search in the campaign material section of the board to find the link...

eta - here it is http://www.scribd.com/doc/279692/Ron-Paul-Gun-Rights

here is the thread - http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=16780&highlight=2nd+amendment

I substitued the 2nd amendment report card on this one - http://files.meetup.com/506777/GunShowFlyer-TriFold.doc since it mentioned Fred. That flier was great as well but I needed something where I could get at least several on a page and didn't have to fold b/c these babies went like hot cakes!

Or, here is the Microsoft Word version:
http://www.doomwadstation.com/2nd.doc

Because there's some funky block of text at the bottom that looks like a placeholder for us to put in an email address for them to contact. I think this needs to be edited, before we print these.

[BizmanUSA]

Guns show would be great. Too bad the largest gun shows in Florida signed an exclusive agreement to pass out Fred Thompson literature. Ron Paul will not be allowed at the gun shows. Looks like Fred is trying to stifle free speech.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/237311.html

Who is Ron Paul?

I'll bet Fred Thompson knows!

Get a group of RP supporters together and blanket the isles of the gun shows with the supporters wearing RON PAUL T-shirts . . . First Amendment anybody?

When someone asks hand them a RP business card and inform them very briefly about the skinny on what Flip Flop Fred is trying to do!

BizmanUSA

BTW, Did anyone see the thread post on all the anti-gun attempts FT voted for?
There is like a dozen bills Thompson voted for to cut gun owners off at the knees!

[princessredtights]

This is a work in progress -but there will be "Gun Owners for Ron Paul". I believe one of our meetup group leaders who just put a booth together for a gun show had some bumper stickers and or buttons with the information -

Contact Kevin Starrett at Oregon Firearms Federation (OFF). He's head of Gun Owners for Ron Paul.
OFF web site is http://oregonfirearms.org, his email is off@oregonfirearms.org


What we did is have a booth - with information and brochures. Bumperstickers and such. We wore on RP shirts. Walked around the gun show - talked to the GOPers at their booth ... talked to the militia group that was there (they are very concerned with the NAU). It was good -