I have watched everything (except for the 3-4 minutes that i got bumped when RealPlayer hiccuped). Here are my concerns -
Why is it that every young person, less maybe 1 or 2, constantly use the term "I think". I know the answer to this. We have raised, now several, generations of young people who believe what they think is more important than what the written law indicates. Long gone are the times of "you are meant to be seen, not heard." I was raised to be less hear, more seen, unless what was coming out of my mouth was well thought out and important. These generations will eventually take over our government positions, and I truly hope this doesn't happen in my lifetime, lest there be a tremendous civil struggle. I know I'm preaching to the choir......
Every woman who testified, with the exception of Alice Trip and a vet-tech from A&M, were opposed to these bills. Our leaders (NRA, political party leadership, etc.) have got to figure out why women are not being reached and served. This isn't pandering to the woman vote. It is understanding where your message is falling short. I feel very called to understand this failing, and really do something about it. How I do that, I really have no idea. But what I know is that a bunch of PTA moms got together many years ago, and got a whole bunch of stuff changed at the state level and at the national level. And if these busy bodies (yes, I was one of them) can pull themselves together for school lunch, why can't we get ourselves together to support self defense? I understand that there are some great women-only shooting groups out there (Diva WOW, Girl & A Gun, ect.). But these groups are serving people who already shoot, whether newbie or seasoned. PTA moms aren't teachers or administrators, yet they changed educational policy tremendously. I am talking about those women who are not involved with guns, who think that the answer to rampant assault and rape is to find the nearest call-box after the assault has occurred. Who is reaching out to them? I am really doing some soul searching. I know a lot of our like-minded people have become apathetic when it comes to listening to the testimony of the "other side", and why listen to our side when it just reinforces the way we already believe - but it is in those times that we are renewed to a cause, and understand where our message is failing. I look at these 5 hours of testimony in a new light, seeing again that there has to be some outreach where our message is failing.
I know I am arm-chair quarterbacking. Maybe this is the call to quarterback from meaningful position, not my living room.
TBM