I want to update everyone on the creation of an education and advocacy organization, as noted in my post of May 9, 2008. After much research and discussion with experts in taxation, the IRS and non-profit organizations, the decision was made to create Texas CHL Forum, Inc. (the “Forum”) as a standard for-profit corporation. A CPA/Attorney who has over 35 years of experience with non-profit organizations strongly cautioned against having the IRS “constantly in your business” when dealing with guns and gun-related issues. In his words, “you’ll spend more time fighting the IRS than you will teaching and advocating!”
The website for the Forum is being designed and should be launched in the next two to three weeks. As the organization grows, the website will expand along with Forum activities. As noted in my announcement, the initial focus will be offering the Texas Self-Defense & Deadly Force Laws Seminar, as well as the Ladies Informational Seminar, at various locations throughout the State. For several years now, as time permitted, I have provided fee legal services to CHLs having difficulties with their licenses or the licensing process. As the Forum grows, the plan is to incorporate even more pro bono representation of CHLs and other advocacy efforts on behalf of CHLs and Texas gun owners.
Funding of Texas CHL Forum, Inc. will come primarily from two sources; membership dues and donations. At some point, revenues will be supplemented by the sale of logo items such as shirts, hats, belt buckles, etc. All of the revenue generated will be used to fund the operation of the Forum and to achieve it’s goals. Although the Forum is technically a for-profit corporation, meaning it will have to pay income tax on its profits, the goal is to spend all of its earnings on achieving operational goals every year so no taxes will be due. This also means that donations will not be tax deductible to the donor, but that is part of the cost of not having the IRS able to dictate our operations and not providing the Brady Campaign with an opportunity to cause trouble for the Forum.
Membership will be $35/yr. and additional donations will be GLADLY accepted! I know what some of you are thinking, but rest easy. You won’t be getting mailers every week asking for more money. My dog might call you on speed dial and bark at you if you don’t send money, but that’s between you and him. Seriously, we will not hound people for money, but the scope of operations will depend directly on funding, so please encourage your friends to join and/or donate.
Please remember, the Forum is an outreach organization and its mission is education and advocacy. Members will have access to the members-only section of the website for updates and information not intended for the general public, but the motivation for joining should be to spread the word and educate Texans who are not members of the NRA or the Brady Campaign. If the Forum achieves its potential, I believe we can reach our goals of dramatically increasing the number of CHLs in Texas, educating the public about Texas laws and the utility of firearms, dispelling the unfounded fears fostered by anti-gun organizations and politicians, and becoming an effective advocate on behalf of CHLs and Texas gun owners.
The first of two currently planned advisory committees is being formed now and it will consist of people experienced in the shooting and/or legal community. The Projects Committee will be tasked with developing a long range plan for Forum activities. Its report will impact both the initial efforts of the Forum and a plan for growing the organization.
I want to emphasize that the Texas CHL Forum, Inc. is not a substitute for the NRA or TSRA, nor will our operations mirror those organizations. Our mission is to educate people thereby giving them the tools to take more responsibility for their own safety and the safety of their families. In turn, this will show them the importance of supporting gun rights both at the state and federal levels. The Brady Campaign is re-energized both emotionally and financially and they are preaching their lies about guns on campus, guns in the workplace, the need for an assault weapons ban, close the gun show "loophole" and on and on. Help us counter their lies through education.
As noted in my prior post in May, creation of Texas CHL Forum, Inc. will not have any impact on the TexasCHLforum.com. TexasCHLforum.com will remain completely non-commercial and will continue to operate under its current format and rules. You the members have made it an excellent resource and I will not risk even the appearance that it is becoming commercialized. The only thing you will see different is a link to Texas CHL Forum, Inc. in the header and a new sub-forum for Texas CHL Forum, Inc. member discussions.
If you would like to join and/or make a donation, please fill out the Membership Application in the link below and send it along with a check payable to Texas CHL Forum, Inc. to 1010 Lamar, Suite 860, Houston, TX 77002. Please do not make checks payable to me! Other than your name and address, all other information is optional. (A Membership Application is not required for donations only.) Remember, donations are not tax deductible. At some point in the future, people will be able to join online.
With the support of only a small portion of the 280,000 Texas CHLs, we can create an outreach program never before seen in Texas and a voice that cannot be ignored in Austin.
Regards,
Chas.
Here is a copy of my prior post that provides a great deal more information about the organization.
Charles L. Cotton wrote:Events of the last year have convinced me of a need to create an organization to promote the interest of Texas concealed handgun licensees through education and advocacy. As noted in my recent TexasCHLblog.com article Storm Clouds Are Gathering we have enjoyed eight peaceful years under President George Bush, as they relate to Second Amendment issues. But the peaceful years are coming to an end.
The Democrats control both the U.S. House and Senate and their margins are expected to widen with the 2008 elections. For the first time in years, the likes of Senators Schumer and Feinstein dare to speak of passing "sensible gun safety laws" and a sweeping new version of the "assault weapons ban" has been introduced. If elected, Barack Obama will be the most anti-gun President we have ever seen. Senator Obama has even stated that he supports a federal law against concealed carry throughout the nation. In an attempt to disguise his long-standing opposition to the right of citizens to carry self-defense handguns, Obama points to his alleged support of hunting and target shooting. The fact that he never mentions self-defense uses of handguns speaks volumes about the threat that CHLs face.
But the deception does not end with Senator Obama. The well-funded anti-gun forces with financiers like George Soros are founding bogus organizations to fool gun owners. One example is the American Hunters and Shooters Association. It is the creation of rabid anti-gunners and the sole reason for its formation is to make gun owners think a pro-gun organization is supporting Barack Obama!
Hunters and sport shooters of all descriptions have organizations that promote their respective sports to the public through education, but people who own and/or carry firearms for self-defense do not. This lack of an organization dedicated solely to educating the public on the value of concealed carry is one reason politicians feel safe feigning support of hunting and target shooting, while promoting laws to bring concealed carry to an end. Promoting the lawful use of handguns for self-defense cannot be sporadic, if we are to be successful in thwarting efforts to bring an end to, or creating restrictions on, concealed carry as Senator Obama envisions. It must be an on-going effort; part of an organized plan to keep the issue before the public in a positive light.
Potential problems do not lie solely at the federal level. The makeup of the Texas House and Texas Senate are going to be different in 2009 as compared to recent years, perhaps markedly different. It wasn't long ago that successful Texas Legislative Sessions were measured by defeating anti-gun bills, not passing bills that benefit gun owners. Many of our long-time friends in the Texas Legislature retired and some were defeated in primary elections. Many of their successors profess to be "pro-gun" but only the opportunity to vote on gun bills will determine their level of support. During the last general election, every Republican judge in Dallas County that was up for reelection was defeated by their Democratic opponent. For the first time in years we are seeing activity at the state level by the Million Mom March and the Brady Campaign. They are back with renewed vigor, greater funding, and a belief that the pendulum has started to swing their way. The Brady Campaign is touting victories in several state legislatures and these victories will embolden them to take these efforts to other states. Check their website to see their claims: Brady's report on "Victories." With Brady again on the move we have to ask, will newly elected Democrats support us as did our friends in the Republican Party? No one knows at this point, but history tells us that we should be prepared for change.
Texas has approximately 280,000 CHLs. Although this is a large number, it represents only a small percentage of Texans who qualify for a CHL. Efforts must be made to increase the number of CHLs in Texas and education and training is the key. The NRA and TSRA are doing an excellent job in the political arena, by energizing our supporters and getting them to the polls and by working with elected representatives to pass laws that support honest law-abiding citizens. It is critically important to supplement the efforts of these organizations by educating the millions of Texans who are not NRA or TSRA members and who know little or nothing about Texas' concealed carry laws, in order to bring them into our ranks. Not only do we need these people to become Texas CHL holders, we need them to join both the NRA and TSRA.
The unprecedented short-term growth of the newly formed Students for Concealed Carry on Campus is encouraging. Though formed just over a year ago, SCCC has over 30,000 members and it is growing daily! If even a small percentage of Texas' 280,000 CHLs would support an education and advocacy effort, I believe Texas would lead the nation in terms of the percentage of CHL-eligible citizens that actually hold a Texas Concealed Handgun License. This larger, better informed and politically motivated CHL community would be a significant deterrent to efforts to restrict our right to carry, to make the CHL program more costly or burdensome to license-holders, or to reverse the improvements to Texas self-defense laws embodied in the recently passed "Castle Docrtine" Bill and other bills.
With that general background, here is what I hope to accomplish with newly-formed Texas CHL Forum, Inc. While I would like to go to Austin and/or Washington D.C. representing 280,000 members, this is unrealistic. Education is the key to dramatically increasing the number of CHLs in Texas and in developing a politically significant community dedicated to preserving and expanding the rights of CHL holders. The goals and proposed activities of Texas CHL Forum, Inc. are listed below.
Initial efforts will directed towards providing free seminars on various CHL-related topics throughout the State. The Texas Self-Defense & Deadly Force Laws Seminar I have been giving for a few years now has been very popular and it needs to be offered in several cities around Texas. The Ladies Information Seminar I did at PSC Shooting Club, Inc. was also well received and it too should be offered throughout the State. Women need to have a CHL every bit as much as men, perhaps even more. Seminars directed at their needs, desires and concerns can be a valuable information source that prompts them to move from the stage of merely considering getting a self-defense handgun and CHL to actually doing so. I am developing seminars on other topics that will be completed sometime this summer.
Other educational opportunities include the provision of free or reduced-fee CHL classes to people with documented physical, medical or financial disabilities. The NRA Basic courses (Basic Pistol, Personal Protection in the Home, and Personal Protection Outside the Home) could also be made available to people who may not be able to afford them at the going rate in their area. Ideally, this would be accomplished by using Texas CHL Instructors and NRA Certified Instructors in the area and either getting a reduced rate, or subsidizing the course fees.
Though education will be the prime function of Texas CHL Forum, Inc., it will not be the sole activity. I have helped a number of TexasCHLforum.com members with CHL-related legal issues and I would like to do more. I am often interviewed for radio and TV spots, or newspaper/magazine articles during the Texas Legislative Sessions, or whenever something gun-related is a hot topic with the media. I am also a guest speaker at several events each year. I would like to actively promote the interest of CHLs through these outlets, again with an emphasis on education and training.
Here are the "official" Goals and proposed Activities for Texas CHL Forum, Inc. How much of this will be possible will depend on how many people share this vision and support it with their membership and/or donations.
GOALS:
- Promote CHL to the public, legislature and elected officials through education and training
Increase the number of CHLs, NRA and TSRA members in Texas
Educate people on Texas Law regarding CHL and self-defense
Promote training opportunities
Advocate for CHLs at all levels of government
Provide a resource(s) for members with CHL related issues
ACTIVITIES:
- Conduct free seminars on the CHL statute and related Texas laws throughout the State
Sponsor free or reduced-fee CHL classes and other firearms training for persons with documented disabilities
Publish on the issue of self-defense and Texas CHL
Provide a resource to media outlets (print, radio and TV)
Offer CHL-specific continuing education for law enforcement agencies
Purchase advertisements (print, radio and TV) to educate and promote CHL and CHL issues
Comprehensive website with public and member-only areas
Let me answer the question many people will ask; "What do I get for my membership?" The answer is a membership card, access to a “members-only” area of the website, and the satisfaction of supporting this important effort. There is no point in trying to send monthly or quarterly magazines. Magazines are very costly to produce and mail and this money can be better spent. Plus, the website will be a much more efficient way to get information to the public and to the members. More importantly, this will be an outreach organization whose primary purpose is to reach and educate others and bring them to our side of this issue. Money will be pouring into the Brady Campaign and other anti-gun groups to support their renewed efforts to spread lies and half-truths to the American public. It is critical that the millions of people who are neither NRA members, nor Brady Campaign members hear the truth about the benefits of gun ownership for self-defense purposes. (If the organization were to grow to the point that there are enough members to attract companies who wanted to offer discounts or "special deals" then great; but those will be ancillary benefits.)
Although this post is rather long, it's only a very general overview of what I hope Texas CHL Forum, Inc. will be able to accomplish. There is still a good bit of work to be done before memberships will be available, but I wanted to let all TexasCHLforum members know what is going on.
I should also note that TexasCHLforum.com will not be affected by the creation or operation of Texas CHL Forum, Inc. It will remain an independent resource/discussion board and will continue to operate as it currently does. The website for the newly formed entity most likely will carry a .org extension, since I own that domain name as well.
This is a very ambitious undertaking and to be perfectly candid, I have no idea where it will lead. If CHLs become as motivated as the students who are joining Students for Concealed Carry on Campus at a near-record pace, then we can accomplish much and change the political landscape in Texas, as it relates to self-defense and CHL.
Chas.
