US Representative from TN Marsha Blackburn
TN House Minority Leader Tre Hargett
TN Senator Mark Norris
TN Representative Dolores Gresham
TN Representative Paul Stanley
Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell
Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice-President of the National Rifle Association
Reverend Bill Adkins
These are just some of the 300+ people at the Memphis Friends of the NRA Banquet. I missed talking to Rep. Blackburn because I wasn't pushy enough before the meal, and I didn't try to get close to Wayne LaPierre because he was surrounded by a mob all the time, and I missed saying hi to the Sheriff and Norris. Everyone else I talked to.
I thanked Tre Hargett (my rep) for his work and talked to him about next year's legislative agenda as it relates to gun rights. I sat at the same table as Rep. Gresham and talked to her a little. I also introduced myself to Rev. Adkins and thanked him for his work in saving the Shelby County Gun Range at Shelby Farms. The good reverend promised to come speak at a TFA meeting, which I eagerly look forward to.
These are the people that politically concerned people need to talk to, and these are the people that need a talking to. Every time they come out of the insulating halls of government they need to be made aware of what we the people think, what concerns us, and what is troubling us.
All in all, it was truly an excellent, excellent evening. The food was good, LaPierre gave a stirring address, there were games with big prizes, silent auctions, and a real, live auction (the name of the auctioneer escapes me but he was a professional that really livened things up). A good time was had by all.
This was my first Friends of the NRA Banquet. It certainly will not be my last.