RifleStock 2011
RifleStock 2011
RifleStock 2011 has been cancelled.
Effective March 10, 2011
RifleStock 2011 has been cancelled.
For information, see:
and
RifleStock 2011 – Canceled A more thorough explanation
when the government is pointing their guns in the wrong direction
RifleStock 2011
Effective March 10, 2011
For information, see:
and
RifleStock 2011 – Canceled A more thorough explanation
Regarding RifleStock 2011, I am no longer one of the organizers of the event.
I feel that I have done a good job in promoting RifleStock 2011, and accomplishing many of the organizing aspects that were necessary, early on.
However. My writing has been suffering, as a result of the time commitment. If I were to continue as an organizer, as time went on, that impact would become even greater.
This has lead me to resign from future participation in the organizing of the event.
Mike Freebyrd and Joe Racer have assured me that they can conduct RifleStock2011 without my participation, and I am sure that they will put together the event that we have been working for, these past weeks.
Since I am not longer associated with RifleStock 2011, please direct your comments and questions to:
Mike Freebyrd
Joe Racer
http://www.riflestock2011.com
Respectfully,
Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
The conventional view serves to protect us from the painful job of thinking.
John Kenneth Galbraith
It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
RifleStock 2011
Cancelled
What Happened and Why
Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
March 11, 2011
RifleStock 2011, as originally conceived, was to be a picnic, comprised of a broad spectrum of those who consider themselves a part of the patriot community. It was not a militia event, though considering the proximity to the border, it was determined that having militia personnel provide security, both inside and around the perimeter of the event, would provide a degree of personal security and increased comfort to those attending, considering the remote possibility that certain activities in the area could have an impact on the event.
Early on, during the initial organizing of the event, one of the organizers took it upon himself to arrange the location of the event. He assured the other organizers that he had verified that no permit was necessary and that there was no reason that the event could not be held in the Coronado National Forest, though he had not determined the exact location, at that time. That organizer assured the others that he was “going to take care of everything, don’t worry about it”.
After over a month into organizing, that organizer had still not come up with a location, assuring the others that “everything is okay”. The other organizers had no choice but to leave the “detail” to the one who had taken on the responsibility of the site for RifleStock.
A few weeks ago, the location for the event was published. It was assumed that all had been taken care of, and other areas of organization were proceeding.
However, on March 10, 2011, just 8 days before the start of the event, an officer from the United States Forest Service, Coronado National Forest, Sierra Vista Ranger District, contacted both organizers, via an email that read, “Please contact [Forest Service] as soon as possible to avoid criminal charges of planned illegal commercial gathering on Federal land and severe fines to all the participants”.
The primary organizer then contacted the Forest Service officer and began discussing the reason for the email.
The organizer, according to the Forest Service, was not cooperative with the officer that contacted him and refused to comply with the request that he make application for a permit. He described the conversation with the organizer as “combative”. According to the officer, he had even offered to do what he could to expedite to application so that the permit might be issued before the scheduled event date, but that the RifleStock representative was assertive, and refused to recognize that the Forest Service had a responsibility, regarding the use of those public lands, to protect them so that they can be enjoyed by all. The organizer, when he found that they were going to do a background check on him, did get “combative”, and told the Forest Service that he was going to cancel the event.
Another representative of the Forest Service explained that their job was “Caring for the Land and Serving People” It appears that, at this point, this was what they were attempting to do. We should expect nothing less of them. They are, after all, the custodians of our public lands and have the responsibility to assure that we will enjoy that land as much as those that came before us.
Because of the refusal to comply with the permitting process, and, the organizer’s decision to cancel the event, the organizer created an untenable situation for those who are obliged to do their jobs, on our behalf. This, coupled with the organizer saying that he was going to cancel the event effectively closed RifleStock 2011 down. The organizers were then requested to post notice that the event had been cancelled.
At this point, RifleStock was cancelled, and the requested notice was placed on the RifleStock homepage, where it is to remain for at least “3-5 days”.
Forest Service has told me that they did not “escalate” this matter to DHS. I was assured the both the original officer and the District Ranger had, and continue to have, every intention of dealing with this matter within their authority — if the need arises.
If there is a connection with DHS, I have been unable to find it. I will, however, continue to investigate, and report, if I can provide any additional information.