Link to IRE annoucment of gun control at show

Go to this link and speak out or it will been seen as the roofing indusdtry supporting gun control!https://www.facebook.com/#!/RoofingExpo

I did miss meeting you though Mike, and you me. What a couple of characters we are.

John,

For me at least, it's not a matter of "missing out".

I know Mark Kelly is a talented and intelligent man. To non-gunner and determined constitutionalist, he seems entirely reasonable. On Hannity, over a beer, dinner or even in a political setting, his speech would be fine. The issue of gun control, screening etc. has no place in the NRCA convention, IMHO, and for me, that's what it was about.

Had Mark not mentioned it AT ALL, I would have missed out. The fact that it was mentioned, means that to me and the priorities that I've set, my decision to rescind my attendenance was a good one.

Thank you Tim for bringing it to light. I'm happy with my decision, and thank you, John, for confirming my suspicions.

FYI I was at the convention and listened to Mark Kelly's speech. He mentioned his wifes shooting, but in the context of a husbands concern for his spouse at the time it happened. He also talked of her recovery to date in a way that would make any spouse proud. He did talk of the need to screen who can buy a gun, but that is already a law.

He never mentioned trying to take away our guns, and I thought it was a good speech with excellent content. Obviously a very intelligent man, and a very determined and brave one. For those of you that didn't go because of the "speech", you missed out!

On another note, I did finally get to meet with Vicky. Boy, that has been a long time in coming. Sorry I missed all of the rest of you. John Crookston, (Old School)

wywoody Said: As part of the convention, most roofing conventions seem to have a shooting tournament (sporting clays) for charity. Is there one at this convention?

They did until this year, as part of their RoofPAC fundraising.

They must have d any mention on it on that Facebook link. I couldn't find it.

As part of the convention, most roofing conventions seem to have a shooting tournament (sporting clays) for charity. Is there one at this convention?

It's a shame, but, the NRCA is simply "progressing" as the rest of the country/entities.....We can only pray people begin to sober-up sometime soon ...... or else.....

We don't "know" what Mark Kelly is going to say. I didn't even know who he was when I read he was going to give the Keynote address. A person with an agenda? We all have agendas. I will go and listen. If he says something that insults me, I will get up and leave. If others do the same, by definition, we are voting with our feet. I think that a petition protesting any adverse opinions regarding the "speech" would be in order, but not until the speech is over. Questions need to be asked, and respect given.

If it is anything like I think it will be, there will be a media circus there and they will be interviewing people and taking pictures. They should be able to get some pictures of opponents and their comments as well as some from aggreeing parties. Normally, the "opposite" side doesn't get any news time, but what would happen if everyone walked out? Just a thought!

Yep...been there myself. 2 months after I got married and 1 month after I quit roofing and started working for Siplast, my wife and I had a head on collision with a Dodge Polara station wagon. ...2.5 months in the hosp with 2 broken legs, a shatterd hip, both forearms broken, left wrist broken and after 1 month, both hands were discovered to be broken. My wife suffered only minor injuries and was released after a few days in the hospital. Our brand new Honda Accord was totalled and so was the other car that hit us. The other driver walked away uninjured.

I had to learn how to walk again but unlike you, I still had all my limbs. The mental "cycle" of head games takes a while....oh woe is me....and then...OK Bob...it is time to quit feeling sorry for yourself and get on with it!!! It was up to me to get up off my sorry ass and get moving.

I see way too many people who define themselves with their condition or afflictions...."my arthritis is this"...."my fibromyalgia is that" ....you know the drill. Our good Lord has a way of making us realize that no matter how bad we think we have it, he shows us in his own way someone that is much more worse off than we are.

Is the glass half full????...or half empty??? I now know how you would answer that question.

Bob P. Said: Tim,

In spite of the differences you and I have had in the past, I believe we are both cut from the same cloth when it comes to Big Brother politics and the demise of the very basic values that this country was founded upon. The days of being able to work your way up and provide for your family are gone. The entitlement mentality has taken over and is futher perpetuated by my of our politicians as well as our educators. I am sick and damn tired of how our forefathers and veterans have been disrespected as well as how we are expected to bow down and support the very entities that want to kill us.

I feel badly for Mark Kelly and Gabriel Gifford. I cant imagine the physical and emotional calleges they faced, as a result of one degenerate creep that has probably worked the system and taxpayers for a long time. However, to use the IRE as a platform to speak out against our Second Amendment rights is a travesty beyond imagination.

I think John (Old School) has a valid point. A demonstration (at the IRE)of opinions against this kind of political BS would be more effective than a silent - lack of participation. I also believe that the message should be loud and clear to the NRCA.....maybe a petition for all of us to sign????

Go to the IRE....attend the Mark Kelly event and see what he has to say...When it gets goofy, walk out proudly.

Who said keep your friends close and your enemies closer....im sure the quote is not exact or verbaitim but Im sure you all know what I mean.

I've been where Gabby and Mark are, kind of. There is no way to get medically closer to death than I was on 10/13/94. Gabby's injuries were extreme, and different, but mine were no less extreme and potentially fatal. I was announced as a "probable DOA onboard" by the chopper EMTs. I've been there. I also know what it's like to have the injuries dramatically alter your life forever. Been there, still there.

I know what they're going through. When I finally got out of the hospital I was pissed off royally. I wanted illegal migrant farm workers all taken out and shot, I wanted to sue Ford for not having airbags and anti-lock brakes on that model F-150, heck, I wanted John Deere tractors outlawed.

But after awhile I realized that if I was to really defeat the demon, I was going to have to move on with my life and stop being defined by my injuries. After 5 years as a "sponsored athlete" by the 4 largest manufacturers of prosthetic leg components in the world, I not only refused to sign a new contract, I told the amputee community that as of that day I quit, that I was no longer an amputee. I told them I was tired of being defined by my injuries and from that day forward I was to just be considered a roofer who just happened to be missing a leg. Roofer first, missing leg incidental.

Gabby has brain injury and and I won't judge her too harshly. But she will find that she regains much more of her life the day she refuses to be defined by her injuries and expecting the rest of the world to change because of her misfortune.

Its simple to me quite obivous to me,the pres says he will pass gun control with the american public!What better way then to annouce from San Antonio with gabriel giffords in the heart of texas roofers support gun control! Its happening!!!

Tim,

In spite of the differences you and I have had in the past, I believe we are both cut from the same cloth when it comes to Big Brother politics and the demise of the very basic values that this country was founded upon. The days of being able to work your way up and provide for your family are gone. The entitlement mentality has taken over and is futher perpetuated by my of our politicians as well as our educators. I am sick and damn tired of how our forefathers and veterans have been disrespected as well as how we are expected to bow down and support the very entities that want to kill us.

I feel badly for Mark Kelly and Gabriel Gifford. I can't imagine the physical and emotional calleges they faced, as a result of one degenerate creep that has probably worked the system and taxpayers for a long time. However, to use the IRE as a platform to speak out against our Second Amendment rights is a travesty beyond imagination.

I think John (Old School) has a valid point. A demonstration (at the IRE)of opinions against this kind of political BS would be more effective than a silent - lack of participation. I also believe that the message should be loud and clear to the NRCA.....maybe a petition for all of us to sign????

Go to the IRE....attend the Mark Kelly event and see what he has to say...When it gets goofy, walk out proudly.

Who said "keep your friends close and your enemies closer"....i'm sure the quote is not exact or verbaitim but I'm sure you all know what I mean.

The timing of things doesn't add up, imo.

Y'all probably just got the same color brochure from IRE that I got. It mentions not 1 word about Kelley's gun control efforts in his intro, and it's likely this was printed before Newtown. So now the more recent ads mention his gun control agenda....after Newtown???

Is NRCA and IRE attempting to create attention/adversity?

I will be down there. I wonder if it would make any difference if a bunch of us just walked out of the speech? Maybe hand out some flyers asking what the heck is going on? Just a thought.

They certainly have the first amendment right to speak their minds and the "Leadership" of the NRCA has a right to schedule whomever they deem fit to speak at these shows, but they have to face the membership the next time they come up for election too! There are many ways to voice a person's opinion. Just a thought.

Mike H Said: I have always been a late registry for this event, and this year was no different. Trying to decide how many to take with me, and Friday as I was preparing an invitation to some employees, I hopped on here to take a little break....

... I do not believe we will be going now.

I dont have facebook, dont intend to either, but I think Ill be calling the NRCA this week.

Mike, I'm relieved to hear you say that.

Robert called me yesterday and I told him "I'll be anxious to hear what some of the heavy-hitters like Mike Hicks have to say about it." It takes intestinal fortitude to speak out against such an organization when that opinion likely cannot help you. That's called character.

I've become somewhat of a student of the Second Amendment in recent years, and only since then have I learned that it's a lot more than just about guns. It is a fundamental precept to the way our founding fathers built checks and balances into our system of government. Obama is busily ignoring those checks and balances and that cannot end up good.