2010 Sybil Ludington Womens Freedom Award Nomination of Governor Sarah Louise Heath Palin

Dedication to the protection of the Second Amendment through extensive legislative and/or legal contributions 2009 Alaska Governor Sarah Palin [on July 10, 2009 in Fairbanks] has signed House Bill 201 into law. The bill, sponsored by Representative Craig Johnson, changes the expiration date of a concealed handgun permit from five years from the date of issue to the person's birthday. The right to own guns and use them responsibly is something I and many other Alaskans cherish, Governor Palin said. We have to be vigilant to protect the rights of individual Alaskans to own and use guns. I appreciate the work of our legislature in standing up for the Constitution (July Legislation, 2009, 1). The Governor also signed four resolutions. HJR 17, sponsored by Representative John Harris, urges Congress not to pass HR 45. The federal legislation would put burdensome licensing and registration controls on individual gun owners (July Legislation, 2009, 2). SJR 10, sponsored by Senator Joe Thomas, urges Congress to pass S 371. The legislation would ensure that citizens of each state, who are licensed or authorized by their home state to carry a concealed weapon, could do so in another state as long as they comply with the laws of that state. Currently, states offer this right of reciprocity through individual agreements that can vary from state to state (July Legislation, 2009, 3). SJR 3 is a resolution sponsored by Senator Gene Therriault. The resolution expresses support to Congress for repealing the ban on carrying a firearm on National Park Service lands. Congress did so in May, and the repeal becomes effective February 2010 (July Legislation, 2009, 5). Governor Palin lauded the United States Congress for passing legislation that permits visitors to carry loaded guns in national parks and wildlife refuges, provided state laws are obeyed. The provision was hidden within a bill on how credit card companies are to do business with consumers (National Parks, 2009, 1). This is certainly good news for Alaska, Governor Palin said. The ability to carry a firearm can define a life or death situation, especially for protection against surprise encounters with wildlife, mainly bears. I appreciate the strong bipartisan support this received in the House and Senate. I am pleased the administration says the president will sign the bill (National Parks, 2009, 2) Within Alaska, most of the national parks and refuge areas are open to various forms of hunting, so possession and use of firearms is already widely allowed under both state and federal law" (National Parks, 2009, 3). Governor Palin on February 19, 2009, wrote a letter to US Secretary of the Interior Salazar asking him to support "to support recently adopted regulations allowing concealed weapons in national parks and wildlife refuges (Concealed, 2009, 1). Governor Palin had nominated Wayne Anthony Ross to be Alaskas Attorney General, because I believed I knew what Alaskans wanted when I selected an individual who is a strong backer of 2nd Amendment rights, a staunch supporter of the state Constitution and a defender of life (WAR, 2009, 2). The states legislature refused to confirm him on April 16, 2009 (WAR, 2009, 1).

2008 Governor Palin [on June 26, 2008] lauded the U.S. Supreme Courts landmark decision upholding the right of Americans to own guns for self-defense, hunting and other purposes. The high courts 5-4 ruling in District of Columbia vs. Heller affirmed gun rights by striking down the Districts 32-year-old ban on handguns (Heller, 2008, 1). This decision is a victory for all Alaskans and individual Americans. The right to own guns and use them responsibly is something I and many other Alaskans cherish, Governor Palin said. I applaud the Court for standing up for the Constitution and the right of Americans to keep and bear arms (Heller, 2008, 2) The state of Alaska in February joined a multi-state amicus brief written by the state of Texas in support of the Second Amendment right of individual Americans to bear arms (Heller, 2008, 3). On Tuesday, February 5, 2008, Alaska Attorney General Talis Colberg notified Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott that Alaska would sign on to the brief. The Texas amicus brief in the case Washington, D.C. v. Heller will be filed by February 11, 2008 (Brief, 2008, 1). Governor Palin, a lifelong member of the National Rifle Association, has long been a champion of the constitutional right to bear arms, as well as a proponent of gun safety programs for Alaskas youth (Brief, 2008, 2). I am proud to join the State of Texas in support of the Second Amendment, Governor Palin said. We need to send a strong message that law-abiding citizens have a right to own firearms, for personal protection, for hunting and for any other lawful purpose (Brief, 2008, 3). 2007 Governor Palin [on September 6, 2007] informed Alaska National Guardsmen and women serving in combat that big game hunting opportunities will be available when they returned home (Big Game, 2007, 1). I heard from many Alaskans serving overseas during my trip to Kuwait in July, said Governor Palin. One of the most frequent questions was about the status of hunting seasons upon their return. While I cant grant our troops the chance to hunt in closed areas or in places with species restrictions, I do want to recognize them and help them hunt this late fall or winter when they get home (Big Game, 2007, 2). Regulations adopted by the Board of Game affect hunters with Tier II subsistence permits and Alaskas drawing hunt permits. In a letter to the commanders of the Alaska Army and Air National Guard, the Governor also explained that service members unable to participate in hunts themselves may transfer Tier II subsistence permits to substitute Alaska hunters. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game will also re-issue permits for service members who were successful in obtaining lottery permit hunts but were unable to use them (Big Game, 2007, 3). Prior Honors and Awards Received for Defense of Second Amendment Governor Palin received five awards at the National Rifle Association's XVIII Gun Collectors Seminar in Anchorage for defending our Second Amendment rights (Sturgis, 2009). The most significant of these awards is a Benefactor Membership in the NRA, which is a $5,000 addition to the Life Membership, currently $1,000 paid in full or in quarterly installments over 10 years (NRA, 2009). Governor Palin is already well-known to be an NRA Life Member. The second award -- a Gold Medal of Merit for the Promotion of Gun Collecting had not been awarded to anyone in 10 years. The remaining three awards were life memberships at gun collector groups in Missouri, Ohio, and Texas (Sturgis, 2009).

The May 2009 issue of the NRAs American Rifleman reported that NRA Member Bob Reynolds, owner of Templar Consulting, LLC www.templarconsultingllc.com custom-built two AR-15s in honor of Governor Palin for her staunch support of our Second Amendment rights (Tribute, 2009, p. 61). One Alaskan Hunter was to be presented to Governor Palin, but is currently being held by NRA-ILA. In a telephone conversation with me, Mr. Reynolds indicated that he wanted very much for Governor Palin to receive this rifle; however, his next order of preference is for it to be donated to a worthy cause. I have put Mr. Reynolds in contact with John Wordin, Executive Director, Ride 2 Recovery, which recently auctioned off a dinner with Governor Palin to benefit wounded warriors. Jeremy Green, NRA-ILA has possession of the rifle. The rifle would be auctioned for the same cause once the parties concerned work out the details, should Governor Palin remain unable to accept it. The second rifle was auctioned at the NRA Foundation Banquet on May 14, 2009 (Tribute, 2009, p. 61) for $11,000 according to Mr. Reynolds. According to the Second Amendment Blog Bash, Governor Palin was scheduled to receive the Harlon B. Carter Legislative Achievement Award, the highest honor bestowed by NRA-ILA, during the Celebration of American Values Leadership Forum on [March 20, 2009] (Bash, 2009, 1). Governor Palin was unable to attend and the award went unissued (Bash, 2009, 5). Outstanding volunteerism through personal involvement with, and promotion of, NRA programs and issues with significant recognized impact Al Dolce is a dedicated Second Amendment political advocate, a full-time job in its own right. He is a member of the Central Jersey Rifle and Pistol Club and travels throughout the state to various ranges and gun clubs to ensure that NJ citizens right to keep and bear arms are not infringed upon. He shares this account of Gov. Palins volunteerism: Our New Jersey State NRA Representative passed this info on to us. He was told by the Alaska NRA representative that he first met Sarah Palin at a Friends of the NRA Dinner when she was Mayor of Wasilla. He subsequently met her at an NRA Dinner when she was Governor. Sarah came up and asked if he needed help with anything; to which he replied that he could use help handling the auction items. The Governor spent the evening running around holding up the various items to be bid on. I know it is not easy duty, because I get to perform that duty at our Friends of the NRA Dinners. We also have all the work she has done with the soldiers, but that would have to be documented by someone else.

2007 During a trip to Kuwait, Governor Palin entered and used a Meggit Systems firearms simulator. It is highly accurate in almost every respect to include felt recoil except the ejection of brass and the problems associated with lead particles indoors. Governor Palin fired an M-4 with an AimPoint Comp M2. Though not an NRA program, this image alone is probably responsible for a tremendous surge in interest and participation of women in shooting and hunting the likes of which have never been seen. This was the first photo I had ever seen of Governor Palin; the first photo that was released when she ran for Vice President, and it became my standard avatar for everything I do in relation to her.

2000 Sarah Palin, then Mayor of Wasilla, AK participated in the 5th Annual Alaska Ladies Charity Classic sporting clays shoot Saturday June 3, 2000, as documented in a famous file photo of her reloading an over-under doublebarrel shotgun. The photo was taken by Erik Hill of the Anchorage Daily News (Lost Target, 2008). The Alaska Ladies Charity Shotgun Classic, is a non-competitive, ladies only 50 target sporting clays event for both novice and experienced shooters (Grouse Ridge, 2009, p. 2). The Shotgun Classic is [a] fun event to give women and their families an introduction to enjoy the shooting sports and the outdoors and to raise money for breast cancer awareness. At the shoot, she wore a jacket with Wasillas City Seal emblazoned on it, suggesting that she attended as Mayor, not a private citizen. Her participation as Wasillas Mayor is an elevated level of volunteerism and proof that she will not moderate her support of the Second Amendment for political gain. Closing Summary Though not listed as an award category, Governor Palin has one quality that was found woefully lacking in a certain female Senator who betrayed the Second Amendment with her evolving views for the sake of political expediency. That something is hard-coded core values. Unlike the aforementioned Senator, Governor Palin has twice abandoned a title in her political career, because her core values took precedence. By granting Governor Palin this award, you will be granting it to someone whose faith in the Second Amendment will cease only when her time with us ceases. It is well known that gun shops across the United States often post a picture of Obama with the caption Salesman of the Year (or month). That image is a sarcastic reference to the dramatic increase in gun and ammunition sales stoked by legitimate fears that his administration will ride roughshod over our Second Amendment rights. What is not too well-known is that someone elses image and likeness is appearing in gun stores, racks and closets nationwide. Her image is there not for sarcasm. She stands guard. As her nominator, I will state categorically that there is only one person in politics who I trust so much that I would give her the spare key to my gun closet without compunction. She embodies all the principles intrinsic to this award. Further, it is my opinion that the un-issued Harlon B. Carter Legislative Achievement Award she had earned should be bestowed upon Governor Palin (in conjunction with this award should she win the nomination) and the rifle Mr. Reynolds built for her. She is most deserving of the aforementioned honors and special consideration, because: Sarah Louise Health Palin is the Second Amendments Guardian Angel.

References

2009 Alaska Ladies Charity Shotgun Classic & Couples Fun Shoot. (2009). Grouse Ridge Shooting Grounds. Retrieved September 22, 2009 from: http://grouseridge.com/2009_Ladies_Shoot_flyer.pdf A tribute to the Governor. (2009, May). American Rifleman, p. 61. (Fairfax, VA: National Rifle Association). Retrieved April 24, 2009. Alaska Joins Filing for 2nd Amendment Rights. State of Alaska, Governor. Retrieved September 18, 2009 from: http://wayback.archive-it.org/1200/20090726174533/http://gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=980&type=1 Governors choice for AG rjected. State of Alaska, Governor. Retrieved September 22, 2009 from: http://wayback.archiveit.org/1200/20090726153452/http://gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=1767&type=1 Governor expresses support to Salazar for concealed weapons regulations. State of Alaska, Governor. Retrieved February 19, 2009 from: http://wayback.archiveit.org/1200/20090726172945/http://gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=1654&type=1 Governor Palin Highlights Hunting Opportunities to Returning Alaska Troops. State of Alaska, Governor. Retrieved September 18, 2009 from: http://wayback.archiveit.org/1200/20090726174934/http://gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=592&type=1 Governor Palin lauds Congressional firearm provision. (2009, May 20). State of Alaska, Governor. Retrieved May 21, 2009 from: http://wayback.archiveit.org/1200/20090726151853/http://gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=1856&type=1 Governor Lauds 2nd Amendment Decision. State of Alaska, Governor. Retrieved September 18, 2009 from: http://wayback.archiveit.org/1200/20090726173822/http://gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=1242&type=1 Governor Palin signs legislation in Fairbanks. (2009, July 10). State of Alaska, Governor. Retrieved July 11, 2009 from: http://wayback.archiveit.org/1200/20090726151851/http://gov.state.ak.us/archive.php?id=1963&type=1 Gov. Sarah Palin to Receive NRA-ILA Award. (2009, March 16). Second Amendment Blog Bash. Retrieved September 21, 2009 from: http://www.2ablogbash.com/2009/03/16/gov-sarah-palin-to-receive-nra-ilaaward/ Join the NRA. (n.d.). National Rifle Association. Retrieved August 2, 2009 from: https://membership.nrahq.org/forms/signup.asp Potosky, J. (2008, August 29). Sarah Palin NRA Life Member, Fisherman and Hunter. The Lost Target. Retrieved September 22, 2009 from: http://losttarget.blogspot.com/2008/08/sarah-palin-nra-lifemember-fisherman.html Sturgis, D. (2009, August 2). "Phil Schreier reports from Alaska." National Rifle Association Blog. Retrieved August 2, 2009 from: http://nrablog.com/post/2009/08/02/Phil-Schreier-reports-from-Alaska.aspx