SCCC's National Pitch It to the People Week

[Douva]

After much discussion among the leaders of SCCC, the board of directors has decided not to host a national Empty Holster Protest this fall. The general consensus is that election coverage would overshadow a fall protest. There is also concern that holding protests too often might lead the public and the media to view them as "old hat."

Rather than dedicate resources to a national protest that might go unnoticed, SCCC will instead sponsor its first national "Pitch it to the People" week during the week of November 17-21. The Pitch it to the People week (PIP) is to be a dedicated week for all members of SCCC to make their voices heard. It's an opportunity for you to make a dent in the public perception and preconceived notions that permeate the college you attend, the city where you live, and the state in which you vote.

During the PIP, participating SCCC members will pitch SCCC and the case for concealed carry on campus to their friends, family, professors, TAs, school administrators, state legislators, local newspapers, etc. It's one week for all of SCCC to pull together and lobby everyone they know and everyone who will listen to support the SCCC movement.

All 33,000+ members of SCCC are asked to prepare unique, personalized letters (not emails) to their state legislators and governors. Members are also asked to prepare brief (300 words or less) letters to the editors of their local newspapers. All of these letters, which can be written at any time between now and the PIP (this isn't a school assignment; it's something you believe in, so don't procrastinate), will serve as a flood of support for concealed carry on campus when they pour into the mailboxes of news outlets and elected officials across the country. Members are also asked to talk to friends and family--whether in person, on the phone, via email, etc.--about the issue of concealed carry on college campuses. You can even write to your favorite celebrity if you wish to do so. The more letters, emails, postcards, etc., you write, the more support SCCC gains.

Do whatever it takes (within reason--don't violate the law or school policy, and don't do anything that might reflect negatively on SCCC) to get people thinking about the issue of concealed carry on college campuses. Take up a collection among your friends to buy an ad in the school paper. Hand out literature on the quad (if allowed). Buy your girlfriend some SCCC lingerie. Get permission to set up a booth in the student center. Wear an SCCC shirt, hat, or button everywhere you go. Mail copies of the SCCC handbook (professionally printed: http://www.cafepress.com/sccc_gfz.287785352" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; / PDF file: http://www.concealedcampus.org/sccc_package.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) to state legislators, school officials, and newspaper editorial boards who may not know enough about the issue to form educated opinions.

Whereas the Empty Holster Protests focused heavily on gaining local and national media attention, the PIP will not be aimed at attracting media attention. There will be no uniform way to promote our organization or our cause. Instead, this is an opportunity for each state chapter, each campus chapter, and each individual member to do whatever they can to promote our cause and our organization as they best see fit.

The PIP will also serve as a fundraising drive. Members are encouraged to begin saving money now and make financial contributions to SCCC on Friday, November 21 (the link to donate is on the front page of the website: http://www.ConcealedCampus.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). For the next two months, save your pocket change each night, or have one less latte per week, or sell some used books, or unload some useless junk on eBay, or donate blood, or do whatever it takes to come up with a little bit of cash to donate to SCCC. If your friends or family are supportive, encourage them to donate as well. Our goal is to set a one-day donation record that will dwarf all of the donations that came before. Donations are needed to cover the costs of operating SCCC (office supplies, printed materials, travel expenses, advertising, etc). If this is really a cause in which you believe, you should be able to save a little money over the course of two months and make a donation on November 21.

This will be your first chance to reach out to newly elected officials. This will be your last chance to reach out to legislators before the start of the 2009 state legislative sessions. This will be your only chance to participate in a national SCCC event this fall. This will be your best chance to date to make a difference.