WI Sportsmen and Women for Kerry - Check in

[Viking12]

Hi folks. As we all know hunting and fishing are very popular in WI. I, for one, am an absolutely fanatic angler. Unfortunately, to many sportspeople are conned by the NRAand lean rethug despite the fact that rethugs have a long history of undermining the habitat of our favored game. Kerry to me is the best candidate the outdoor crowd has seen in a long time. I was wondering if anyone knows of an active WI chapter of Sportsmen for Kerry? If not, what are your thoughts on trying to organize?



http://www.johnkerry.com/communities/sportsmen/

[mb7588a]

1. I love how Welch literature has

NRA NRA NRA NRA

written all over it.... If you haven't seen the stuff, it's beautifully horrid.

Anyway.

Can you see that ugly guy (welch) hunting? AHAHAHAHA. funny.

[sybylla]

2. Been hunting since I was big enough to follow my dad and grandpa

through the woods. As a kid, my family camped (and fished when possible) nearly every weekend between spring thaw and December 1st. I essentially grew up in the northwoods.

As you said, there are problems. Dems don't do well with most sports-minded people here. And I agree the biggest reason is the NRA parroting the scare tactics of the pukes to every sportsmans organization across the state. I know, my father belongs to quite a few and I've been to a meeting or two myself.

I haven't heard of a Sportsmen for Kerry organization, but I think it could be a good idea. Unfortunately, I currently have no free time to devote beyond signing up. It wouldn't hurt to contact the Kerry campaign in Wisconsin to see how we could work with them in the state. They have decided to target Wisconsin so they might be interested in a "steering committee" that could advise the campaign on sports related issues. Most of these people believe in Democratic principles, they've just bought the Repukes line that Dems will take all their guns away (while they are busy taking all the public land away).

[Viking12]

3. Great feedback.

I'd say short of being actively involved in the Kerry campaign and targeting the sportsmen vote, one could try to reach out to them with LTTEs and personal relationships. Maybe because I'm always around other outdoors people I have a skewed perspective that this is such a significant constituency, but my gut tells me this is a group we should be courting.

I will try to do some checking with the Kerry campaign and see if they have a strategy to specifically address this interest group. If I learn anything I'll post it.

[sybylla]

4. LTTEs are a good idea

Even better if a wide circle of sportsmen and -women know you. I think a good way to approach LTTEs targeted to the sports-minded is to take the preservation issues seriously and point out what Bush is doing to our land and how his policies are slowly destroying a way of life in Wisconsin. What Bush says versus what he has done might be another way.

If you have access to that kind of thing, just getting a hunting buddy or two who support Kerry to go with you to gun or hunting club events could be pretty effective. Be visible with buttons or t-shirts and have a little literature on hand that you made up yourself. The Eau Claire Dean Meet-up people put together a flyer for hunters outlining Dean's positions on hunting and related issues to distribute at the fair last fall. If I still have it I'd be happy to send it to you.

[eyesroll]

5. If anyone lives in the 5th CD,

candidate Bryan Kennedy has a "Sportsmen for Kennedy" group. Let me know if you want contact info.

I agree that groups like that can only help dispel the "Democrats want your guns!" myth. I'm not a hunter/fisher myself, but plenty of people who would otherwise vote Dem if not for that myth are...

[Lefta Dissenter]

6. I just dropped an email

to the guy who was the State Director for Kerry's primary campaign here, asking if he knows anyone who is active in the "Sportsmen for Kerry" groups here in WI.

I'll let you know if I hear anything back.

[Lefta Dissenter]

7. From State director (of Kerry primary campaign in WI)

In reply to my inquiry as to whether there's a 'Sportsmen for Kerry' group currently active in the state:

Not that I'm aware of, not yet anyway. If WI residents have been signing up for the group at the official Kerry website, once we have the campaign back up and running here, we'll pull those names from the database and start organizing, hopefully in the next month or so.

For now, I'd encourage people to join the official group at
http://www.johnkerry.com/signup/sportsmen.php, and expect to receive info/marching orders in the near future.

Thanks - GT