Well, the rally went off as planned on July 28, 2018, and while we had a really disappointing turnout in numbers, the rally itself was a great time. The speakers were amazing, and the crowd was enthusiastic. I can honestly say that everybody there thought it was more than worthwhile. The March for Our Lives came over to the very edge of the rally with just a few people for a look, but quickly retreated upon being confronted by one of our speakers, Kaitlin Bennett, and several friends. There were no issues. I’d like to summarize the highlights of the rally, but quite frankly — there were too many to list. I have to say how proud I was having Krystal Walters sing the National Anthem. An incredible vocalist. Plus, we had a local musician, Gene Loy, play for the crowd for about ninety minutes before the rally officially started, and Joshua Taylor closed the rally with a song off his new album that should be released around October.
Speakers included:
Erich Pratt — [executive director, Gun Owners of America]; Hickok45 — YouTube sensation with over 3.5 million registered viewers; Pastor Terry L. Howell — minister and leader of Living Water Fellowship congregation, who is a firearms advocate once forced to defend himself and his congregation from an active shooter; Luis A. Sterling — executive director of Ezekiel 317 — an organization dedicated to training personnel of religious institutions in security issues; Erin Palette, executive director of Operation Blazing Sword, the pro-gun LGBTQ organization that encourages and facilitates firearms training for the LGBTQ community; Mark Keith Robinson — the YouTube and NRA speaker sensation from North Carolina who coined the phrase: “I am the majority”; Paul Pawela — director of law enforcement training for the Police Hall of Fame – who previously served with Seal Team Six and Delta Force; Tara Dixon Engel — Director of Strategic Development at the Police Hall of Fame, and important force in the women’s shooting movement; CJ Grisham — executive director of Texas Open Carry, and leading Second Amendment advocate in Texas; Stephen J. Merrette — Director of Member Affairs at Florida Carry; Royce Bartlett, radio host of Shooting Straight Radio, a highly rated talk show on I-Heart Radio; Mark Villifane – the official rally sponsor and advanced firearms training instructor; Kaitlin Bennett — Grassroots Director for Liberty Hangout, and confrontational pro-gun speaker and advocate best known as the “Kent State AR gal”; and me — Jon H. Gutmacher, author of the Florida Firearms book who acted as the rally host and organizer. Plus, we had the Utah Gun Exchange “Freedom Tour” at the rally, with their huge armored vehicle — all open to the public during the rally. It was awesome!
Likewise, need to give thanks to our sponsors: Kel Tec Industries; CCW Safe (self defense coverage); Shoot Straight; Central Florida Rifle and Pistol Club; and National Liberty Federation — without their financial help the rally could not have happened. Also big thanks to Aaron Stemen (our webmaster), Dave Byrum (our Facebook coordinator), Tara Dixon Engel (our Twitter coordinator), LuAnn Moyer (head of volunteers), Phoenix Gibson and Jesse Hall (our sound and electric engineers and operators), Luis Valdez (venue assistance), Ernest Myers (club coordinator), and a host of others. My personal thanks for making my job doable.
So, for all of you who made the long trip to Tallahassee — thanks for coming and supporting us. For those who missed it — you really missed an incredible array of really terrific speakers, and musical entertainment — plus a great time.
introducing Krystal Walters for the National Anthemas
Well, the rally went off as planned on July 28, 2018, and while we had a really disappointing turnout in numbers, the rally itself was a great time. The speakers were amazing, and the crowd was enthusiastic. I can honestly say that everybody there thought it was more than worthwhile. The March for Our Lives came over to the very edge of the rally with just a few people for a look, but quickly retreated upon being confronted by one of our speakers, Kaitlin Bennett, and several friends. There were no issues. I’d like to summarize the highlights of the rally, but quite frankly — there were too many to list. I have to say how proud I was having Krystal Walters sing the National Anthem. An incredible vocalist. Plus, we had a local musician, Gene Loy, play for the crowd for about ninety minutes before the rally officially started, and Joshua Taylor closed the rally with a song off his new album that should be released around October.
Speakers included:
Erich Pratt — [executive director, Gun Owners of America]; Hickok45 — YouTube sensation with over 3.5 million registered viewers; Pastor Terry L. Howell — minister and leader of Living Water Fellowship congregation, who is a firearms advocate once forced to defend himself and his congregation from an active shooter; Luis A. Sterling — executive director of Ezekiel 317 — an organization dedicated to training personnel of religious institutions in security issues; Erin Palette, executive director of Operation Blazing Sword, the pro-gun LGBTQ organization that encourages and facilitates firearms training for the LGBTQ community; Mark Keith Robinson — the YouTube and NRA speaker sensation from North Carolina who coined the phrase: “I am the majority”; Paul Pawela — director of law enforcement training for the Police Hall of Fame – who previously served with Seal Team Six and Delta Force; Tara Dixon Engel — Director of Strategic Development at the Police Hall of Fame, and important force in the women’s shooting movement; CJ Grisham — executive director of Texas Open Carry, and leading Second Amendment advocate in Texas; Stephen J. Merrette — Director of Member Affairs at Florida Carry; Royce Bartlett, radio host of Shooting Straight Radio, a highly rated talk show on I-Heart Radio; Mark Villifane – the official rally sponsor and advanced firearms training instructor; Kaitlin Bennett — Grassroots Director for Liberty Hangout, and confrontational pro-gun speaker and advocate best known as the “Kent State AR gal”; and me — Jon H. Gutmacher, author of the Florida Firearms book who acted as the rally host and organizer. Plus, we had the Utah Gun Exchange “Freedom Tour” at the rally, with their huge armored vehicle — all open to the public during the rally. It was awesome!
Likewise, need to give thanks to our sponsors: Kel Tec Industries; CCW Safe (self defense coverage); Shoot Straight; Central Florida Rifle and Pistol Club; and National Liberty Federation — without their financial help the rally could not have happened. Also big thanks to
So, for all of you who made the long trip to Tallahassee — thanks for coming and supporting us. For those who missed it — you really missed an incredible array of really terrific speakers, and musical entertainment — plus a great time.
introducing Krystal Walters for the National Anthemas