10 Questions with Second Amendment March Iowa Coordinator

It's been in the planning stages since February 2009, and now it's almost here. During the Second Amendment March, thousands of Second Amendment advocates plan to descend on Washington D.C. and state capitols around the nation in support of their God-given right to keep and bear arms. The coordinator of the Iowa march, Robert Fowler, agreed to answer some questions about the event.

Fowler, who is now retired, has led an interesting life living in Michigan, Missouri, Texas and Iowa. He was in the U.S. Marines and has worked as a farmer, oilfield roughneck, and truck driver. He is currently a licensed gun dealer and ammunition manufacturer. He is also active in the group Iowa Carry and blogs at Roberts Gun Shop.

1.When and where is the national march?

The National March will be held April 19th 2010 on the grounds of the Washington monument.

2. Where can people find out more information about it?

http://www.secondamendmentmarch.com/

3. Is there some significance to the date of the march, April 19th?

1775: Minutemen Capt John Parker orders not to fire unless fired upon. A shot is fired and the American revolution begins at the Lexington Common. That was the "shot heard round the world"

[CHC adds: Also, in a bit of historical irony, 168 years later on April 19, 1943 a small band of Jews in the Warsaw ghetto decided to fight against the Nazi occupiers who were butchering their people. Armed at first with only a few pistols, the resistance fighters held the Nazis at bay longer than the entire Polish army had been able to. Once again shots had been fired for freedom.]

4. When and where is the Iowa march?

The Iowa State March will be held on the 19th of April on the west side of the Capital. [CHC: From noon to 3pm.]

5. Will there be any speakers?

Yes there will be. So far I have Dave Funk, candidate for the 3rd Iowa district now held by Leonard Boswell. Sean McClanahan, President of Iowa Carry.

6. Where can people go to keep up-to-date on the Iowa march?

The Second Amendment March has pages dedicated to each state. Go to the Iowa page, I post updates as I get more information.

7. Besides Des Moines, are there any confirmed rallies elsewhere in Iowa?

I have been trying to get rallies in other cities but so far I have not received any replies.

8. How did you come to be involved in the march?

The founder of the Second Amendment March, Skip Coryell Was a member of Iowa Carry and the guest speaker at a Iowa Carry pheasant hunt and dinner three years ago. I had the pleasure of sitting across from him and his wife and next to his children. We had a great time and became friends. We are both from Michigan and were both Marines. We have kept in touch and when he started the 2A March, he asked me to be the Iowa state coordinator. I readily accepted his offer. Along with my work with Iowa Carry, it's one of the best jobs I don't get paid to do.

9. What do you hope that the march will accomplish?

We are trying to bring attention to the people about the way the government is slowly taking our rights away. There are over 20,000 gun laws on the books that try to restrict our rights. We now have 38 states that have "shall issue" laws and Arizona is looking like it's going to be the 3rd state that will allow carry with out a permit. Joining Alaska and Vermont. Iowa Carry has been working on getting shall issue in Iowa making it easier for the citizens to be "allowed" to protect them selves. As you know, Iowa is may issue and permits are at the discretion of the sheriff. This means that in some counties, like Polk, All you have to do is take the training and pass the background check and you get your permit. Other counties will not issue a permit for any reason. The sheriffs of these counties have decided that they know best and honest law abiding citizens have no business carrying a gun. Even though the criminals carry regardless of the law. This is also one of the issues the 2A March is about.

10. Is there anything else we should know?

Everyone should know that the 2nd Amendment is the right that protects all the other rights. These right are not given by the government. They are natural God given rights and the government has been infringing on all of our rights for years. We are trying to educate the general population on what our rights are and what the wording of the Constitution really means. In the 2nd Amendment there are a few words that should tell people exactly what the founders meant. "The right of the people". There is a reason the this phrase shows up in several of the amendments. It is because the people have the right to assemble and speak and to be secure in their homes and possessions and to own and bear arms. "Shall not be infringed" There isn't a politician in the world that understands these 4 words. If there was, we wouldn't have to beg some government official for "permission" to exercise our 2nd Amendment right. Vermont has no permit system. The also have one of the lowest crime rates in the country. They allow their citizens to carry open or concealed without having to beg. And contrary to what the Brady Bunch says, there isn't blood in the streets. This proves that the law abiding citizens can carry a gun and not have shootouts over fender benders and parking spots.