FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Press Contact: Bennett Prescott,
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Connecticut Gun Rights Group Hosts Third Annual Family Picnic
Groton, CT (August 16, 2011) – The Connecticut Citizens Defense League (CCDL) will be hosting their annual Family Picnic for the third year in a row on Saturday, August 27th from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. As in years past the event will be held at Boothe Memorial Park, located at 5800 Main Street on Putney in Stratford, CT. The event is open to the public free of charge. Attendees are encouraged to bring their families and carry firearms openly or concealed in celebration of our second amendment rights in the state of Connecticut.
The CCDL Family Picnic is held every year in order to help the public get to know the CCDL and their rights better, as well as to learn what the organization has been doing to protect those rights. Traditional picnic fare of hot dogs, hamburgers, salad, soda, and desserts will be served. CCDL merchandise will be available for purchase, and there will be games and prizes with great gun oriented giveaways. Come help celebrate the continued success of the CCDL!
In accordance with best practices of firearm safety, this will be an alcohol free event and attendees are requested to keep any loaded firearms in holsters for the duration of the event. For more information visit http://www.ccdl.us.
Sincerely,
Bennett Prescott Public Relations Coordinator Connecticut Citizens Defense League
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http://www.ccdl.us Cell: (518) 488-7190
Written by Bennett Prescott, Public Relations Coordinator
Tuesday, 14 June 2011 14:45
June 14th 2011 (Groton, CT) – The Connecticut Citizens Defense League (CCDL) on Monday joined eighteen other gun organizations representing hundreds of thousands of gun owners from twenty states and the District of Columbia by signing an Amicus Curiae brief in Peterson v. Garcia, et al. This landmark court case, filed by the Second Amendment Foundation, seeks to redress an affront to the rights of American citizens by the city of Denver, Colorado which does not permit the lawful carrying of firearms by residents of many states like Connecticut. This court case falls perfectly in line with the goals of the CCDL, which seeks to protect the fundamental right of all Americans to keep and bear arms. Denver's anti-firearm law is heinous and does little but create victims out of otherwise well intentioned citizens, and therefore must not be allowed to stand.
"This is about more than gun ownership." said organization president Scott Wilson after signing the brief. "This lawsuit is about one state saying that citizens from another state, honest citizens who have passed rigorous background checks to receive a concealed carry permit in their home state and perhaps others, are criminals if they enter the city of Denver with a handgun. This unequal treatment can have no benefit but to create victims out of good Americans who must render themselves defenseless simply due to geographical location. Our utmost appreciation goes out to the Second Amendment Foundation for their hard work on this case."
The Colorado case is another milestone on the road that was laid down by Heller v. District of Columbia in 2008 and continued in McDonald v. Chicago in 2010. These cases have stemmed the anti gun tide of the last half decade that has helped increase the violent crime rate in many of America's cities by denying law abiding citizens the right to self defense. The CCDL is thrilled to be a signatory on this new Amicus Curiae and a part of these court cases, and hopes that by influencing firearm legislation out of state the benefits of firearm ownership will be better understood and appreciated at home in Connecticut.
About the CCDL: The Connecticut Citizens Defense League is a non-partisan, grassroots organization devoted to advocating rights affirmed by the Constitutions of the United States of America and the State of Connecticut. We are especially dedicated to protecting the unalienable right of all citizens to keep and bear arms, for the defense of both self and state, through public enlightenment and legislative action.
Written by Bennett Prescott, Public Relations Coordinator
Sunday, 15 May 2011 18:24
May 11, 2011 (Groton, CT) – Popular Connecticut gun rights organization the Connecticut Citizens Defense League (CCDL) is now collecting canned goods at all of their meetings and events. Donations will be given to the Bridgeport Rescue Mission and St. Johns Church in Sandy Hook. Scott Wilson, president of the volunteer organization, says "Community action has always been a part of our mission, we don't want to be seen as a group that only cares about guns. Firearms are just one part of the equation that represents individual liberty, and a lot of individuals have lost much of what they've spent their lives trying to build. Helping others is a moral imperative for us, just as we promote firearms ownership to lower the crime rate and keep the good guys safe." The CCDL holds regular meetings at 7:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month at the Middletown Elks Lodge. Meetings are open to everyone but come early as seats fill up quickly.
Written by Bennett Prescott, Public Relations Coordinator
Thursday, 17 March 2011 13:24
Grassroots Gun Rights Activists Working Hard in New Legislative Session
(Groton, CT) March 10 – The Connecticut Citizens Defense League, a grassroots firearm owners advocacy group, recently celebrated their second anniversary. Since their founding in 2009 they have grown to over 1,300 members and become a well known fixture at the state capitol in Hartford. A strictly donation supported not for profit organization, the CCDL endorsed over two dozen candidates in last November's election and have represented the interests of gun owners at the capitol four times in the last 30 days alone. Their network of concerned citizens, NRA certified trainers, and pro-gun representatives keeps them well abreast of new bills being presented in Hartford.
It hasn't all been easy going, and this legislative session is already turning out bills that could turn ordinary law abiding CT citizens into criminals. "Our biggest concern so far this year is SB 1094, an act banning all so-called 'high capacity' magazines. This act makes it a felony to possess the kind of magazines that come standard with the majority of handguns, and many rifles and shotguns as well." said Scott Wilson, president of the organization. "Our job as an organization is to keep our members aware of legislation that penalizes them while while doing little or nothing to affect criminals. In a country where the overwhelming majority of citizens own firearms it is unacceptable for a state to take such a stance against its own residents, especially as the similar federal law that expired in 2004 may even have caused an increase in crime."
Besides keeping a watchful eye on Connecticut state government, the CCDL holds raffles, dinners, shooting days, and meet your legislator events across the state. Membership is free, and their monthly meeting is held at the Elks lodge in Middletown, CT. For more information, or to sign up for their mailing list and be kept aware of upcoming legislation that may affect you, visit http://www.ccdl.us
CCDL President Scott Wilson was interviewed on the Lee Elci Show on Dec. 18th from 9:00am to 9:30am. Scott spoke about the CCDL mission, and potential upcoming legislative proposals. Interviewed along with Scott was CCDL Events Coordinator Kevin Borgnis,talking about the upcoming 2nd Amendment March on Hartford slated for Saturday April 10th, 2010 at the Capitol. The Lee Elci Show is broadcast on FM 104.7 (WXLM). Click below to listen to the interview (about 22 minutes).
Listen to our very own talking about the CCDL on the radio. Scott Wilson, Jeremy Newman, and Lenny Benedetto spent some time with Lee Elci of WXLM 104.7 in New London, CT on Friday, August 28, 2009.
Connecticut Citizens Defense League, Inc. 
