April 8, 2024
Carefully research any solicitations asking for money by any entity claiming to be a Second Amendment Supporter.
Inquiries to Tennessee Firearms Association indicate that there are presently solicitations being made again by an entity that is claiming to "Tennessee's only No Compromise gun rights organization." That entity is not TFA nor is it affiliated in any way with TFA. Imagine that, an entity that never existed in Tennessee prior to almost a month after the Covenant murders has somehow become the only no-compromise gun rights group in Tennessee.
What is that entity?
It calls itself "Tennessee Gun Owners" but it does not appear to have any actual physical presence in Tennessee other than a mailbox at at UPS store in Nashville. Perhaps that is because it makes the same or similar claims about 18 other state named groups that have similar logos and are identified on its website as "affiliates". Indeed, screenshots of the websites of some of these other claimed entities are practically identical in terms of claims and even photos (see attachments). This new Tennessee entity has usurped the name of a longstanding, well known, web-based forum known as "Tennessee Gun Owners" that was formed in 1997 and that frequently is known by the name "TN Gun Owners" in part due to its website - www.tngunowners.com. The operators of the legitimate Tennessee Gun Owners website and forum posted a warning on their website last year to make clear that they are not affiliated with the new entity that was formed in 2023. In September 2023, TFA posted a detailed report urging people to investigate this new entity that
Even the Daily Beast did an article a few years ago titled "The ‘Scam Artist’ Brothers Tearing the Gun Movement Apart" and detailing how "[t]he brothers, who were raised in Iowa, are part of a circle of far-right
activists who manage more than a dozen nonprofits spread around the
country, from Wyoming and Wisconsin to North Carolina and Georgia. They
have built a massive grassroots fundraising machine that churns out a
steady stream of messages beseeching donations to snuff out gun control,
abortion rights, and other sources of conservative outrage." One of the brothers is Chris Dorr, apparently the same individual whose name can be found on the recently formed "Tennessee Gun Owners" fund raising movement.
Another website, called " Dorr Brother Scams" - lists 24 organizations in 11 states (at least because this list does not include Tennessee Gun Owners) that claim to support gun rights, pro life, oppose quarantines (Covid), and, interestingly, whatever "Trump Clubs" do. When you make the choice to engage in Second Amendment advocacy in Tennessee or any other state, it is important that you investigate the people who are asking you for money, for your support and to put your name on their mailings or petitions (if any) that are allegedly being delivered to legislators. TFA has received many inquiries over the last year from its members and supporters about whether this new entity should also be supported. When asked, Tennessee Firearms Association's response has been that it does not support, recommend or coordinate with any of the organizations that are offered by Chris Dorr as a Second Amendment advocate in Tennessee or any state. Whatever choice you make, be informed.
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