I know the NJCSD admin, so hopefully he doesn't take this out of context or the wrong way, because its not meant to slight.

 

Signing a petition is a voluntary action. How you get people to volunteer is dependent on how you present yourself. I understand that its short notice on getting things done, and we want to get the petition in as soon as possible, but if you present yourself in a panicked state, you'll be perceived as panicked.

 

The thread started off perfect. Nice, calm, people responded. A week went by, and then it was immediately lowered to insults. The 2 extremes of emotions is what threw everything off. Its perfectly fine to get upset at the lack of participation, but you have the list of names that signed up. Next time someone starts complaining about the laws, and didn't sign the list, call em out. But to get angry at everyone, and make it sound like its this forums fault that only 93 people signed, is going a little far. Instead of alienating the ones that did sign up and are trying to help, you need to just pull those people closer and slowly increase the base.

 

There's 800,000 gun owners in the state. You're not going to get all of them into thinking the same way overnight. There are alot that think guns should only be for home protection. There are alot that think guns should only be for hunting. There are alot that probably think OGAM was perfectly fine. We're all individuals and thus, we're not all going to see things exactly the same, or react to a certain tone the same way.

 

You have a thankless job, and there are those of us who appreciate it very much. But if you get pissed off at the situation and vent towards the same people that are trying to help, those people are going to ask "why bother?" Seriously, we can't force people to sign. The only thing you can do is to give people the opportunity and see if they step up. If they don't, you don't count on them, but continue to try other tactics and other venues. Eventually it will spread. But if you discourage those that are stepping up, then you end up undoing everything you worked so hard for.

 

No love lost here from me, but sometimes you just gotta take a deep breath, and realize that its not always what you say, but how you say it.

+1

WSL - well said.