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RA Country, like most NRA members, places a high
value on both relationships and family. When we had
the chance to work with a country talent who just so
happens to be married to one of our favorite artists, Craig
Campbell, we jumped at the opportunity. Make no mistake
about it, Mindy Ellis Campbell’s talent—and career—stands on
its own two legs without any help from her husband. Her voice is
captivating. She’s incredibly entertaining on stage, evidenced by
the fact that Alan Jackson added her to multiple of his 2019 tour
dates. At this year’s Annual Meetings, NRA members fell in love
with her both on the NRA Country Sound Stage and on Saturday
night’s headline concert in Lucas Oil Stadium. She’s a star on the
rise, and we’re happy to bring her to the attention of our mem-
bers. NRA Country’s Vanessa Shahidi connected with Mindy and
asked her a few questions about why she is NRA Country.VS:Do you have a personal favorite firearm?
MEC: I love a shotgun. We shoot sporting clays every year
around Christmas time. I also love my Glock 42 that my husband
bought me for our anniversary one year. He’s a true romantic.VS: Who shared their love of the great outdoors with you
when you were growing up?
MEC: My parents. I grew up on a ranch west of Loveland, Colo.
My family raised elk and buffalo and would give chuck wagon
dinner rides. We would take you up the mountain on a covered
wagon or by horseback. Guests could feed and pet the elk and
buffalo, then we would feed you dinner. I got my start singing
around the campfire to all of our guests—just me and my guitar.VS: Have you had any memorable hunts?
MEC: We went hunting for elk on horseback. It was in the
deep snow and so much fun. We never killed an elk, but the
experience was one I’ll never forget. I also love bird hunting.
My family used to take us to Nebraska over Thanksgiving.
We would hunt pheasant and that would be our Thanksgiving
meal. Sometimes we starved, but most of the time I had a full
belly! I’m proud to say I had a pretty good aim.VS:What are you excited about these days?
MEC: Currently I sing twice a week at venues downtown in
Nashville on Broadway. I get to meet people from all over the
world from all spectrums of life. I also have two little girls ages
8 and 11 who love to sing. Someday I foresee us making a
family album with Craig. We joke all that time that our girls are
our retirement plan because they can out-sing both of us!
Stay up to date on news from Mindy Ellis by following her on
Facebook: facebook.com/mindyellismusic.Photo courtesy Mindy Ellis CampbellPhoto courtesy Mindy Ellis CampbellMindy Ellis
Campbell
is
IN MEMORY NRA-ILA CONTRIBUTIONS
May 1 – May 31
William P. Quinlan, Jr., Yerington, NV (from: Judith Quinlan); Brenda Sue Cole,
Cincinnati, OH (from: Robert E. Cole); Fred Peters Jr., Marion, MD (from: Leah Larue
Peters); Everett G. Moe, Depew, NY (from: Elaine R. Moe); Billy L. Bumgarner, Boone,
NC (from: Norma J. Bumgarner).
It should come as no surprise that the simple concept of
getting violent criminals off the streets to keep them from
committing violent crimes has proven to be a very effective
tool for law enforcement. While violent crime in the U.S.
has been in a state of general decline since its peak in
1991, PSN programs have shown to accelerate declines.
According to the United States Department of Justice, from
2000 to 2006, PSN program areas saw overall reductions
in violent crime from 4 to 20 percent, and specifically
targeted violent crimes were reduced by up to 42 percent.
By comparison, locations where PSN was not implemented
saw reductions, but of only 0.9 percent.
There is, of course, little evidence to indicate that gun-
control reduces violent crime, and plenty of evidence that
indicates fewer restrictions on law-abiding gun owners
leads to such reductions. But even if Speaker Pelosi and the
House Democrats cannot be convinced of this, one would
at least think they would support a proven law-enforcement
program like PSN, which has clearly been shown to reduce
the violent crime they claim to want to see reduced.
Then again, maybe not.
In May, the House Appropriations Subcommittee
on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies
recommending de-funding PSN. Chaired by U.S.
Representative José Serrano (D-N.Y.), the subcommittee’s
recommendation seems to indicate a continuing trend
by House Democrats to oppose President Donald Trump
whenever possible.
The program, as previously stated, started under
President Bush and continued under President Barack
Obama, even when Democrats controlled the House and
Senate during Obama’s first term. So why is there an issue
now?
It may simply be that Democrats are reflexively opposed
to anything Trump supports, and the current administration
has promoted the program. It would be a shocking abuse
of power if Democrats actually chose to end a program that
has been so successful at reducing violent crime simply out
of spite for a president the party clearly loathes.
Opposition to programs like PSN exposes the truth
about anti-gun members of Congress. They are not
actually concerned with reducing crime with the passage
of new gun laws, they are simply determined to restrict
Second Amendment freedoms for all Americans, and crime
has nothing to do with it. What they really do not support is
legal, lawful gun ownership. Claims of crime reduction are
nothing more than a distraction they use to advance their
true agenda.
Fortunately, there are still many steps left in the process
for approving the U.S. DOJ budget, through which PSN is
funded, so we can only hope that cooler heads within the
Democrat leadership will intercede and ensure PSN remains
fully funded.
That is, if there are any cool heads left.