As soon as you're done reading this,

1. Take out a full sheet of paper, and at the top, write the name of one of your best gun buddies.

2. Make the phone call and say, "What do you say we go to dinner one night, and talk about gun stuff and 'issues that concern us as free people.'" You can say it's your own idea if you like, I'm not fussy. Just arrange to get your butt out to dinner to talk. Note: This is the second hardest part of this plan.

3. Then ask who else the two of you might invite to this little dinner and discussion. Agree up front on separate checks. Write all the names on your sheet of paper. That's what it's for.

4. Pick a restaurant that can seat the bunch of you. One big table is the key, so you can all hear each other. A side room with privacy is even better. Warning: Finding a good spot is the hardest part of this plan. Pick a date about four weeks away, and call your friends.

Are you with me so far? Are you willing to do "all this work" to have a real positive impact? Or doesn't your mama allow you to go out at night?

5. Go out to dinner and have a good time.

Because of the common ground built into your invite list, things will pretty much happen automatically. Between the bunch of you, all sorts of good things will start coming up just by themselves.

What's really happening: You're using the power of the right to assemble to help guard your freedom.

AN EASY PLAN TO MAKE THE DINNER EXCEPTIONAL

If you have the guts, try this:

1. START. Fifteen minutes after the starting time, ding the side of a glass with a spoon, to make the universally recognized "call to order" sound.

2. INTRODUCE. Say hello, and you and your buddy introduce yourselves, and describe who you are and what you do. Then have everyone else do the same.

3. DESCRIBE. When the last person finishes, speaking as the host of the dinner, say you invited everyone to discuss "issues that concern us as free people" and ask for two ground rules --

a. only one person at a time talks, so everyone can hear b. stay on the subject

4. OPEN. Take out a pad. Ask your friends to start on the following question: What's the problem we face? Write down the flood of answers. Stay with it until it's a long list.

5. CONTINUE. When the time seems right, ask another group question: "So what are the solutions?" Write down the flood of answers. Then just roll with the flow.

6. WRAP. You will be amazed how much good stuff comes up, how many people get energized to take action and do stuff, and how quickly the evening goes. Before the first person leaves, ask everyone if they'd like to come back next month, same time and place. Book the restaurant again while you're there.

OTHER THINGS THAT ARE GOOD TO DO

1. Get some of those stick-on name badges at an office supply store.

2. Agree to swap email addresses so you can all reach each other.

3. Write up the lists from your pad and give everyone copies.

4. Find some worthwhile literature and pass out copies.

5. Think about more people you could invite next month.

6. Ask everyone if they think they could assemble their own friends for a dinner, and help spread this program.

7. Be a big shot -- start out by buying everyone a round of drinks. It feels good, sets a nice tone, and in the end doesn't burn too big a hole in your wallet.

8. Instead of using a pad to make a list of ideas, put a big sheet of paper on the wall and use that with a marker. When everyone can see the list as it grows, it spurs more ideas. Don't use a permanent marker and get ink on the wall like an idiot.