From: Scott Bergeson Subject: Scumbag Date: 04 Aug 2001 12:16:29 -0600 http://www.lewrockwell.com/elkins/elkins23.html - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Bergeson Subject: The strange case of United States v. Miller Date: 06 Aug 2001 13:14:58 -0600 The strange case of United States v. Miller ---------- by Dr. Michael S. Brown Authoritarians like to claim that the Supreme Court's 1938 Miller decision asserts that there is no individual right to bear arms. But the decision was rather limited in its findings, and didn't touch on the question of individual vs. collective rights. (08/06/01) http://www.newsmax.com/commentmax/articles/Dr._Michael_S._Brown.shtml - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: charles hardy Subject: FW: Tomorrow's News: Marksmanship Ban Date: 08 Aug 2001 22:25:06 -0600 ---------------- Charles Hardy --------- Forwarded message ---------- ---------- Forest Closures Planned, Executed Forest Closures Planned, Executed Forest Closures Planned, Executed August 8, 2001 by Alan Korwin, Author Gun Laws of America An anonymous Associated Press story, produced and timed for release by federal bureaucrats running the Arizona Tonto National Forest, will appear in many of tomorrow's newspapers nationwide, announcing the closure of 80,000 acres of the forest to outdoor marksmanship. The areas to be closed, adjacent to the Phoenix metro area, have been in continuous use for decades, without incident, by citizens conducting traditional firearms practice. Following a three-month intensive amelioration drive, lead by recently appointed Tonto Supervisor Karl Siderits, in which area residents were repeatedly assured that no blanket actions were likely, the federal agents did what activists suspected had been planned from the outset -- the total restriction of marksmanship in the commonly used and easily accesible sites that people use to practice and gain proficiency with arms. The move goes into effect Monday, and is expected to be precedential for National Forests around the country, which have been following the developments closely. Safety is cited by Siderits and others as their main concern, though no concrete examples of such a problem have been brought forward. Forest agents claim in the article, and have claimed publicly for months, to have witnessed hundreds of examples of criminal conduct with firearms on Forest Service land (e.g., shooting across roads, which is dangerous, stupid and strictly illegal). When asked about arrests, citations or any other disciplinary actions of the purported crimes, Siderits, PR Officer James Payne, and various rangers admit to knowing of none. Although Tonto officials regularly claim they have insufficient law enforcement to do anything about the alleged violators they supposedly frequently witness, additional law enforcement people will be engaged, according to the report, to enforce the new land closures. In essence, the plan is to punish the innocent for alleged acts of unidentified guilty parties. Unlike less free zones in America, where the right to bear arms is heavily repressed, outdoor marksmanship is routine in Arizona, with countless thousands of residents taking to open terrain on a regular basis. The National Forests are one of the main areas used, with some larger impromptu ranges in use since before WWII. The Tonto Forest comprises 2.9 million acres of public land, and contrary to its name, is primarily unbroken expanses of open desert. In effect, the closures are expected to force marksmanship away from well known and well worn target areas that are easy to reach, to untouched pristine areas of desert further inland. One justification cited by officials is that they haven't closed anywhere near as much public land as federal agents in California have. Dirt bikers, ATVs and all other land users, including hunters, will still have access to the restricted areas. Unmentioned by the anonymous AP "writer" is the fact that 54 dead bodies were removed from Tonto National Forest last year -- a typical count for a year -- none of them related to outdoor marksmanship or recreational shooters in the forest. Also unmentioned are marksmanship education programs for the public and the state's school systems, and establishment of ranges, which were prominent issues during the long running public comment and town-hall style amelioration campaign. Details on the amelioration campaign, a joint statement by sportsmen in Arizona and the Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association concerning the planned (now implemented) closures, and direct contact information for the responsible federal bureaucrats, press the New Stuff button on our website. ### Alan Korwin Bloomfield Press "We publish the gun laws." 4718 E. Cactus #440 Phoenix, AZ 85032 602-996-4020 800-707-4020 alan@gunlaws.com http://www.gunlaws.com Coming Soon at Bloomfield Press: Coming Soon at Bloomfield Press: A long overdue line of books on political activism: How to stop winning debates and start winning friends and influencing people. Check our website in the next few weeks for this sorely needed critical addition to the gun-rights struggle. http://www.gunlaws.com ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Charles C Hardy Subject: AOL gets help in its guns-at-work lawsuit Date: 09 Aug 2001 11:28:43 -0600 --------- Forwarded message ---------- So how is it that Utahns Against Gun violence can claim that they are not anti-gun after joining in the lawsuit against AOL employees fired for possessing guns on company leased property? AOL gets help in its guns-at-work lawsuit http://www.standard.net/standard/news/news_story.html?sid=000108082320453 74245+cat=news+template=news1.html Employers groups file "friend of the court" briefs Thr, Aug 9, 2001 00:00:00 By TIM GURRISTER Standard-Examiner staff OGDEN -- A consortium of employers groups have joined the fray backing America Online in its defense of a guns-at-work lawsuit brought by former employees of the Internet service provider"s Ogden call center. Last September, Luke Hansen, Paul Carlson and Jason Melling were fired from AOL"s 2261 Grant Avenue plant when they transferred guns between their vehicles, preparing for a round of target shooting after work. They filed suit against the company for its gun ban policy, claiming violation of their Second Amendment rights to bear arms. The case is still pending in motion and discovery phases before 2nd District Judge Roger Dutson, with no court dates currently set. Two "friend of the court" or amicus briefs were filed earlier this year by statewide employer groups in support of AOL by the Utah Society of Human Resource Managers and the Utah Manufacturers Association. The former is represented by three-term Utah Gov. Cal Rampton. Now Rampton"s firm, Jones, Waldo, Holbrook and McDonough, has been joined in their amicus brief by the following: The Chamber Ogden/Weber, the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Restaurant Association, the Employers Council and Utahns Against Gun Violence. The updated amicus brief was filed Tuesday. The business and community groups are neither pro-gun or anti-gun, said Michael O"Brien, a Jones Waldo employment lawyer also involved in the amicus brief, in a press release. Their position, O"Brien said, is a recognition that guns at work are a sensitive issue and each employer should be allowed to assess its own safety and security needs as well as employee morale, employee culture and other factors. "Once an employer does so, an employee can decide whether or not to work there," he said. "This is not simply a matter of gun owners" rights, because employers and co-workers have rights too." The fired employees" lawsuit against AOL could possibly force employers to allow guns on their premises against their will, O"Brien said. Also in response to the lawsuit, several gun organizations, The Utah Gun Owners Alliance, and a national organization, Gun Owners of America, called for boycotts of AOL. The 20-year-old GOA boasts 300,000 members, according to a spokesman for the group, making it one of the nation"s largest. The Utah group is a fledgling organization counting several thousand members. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Small business owners... Tell us what you think! http://us.click.yahoo.com/vO1FAB/txzCAA/ySSFAA/PdSolB/TM To Post a message, send it to: gopconservatives@eGroups.com To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: gopconservatives-unsubscribe@eGroups.com Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jim Hudgins Subject: Bush admin gets top rating Date: 09 Aug 2001 15:51:28 -0600 I am new to this list and appologize if a link to this information has already been provided but there is a refreshing change to government policy concerning gun ownership. http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0808-103.html Maybe we can look forward to some reversals of gun laws instituted under the past few administrations. Jim Hudgins -- "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." H.L. Mencken - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: charles hardy Subject: Fundraiser reminder, volunteers needed Date: 10 Aug 2001 20:57:49 -0600 This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. ----__JNP_000_60a3.7e74.46be Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=--__JNP_000_28d5.47ea.3456 This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. ----__JNP_000_28d5.47ea.3456 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit A reminder about the fundraiser party tomorrow (Saturday) evening at Janalee's house for Glen and Frank. If you attend, be sure to take your own BBQ main course and a side dish to share. Also Glen and Frank are looking for volunteers to help at the convention by passing out literature, wearing T shirts, poll watchers, etc. You need not be a delegate and in fact, for positions like poll watcher, it is advantagous to have some people who are not delegates. Please let them know if you can help. It's a Party and You're Invited Day: Saturday, August 11 Time: 6 p.m. Place: Janalee Tobias' Home, South Jordan 1238 West Jordan River Drive (11050 South) (Jordan River Estates) DETAILS: BYOB (Bring Your Own Barbeque Item) and something to share (potluck). The purpose of this party is to have some fun and to encourage people who are delegates and those who are not delegates to come and make a donation to Frank and Glen and to come help at the state convention. They will have assignments/literature for people. The party is also to celebrate the victories we had this year at the state legislature and to get to know each other. Parking is available along the street. You can park throughout the subdivision and along 1300 West. Just don't park in front of someone's driveway. I've been practicing water conservation, so ignore the brown spots and my dead flowers in my lawn! For those who want to make s'mores and roast weinies (frankfurters, not liberals), there's a firepit available. Feel free to pass this invitation around. ---------------- Charles Hardy ----__JNP_000_28d5.47ea.3456 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

 

A reminder about the fundraiser party = tomorrow=20 (Saturday) evening at Janalee's house for Glen and Frank.  If you = attend,=20 be sure to take your own BBQ main course and a side dish to=20 share.

Also Glen and Frank are looking for volunteers to help at= the=20 convention by passing out literature, wearing T shirts, poll watchers,=20 etc.  You need not be a delegate and in fact, for positions like poll= =20 watcher, it is advantagous to have some people who are not delegates. = =20 Please let them know if you can help.
 

It's a Party and
You're Invited

=20




Day:  Saturday, August 11


Time:  6 p.m.


Place:  Janalee Tobias' Home, South Jordan

            1238 West = Jordan=20 River Drive (11050 South)
            (= Jordan=20 River Estates)
 
DETAILS:
 
BYOB (Bring Your Own Barbeque Item) and something to = ; share=20 (potluck).  The purpose of this party is to have some fun and to = encourage=20 people who are delegates and those who are not delegates to come and = make a=20 donation to Frank and Glen and to come help at the state convention.  = They=20 will have assignments/literature for people.
 
The party is also to celebrate the victories we had this = year at=20 the state legislature and to get to know each other.
 
Parking is available along the street.  You can park= =20 throughout the subdivision and along 1300 West.  Just don't park in = front=20 of someone's driveway. 
 
I've been practicing water conservation, so ignore the = brown=20 spots and my dead flowers in my lawn!
 
For those who want to make s'mores and roast weinies= =20 (frankfurters, not liberals), there's a firepit available. 
 
Feel free to pass this invitation=20 around.

----------------
Charles Hardy
<utbagpiper@juno.com>
<= /HTML> ----__JNP_000_28d5.47ea.3456-- ----__JNP_000_60a3.7e74.46be Content-Type: image/gif; name="space.gif" Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64 Content-Location: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/space.gif R0lGODlhAQABALMAAP///8bGxv8AAO8AAO8IAPcAEPcACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAACH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAQCEEQAOw== ----__JNP_000_60a3.7e74.46be-- ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Charles C Hardy Subject: Deadline to file for local office Date: 15 Aug 2001 14:26:13 -0600 Just a reminder that today is the deadline to file for non-partisan municipal offices such as city council and mayor. If you have not already done so, please at least call you city recorder and ask which positions are up for election this year and who has filed for each position. It is not unusual for no one but the incumbant to file. Sometimes the incumbant doesn't file and only a single person does. I currently have one city council member serving who was elected, for the first time, completely unoppossed, two years ago. Most of these positions are part time with meetings in the evenings. A small number may be full time. Even if you cannot and/or do not want to commit the resources to running a full fledged campaign, simply filing in such a situation may win you the seat or, at very least, put the incumbant in the position of having to take public positions on various issues that he could avoid if he runs unoppossed. How do you feel about photo-cop? If you live in SLCo do you favor or oppose the idea of all cities and the county consolodating fire, police, paramedic, garbage, and road service into county wide units? Do you favor or opposse local zoning to allow gun ranges in your city or to protect existing ranges? Do you favor or oppose light rail expansion in your city? And so on and so forth. These are the issues city councils control or greatly influence. The cost to file is minimal. In my city it cost $10 and takes all of 10 minutes to file for city council. In return for that you are guaranteed to have your name on at least the primary ballot (or if so few people file that no primary is needed, the general ballot), a full "A" size, color plot of the entire city, showing voting districts and precincts, a full and complete copy of the current city budget, and a nice candidate's packet with all the other paperwork you will need. PLEASE, especially if no one, or only a single person has filed for a seat, take the time to file for office. If you find out next week that someone you would rather support is also running for the same seat, you can withdraw. But if you don't file today, you can't file later. Charles ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Charles C Hardy Subject: CCW and weapons' storage at GOP Convention Date: 17 Aug 2001 12:30:13 -0600 All, I've just gotten off the phone with Scott Parker at the State GOP office. At present there are no firm plans to send anything via usmail to notify delegates that CCW will be prohibited during at least part of the upcoming GOP State Convention due to the presense of VP Cheney. (See SL Trib article at ) He is convinced that the Secret Service, used to holding events in other big gun States like Texas, Montanna, etc, can maintain security without offending anyone. But we all know they are not going to let CCW into the convention hall. This means, at the very least, that anyone carrying a gun will be required to find someplace to leave it before they are allowed to enter the hall. For most delegates this will mean taking it out to leave in their cars. This presents a couple of problems. 1-It is possible some number of delegates may use TRAX or other mass transit to get to the convention and NOT have a car in which to leave their gun. 2-A car is about the least secure storage device available. I'd hate to have a CCW weapons stolen from a car during the State GOP convention and later used in a crime. 3-This leaves people unarmed as they walk through the parking lot. I told Scott that I firmly believed the State GOP should step up and honor our RKBA by providing a secure storage facility inside the convention center, but outside the Secret Service secure area. This is not an Olympic Venue so storage areas are mandatory under State law if they are going to prohibit weapons. I suspect this storage could be provided for all of a few hundered dollars to rent some lockers and hire a police officer or other appropriate person to run it. Scott was not oppossed to the idea, but was not rushing to say it was something they wanted to do, either. Please, give Scott (or any other State GOP official) a call, or drop him/them an email letting them know you expect the GOP to honor its committment to RKBA and the laws of the State of Utah by providing a storage facility for CCW weapons. Not only is this a matter of honoring the law and the platform, but I believe the GOP's actions on this issue will send a strong message one way or the other. To prohibit weapons and not provide storage provides fodder to the anti-self-defense media and lobbyists. "Even the Republicans don't let those loons with licenses into their conventions. Why should we have to let them into our stores, apartment complexes, etc?" OTOH, to provide storage sends a powerful pro-gun and pro-law-abiding message. "We have no control over SS restrictions. But we respect people's right to defend themselves and will provide storage facilities for any legally carried weapons in the event the SS prohibits private guns in the convention hall." And it sets an important precedence. There are some number of places and events where we simply are not--for the foreseeable future--going to be able to CCW. Do we want safe, secure, storage for our weapons at such times and places, or do we want to have to leave guns in cars or even at home? Please contact Scott Parker and other GOP officials. Scott Parker and other State GOP officials can be reached at the State GOP office here in SLC. The phone numbers are: 801-533-9777--phone 801-533-0327--fax Scott's email is mailto:parker@utgop.org. Charles PS, Please note that while the SL Trib article suggest that delegates will be allowed to bring their guns in after the VP leaves and before voting starts, this is ONLY the voting for candidates and resolutions. Voting on agenda and rules (ofttimes some of the most important votes cast) has always taken place first thing. Anyone who chooses to boycott the convention hall until they can enter with their CCW will almost certainly miss voting on the rules and agenda. While the decisions about when are where to carry a gun and whether to go someplace a gun is prohibited are all intensely personal decisions, I can only hope we don't suffer too much of a disadvantage when voting on rules and agenda due to our people not being in the hall because of secret service restrictions on CCW. ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: charles hardy Subject: Janalee on the Radio Date: 19 Aug 2001 00:31:16 -0600 Jim Dexter, talk host on KTKK radio, 630 on your AM dial will have as his guests this Monday regarding bill 328, on the phone Leroy Pyle, the writer of " a new sheriff in town" and Sheriff Richie Mack, in studio Jana Lee Tobias of Women against Gun control. Please tune in to listen and to call in with questions. ---------------- Charles Hardy ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: charles hardy Subject: Gun Storage at GOP State Convention this Weekend Date: 22 Aug 2001 17:46:40 -0600 All, I'm pleased to announce that there will be provisions to safely, securely store your self defense firearms at this Saturday's State GOP Convention. As you are aware, due to the presence of VP Dick Cheney as the keynote speaker, all weapons (except Secret Service and on duty LEOs we presume) will be banned from the convention hall until after the VP has finished his remarks and left the building. The secret service will have metal detectors to screen for weapons and the secret service along with local, county, and state police will be responsible for securing the building. Once the VP finishes and leaves, the convention should be opened back up for unrestricted carry of legal CCW. While the exact location of the storage area is not yet known, it will most likely be in front of the convention center under some kind of canopy or tent and will be well signed and easy to find. Metal lockers will be available and Clark Aposhian, head of the Utah Self Defense Instructors Network (US-DIN) along with a couple of State LEOs will be manning the area continuously. A sand pit/bullet catcher will be available for safely clearing weapons before they are stored. We don't yet know the exact details of how checking of weapons will be handled, but have been assured that whatever mechanism is used will provide good assurances that only the person who owns the checked weapon can retrieve it AND will preclude the possibility of the registering of weapons. This will likely place great responsibilty on gun owners to NOT lose or misplace their claim ticket. I think we are up to that. :) But for the ultra careful, you may want to jot down your weapon's serial number on someting and keep it seperate from your claim ticket, just as a last ditch way to prove ownership should the ticket be lost or destroyed somehow. The last word I've heard is that no one will be required to show a CCW permit in order to check and claim weapons. But, as always, if you choose to carry concealed without a current, valid, CCW permit, you are in technical violation of State statute. However, some form of photo id may possibly be required and will be needed in order to get your ballots anyway. While open (unloaded) carry without a permit is legal, I personally do not think this event would be the best place to do so. For those who are not delegates but are planning to attend, be aware that a $5 fee will be charged for non-delegates to enter the convention hall and seating will be segregated between delegates and non-delegates. Obviously, if you are showing up merely to pass out flyers outside the convention there will be no fees and, I should think no need to disarm, though all the usual rules about being safe and discreet when CCWing apply even more so at this event. (Most candidates would still love to have more help at the convention--from passing out flyers to maybe even being poll watchers--and in some cases someone who is not a delegate is a better choice than a delegate. So if you are delegate, show up for sure. If you are not, and would like to support pro-gun candidates or resolutions, let me know or just contact the candidate/resolution writer directly.) Several delegates have plans to offer an amendment to the agenda to add a short recess following the VP's remarks so that those with checked weapons can retrieve them and have them on their persons throughout the rest of the day. For those who prefer to not retrieve weapons at that time, the gun check station will be available until shortly after the end of the convention. Please note that at least two KEY votes (rules and agenda) will take place BEFORE the convention hall is opened up to CCW. I encourage delegates who CCW to avail themselves of the safe storage so they are present to cast votes on these issues. Voting for party officers and most other business will occur after the secret service re-opens the hall. Also, please remember that leaving a loaded weapon in a car is illegal under Utah law. Since you would no longer have the weapon in your immediate control, your CCW permit will not cover it. Obviously, with the high level of LEOs and concerns over security (along with common sense gun safety), the exposition center parking lot is NOT a good place to unholster, and unload a weapon to legally leave it in the car. Ditto for reloaded/reholstering after CCW is allowed. Again, I encourage those who plan to carry a self defense weapon to either make use of the storage area or make some other appropriate arrangment outside the area of the exposition center. This is the first we've had this type of event in Utah where CCW has been restricted and the first time secure storage has been provided. Let's each do our own part to show that the security needs of high elected officials and the rights and safety of common citizens are not at such odds as the liberal press would have us believe. (It would also be nice if the storage area did not go completely unused.) Also, since this is the first time providing storage of weapons, something may not go as smooth as we'd think it should. Please plan to arrive early to have plenty of time to check weapons, and be patient with Clark and the others working there. Thanks. Charles ---------------- Charles Hardy ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "David Sagers" Subject: Times for Saturday Date: 23 Aug 2001 09:24:44 -0600 Hi Charles Do you know what time the festivities start on Saturday Morning? Thanks David - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Charles C Hardy Subject: Re: Times for Saturday Date: 23 Aug 2001 11:10:00 -0600 Credentialing starts at 9. I think the convention starts at 10. If you'd like to help any candidates, we can use help as early as 7. Let me know. Charles On Thu, 23 Aug 2001 09:24:44 -0600 "David Sagers" writes: > Hi Charles > > Do you know what time the festivities start on Saturday Morning? > > Thanks > David > > > - > > ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Charles C Hardy Subject: Fw: [UTGOA] Great Convention - THANK YOU! Date: 27 Aug 2001 12:00:01 -0600 Thank you to those who participated and helped in any way with the convention. It turned out to be a good day for gun rights. Here is UTGOA's report... --------- Forwarded message ---------- Thanks to all of you for your help in making yesterday's Republican State Convention a rousing success! Election results (provided by Dana Dickson) Joe Cannon - 1091 Glen Davis - 762 Frank Guliuzza - 883 Candace Daly - 845 Miriam Harmer - 1016 Camille Cook - 528 Mike McCauley - 1568 Kyle Larsen - 205 Congratulations to the new officers. We look forward to working with you. Resolutions Gun Rights Resolution - PASSED Jury Plank Resolution - PASSED American Sovereignty Resolution - PASSED Constitution & Bylaws State Central Committee C&B amendment(opposed by UTGOA) - DEFEATED Dickson C&B amendment(supported by UTGOA) - REFERRED to C&B committee Closed primary amendment (no UTGOA position) - PASSED Rules Voting Rules amendment - PASSED Quorum amendment - FAILED (but the quorum was kept throughout the Convention, so this had no effect) Instant Runoff Voting - PASSED (and was used very successfully) Safe Storage Safe Storage of weapons at the convention was a resounding success! There were 25 weapons checked by 24 people - mostly firearms, but also a few knives. There were no problems whatsoever. To our knowledge this is the first time citizens have been able to bring firearms to an event attended by the president or vice president. We hope that we've successfully demonstrated that there is no conflict between the right of ordinary citizens to carry firearms for their own safety, and the ability of the Secret Service to protect visiting dignitaries. We encourage gun owners throughout the rest of this great nation to insist on similar arrangements whenever such events are scheduled. In addition to local media coverage in the Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News, and the Spectrum, there was national coverage from the New York Times and Associated Press. See http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/26/politics/26CHEN.html for the NY Times story and http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61756-2001Aug25.html for the AP report as it appeared in the Washington Post and http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010825/pl/life_guns_dc_1.html for the Reuters story. THANK YOU! Victories of this magnitude take the hard work of a great many people. Utah Gun Owners Alliance would like to thank the following people: Republican State delegates, especially those of you who kept your commitment to stay to the end of the 7 hour convention - often without lunch, or even a break. You have earned the gratitude and respect of all Republicans and all gun owners. Our many WONDERFUL volunteers who stood out in the hot sun making sure delegates got copies of our Utah Gun Owners Alliance Convention Guide. We were especially happy to have so many young people who cared enough to help. The 24 people who checked weapons, proving that safe storage is needed, and that it poses no threat to anyone. Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, for arranging for (and paying for!) the safe storage lockers and security. Jade Pusey of the Attorney General's office and Clark Aposhian of US-DIN for manning the safe storage area, and helping everything to go smoothly. The Secret Service, the Sandy City Police, and Utah GOP Executive Director Scott Parker for their cooperation. The sponsors of the many excellent Rules proposals, Constitution & Bylaws amendments and Resolutions. The candidates for State Party offices - especially those who cared enough to complete the UTGOA questionnaire. ALL of you - our UTGOA members and supporters for your active involvement and ongoing commitment to protecting and restoring our gun rights. Without your phone calls, emails, letters, and your moral and financial support, we would not be able to accomplish anything! THANKS! WE APPRECIATE YOU! Copyright 2001, Utah Gun Owners Alliance, Inc. and Sarah Thompson PO Box 1185 Sandy, UT 84091 801-566-1625 http://www.utgoa.org Director@utgoa.org PLEASE SUPPORT UTAH GUN OWNERS ALLIANCE! JOIN US TODAY! Did someone forward this to you? Please SUBSCRIBE NOW! That way you'll receive our FREE alerts as soon as they're released. During the legislative session, we send urgent, time limited alerts. Don't risk missing important information because someone else neglected to forward important information. Our alerts are low volume and average less than one alert per day. To subscribe to the UTGOA list, send a blank email to utgoa-subscribe@yahoogroups.com or use the form on our web site, http://www.utgoa.org. For more information, see http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/UTGOA. Utah Gun Owners Alliance is completely dependent on your generosity to cover our operating costs. Please consider joining us or sending a donation. Membership information is at: http://www.utgoa.org/pages/join.html Donations may be sent to: PO Box 1185, Sandy, UT 84091 Checks should be made payable to Utah Gun Owners Alliance, Inc. or UTGOA. Thank for your support! UTGOA is written and distributed by, Utah Gun Owners Alliance, Inc. www.utgoa.org, and Sarah Thompson, M.D. All information contained in these alerts is the responsibility of the author, unless otherwise attributed. Permission is granted for distribution of these alerts so long as no changes are made, UTGOA is clearly credited, and this message is left intact. Archives of the UTGOA alerts can be found at: http://www.utgoa.org/cgi-bin/alerts Utah Gun Owners Alliance, Inc. is a Utah non-profit corporation. ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: charles hardy Subject: Federal census suit Date: 28 Aug 2001 23:34:23 -0600 This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. ----__JNP_000_0c5f.7e9a.18f5 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Not a gun issue, but of interest... At 9:00 am tomorrow (8/29), Utah State will be appearing in Federal District Court in Salt Lake (Rm. 420) before a three-judge panel to argue round two of our case against the US Census Bureau for their arbitrary and unlawful actions which unquestionably denied Utah its fourth Congressional seat. This is the suit that argues Utah lost the 4th seat due to the use of "imputation" (statistical sampling) in NC. If you get this in time and want to show up, it may be interesting and a nice show of support. ---------------- Charles Hardy ----__JNP_000_0c5f.7e9a.18f5 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Not a gun issue, but of interest...
 
At 9:00 am tomorrow (8/29), Utah State will be appearing in Federal= =20 District
Court in Salt Lake (Rm. 420) before a three-judge panel to= =20 argue round two of
our case against the US Census Bureau for their = arbitrary=20 and unlawful
actions which unquestionably denied Utah its fourth=20 Congressional seat.  
 
This is the suit that argues Utah lost the 4th seat due to the use of= =20 "imputation" (statistical sampling)
in NC.
 
If you get this in time and want to show up, it may be interesting and= a=20 nice show of support.

----------------
Charles Hardy
<utbagpiper@juno.com>
----__JNP_000_0c5f.7e9a.18f5-- ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Charles C Hardy Subject: GOP Closes primaries Date: 29 Aug 2001 14:23:58 -0600 This is not strictly a gun issue. However, if you consider yourself a Republican it may affect your ability to vote in primary elections. You may have read in the paper or heard on the news that at last Saturday's State Republican Convention, the delegates chose to "close" the Republican primaries. What does that mean? Not a whole lot, but a little history will put it into perspective and, I hope, dispel some of the fear and anger that some reporters seem to want to spread. Until now, primary elections in Utah were "open." This meant that anyone, of any, or no official, political affiliation could vote in the primary election of any party. When you went to your polling place on primary election day you were simply handed a ballot. Once you were inside the voting booth you could decide which primary (Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, etc) you wanted to vote in. You could only vote in one party's primary, but you could pick ANY one party you wanted to. This has allowed for what is known as "cross over voting." Because the Democrats (and most smaller parties) often do not have enough candidates for office (or eliminated all but one candidate in their convention) they frequently do not have a primary election. So it was becomming common for Democrats and others to "cross over" to vote in the Republican primary. Republican delegates have decided they don't want non-Republicans helping to pick which Republican will appear on the general election ballot. As one Republican has said, "When I played High School football, we never asked our cross-town rivals to help us pick our team captains. Why should Republicans be letting Democrats help pick our party's standard bearers?" By "closing" their primary (as allowed under State law), the Utah Republican Party will now only let *Registered* Republicans vote in their primary elections. In other words, rather than being handed a ballot and allowed to vote in any primary race, a voter will now be handed a specific ballot and allowed to vote in the Republican primary only if the voter is registered Republican. To those who have lived in other States, this is completely normal and natural. But to Utahns it is a bit of a change. Somethig like 70% of our registered voters are officially unaffiliated. Unless you are *actively* involved in a political party--such as delegate or precinct officer--odds are pretty good that you are officially unaffiliated. The fact that you may have voted for Bush (or Gore) in the last election does not matter. Your actual votes are (always have been and will continue to be) secret. The only way to register with one party or another is on an official, voter registration form. This does not cost anything (other than 2 minutes to fill out the form and a stamp if you choose to mail it in) and anyone may register with any party. If you are not sure whether you are registered with a party, call your county clerk (see below for link to contact info). For the 2002 primary election only (the primaries this year are all non-partisan so this change does not affect them) you will be able to register as a Republican at your polling place immediately prior to voting, if you want to vote in the Republican Primary. However, barring a change to State law, come the 2004 primary (the next Presidential election year), you will have to have been registered as a Republican for several weeks prior to the primary in order to vote in the Republican primary election. None of this affects general elections in any way. You will not need to be registered with any party to vote in the general elections. At this time, the Democrats and other parties continue to have "open" primaries so anyone is free to vote in those primaries on the somewhat rare occassions they occur. If you consider yourself a Republican, I urge you to go ahead and update your voter registration to declare affiliation with the Republican party so you will know that you are all set to vote in the GOP primary next year. Regardless of affiliation, I urge you to vote in whatever primary your party has. The primary elections have VERY low voter turnout and so, a relatively small number of gun owners voting (or choosing to stay home and not vote) can easily affect the outcome of the race. Show up at the primaries so that you have a good, pro-gun candidate on the general election ballot. It is frustrating to show up to a general election and have to select between a gun grabbing Democrat and a gun hating Republican simply because good, pro-gun candidates were eliminated in the primary election. An official voter registration form that is good for anywhere in the State is available at . It will need to be printed, filled out, signed, and mailed to your county clerk. A list of addresses for all county clerks is available at . For more information you can call your county clerk, the State elections office at (801)538-1041 or 1(800)995-VOTE, or reply and I'll see if I can help. Charles Hardy ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Charles C Hardy Subject: Fw: Sniper rifles: the lethal - and legal - weapons of war Date: 31 Aug 2001 11:35:19 -0600 The latest "evil gun" tactics. Look for legislation to ban or over-regulate these weapons, probably based on something like simply caliber. Then next thing you know, your .50 cal Desert Eagle or maybe even your .45 is considered a "pocket rocket" and banned. Just because you may not own, or ever want to own such a weapon, don't let the antis get us again with divide and conquer. First it was short shot guns and fully automatic weapons. Next it was semi-auto scary-looking guns like the AR and SKS. Let them take out .50 cal rifles today, and your children will wake up to find that their 30.06 scoped hunting rifle has been reclassified as a dangerous sniper rifle. Charles --------- Forwarded message ---------- Care for a dose of statist propaganda? Sniper rifles: the lethal - and legal - weapons of war By Tom Diaz KNIGHT RIDDER TRIBUNE Have you heard about the booming sale of .50-caliber sniper rifles on the civilian market? Consider what one writer had to say about these guns, capable of slicing through an inch of armor plate as if it were so much butter: "How can anyone exaggerate .50-caliber performance? Here's a bullet that even at 1 1/2 miles crashes into a target with more energy than Dirty Harry's famous .44(-caliber) Magnum at point-blank. But tremendous energy can hardly be surprising for a cartridge that's five times larger than a .30-06 - indeed, its 750-grain projectile is almost twice that of many elephant gun cartridges. "Overpenetration concerns? Dave Bush, an Indiana City, Michigan, loader of custom .50-caliber match rounds, reports he test-fired his bullets at simulated wooden frame houses and found they blew completely through six houses - not six walls, six houses!" Six houses? Oh, come on. But wait a minute. This quote isn't the ranting of some gun control advocate in full hysteria. This is matter-of-fact descriptive prose, straight from "The Ultimate Sniper," a magisterial book by Maj. John J. Plaster, widely acknowledged as an expert within the burgeoning sniper community. Plaster is right. It is indeed almost impossible to exaggerate the lethality of these weapons of war. Barrett Manufacturing, a pioneer maker of the big sniper rifles, calls them "heavy firepower for light infantry." It brags that its rifles "allow sophisticated targets to be destroyed or disabled by a single soldier. Armored personnel carriers, radar dishes, communications vehicles, aircraft . . . are all vulnerable to the quick strike capability of the Barrett 82A1." Translate that into civilian terms and you have the perfect weapon for assassination and terrorism, for taking out armored limousines, shooting down helicopters, and destroying physical infrastructure. And yet .50-caliber sniper rifles sold by Barrett and a growing field of companies are less regulated than handguns. A youth of 18 can legally buy a .50-caliber sniper rifle. But only an adult of 21 can buy a handgun. Most ordinary, normal Americans - even gun owners - are shocked to learn these weapons of war are the hottest new item in the American civilian gun market. They are selling like hot cakes, all over America, and the price is dropping precipitously. If you can't find one in your local gun shop, you can find one in five minutes over the Internet. Or buy a video that demonstrates how to make one at home. What is going on here? Simply a new verse of an old song. The gun industry is the last consumer product industry completely free of health and safety regulation. Toy teddy bears are subject to more product design regulation than any gun sold in America. As a result, the gun industry is free to design and sell almost anything it wants to boost its profits. Over and over again, it turns to increased lethality - more firepower, more killing power - to rejuvenate its stagnant and failing markets. The .50-caliber rifle is the unthinkably dangerous extreme at the "bigger is better" end of the gun marketing spectrum. The so-called "pocket rocket" is the reckless extreme at the opposite end, the region of the mindless "more guns make us all safer" mantra. Pocket rockets are tiny, high-powered, very concealable handguns. (The term was coined by the Austrian company Glock, a major importer of handguns into the United States). They are specifically designed to be carried on the person and to have maximum killing power for their size. A pocket rocket is a homicide waiting to happen. The gun industry in America is like a shark. There is nothing personal about what a shark does to survive. It just does what is in its nature to do. The gun industry is the same way. It is full of otherwise perfectly nice people who will nevertheless keep on designing, making, and selling more and more deadly killing machines until we bring the industry under control. The best way to bring the gun industry under control is to treat it like every other consumer product industry in America. Firearms should be subject to the same basic standards for health and safety that we impose on every other consumer product from pesticides to baby cribs to motor vehicles. We need an independent federal agency - preferably in the Treasury Department, which already has gun expertise - with broad authority to apply those basic standards and balance the public health and safety risks that specific models of guns impose on the public against the benefits they offer Guns would not disappear under such a system, just as pesticides haven't disappeared under the same kind of regulation. There would be plenty of guns for recreation, hunting, and home defense. But Second Amendment pornography like .50-caliber sniper rifles and pocket rockets would be kept under the rocks where it belongs, and out of the civilian marketplace. Tom Diaz is the senior policy analyst at the Violence Policy Center and author of "Making a Killing: The Business of Guns in America." ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Charles C Hardy Subject: FW: Concealed weapons law praised Date: 31 Aug 2001 11:30:03 -0600 This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. ----__JNP_000_63f7.7097.6934 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ----- Forwarded Message ----- Concealed weapons law is praised CHARLESTON (AP) - When the state's concealed weapons law was passed in 1996, critics feared gunslingers would be strolling the streets of South Carolina, but authorities say the program has worked effectively. The law allows any South Carolina resident 21 or older with a clean criminal record to obtain permits to carry guns in handbags, briefcases or holsters. They must pass a training class and pay a $50 fee for a background check and processing. Many locations still prohibit concealed guns, including schools, legislative buildings and any place with a liquor license. Last year, nearly 11,000 people applied for the permits, and many of those were license renewals. "People are very aware of their right to have a permit and to carry a firearm," said Capt. Joe Dorton, who oversees the State Law Enforcement Division's regulatory department. "They are very attentive to keeping their permit in good standing." Former Gov. David Beasley signed the concealed gun bill into law in 1996 despite concerns from critics that it would add trouble to the state's gun culture. Dorton, however, said very few permit holders have abused the privilege since the law was enacted. "We have had a couple of instances of pointing a firearm, and one instance where a firearm was fired at an acquaintance after a fight," Dorton said. In all the cases, the owner's permit was revoked, he said. Rep. Jeff Young, R-Sumter, the original sponsor of the bill, said the legislation is working. "The people who have gotten them have been very responsible," he said. "Now you have 30,000 people trained with guns who may not have been trained before. And the criminal still doesn't know who's carrying." Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, originally opposed the bill because she feared it would lead to more armed citizens walking the streets. But she said Thursday that if "there's no evidence of abuse, I don't have any opposition to the law remaining in place." University of South Carolina criminologist Geoffrey Alpert said it's still unclear whether the state's concealed weapon law is an effective tool for deterring crime. That's because violent crime is down in most categories, and no one seems to have done any in-depth research into the issue since it became law. Dorton said he didn't have any data to support why the program is gaining in popularity, although SLED suspected it was bound to happen. "We don't do anything to encourage or discourage" people signing up, he said. But he added, "we knew there would be a pretty sizable base" given the enthusiasm of gun owners. ----__JNP_000_63f7.7097.6934 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable FW: Concealed weapons law praised
 
-= ----=20 Forwarded Message -----
 
 
Concealed weapons law is praised

CHARLESTON (AP) - When= =20 the state's concealed weapons law
was passed in 1996, critics feared= =20 gunslingers would be strolling
the streets of South Carolina, but=20 authorities say the program has
worked effectively.

The law = allows=20 any South Carolina resident 21 or older with a clean
criminal record = to=20 obtain permits to carry guns in handbags,
briefcases or holsters. = They=20 must pass a training class and pay a
$50 fee for a background check = and=20 processing.

Many locations still prohibit concealed guns, = including=20 schools,
legislative buildings and any place with a liquor=20 license.

Last year, nearly 11,000 people applied for the permits, = and=20 many
of those were license renewals.

"People are very aware of= =20 their right to have a permit and to carry a
firearm," said Capt. Joe= =20 Dorton, who oversees the State Law
Enforcement Division's regulatory= =20 department. "They are very
attentive to keeping their permit in good= =20 standing."

Former Gov. David Beasley signed the concealed gun bill= into=20 law
in 1996 despite concerns from critics that it would add trouble = to=20
the state's gun culture. Dorton, however, said very few permit
= holders=20 have abused the privilege since the law was enacted.

"We have had = a=20 couple of instances of pointing a firearm, and one
instance where a=20 firearm was fired at an acquaintance after a fight,"
Dorton said. In = all=20 the cases, the owner's permit was revoked, he
said.

Rep. Jeff= =20 Young, R-Sumter, the original sponsor of the bill, said the
= legislation is=20 working.

"The people who have gotten them have been very = responsible,"=20 he
said. "Now you have 30,000 people trained with guns who may not=20
have been trained before. And the criminal still doesn't know who's=20
carrying."

Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, originally = opposed=20 the bill
because she feared it would lead to more armed citizens = walking=20
the streets.

But she said Thursday that if "there's no = evidence of=20 abuse, I don't
have any opposition to the law remaining in=20 place."

University of South Carolina criminologist Geoffrey Alpert= said=20 it's
still unclear whether the state's concealed weapon law is an=20
effective tool for deterring crime.

That's because violent = crime is=20 down in most categories, and no
one seems to have done any in-depth=20 research into the issue since
it became law.

Dorton said he = didn't=20 have any data to support why the program is
gaining in popularity,=20 although SLED suspected it was bound to
happen. "We don't do anything= to=20 encourage or discourage" people
signing up, he said.

But he = added,=20 "we knew there would be a pretty sizable base"
given the enthusiasm = of gun=20 owners.





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