From: owner-utah-firearms-digest@lists.xmission.com (utah-firearms-digest) To: utah-firearms-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: utah-firearms-digest V2 #14 Reply-To: utah-firearms-digest Sender: owner-utah-firearms-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-utah-firearms-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk utah-firearms-digest Monday, January 19 1998 Volume 02 : Number 014 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 14 Jan 98 18:01:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: SKS seizure in California - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Wed, 14 Jan 1998 13:32:03 -0500 From: "Mark A. Smith" Subject: [Fwd: URGENT! URGENT! URGENT! URGENT! URGENT! URGENT!] Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx wrote: Hey Mark. Get someone to call NRA Headquarters for info. California Attorney General has reversed his original ruling about SKS Sporters, made in 91, so that now they are illeagle. Caved under political pressure. That means that tens of thousands of California gun owners and dealers can now be charged with felony possession (2 years prison), or felony firearms sale (ten years prison). This popular model has been sold in CA for 5 or 6 years now. Owners may be forced to turn them in without compensation. Owners are subject to arrest, search and seisure of contraband. Attorney general has sent letters to all owners that they know of, all dealers, all law enforcement, and the manufacturer notifying them of the change. Local laws is empowered to confiscate records, and to track down owners who do not turn in their firearms. If CA gets away with this it will be comming soon to your state. Check this out then spread the word. If they try to confiscate could be a lot of dead law enforcement. Concord Bridge anyone, or will the sheep mearly roll over again? That is the big question. Keep me posted. (I understand that NRA in Sacramento is swamped with calls so you may want to try local). Xxxxxxxx - - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Jan 98 08:04:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: Unbearable `Right to Bear Arms' To respond to this article go to the Philadelphia Inquirer web site Commentary Unbearable `right to bear arms' The gun lobby is relying on fanciful readings of an obsolete amendment to attack gun control. By Theodore L. Gaillard Jr. How come it's always cited out of context, that infamous and sacred right "to keep and bear arms"? Philadelphia Inquirer January 15, 1998 'Unbearable `right to bear arms' The gun lobby is relying on fanciful readings of an obsolete amendment to attack gun control. By Theodore L. Gaillard Jr. How come it's always cited out of context, that infamous and sacred right "to keep and bear arms"? That's what gun manufacturers and the National Rifle Association did as they wrapped themselves, not just in the flag, but also in the Bill of Rights to trigger a gun-lobbyist revolt against the Brady Bill and the 1994 Federal Crime Control Bill. Why? Because one requires a background check of gun buyers and the other bans manufacture or transfer of semiautomatic assault weapons for civilian use. Meanwhile, we read of a Chicago policeman killed with an Intratec assault pistol. The banned TEC-9 32-shot semiautomatic handgun is still advertised on the Internet. And we remember the Narberth Shopping Center robbery, its fleeing suspects captured trying to unlimber AK-47 and M-14 assault rifles strapped to their bicycles. Gun lobbyists will probably resort to their customary insistence on (and misreading of) the Second Amendment if Mayor Rendell files a public nuisance lawsuit against gun manufacturers whose products flood the streets of Philadelphia and swell the tide of urban crime that drowns entire neighborhoods. But Ed Rendell, James and Sarah Brady, and the House of Representatives would have nothing to fear from NRA President Marion Hammer, first vice president Charlton Heston, Intratec and Smith & Wesson -- if people would just interpret the entire Second Amendment exactly as it was written and the way in which the founding fathers intended it to be read. Ratified in 1791, the complete Second Amendment recognized firearms as essential for defending the community: "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." In 1791, the United States had recently battled to win its independence from England. France still owned the vast Mississippi watershed. Another war with England would soon be fought. Yet even in 1791, this right to bear arms was seen as conditional. The introductory absolute phrase preceding the main clause sets the conditions for the people's right to keep and bear arms: to be able quickly to assemble into a local "well-regulated militia," lifting their smooth-bores down from over the fireplace in order to assemble and march off to defend "the security of [ their ] free State" against all aggressors. In 1998, however, the United States has a large active-duty military establishment. In addition, local National Guard units maintain armories stocked with government-supplied weapons, each pistol and M-16 assault rifle carefully registered when it is turned in after weekend and summer training periods. Today any additional "well-regulated militias" would be wasteful and irrelevant -- a state of affairs unforeseen in an anachronistic constitutional amendment that has not been updated in 207 years. We do have legal access to firearms. Those facing dangerous situations in the process of earning a livelihood can apply for concealed weapon permits. Buying a rifle to hunt deer is no problem. But there's an obvious difference between sporting rifles and high cyclic rate-of-fire military weapons specifically designed to suppress enemy defenses during beach assaults or on jungle patrols -- in short, quickly to disable or kill as many other human beings as possible. There is no justification for a civilian to own such an assault weapon -- pistol or rifle. As it is, we live in the most heavily armed society in history. The NRA itself lists 230 million guns in civilian possession -- close to one for every man, woman and child in the United States. And then we read that in the first five months of the Brady law, more than twice the regular number of gun applications were rejected in Philadelphia because the buyers had criminal records or charges pending. Scary. No wonder Mayor Rendell wants to do something about profligate and indiscriminate availability of firearms in this city -- a situation to which the Second Amendment is not applicable. I grew up with an arms historian stepfather, owned my first rifle by age 11, and in the Marine Corps earned my expert badge with an M-14. When discharged, I felt more than comfortable leaving defense of our country to our military and protection of our cities to the police -- for whom handgun and assault weapon proliferation poses a dire threat. The local militias of 1791 no longer form part of the defense structure of 1998, and a ban on the manufacture or transfer of specific types of assault weapons has justifiably been made law of the land. And, for public safety, there should be regulated control of all firearm distribution and mandatory ownership registration for both handguns and rifles. What about the Second Amendment? We owe it to ourselves and to our neighbors to read it. All of it. Carefully. Theodore L. Gaillard Jr. is a Philadelphia-based writer on military and economic affairs. NOTE: Someone was kind enough to provide the specific wording of the 2nd Amendment in the PA Constitution which reads--"The right of the people to bear arms shall not be questioned!" - - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Jan 1998 11:59:02 -0700 From: DAVID SAGERS Subject: Another poll and another flank being attacked. -Forwarded Received: (qmail 22083 invoked by alias); 16 Jan 1998 18:11:09 -0000 Received: (qmail 22043 invoked by uid 516); 16 Jan 1998 18:11:05 -0000 Received: (qmail 21984 invoked from network); 16 Jan 1998 18:10:59 -0000 Received: from mail12.digital.com (192.208.46.20) by majordomo.pobox.com with SMTP; 16 Jan 1998 18:10:59 -0000 Received: from us3rmc.cxo.dec.com (us3rmc.cxo.dec.com [16.63.0.134]) by mail12.digital.com (8.7.5/UNX 1.5/1.0/WV) with SMTP id NAA05721 for ; Fri, 16 Jan 1998 13:04:42 -0500 (EST) From: Received: from peaks.enet by us3rmc.cxo.dec.com (5.65/rmc-17Jan97) id AA21024; Fri, 16 Jan 98 11:04:01 -0700 Message-Id: <9801161804.AA21024@us3rmc.cxo.dec.com> Received: from peaks.enet; by us3rmc.enet; Fri, 16 Jan 98 11:04:38 MST Date: Fri, 16 Jan 98 11:04:38 MST To: rkba-co@majordomo.pobox.com Cc: oakey@peaks.ENET.dec.com Apparently-To: rkba-co@majordomo.pobox.com Subject: Another poll and another flank being attacked. Sender: owner-rkba-co.new@majordomo.pobox.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rkba-co@majordomo.pobox.com Posted to rkba-co by - ----------------------- Another poll you might want to check out and vote on. Roger Oakey http://www.abcnews.com/sections/us/philaguns0114/index.html For Help with Majordomo Commands, please send a message to: Majordomo@majordomo.pobox.com with the word Help in the body of the message - - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 16 Jan 1998 13:46:50 -0700 From: DAVID SAGERS Subject: [Fwd: Gran'pa Jack's "Common Sense"] -Forwarded Received: (qmail 21566 invoked by alias); 16 Jan 1998 04:58:30 -0000 Received: (qmail 21554 invoked by uid 516); 16 Jan 1998 04:58:28 -0000 Received: (qmail 21522 invoked from network); 16 Jan 1998 04:58:23 -0000 Received: from mailserv.rockymtn.net (HELO mg3.rockymtn.net) (166.93.205.13) by majordomo.pobox.com with SMTP; 16 Jan 1998 04:58:23 -0000 Received: from rainbow.rmi.net (rainbow [166.93.8.14]) by mg3.rockymtn.net (8.8.7/8.8.7) with ESMTP id VAA14007; Thu, 15 Jan 1998 21:57:59 -0700 (MST) Received: from helmetfish (166-93-57-164.rmi.net [166.93.57.164]) by rainbow.rmi.net (8.8.7/8.8.5) with SMTP id VAA03966; Thu, 15 Jan 1998 21:57:56 -0700 (MST) Message-ID: <34BEE85B.3987@rmi.net> Date: Thu, 15 Jan 1998 21:55:55 -0700 From: "C. F. Inston" Organization: Global Neighborhood Watch (http://www.rmi.net/~hlmtfish) X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01 (Win95; I) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: RKBA-CO List Subject: [Fwd: Gran'pa Jack's "Common Sense"] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: owner-rkba-co.new@majordomo.pobox.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To: rkba-co@majordomo.pobox.com Posted to rkba-co by "C. F. Inston" - ----------------------- Chris W. Stark wrote: > > ****JPFO e-mail Alert!**** > > Jews For The Preservation of Firearms Ownership, Inc. > Aaron Zelman - Executive Director > 2874 So. Wentworth Ave. > Milwaukee, WI 53207 > Ph. (414) 769-0760 Fax (414) 483-8435 > http://www.JPFO.org > email: Against-Genocide@JPFO.org > > 01/14/98 > -------- > > Dear reader of Gran'pa Jack's "Common Sense": > > We're in a lot of trouble. > > Over the twenty-five years that I've been doing political cartooning > I've realized that something has gone terribly wrong with our country. > I've been around enough years to know that many basic things have > changed in the United States. Crime, immorality (at all levels), a > decline in the work ethic, racism, drugs, etc. We're unable to > defend our country, even our own borders...and worse yet, our homes > and families. > > But there is a major reason in my estimation why we have slipped so > badly. I didn't realize it until Aaron asked me to work on this book > about Gran'pa Jack and the Bill of Rights. > > I was surprised how little I really understood about that foundation > document of our freedoms. I was shocked when I realized how very > little most people knew about it. And, I was horrified when I > discovered that our government not only seemed not to understand > it, but appeared to actively ignore it. > > We have no freedoms without a strong Bill of Rights And those > freedoms trickle away when we fail to demand that our elected > officials live by those Rights. > > Fortunately, JPFO has been able to educate various state legislators > about an idea whose time has truly arrived - to designate December > 15 as "Bill of Rights Day''! (This is the date in 1791 the Bill of > Rights was ratified). A day when all Americans can celebrate and > reflect on the importance of the rock of our freedoms. A day that > can honored by all Americans, of all races and political persuasions. > A day that we commemorate the guarantee of freedom of speech, the > press, religion, etc. of all - right, left or center! > > We honor our forefathers by declaring: "All of the Bill of Rights for > All Citizens"! > > Already, legislators from a number of states are requesting more > information, so that they might introduce a bill in their governing > bodies. > > Please purchase and distribute the Gran'pa Jack "Common Sense" booklet > at once, so you can educate others about why we have a Bill of Rights > and how our freedoms are being destroyed! You can obtain it by going > to JPFO's web site at http://www.JPFO.org. Look under "Bill of Rights > Day". > > Who can be against honoring our nation's freedoms? What is their > agenda? > > Let me be the first to wish you a "Happy Bill of Rights day". > > Sincerely, > > Dick Hafer. > > ***************************************************************** > JPFO is urgently requesting its members to submit the editorial > below to newspaper editors all across the country: > ***************************************************************** > > SAMPLE LETTER TO THE EDITOR > > The United States of America might never have existed without one > thing: the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights limits the power of > the government and protects the rights of the people. It was so > important that several of the original 13 states would not ratify > the Constitution without it. > > Nearly everything that makes an American proud to be one comes from > the Bill of Rights. Freedoms to speak, print, read, assemble, pray, > petition the government, keep and bear arms. Protection from > unreasonable arrests and searches, excessive bail, double jeopardy, > coerced confessions, cruel and unusual punishment. Rights to due > process, jury trials, counsel, and to present defense witnesses. > These are the freedoms and rights that define America. > > Surprisingly, Americans do not celebrate the foundation of our > political freedom, the Bill of Rights -- but we should. After all, > the Bill of Rights is part of our Constitution, it is what our > military people pledge to serve and die for. It is uniquely American. > People on the political left, center, and right can all rally around > the Bill of Rights because it expresses our shared basic values. > > On December 15, 1791, the Bill of Rights was ratified and has > since protected American citizens for 206 years. We should celebrate > December 15 every year. By officially designating December 15 as > Bill of Rights Day, we would be reminding our fellow citizens and > younger generations of our heritage. Bill of Rights Day would > declare America's commitment to civil and human rights to the > world. The special day would annually remind politicians, bureaucrats, > prosecutors, and judges that their authority and power are limited > -- that the government serves us Americans, it does not rule us. > > December 15, Bill of Rights Day, reminds us of the liberty we have > and what it costs to keep it. By celebrating Bill of Rights Day > every year, perhaps we shall never forget. > > ***END OF SAMPLE LETTER TO THE EDITOR*** > > ---------------------------------------------------------- > JPFO would like to thank its membership for their loyal > support. For without our membership, alerts as this would > not be possible. Please consider joining JPFO today. > Membership information is available on our web site. > ---------------------------------------------------------- > > ************************************************************** > Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership > Chris W. Stark - JPFO Director of Electronic Communications > 2874 So. Wentworth Ave. > Milwaukee, WI 53207 > Ph. (414) 769-0760 > Fax (414) 483-8435 > e-mail: Against-Genocide@JPFO.org > > Visit our Web Page at: http://www.JPFO.org > > "America's Most Aggressive Defender of Firearms Ownership." > ************************************************************** > TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR E-MAIL ALERTS, send an e-mail to: > > subscribe@JPFO.org > > ...and in the body of the message, type the word "subscribe". > ************************************************************** - -- Charles 'Chuck' Inston Copyrighted material contained within this document is used in compliance with the United States Code, Title 17, Section 107, "for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching" For Help with Majordomo Commands, please send a message to: Majordomo@majordomo.pobox.com with the word Help in the body of the message - - ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 17 Jan 98 22:03:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: Gunism = Racism? - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 16 Jan 1998 18:38:43 EST From: JRLinSLC To: lputah@qsicorp.com Not much has been said on this list about GOP State Chair Rob Bishop's equation of anti-gun laws to racial discrimination. I'm amazed that the RKBA community has been quite silent on this issue (or maybe I haven't heard their response in the media). David Kopel has a book out relating the racially-driven motives of early gun-control legislation. Better to just let Rob Bishop twist in the wind on this one, or will gun rights as a whole be harmed? Scooter! - - ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Jan 98 08:01:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: May We See Your Papers Please? 2/2 I looked at her and asked if the searchers were aware that they had to punch that strip of bright orange paper after they searched my purse? "Yes, they know that," she replied. "Well then, I guess it is their responsibility to punch it and not mine to be sure they do, right?" She didn't really answer me but made it clear in motions that she was done with me and for me to proceed so she could help the next person. I proceeded to the metal detection area where a long line was waiting to be `detected.' I was not carrying anything other than my purse which had this BRIGHT orange flagging on it so that everyone would know I was some sort of criminal and not a compliant little sheep following the dictates of the NWO. I enjoy watching people so this gave me a lot of entertainment as I stood in line. When I reached the position of approximately 7th in line the man that I presume is an observer was saying something. I didn't realize right away that he was talking to me. When it dawned on me that he was directing his comments to me I asked him to please repeat what he said as I had not heard him. He smiled broadly and pointed at the BRIGHT orange flagging and asked me WHAT I had done to deserve that as they rarely ever see that on a passenger. Keep in mind this area was crowded and the voice level had to be raised in order to be heard. I made sure my purse became very visible and smiling, I told him (loudly) that I was guilty of NOT PRODUCING GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION as I thought I lived in AMERICA and didn't realize I was living in NAZI GERMANY!!! This definitely caught the attention of many and the observer smiled and said OK, he understood. By this time I was at the metal detector and placed my purse on the conveyor belt and walked thru to be ^Ñdetected.' A nice young black woman took my purse and asked me to please step to the side with her as they needed to physically search my purse. I said fine and followed her to a window sill. She explained she had to call for a supervisor. When the supervisor appeared the first person began to remove the items from my purse. I love these exercises. I have a well stocked purse, too. In fact, it was even more so than usual as I had my 8 oz bottle of Colloidal Silver in my purse so that it wouldn't spill in my suitcase. I am an E'Ola Distributor and I take the C.S. daily as a preventative anti-biotic (I am allergic to all but two prescription anti-biotics) so I had to have it with me. I had to explain what was in the bottle, which I did. I told both of them they were lucky I had not brought my little C.S. Maker (for making the C.S. myself) as it has three batteries and wires and silver probes. That would have made them all nervous and probably landed me in a cell somewhere. Both of them were very nice and polite through this process. After all items were removed and those that needed explanation were explained, the woman attempted to replace the items in my purse. After a while of watching the attempted repack I asked if there was any rule that prevented me from repacking it. She gratefully said no, so I did the chore. As I was repacking my purse the supervisor (he was of Asian decent) asked me WHY I went through all of this. I explained to him that I was born in America almost 58 years ago and I still believed in ALL the freedoms that Americans are supposed to have. Also, that I would continue to exercise my rights as I understand them until the day I die in spite of the Socialist restraints being imposed upon the people of this Country. This man looked me square in the eyes and told me "thank you" and to please continue doing it. He wished more people would stand against these things as I have chosen to do. I wish I would have had more time to find out where he came from and to hear his story but flight time was fast arriving so off I went to the boarding area. I made mental notes of the expressions on the faces of those that would see my BRIGHT orange flagging (reminded me of the YELLOW STAR during WWII) and wished I had time to explain to them the reason why I had it. Perhaps a few understood. I boarded the plane without further stops and arrived in Reno on time. An amazing event took place in spite of my not having produced GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION but only using a Costco Card to get on board--all of the passengers on that flight arrived SAFELY, can you believe it? No one was harmed by my lack of producing GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION. - - Monte -------------------------------------------------------------------- "Maybe freedom's just one of those things that you can't inherit." - Peter Bradford, in the film "Amerika" -------------------------------------------------------------------- The Idaho Observer http://www.proliberty.com/observer - - ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Jan 98 08:01:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: May We See Your Papers Please? 1/2 - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sun, 18 Jan 1998 17:50:01 -0800 From: Liberty or Death To: roc@xmission.com, ignition-point@pobox.com, fratrum@netside.com, liberty-and-justice@pobox.com From Jackie Juntti's website - http://home.earthlink.net/~idzrus/index.html - ------- Did you know you have to provide 'GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION' to travel? I took one of my very infrequent trips on an airplane last week. I had been forewarned by one of my daughters that I would HAVE to produce a Drivers License in order to get past the baggage check-in desk. Well, this just happens to be an extremely sensitive issue with me and I said, "NO WAY," I will get on that plane using my Costco card as it has my photo on it. I did call the airline and ask what the deal was on identification. I did this as the plane tickets were a gift from my brother and sister-in-law and I couldn't goof up their gift to me to prove a point. The person I spoke with on the phone was very polite in telling me that I would indeed need GOVERNMENT ISSUED ID to board the plane. I asked what is considered Government Issued ID? She explained that would be a state issued Drivers License, a state issued Identification Card, or a Passport. I asked what a person can do that has none of those items. She replied, then you must get one of them. I told her my flight was scheduled the next day so there was no time to get any of those items and just whom would I talk with to discover what other options would be available. Her response was to go talk with the airport security at the airport. I did not do that, choosing instead to take my chances of just going to the airport and seeing what would happen. I love real life adventures. Upon arriving at Sea-Tac I gave my daughter the usual hug and kiss and said "Bye, see you in a week" - or whatever. Grabbed my luggage and headed towards the baggage/ticket counter. When my turn came I placed my suitcase on the proper spot and handed the clerk my tickets. She looked at them and asked for ID. I opened my purse and my wallet and pulled out my Costco Card and handed it to her. Believe me, this was a Kodak Moment!!!! She recovered and then explained that I needed to produce GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION. The ensuing discussion was long (took about 15 minutes to get past this point to the next step) and I will just summarize for this writing. Oh yes, there were many people standing around that heard all of this. We went back and forth over GOVERNMENT ISSUED ID and my comments about why did I need a drivers license, I wasn't driving the plane--that I thought I lived in America and we had freedom here and hadn't reached the point of having to PRODUCE OUR PAPERS. Next we discussed how someone who flies only every few years is to know of these socialist rules. The requirement of needing GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION is not printed on the tickets or the envelopes that contain the tickets. And, as I looked around where I stood (where they sell tickets) there was not any notice concerning that rule. She explained that I would have been advised at the time I purchased the tickets of the ID requirement. I told her I didn't purchase the tickets, they were a gift and had been mailed to me. "Well, it is FAA rules", she said. I asked for a copy of those rules so that I could see for myself if that was indeed true. She didn't have a copy and told me to contact FAA for one. I explained that it was odd that IF that is the rule then it should be readily available for the public to see. The conversation then went to how safe she feels knowing that everyone on the plane has GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION as it makes everyone SAFER and more SECURE. I remarked that false identification is not that hard to get and I didn't understand how the possession of possibly false GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION could make anyone feel safer. I certainly didn't feel any safer or more secure knowing that all passengers carried GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION. We agreed that we seemed to have different views on what constitutes SAFETY and SECURITY. (I really wanted to explain how the FBI, BATF, CIA, had GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION and I wondered how SAFE & SECURE the Randy Weaver family and the Branch Davidians felt knowing that those firing on them had GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION. I don't think she would have comprehended the relationship at all). I finally asked her point blank if the fact that I didn't produce any GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION was going to create denial of my boarding the plane. She was very exasperated at this point as I am sure they have not been taught how to deal with nice little old ladies that aren't nasty or threatening but just asking honest questions. She then reached down below her counter area and pulled out a very bright flourescent orange strip of card stock, approx 18 inches x 1.5 inches that she folded around my purse strap and stapled it. I was told NOT TO REMOVE it either. She then explained that I would HAVE to submit to a physical search of my purse upon passing thru the metal detection area. AND, be sure they punch this strip after you have been searched or YOU WILL NOT GET ON THAT PLANE!!! - - ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Jan 98 08:01:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: Know Thy Enemy Web sites to check out: http://www.assc.org/afc/afchome.html http://www.assc.org/index.html Vol.2 No. 2, Fall 1996 AFC Journal EDUCATING AMERICA ABOUT FIREARMS Know Thy Enemy by John Riggio If you want insight and an eye-opening, wake-up call of what the anti-gun crowd has in store for gun owners and the firearm industry, you should personally attend one of their conferences and witness firsthand their fervor and fanaticism and the propaganda they dish out. That's exactly what I got when I attended the Midwest Conference Against Handgun Violence in Chicago this summer organized by the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence and sponsored by the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, an arm of Sarah Brady's Handgun Control, Inc. From their names, they'd like you to believe they're concerned with handgun violence. But they're not so much concerned with the violence as just the handgun part. For a day and a half I sat biting my tongue as I heard some of the most incredible "disinformation" and distortion about guns and watched impressionable citizens worked into a mindless frenzy over firearms. Experts from various professions addressed topics ranging from fund raising and organizational development, to generating media publicity, building coalitions with like-minded groups (like anti-hunting and animal rights advocates), and how to "educate" voters on gun control issues. These people have created an industry of their own called "gun control" and they are "franchising" it across the country and expertly marketing it as "anti-violence." These people are serious, organized and well-funded. They see absolutely no use for firearms of any kind. They dismiss self-protection with a gun as a promotional gimmick of firearm companies and continually refer to that discredited study that claims a gun in the home is more dangerous to a homeowner than to a housebreaker. They see hunting as uncivilized and cruel. They view recreational and competition shooting as pastimes that foster violent, criminal behavior. They oppose firearm safety training because they believe it indoctrinates youth into the "culture of guns." They depict gun clubs and gun owner organizations as right-wing, lunatic-fringe groups on the brink of overthrowing the government. In their eyes, as a licensed gun dealer, I am a "merchant of death" and average gun owners are misguided members of an "unenlightened" class who must be protected from themselves. These people are serious and sincere in their beliefs that guns are the root of all evil. Above all else, they are intolerant. Intolerant of views that differ from their own. Intolerant of facts that challenge the validity of their own perceptions. They don't want to be confused with facts. They know what is right and what is right is that gun ownership is wrong. Seeing all of this firsthand left me with the clear impression that the anti-gunners have decided advantages over our side. One is the passion they bring to their cause. They are committed to their goals and the belief that they are on a mission to save not just one life, but the whole world. Another advantage they enjoy is the fact that their only focus, their primary business, is to rid the world of guns and they are united in that effort. For those of us in the industry, most of our time is spent trying to earn an honest day's wages. We're tired after a 12-hour shift or a 70-hour work week. There's not enough time left for the family or friends much less politics and proselytizing for converts to our side. And, the margin of profit I make in selling guns doesn't leave much for contributing to the organizations we need to counter groups like HCI, which receives huge grants from multi-national foundations and gets free work from Madison Avenue ad agencies and law firms. Still, I try my best, to support our cause, not just because my livelihood depends on it, but because I am a true believer in individual rights and individual responsibility. Nowhere are these concepts better illustrated than in the individual right to keep and bear arms, and in the holding of the individual criminal responsible when he or she abuses that right. Throughout the day at my gun shop, my staff and I work hard at selling guns. But we also work hard at selling the need for our customers to be safe, responsible, and politically active gun owners. That is a challenge all of us must take. We must do more as businessmen and women in this industry to fight against the likes of Sarah Brady and her growing gun control franchises. We've got to stop letting the few in this industry, like the American Shooting Sports Council, do 98% of our job. As an industry trade association, ASSC is doing great work. But they need help. They need the support of each of us in this industry. Besides joining the ASSC, one of the more critical things each of us can do, is to personally attend an anti-gun conference and see for yourself their plans and strategies and learn firsthand what they have in store for the future of the firearm industry and firearm ownership. === John Riggio is the owner of a successful gunshop and has been in the firearm business for 30 years and is a member of ASSC. ©1996, 1997, The American Firearms Council for information concerning this web site, contact George Miller Last modified: January 29, 1997 - - ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Jan 1998 10:57:44 -0700 From: Will Thompson Subject: Re: Gunism = Racism? SCOTT BERGESON wrote: > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Fri, 16 Jan 1998 18:38:43 EST > From: JRLinSLC > To: lputah@qsicorp.com > > Not much has been said on this list about GOP State Chair Rob Bishop's > equation of anti-gun laws to racial discrimination. > > I'm amazed that the RKBA community has been quite silent on this issue > (or maybe I haven't heard their response in the media). > > David Kopel has a book out relating the racially-driven motives of early > gun-control legislation. > > Better to just let Rob Bishop twist in the wind on this one, or will gun > rights as a whole be harmed? > > Scooter! > > - I know the day after the Trib's editorial saying that Bishop was a lunatic for the wingnut suggestion that gun bans are prejudicial, there was a response on the editor's fax machine. I don't expect to see it published, especially after the letter from the reverend that they published yesterday. Guess it's time we all learned... civil rights only pertain to skin color. prejudice only pertains to race. I know that every time I spoke with the Chrony last fall I brought up the Tennessee gun control laws and Jim Crow. The oh-so concerned reporters don't want to hear it. - - ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Jan 1998 13:13:43 -0700 From: DAVID SAGERS Subject: Know Thy Enemy -Forwarded Received: from domo by lists.xmission.com with local (Exim 1.73 #4) id 0xuJC0-0004hM-00; Mon, 19 Jan 1998 08:32:52 -0700 Received: from mail.xmission.com [198.60.22.22] by lists.xmission.com with smtp (Exim 1.73 #4) id 0xuJBx-0004gh-00; Mon, 19 Jan 1998 08:32:49 -0700 Received: from xmission.xmission.com [198.60.22.2] (admn) by mail.xmission.com with esmtp (Exim 1.73 #4) id 0xuJBw-0002Hi-00; Mon, 19 Jan 1998 08:32:49 -0700 Received: (from admn@localhost) by xmission.xmission.com (8.8.7/8.7.5) id IAA13667 for utah-firearms@xmission.com; Mon, 19 Jan 1998 08:32:45 -0700 (MST) X-Authentication-Warning: xmission.xmission.com: admn set sender to utahnet!scott.bergeson using -f Subject: Know Thy Enemy From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Message-ID: <8E7A1E1.01F5007960.uuout@ucs.org> Date: Mon, 19 Jan 98 08:01:00 -0700 Organization: Utah Computer Society Salt Lake City, Ut, USA 801-281-8770 X-Mailreader: PCBoard Version 15.22 X-Mailer: PCBoard/UUOUT Version 1.20 Content-Type: text Sender: owner-utah-firearms@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To: utah-firearms@lists.xmission.com Web sites to check out: http://www.assc.org/afc/afchome.html http://www.assc.org/index.html Vol.2 No. 2, Fall 1996 AFC Journal EDUCATING AMERICA ABOUT FIREARMS Know Thy Enemy by John Riggio If you want insight and an eye-opening, wake-up call of what the anti-gun crowd has in store for gun owners and the firearm industry, you should personally attend one of their conferences and witness firsthand their fervor and fanaticism and the propaganda they dish out. That's exactly what I got when I attended the Midwest Conference Against Handgun Violence in Chicago this summer organized by the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence and sponsored by the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, an arm of Sarah Brady's Handgun Control, Inc. From their names, they'd like you to believe they're concerned with handgun violence. But they're not so much concerned with the violence as just the handgun part. For a day and a half I sat biting my tongue as I heard some of the most incredible "disinformation" and distortion about guns and watched impressionable citizens worked into a mindless frenzy over firearms. Experts from various professions addressed topics ranging from fund raising and organizational development, to generating media publicity, building coalitions with like-minded groups (like anti-hunting and animal rights advocates), and how to "educate" voters on gun control issues. These people have created an industry of their own called "gun control" and they are "franchising" it across the country and expertly marketing it as "anti-violence." These people are serious, organized and well-funded. They see absolutely no use for firearms of any kind. They dismiss self-protection with a gun as a promotional gimmick of firearm companies and continually refer to that discredited study that claims a gun in the home is more dangerous to a homeowner than to a housebreaker. They see hunting as uncivilized and cruel. They view recreational and competition shooting as pastimes that foster violent, criminal behavior. They oppose firearm safety training because they believe it indoctrinates youth into the "culture of guns." They depict gun clubs and gun owner organizations as right-wing, lunatic-fringe groups on the brink of overthrowing the government. In their eyes, as a licensed gun dealer, I am a "merchant of death" and average gun owners are misguided members of an "unenlightened" class who must be protected from themselves. These people are serious and sincere in their beliefs that guns are the root of all evil. Above all else, they are intolerant. Intolerant of views that differ from their own. Intolerant of facts that challenge the validity of their own perceptions. They don't want to be confused with facts. They know what is right and what is right is that gun ownership is wrong. Seeing all of this firsthand left me with the clear impression that the anti-gunners have decided advantages over our side. One is the passion they bring to their cause. They are committed to their goals and the belief that they are on a mission to save not just one life, but the whole world. Another advantage they enjoy is the fact that their only focus, their primary business, is to rid the world of guns and they are united in that effort. For those of us in the industry, most of our time is spent trying to earn an honest day's wages. We're tired after a 12-hour shift or a 70-hour work week. There's not enough time left for the family or friends much less politics and proselytizing for converts to our side. And, the margin of profit I make in selling guns doesn't leave much for contributing to the organizations we need to counter groups like HCI, which receives huge grants from multi-national foundations and gets free work from Madison Avenue ad agencies and law firms. Still, I try my best, to support our cause, not just because my livelihood depends on it, but because I am a true believer in individual rights and individual responsibility. Nowhere are these concepts better illustrated than in the individual right to keep and bear arms, and in the holding of the individual criminal responsible when he or she abuses that right. Throughout the day at my gun shop, my staff and I work hard at selling guns. But we also work hard at selling the need for our customers to be safe, responsible, and politically active gun owners. That is a challenge all of us must take. We must do more as businessmen and women in this industry to fight against the likes of Sarah Brady and her growing gun control franchises. We've got to stop letting the few in this industry, like the American Shooting Sports Council, do 98% of our job. As an industry trade association, ASSC is doing great work. But they need help. They need the support of each of us in this industry. Besides joining the ASSC, one of the more critical things each of us can do, is to personally attend an anti-gun conference and see for yourself their plans and strategies and learn firsthand what they have in store for the future of the firearm industry and firearm ownership. === John Riggio is the owner of a successful gunshop and has been in the firearm business for 30 years and is a member of ASSC. #1996, 1997, The American Firearms Council for information concerning this web site, contact George Miller Last modified: January 29, 1997 - - - - ------------------------------ End of utah-firearms-digest V2 #14 **********************************