From: owner-utah-firearms-digest@lists.xmission.com (utah-firearms-digest) To: utah-firearms-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: utah-firearms-digest V2 #78 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 Wednesday, July 1 1998 Volume 02 : Number 078 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 17:27:50 -0600 From: chardy@ES.COM (Charles Hardy) Subject: DesNews Pro-Brady Editorial From Today's DesNews: Letters to the editor may be submitted via email at . Be sure to include s-mail address, phone number, and name. Extend Brady law: It works Last updated 06/26/1998, 12:01 a.m. MT Deseret News editorial Four years ago, when Congress passed the Brady law, opponents said it was a naive misunderstanding of the criminal mind. Criminals, they said, don't buy guns at the store. They steal them or come about them some other way. Well, never underestimate the stupidity of the criminal mind. According to the latest estimates from the Justice Department, 69,000 people were denied handguns in 1997 because of the Brady law. Of those, 61.7 percent were turned down because of prior felony convictions or indictments. Another 11.2 percent had a record of domestic violence. In four years, nearly a quarter of a million handgun purchases have been thwarted this way. Turns out a lot of criminals, at least the ones who have a conviction somewhere in their past, aren't so smart after all. Aren't you glad the Brady law is in place? More to the point, aren't you glad Congress didn't bow to pressure from the gun lobby and reject Brady four years ago? True, the 69,000 represented only 2.7 percent of the 2.6 million applications for handguns last year. But our guess is 69,000 unstable people could do a lot of damage if they were armed. The small percentage merely proves what researchers, criminologists and, yes, gun lobbyists have said all along — that most gun owners are responsible and law abiding. The trick is to stop the handful most likely to cause mischief. Brady imposes a five-day waiting period for all handgun purchases to allow for background checks and to keep people from buying guns in a fit of passion. The waiting period is set to expire in November when a nationwide instant background check system is expected to be in place. At that time, the law will be broadened to require background checks for all firearm purchases, not just handguns. Not surprisingly, the battle lines are being drawn again. President Clinton wants to extend the five-day wait, while gun lobbies, including the National Rifle Association, want it to disappear. Keeping track of rejected sales is easy. However, keeping track of deaths and injuries avoided through a five-day cooling off period is impossible. The cool down is nevertheless an important argument for making people wait. Contrary to all the clamoring four years ago, no one has suffered a deprivation of constitutional rights through the Brady law. By some estimates more than 40 percent of American households today contain at least one gun. An extension of the Brady waiting period seems only prudent. It is no doubt a major contributor to the nation's steadily declining crime rate. - -- Charles C. Hardy | If my employer has an opinion on | these things I'm fairly certain 801.588.7200 (work) | I'm not the one he'd have express it. "The difference between death and taxes is death doesn't get worse every time Congress meets." -- Will Rogers - - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Jun 98 22:01:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: Meeting on 1998 Brady Changes - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 17:22:23 -0400 From: agitator To: liberty-and-justice@pobox.com Subject: Re: Meeting on 1998 Brady Changes This is exactly the type of mentality that we DON'T need. At 07:03 AM 6/25/1998 -0600, you wrote: >---------- Forwarded message ---------- >Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 00:58:04 -0400 (EDT) >From: Richard Hartman >To: Multiple recipients of list >Subject: Meeting on 1998 Brady Changes >Forwarded from another list, sanitized to preserve anonymity. >----- >Today in Baton Rouge, we attended, along with a few hundred FFL dealers, >a conference concerning the November 1998 Brady Law changes. Some of it >was informative and ATF presented itself in a concerned manner. >The focus was a demonstration of how the November 1998 Brady forms will >be handled. To summerize the demo, there will be three ways to validate >a gun purchaser. >First will be by phone. The charge will be $13-$17. This price is subject >to change. You will be able to call 8 AM until 2 AM, seven days a week >except Thanksgiving and Christmas. You will speak to an operator and the >only information given will be name, address, and general information >about the purchaser and whether the purchase is a long gun or a pistol >or both. No other info is needed. >Second will be by modem. The package is not complete for this transaction. >The demo works just like the phone verification but you key all information >in. The charge will be less. There was no range of charges given. >Third will be by key pad. It was not demonstrated and not much >information was given. >Concealed carry permits are exempt as are certain LE purchases. >There will be a NTN (NICS tracking number) given for every transaction. >Upon approval, the NTN will go on your record book and 4473. Upon >disapproval, the NTN will be given to the purchaser and s/he will be >given the right to appeal. >The database that is checked basically checks the responses given on >the 4473. Example: John Doe lies about a domestic violance charge on the >4473. The charge is in the data base and he is denied. If he is clear, >no hits come up and he is approved. The other option is a wait status. >This can be caused by lack of info such as John Smith on Main Street in >Erath, Louisiana, is just too general and multiple hits will inevitably >come up. What this pleasant and informative gun dealer neglected to mention (and the pleasant and informative Gestapo agent neglected to tell him) is that in order to verify the identity of the purchaser, a government issued ID will have to be presented. That ID will sooner than later be tied back to an SSN (and the fingerprint or retina scan or some other biometric method of identification that goes with it) and ALL of that data will be available to any other government agent any time they want it. "........271, that subject is a known gun-owner, approach with caution......." can't you just picture that Glock 21 coming out of the holster and staring you in the face over an inspection sticker.....? >Each firearms dealer will have to join the FBI/NICS group. We do not >know if there is a charge for this. >I actually felt good about ATF after this meeting. I do not care for >the charge on my customers, but if all works as planned it should not >be an inconvenience. What an A**HOLE! He "actually felt good about ATF"??? Isn't it nice that the friendly Gestapo agent told him how pleasant and convenient his trip to the resettlement camp is going to be... When the roundups of gunowners and their weapons start, we can thank the sniveling, obsequious, traitorous rats at the NRA, and brain-dead dealers like this. _________________________________________ _________________________________________ "I think we have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious." - Thomas Jefferson Letter to William Ludlow, 1824 - - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Jun 98 22:01:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: Mother Jones- another gun poll - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1998 15:53:37 -0400 From: "John A. Quayle" To: liberty-and-justice@pobox.com Subject: Re: Mother Jones- another gun poll At 07:04 AM 6/25/98 -0600, you wrote: >---------- Forwarded message ---------- >Date: Wed, 24 Jun 1998 16:08:30 -0400 (EDT) >From: "R. Lunn" >To: Multiple recipients of list >Subject: Mother Jones- another gun poll >These guys never learn. We trounced them a few years ago... Mother Jones is still locked in the '60s....what do you expect from counter-culture hippies? >---------- Forwarded message ---------- ><> >SNAP POLL ___________________________________________________ >THIS WEEK'S POLL: The mayors of Philadelphia, Chicago, and New Orleans are >threatening to sue gun manufacturers in an attempt to hold them responsible >for gun violence in the cities. Do you think gunmakers should be liable >for deaths and injuries caused by their products? >Vote and discuss at: >http://www.motherjones.com/ ><> >----------------------------------------------------------- >So far the results are: >22.19% say Yes >77.81% say No >311 have voted >Vote early and vote often... >DVC >-- >Regards, >>>Dick<< - - ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Jun 98 19:58:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: Gun Control - ---------- Forwarded messages ---------- Date: Sat, 27 Jun 1998 13:15:14 -0600 From: Ron Amos To: Libertarian Party of Utah Subject: Gun Contol By Bill de Forest Exclusive to _The Libertarian Enterprise_ Read your stuff. Real good. I am a management supervisor at Kaman Aerospace in Bloomfield, Connecticut. I live in Granville, Massachusetts, a real small town that only has grades pre-school through 8th. In answer to the shooting sprees in schools across the U.S. our chief of police, John B. Michnovez, thought it was time to start a pistol shooting and handgun safety course in our elementary school. Talk about bold. He approached the principal of Granville Elementary, Bob Thompson who agreed it was essential, in the light of the recent shootings, that children be taught pistol shooting by experts -- and not the movies -- and sponsored a course in the school. That's _bold_! Letters were sent home to the parents who also thought it was a good idea. The chief got an NRA Pistol Shooting instructor, Ms. Teryl A. Deegan, who started off with a lecture on the Second Amendment and started to explain calibers, stating that 9mm was a Communist round and she would not talk about it. Toy guns were used as the demo with a day two at an indoor pistol range in Manchestern Conn. My 11 year-old Jerome shot 50 .22 rounds and passed the written course with the mandatory 80. This is what I call grass roots. A police chief and an elementary school principal staked all on this one. _You must keep up your work. It is making a difference_. ====================================================================== _The Libertarian Enterprise_ is delighted to have shared this letter with our readers. - -- Libertarian Self Reliance In The Face Of Y2K http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Lab/7731/ Date: Sat, 27 Jun 1998 16:11:58 -0600 From: Jim Dexter To: lputah@qsicorp.com Subject: Re: Gun Contol Ron provides: >>The chief got an NRA Pistol Shooting instructor, Ms. Teryl A. Deegan, who started off with a lecture on the Second Amendment and started to explain calibers, stating that 9mm was a Communist round and she would not talk about it.<< That's one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. Everyone knows the 9 mm parabellum is a Nazi round! :-) - - ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 Jun 98 22:07:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: Really Good Gun News 1/2 - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Sat, 27 Jun 1998 20:46:42 -0700 From: Ed Wolfe To: cdalex@olypen.com Subject: Really Good Gun News I don't know who wrote this, but I'd like to thank him for sharing his viewpoint. -E.W. To all true friends of liberty: One of the most interesting things about news reports is the way that the same basic information can be presented and yet tell very different tales. My all-time favorite has to be the Carter-era news release on the standby gas rationing system that was then being implemented. In this particular story, it was pointed out that the rationing system would be triggered by a 20% shortfall in the nation's gas supplies. The system was designed to ensure that every American would receive 70% of his normal supply. So what we had was a system that would automatically turn a 20% shortfall into a 30% shortfall. By careful presentation of the facts, however, it made it look like this was a good deal for the average joe. Incidentally, all of the gas rationing coupons had the same picture of George Washington as is found on the one-dollar bill. They could therefore be exchanged, not just for 70% of your usual gallon of gas, but also for four quarters from any bill changing machine. Thus completely useless for their designed purpose, the coupons were stored for many years at the Pueblo Army Depot in southern Colorado and eventually destroyed by burning inside the ammunition igloos in which they were kept. The point of all this is that there is often a surprising amount of good news to be found in what might otherwise be considered as disastrous tidings. Take, for example, the recent Brady bill stories. That the administration is interested in expanding Brady provisions to rifles and shotguns is surely not welcome intelligence. That either 230,000 (according to some sources) or 17 (according to others) convicted felons have been thwarted in their desire for a handgun is really beside the point. Who cares how many have been denied a gun? Let's look, instead, at the real story here. Slipped in to those Clinton-sponsored stories about how many bad guys have been disarmed and how the program should be expanded is some really, really encouraging news. Over 10,000,000 Brady checks have been performed in the past four years. Imagine! Ten million handgun sales (minus somewhere between 17 and 230,000). Two and a half million a year! Nearly 7,000 a day, including Sundays and holidays. By god, it makes you PROUD to be an American, doesn't it? We're still number one at something and it's something that's damned important, to boot. Imagine equipping the United States Army with just one year's worth of handgun sales. Every soldier would have five handguns strapped to his waist. Imagine equipping them with all of the handguns sold since Bill Clinton took office. You'd need a line of native bearers to carry those 28 handguns. A good-sized truck to carry each soldier's share of the rifles and shotguns. A small convoy for his portion of the ammunition and reloading components. Let's not forget that these ten million Brady guns are just those sold through FFL dealers. Think of the additional millions, perhaps tens of millions, that changed hands between one private owner and another. These are the statistics that really matter. Do you think Bill Clinton really cares whether even one armed thug is gotten off the streets (I mean someone other than Franciso Duran)? For the first time, amalgamated statistics are landing on his desk and he can quantify just how "successful" his effort at disarming America has been. At the same time, he can blandly slip the real story (America's frantic rearmament) past the inattentive patriots who are too busy moaning about the next wave of evil NWO legislation. I say: Thanks, Bill. You've done more to awaken America and cause even the most zombie-like citizen to rush out and buy a gun than any other living human being. Ronald Reagan, John Wayne, Mark Koernke, John Trochmann, et al ain't got nothing on you, baby. You are the merchants of death's number one butt boy and the biggest spoke in the wheel of your own utopia. Nice going, moron. Please don't come over to our side because we want to win. Millions, I repeat: millions, of Americans who would never have considered owning a gun now have a little bit of insurance tucked underneath the bed. So don't give up on your fellow citizens just yet. We're halfway home if you don't alienate them with stupid human militia tricks. [ Continued In Next Message... ] - - ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 Jun 98 22:07:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: Really Good Gun News 2/2 I dare say that the percentage of Americans who own guns is at an all-time high. The number of Americans who own a gun is certainly at an all-time high. The number of guns owned by Americans is certainly at an all-time high. The quality (and military usefulness) of guns owned by Americans is at an all-time high. The stockpile of ammunition and reloading components owned by Americans is at an earth-shattering, most Third-world continents can't even come close, all-time high. Don't whine about the Brady bill. After all, the primary proponent of this gun control legislation is someone who is brain-damaged. Rational arguments just aren't going to work on someone who's only running on half-a-lobe. They don't make sense to most liberals and network correspondents either. Hmmm, I wonder why that is? Let's look at another interesting story-- the New Black Panther Party's avowed defense against the Klan in Jasper, Texas. Why is this so objectionable to so many patriots? It seems like capital news to me. Up to now, the media has been able to portray the militia as some sort of funky white suburban street gang. Having a highly-publicized appearance of a new black militia is of tremendous value to those of us who are dedicated to the restoration of constitutional liberty. I welcome any and all who are willing to make their stand for freedom. I especially welcome those whom the liberal media dare not portray as right-wing lunatics. These are not the branded "Uncle Tom" black conservatives but the real McCoy radical activist left proclaiming themselves as a militia. See how much ground we have gained. Even those who do not agree with us politically now find advantage in using our methods and rhetoric. When our opponents must fly our colors in order to garner popular support-- they have already lost. Whatever victory they attain will redound to our credit and not to theirs. We should support these efforts to the absolute limits of our abilities. There is a line in the Battle Hymn of the Republic that goes: "I have seen him in the watchfires of a hundred circling camps..." Someone finally shows up to build a blaze next to ours and we want to turn them in for playing with matches. Get real. Get your priorities straight. There is a vast awakening in America. It would be even vaster if it weren't for the legions of morons we have allowed to shelter under our banners. They have to go if we are ever to make this thing work. So often we make the mistake of going for numbers, numbers right now-- without realizing that for every Christian Identity or Republic of Texas loser in our ranks, there are dozens, maybe even hundreds, of more like-minded patriots who will never swell our ranks for fear of contamination by these dangerous anti-American fanatics. People with money. People with important connections. People whose help we desperately need but aren't going to get. People who won't touch us with a ten-foot-pole because of our hobnobbing with nazis. Don't kid yourself. Look at deeds, not words. None of these Identity swine love the United States. They all seek for a New World Order of their own-- a successor state to be built on the ruins of a failed America. The destruction of America is a crucial element of their plans-- yet they have neither the numbers or the resources to make their twisted dreams of a racial-religious empire a reality without the help of those unwitting dupes in the militia. You wonder why the FBI and the ATF are so interested in the militias? Well, wonder no more. If you harbor traitors in your ranks, you yourself have earned a traitor's wage. This is a struggle in which only the most virtuous will prevail. It is a struggle between love and hatred. If you do not love your fellow man. if you do not love America, if you do not value the mighty deeds of your forefathers, you are not going to win. To all of you who know that America belongs to those who are willing to fight for her in her hour of greatest need, I say: Let us go forward together. The Union forever - - ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 19:06:23 -0600 From: "David Sagers" Subject: Fwd: gun poll (fwd) Received: from wvc ([204.246.130.34]) by icarus.ci.west-valley.ut.us; Mon, 29 Jun 1998 18:45:40 -0600 Received: from fs1.mainstream.net by wvc (SMI-8.6/SMI-SVR4) id SAA03544; Mon, 29 Jun 1998 18:35:15 -0600 Received: (from smap@localhost) by fs1.mainstream.net (8.8.8/8.7.3) id UAA29599; Mon, 29 Jun 1998 20:43:33 -0400 (EDT) Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 20:43:33 -0400 (EDT) Received: from localhost(127.0.0.1) by fs1.mainstream.net via smap (V1.3) id sma029523; Mon Jun 29 20:43:29 1998 Message-Id: <9806300008.0o16@xpresso.seaslug.org> Errors-To: listproc@mainstream.com Reply-To: noban@xpresso.seaslug.org Originator: noban@mainstream.net Sender: noban@Mainstream.net Precedence: bulk From: noban@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: gun poll (fwd) X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0 -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Comment: Anti-Gun-Ban list Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline On Jun 29, Josh Amos wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows -------------------= - -] http://www.thirdage.com/polls/?lmenu We are getting wiped on this one too. Josh [------------------------- end of forwarded message -----------------------= - -] - -- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------= - - ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** - ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------= - - An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand =3D Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy = a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus = Christ - ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------= - - - - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 08:30:02 -0600 From: "David Sagers" Subject: Today's Trib - Permissive Atmosphere Tuesday, June 30, 1998=20 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Permissive Atmosphere =20 Tom Metcalf's generalizations (``How Many Deaths,'' Forum, June 7) = typify the liberal outlook on life. People cannot be trusted, they need to = be watched at all times or they will hurt themselves or break something, = and we are not smart enough to have firearms. Israel and Switzerland = immediately come to mind. In both places, everyone is armed, everyone = knows this, and most people are accordingly polite. Vermont has basically = the same situation.=20 Children in this country, at least those raised in a liberal, = permissive atmosphere, know that they can get away with anything. Add = Prozac, Ritalin, a defective personality trait or two and voila! Instant = headline. Fifteen minutes of fame.=20 KELLY C. PHELPS=20 Monroe=20 - - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 12:39:29 -0600 From: "David Sagers" Subject: Fwd: Time Magazine Poll Received: from wvc ([204.246.130.34]) by icarus.ci.west-valley.ut.us; Tue, 30 Jun 1998 11:53:29 -0600 Received: from fs1.mainstream.net by wvc (SMI-8.6/SMI-SVR4) id LAA04129; Tue, 30 Jun 1998 11:43:02 -0600 Received: (from smap@localhost) by fs1.mainstream.net (8.8.8/8.7.3) id NAA05379; Tue, 30 Jun 1998 13:50:55 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 13:50:55 -0400 (EDT) Received: from localhost(127.0.0.1) by fs1.mainstream.net via smap (V1.3) id sma005336; Tue Jun 30 13:50:45 1998 Message-Id: <1.5.4.32.19980630174101.008db5c8@inet.realresume.com> Errors-To: listproc@mainstream.com Reply-To: rlh@recon.org Originator: noban@mainstream.net Sender: noban@Mainstream.net Precedence: bulk From: Richard Hartman To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Time Magazine Poll X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0 -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Comment: Anti-Gun-Ban list Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline There are five questions, just under 5000 responses so far, and the = numbers are in our favor. So are the comments on their bulletin board. Let's keep them that way. Remember, politicians use modern Clinton "poll-itics" to = pick safe legislative targets. Let's make certain every such poll shows that = more anti-gun laws will be met with the same kind of response they heard in November 1994. http://www.pathfinder.com/time/polls/gunpoll.html - - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 15:30:18 -0600 From: "David Sagers" Subject: South Carolina News Pole This is a MIME message. If you are reading this text, you may want to consider changing to a mail reader or gateway that understands how to properly handle MIME multipart messages. - --=_7521D4E9.9AFB9784 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline Like Chicago, vote early and vote often! - --=_7521D4E9.9AFB9784 Content-Type: message/rfc822 Received: from wvc ([204.246.130.34]) by icarus.ci.west-valley.ut.us; Tue, 30 Jun 1998 14:59:55 -0600 Received: from fs1.mainstream.net by wvc (SMI-8.6/SMI-SVR4) id OAA04285; Tue, 30 Jun 1998 14:49:28 -0600 Received: (from smap@localhost) by fs1.mainstream.net (8.8.8/8.7.3) id QAA16225; Tue, 30 Jun 1998 16:58:05 -0400 (EDT) Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 16:58:05 -0400 (EDT) Received: from localhost(127.0.0.1) by fs1.mainstream.net via smap (V1.3) id sma016052; Tue Jun 30 16:55:58 1998 Message-Id: <9806302026.0o3m@xpresso.seaslug.org> Errors-To: listproc@mainstream.com Reply-To: noban@xpresso.seaslug.org Originator: noban@mainstream.net Sender: noban@Mainstream.net Precedence: bulk From: noban@xpresso.seaslug.org (Bill Vance) To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: Yet another gun poll (fwd) X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0 -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Comment: Anti-Gun-Ban list Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline On Jun 30, Jeff Quinton wrote: [-------------------- text of forwarded message follows -------------------= - -] http://www.palmettojournal.com [------------------------- end of forwarded message -----------------------= - -] - -- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------= - - ***** Blessings On Thee, Oh Israel! ***** - ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------= - - An _EFFECTIVE_ | Insured | All matter is vibration. | Let he who hath no weapon in every | by COLT; | -- Max Plank | weapon sell his hand =3D Freedom | DIAL | In the beginning was the | garment and buy = a on every side! | 1911-A1. | word. -- The Bible | sword.--Jesus = Christ - ----------------+----------+--------------------------+--------------------= - - - --=_7521D4E9.9AFB9784-- - - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 20:40:48 -0600 From: chardy@ES.COM (Charles Hardy) Subject: [Vin_Suprynowicz@lvrj.com: July 3 column - classic July 4th] - ----BEGIN FORWARDED MESSGE---- FROM MOUNTAIN MEDIA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DATED JULY 3, 1998 THE LIBERTARIAN, By Vin Suprynowicz Most Americans should be ashamed to celebrate the Fourth NOTE: This "classic" column was originally published on July 3, 1997. What an inconvenient holiday the Fourth of July has become. So long as we stick to grilling hot dogs and hamburgs, hauling the kids to the lake or the mountains, and winding up the day watching the fireworks as the Boston Pops plays the 1812 -- written by a subject of the czar to celebrate the defeat of our vital ally the French -- we can usually manage to convince ourselves we still cling to the same values that made July 4, 1776, a date which still rings in history. Great Britain taxed the colonists at far lower rates than Americans tolerate today -- and never dreamed of granting government agents the power to search our private bank records to locate "unreported income." Nor did the king's ministers ever attempt to stack our juries by disqualifying any juror who refused to swear in advance to "leave your conscience outside this courtroom and enforce the law as the judge explains it to you." The king's ministers insisted the colonists were represented by Members of Parliament who had never set foot on these shores. Today, of course, our interests are "represented" by one of two millionaire lawyers -- both members of the incumbent Republicrat Party -- among whom we were privileged to "choose" last election day, men who for the most part have lived in mansions and sent their kids to private schools in the wealthy suburbs of the imperial capital, for decades. Yet the colonists did rebel. It's hard to imagine, today, the faith and courage of a few hundred frozen musketmen, setting off across the darkened Delaware, gambling their lives and farms on the chance they could engage and defeat the greatest land army in the history of the known world, armed with only two palpable assets: one irreplaceable man to lead them, and some flimsy newspaper reprints of a parchment declaring: "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness -- That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive to these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it. ..." Do we believe that, still? Recently, President Clinton's then-Drug Czar, Lee Brown, told me the role of government is to protect the people from dangers, such as drugs. I corrected him, saying, "No, the role of government is to protect our liberties." "We'll just have to disagree on that," the president's appointee said. The War for American Independence began over unregistered, untaxed guns, when British forces attempted to seize arsenals of rifles, powder and ball from the hands of ill-organized Patriot militias in Lexington and Concord. American civilians shot and killed scores of these government agents as they marched back to Boston. Are those Minutemen still our heroes? Or do we now consider them "dangerous terrorists" and "depraved government-haters"? In "The Federalist" No. 46, James Madison told us we need have no fear of any federal tyranny ever taking away our rights, arguing that under his proposed Constitution "the ultimate authority ... resides in the people alone," and predicting that any usurpation of powers not specifically delegated would lead to "plans of resistance" and "appeal to a trial of force." Another prominent federalist, Noah Webster, wrote in 1787: "Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States." Is this still true today? Or -- as we all prepare for the new National thumbprint ID Card, pre-screening by Washington before we can accept a new job, and national firearms registration (including long guns) beginning Dec. 1, 1998 -- are those who arm themselves and make contingency "plans of resistance" against government usurpations instead branded "conspirators" and "terrorists," and ridiculously associated with Timothy McVeigh? (McVeigh was kicked out of the only militia meeting he is ever known to have attended -- in Michigan. His actions surely reflect more directly on the screening process of the outfit that gave him his training in munitions - -- the United States Army.) In Phoenix last week, an air conditioner repairman and former Military Policeman named Chuck Knight was convicted by jurors -- some tearful -- who said they "had no choice" under the judge's instructions, on a single federal "conspiracy" count of associating with others who owned automatic rifles on which they had failed to pay a $200 "transfer tax" -- after a trial in which defense attorney Ivan Abrams says he was forbidden to bring up the Second Amendment as a defense. Were the Viper Militia readying "plans of resistance," as recommended by Mr. Madison? Would the Constitution ever have been ratified, had Mr. Madison and his fellow federalists warned the citizens that such non-violent preparations would get their weapons seized, and land them in jail for decades? Happy Fourth of July. Vin Suprynowicz is the assistant editorial page editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Readers may contact him via e-mail at vin@lvrj.com. The web site for the Suprynowicz column is at http://www.nguworld.com/vindex/. The column is syndicated in the United States and Canada via Mountain Media Syndications, P.O. Box 4422, Las Vegas Nev. 89127. *** Vin Suprynowicz, vin@lvrj.com "The right of self-defense is the first law of nature; in most governments it has been the study of rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and when the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction." -- Henry St. George Tucker, in Blackstone's 1768 "Commentaries on the Laws of England." - ----END FORWARDED MESSAGE---- - -- Charles C. Hardy | If my employer has an opinion on | these things I'm fairly certain 801.588.7200 (work) | I'm not the one he'd have express it. "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." -- Edmund Burke - - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jun 98 22:19:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: Gun Poll Results - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 12:44:42 -0700 From: Ed Wolfe To: cdalex@olypen.com Subject: Gun Poll Results from Jon LeVee: http://pathfinder.com/time/polls/gunpoll.html I particularly like the fact that the overwhelming viewpoint was held by almost 40%, who were NOT handgun owners .... this is encouraging. Send this sucker out to whoever you can ... Jon Gun Poll Results 1. Do you own a gun? 62.75% Yes 37.24% No 2. Should the U.S. have stricter gun control laws? 7.22% Yes 92.77% No 3. Do you believe that allowing people to carry concealed weapons reduces crime? 89.16% Yes 10.83% No 4. Do you believe that U.S. cities should sue gun manufacturers to recoup money spent dealing with gun-related crime? 4.20% Yes 95.79% No 5. How would you rate the effectiveness of the Brady Bill and the assault weapons ban in preventing the illegal use and distribution of guns? 1.03% Very effective 3.74% Somewhat effective 6.29% Somewhat ineffective 87.24% Not at all effective 1.68% Don't know Total Votes Cast: 5526 - - ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 30 Jun 98 22:56:00 -0700 From: scott.bergeson@ucs.org (SCOTT BERGESON) Subject: Schmuckwhomp News - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 21:17:46 -0700 From: Ed Wolfe To: pdml@mars.galstar.com Subject: Schmuckwhomp News By Carl Alexander WASHINGTON, D.C. - An overzealous congressional aide was suffocated to death today while trying to give his boss, Rep. Charles E. Schumer, D-NY, an enema to relieve constipation. Investigators say that Administrative Asst. Josh Isay, 37, fed the Congressman several doses of laxatives, and more than a quart of berries, figs, and prunes, after being concerned for several weeks that the elected representative did not seem to be producing his usual amount of poop. He was attempting to administer an olive-oil enema, when the relieved politician unloaded on him like a dump truck full of mud. "The sheer force of the Congressman's unexpected defecation knocked Mr. Isay to the floor, where he struck his head on the corner of a desk, and lay unconscious as Rep. Schumer continued to evacuate his bowels on top of him," said a flabbergasted Capitol Police spokesman. "With no one to help him, he lay under all that dung for at least an hour before a staffmember came along, and during that time he suffocated. It seems to be one of those freak accidents that happen here in the Capitol, from time to time... a billion-to-one shot, at least." The heartbreaking tale of constipation and tragedy began May 30th, when the conscientious aide noticed that Schumer did not seem to be voiding in his usual copious manner. A number of speeches on gun control had been re-scheduled due to the problem. "Isay had been concerned for some time, because he knew that severe constipation can kill a politician. He told me that he was going to stay late that afternoon and treat Congressman Schumer with laxatives, and possibly give him an enema," said Appointments Secretary Tricia McGovern. "I offered to stay and help, but he sent me on home, saying he had everything under control." But two hours later, a horrified assistant found Isay lying lifeless under a 200 lb mound of muck, his body only visible from the knees down. The laxatives had caused Schumer to unleash an outpouring of crap that buried his aide alive. "I had never really thought about it before," said Capitol Police Detective Burns. "But obviously, giving a politician an enema can be a very dangerous activity - and is not something that should be attempted alone." Rep. Schumer was reported to be unavailable for comment, so the problem may not yet be fully resolved. Original version Date: Fri, 26 Jun 1998 12:44:12 -0600 From: Jim Dexter To: LPUtah Forum Subject: What a way to go It looks like Dick Brown and Janalee Tobias got off easy in their close encounters with Utah's elephants. They got shat on politically, but they're still alive . . . and kicking back. PADERBORN, GERMANY - Overzealous zookeeper Friedrich Riesfeld fed his constipated elephant Stefan, 22, doses of animal laxative and more than a bushel of berries, figs and prunes before the plugged-up pachyderm finally let fly and suffocated the keeper under 200 pounds of poop! Investigators say ill-fated Friedrich, 46, was attempting to give the ailing elephant an olive-oil enema when the relieved beast unloaded on him like a dump truck full of mud. "The sheer force of the elephant's unexpected defecation knocked Mr. Riesfeldt to the ground, where he struck his head on a rock and lay unconscious as the elephant continued to evacuate his bowels on top of him," said flabbergasted Paderborn police detective Erik Dern. "With no one there to help him, he lay under all that dung for at least an hour before a watchman came along, and during that time he suffocated. "It seems to be just one of those freak accidents that happen sometimes a billion-to-one shot, at least." The heartbreaking tale of constipation and tragedy began April 23 when the conscientious zookeeper noticed that his prize, 8,000-pound African elephant didn't seem to be producing his usual poop aplenty. "Friedrich had actually been concerned for several days because he knew that severe constipation can kill an elephant," assistant zookeeper Kurt Herrman recalled. "He told me he was going to stay late that Thursday night to treat Stefan with laxatives and possibly give him an enema. "I offered to help, but he sent me on home, saying he had everything under control." But two hours later, horrified night watchman Walter Pleuger found Friedrich lying lifeless under a mound of muck, his body visible only from the knees down. Laxatives caused Stefan to unleash an outpouring of poop, burying his trainer alive. "I had never really thought about it before," Det. Dern said. "But obviously, giving an elephant an enema can be a very dangerous activity -- and not something that should be attempted alone." - - ------------------------------ End of utah-firearms-digest V2 #78 **********************************