From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
NRA-ILA FAX ALERT
Vol. 7, No. 27
NEA TO PROMOTE "GUN CONTROL" PETITION DRIVE
The National Education Association (NEA) has long been known as a shrill
proponent of restrictions on our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. This past
Monday, NEA President Bob Chase announced that the nation's largest
teachers' union had resolved to further its anti-gun agenda by launching a
national petition drive to call for restrictions on all law-abiding gun
owners. Included on NEA's anti-Second Amendment wish-list -- which it
hopes to submit to Congress by Feb. 1, 2001 -- are gun owner licensing,
national gun registration, "ballistic fingerprinting" schemes, mandatory
storage requirements, and waiting periods. Absent from NEA's proposed
petition is any mention of targeting criminals or enforcing existing laws
against violent offenders. NEA's attack on law-abiding gun owners, an
attack that closely mirrors Presidential Candidate Al Gore's (D) anti-gun
campaign platform, was not met with complete approval by those attending
NEA's convention in Chicago, however. According to the Atlanta Journal
Constitution, Georgia teacher Cindy Gaskins stated, "Rather than calling
for gun control, we need to call for parental control and responsibility."
David Trim, an English teacher from Mississippi, said, "It seems to me
that metal detectors are more useful than gun control in protecting the
schools... (and) it would be better to control TV shows and video games
and movies that promote violence." The resolution eventually passed, but
it was reported that approximately 1/3 of the delegates voted against it.
It is unclear how the petitions themselves will be circulated, but we will
follow this issue very closely, and keep a careful watch on any attempts
by NEA or others to improperly use our nation's public schools to promote
a political agenda. If you would like to express your views on NEA's
petition, you can call (202) 833-4000, write to 1201 16th St., NW,
Washington, DC, 20036, or send an e-mail to NEA President Bob Chase at
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
S&W's CEO REMAINS IN HOT WATER
Smith & Wesson (S&W) CEO Ed Shultz seems to be looking for ways he can
best infuriate what used to be his company's best customers -- law-abiding
gun owners. First he caved in to anti-gun extremists by agreeing to the
infamous S&W Sellout (see Special FAX Alert 3/20/00). Now The Hartford
Courant reports that in the aftermath of his surrender to the Clinton-Gore
Administration Shultz claims he has received some threats from what he
describes as a "vulgar and radical" minority. It is certainly wrong to
threaten Shultz because he chooses to collaborate with enemies of the
Second Amendment, but the embattled CEO describes those making threats as
the kind of citizens who have "gun racks on their pickup trucks" and who
are fanatical about the Second Amendment right to bear arms. If you are a
law-abiding gun owner who sees nothing wrong with gun racks and our Right
to Keep and Bear Arms, you may want to tell Mr. Shultz that you disagree
with his opinion, and you are more than capable of doing so without
threatening violence. You can send Mr. Shultz an e-mail at
[EMAIL PROTECTED], or write to him at 2100 Roosevelt Avenue,
Springfield, MA 01104.
LOTT BOOK TOUR CONTINUES
Yale University School of Law Senior Research Scholar John R. Lott, Jr.,
will be in Dover, Del., on July 8 as he continues to promote the release
of his newly-revised edition of More Guns, Less Crime (see FAX Alert Vol.
7, No. 25). Come meet John Lott and have him autograph your copy of the
newly-revised More Guns, Less Crime. He will appear Sat., July 8, from
1:00 - 3:00 pm, at the Waldenbooks located at 1365 N. Dupont Hwy., Dover,
Del.
HOLLYWOOD CONTRAST
One of this summer's blockbuster movies, "The Patriot," starring Mel
Gibson, has received mixed reviews from movie critics, although most
reviews seem to be very positive. Opinions about the usual concerns --
length, attention to historical details (the movie is set during the
American Revolution), performance by actors, etc. -- have covered
virtually every viewpoint, but there were early reports that one scene had
anti-gun extremists particularly squeamish. The scene involves Gibson's
character and two of his young sons using firearms in the struggle against
British oppression. Apparently, gun-ban proponents would rather the
producers of the film ignore the fact that firearms were used by those who
won our nation's freedom, and sometimes even by young family members who
helped shoulder the burden of the conflict. While perhaps unintended, "The
Patriot" offers a positive message about the use of firearms by
responsible individuals. In stark contrast, "It's The Rage" presents a
message that is decidedly, and intentionally, anti-gun, according to a
recent review in the Los Angeles Times. The film has already aired on
Cinemax but has now been released for theaters. The Times critic wrote
that "æIt's the Rage' misfires badly as both an entertainment and a
message movie." Thanks for the warning. We'll stick with Mel.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
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