From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
NRA-ILA FAX ALERT
Vol. 8, No. 7
NEW GROUP, SAME OLD LIES
The most recent salvo in the war against our Right to Keep and Bear Arms
was fired by one of the newer groups to enter the frayùthe fledgling
anti-gun organization, "Americans for Gun Safety" (AGS). The organization,
which refers to itself as a "centrist, non-partisan group," was launched
last year with heavy funding from billionaire Andrew J. McKelvey of
Monster.com, and has begun running ads that renew the attack on gun shows.
And while the ads claim the group recognizes "the right to own a gun," the
truth is, AGS is nothing more than a rehash of many of the existing
anti-gun organizations.
So what is the true agenda of AGS? Although it clearly wants to create the
illusion that it is somehow different from the extremists at HCI, the
truth is, the roots of AGS are firmly embedded in HCI. McKelvey, a former
board member of HCI, formed AGS after apparently becoming disillusioned
with the ineffectiveness of HCI. And materials distributed at a recent AGS
meeting clearly highlighted its real "top national priority"ù"passage of
licensing and/or registration in the next Congress." This goal, of course,
is a mirror image of one of HCI's publicly stated top goals. Furthermore,
AGS has thus far worked to expand its base by affiliating not with
"centrist" groups, but with radical anti-gun groups at the state and local
levels. In fact, the majority of the groups that have affiliated with AGS
are longtime HCI affiliates. These affiliated groups have yet to adopt the
softer facade of AGS, as they promote extremely anti-gun messages such as:
"Remove any guns from your home" -- Women Against Gun Violence
"The second amendment of the United States Constitution has nothing to do
whatsoever with personal use of firearms"--Citizens of Arizona to Prevent
Gun Violence
"The best way to protect your family is not to keep a gun in the
home"--Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence
But AGS is misleading in more than just its stated agenda. A visit to the
AGS website (http://www.americansforgunsafety.com) will show a "softer"
image than you normally see from most of the other anti-gun organization.
However, further investigation of the AGS site reveals it is nothing more
than just another anti-gun extremist organization. In a press release from
October 3, 2000, McKelvey himself claimed he wanted to "present...unbiased
facts," but the AGS website exudes anti-gun bias. The website includes
sections on gun laws, gun deaths, and the frequency of firearm-related
fatalities, which are either extremely misleading, downright inaccurate,
and sometimes both. Furthermore, nowhere does the site discuss our Right
to Keep and Bear Arms (other than casual comments such as "we have the
right to own a gun"), nor does it mention the benefits of safe,
responsible firearms ownershipùespecially the estimated 2.5 million
defensive uses of firearms that take place every year. And while the site
is riddled with claims that it wishes to "promote gun safety," nowhere can
one find a section that refers to an actual safety program, like the ones
developed by NRA that reach nearly three-quarters of a million responsible
gun owners every year.
The ad campaign AGS launched this week targets gun shows, spouting the
myth that there is a "Gun Show Loophole." This, of course, is the same lie
that other anti-gun extremists have been spouting for some time. The fact
is that the same federal, state, and local laws that regulate firearm
sales at gun shops remain in effect and are fully enforceable at any gun
show. The AGS ad claims that background checks are not required at gun
shows. In fact, federal law requires any Federal Firearms License (FFL)
holder to run the same National Instant Check System (NICS) check on the
transfer of a firearm that takes place at a gun show that he is required
to run at his place of business. The AGS ad also claims that "convicted
felons are buying guns at gun shows." In fact, a Bureau of Justice
Statistics (BJS) report found that only 1.7% of federal inmates who
possessed a firearm during their offense reported the gun was purchased or
traded at a gun show. Another study, by the National Institute of Justice
(NIJ), supports the BJS report, indicating that less than 2% of guns used
by criminals came from gun shows. And while the AGS website claims that it
has not endorsed any of the proposals discussed under its section called
"Possible Solutions," it is obvious that it publicly supports an effort to
impose additional regulations on gun showsùwhile privately endorsing the
national licensing and registration of all law-abiding gun owners and
their firearms in internal documents.
Be sure to contact your federal lawmakers and tell them that the AGS is
nothing more than a wolf in sheep's clothing. Tell them that it neither
respects nor truly believes in our Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and its
true agenda is nothing more than a full-scale attack on the Second
Amendment. Remind your lawmakers to oppose any legislation that would end
gun shows as we know them today. And, of course, convey your adamant
opposition to licensing and registration. You can call your U.S. Senators
at (202) 224-3121, and your U.S. Representatives at (202) 225-3121. For
those on the Internet, you can find additional contact information for
your federal lawmakers by using the "Write Your Reps" tool at
www.NRAILA.org.
McCAIN-LIEBERMAN GUN SHOW BILL?
In a related story, the February 8 issue of Roll Call reported that U.S.
Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) are working on
legislation seeking to increase regulations on gun shows. The article
refers to the pair "working together to draft an alternative compromise
that both parties can support." If any gun show-related legislation comes
out of this collaboration, we will be sure to report the details.
NSSF WORKS WITH CPSC ON RECALL
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), working in concert with
the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), will replace free of
charge any gun locks that were distributed as part of the NSSF's Project
HomeSafe. Project HomeSafe is a program developed by NSSF that works with
localities to distribute gun locks. When the CPSC found the lock
distributed through Project HomeSafe was among a number of devices used to
secure firearms that had the potential to be opened without the use of a
key, NSSF responded quickly by offering to exchange the locks for a model
cleared for production after testing by an independent laboratory and
review by CPSC. NRA, of course, supports the use of locking devices for
securing firearms as one option responsible gun owners can use to safely
store their firearms based on their own personal circumstances, but this
recall highlights the fact that there is no substitute for gun owners
becoming thoroughly educated in firearms safety. Doug Painter, NSSF's
executive director, echoed this sentiment, stating, "In the considerable
media coverage that accompanied the CPSC announcement of the replacement
lock program, NSSF continued to stress that no locking device can be a
substitute for safe, careful gun handling and safe storage." Anyone who
received an original Project HomeSafe lock can call 800-726-6444 to
request a free replacement lock.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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