Posted on 04/27/2007 11:15:33 AM PDT by neverdem
www.gunowners.org
Apr 2007
"Another gun rights group, the Gun Owners of America, is adamantly opposed to the [McCarthy-Dingell] legislation. It said the measure would allow the government to trample privacy rights by compiling reams of personal information and potentially bar mentally stable people from buying guns." -- Associated Press, April 24, 2007 |
Thursday, April 26, 2007
This is going to be a knock-down, drag-out fight. GOA continues to stand alone in the trenches, defending the rights of gun owners around the country. It's not going to be easy.
Gun control supporters want to pass gun control within the next couple of weeks. And that's why, even if you took action earlier this week, you need to do so once again.
All the gun haters (who have been keeping silent for a while) are now coming out of the closet and into the open. Take the notoriously anti-gun senator from New York -- Chuck Schumer. He has been very, very excited this week. Recent events have given him a platform, and the excuse, to push legislation that he had sponsored years ago -- legislation that never got through Congress.
You see, Senator Chuck Schumer has been, in past years, the Senate sponsor of the McCarthy bill (HR 297). And the recent murders at Virginia Tech have given Senator Schumer the pretext he has been looking for. Appearing on the Bill O'Reilly show earlier this week, Schumer did his best to make a reasonable-sounding pitch for more gun control.
He told O'Reilly on Monday that while he and Rep. McCarthy had previously worked together on this legislation, he now wants Congress to take up HR 297 quickly. "The Brady Law is a reasonable limitation," Schumer said. "Some might disagree with me, but I think certain kinds of licensing and registration is a reasonable limitation. We do it for cars."
Get the picture? First, he wants the Brady Law strengthened with the McCarthy-Dingell-Schumer legislation. Then it's off to pass more gun control -- treating guns like cars, where all gun owners are licensed and where bureaucrats will have a wonderful confiscation list.
In the O'Reilly interview, Schumer showed his hand when he revealed the strategy for this bill. Because it could become such a hot potato -- thanks to your efforts -- Senator Schumer is pushing to get this bill passed by Unanimous Consent in the Senate, which basically means that the bill would get passed WITHOUT A VOTE.
This is a perfect way to pass gun control without anyone getting blamed... or so they think. We need to tell every Senator that if this bill passes without a vote, then we hold ALL OF THEM responsible. (Be looking for a future GOA alert aimed at your Senators.)
On the House side, the Associated Press reported this past Monday that "House Democratic leaders are working with the National Rifle Association to bolster existing laws blocking" certain prohibited persons from buying guns. Of course, there are at least three problems with this approach:
1. It's morally and constitutionally wrong to require law-abiding citizens to first prove their innocence to the government before they can exercise their rights -- whether it's Second Amendment rights, First Amendment rights, or any other right. Doing that gives bureaucrats the opportunity to abuse their power and illegitimately prevent honest gun owners from buying guns.
2. Bureaucrats have already used the Brady Law to illegitimately deny the Second Amendment rights of innocent Americans. Americans have been prevented from buying guns because of outstanding traffic tickets, because of errors, because the NICS computer system has crashed -- and don't forget returning veterans because of combat-related stress. You give an anti-gun bureaucrat an inch, he'll take a mile -- which we have already seen as GOA has documented numerous instances of the abuses mentioned above.
3. Finally, all the background checks in the world will NOT stop bad guys from getting firearms. As we mentioned in the previous alert, severe restrictions in Washington, DC, England, Canada, Germany and other places have not stopped evil people from using guns to commit murder. (Correction: In our previous alert, we incorrectly identified Ireland as the location of the infamous schoolyard massacre. In fact, it took place in Dunblane, Scotland in 1996 -- a country which at the time had even more stringent laws than we have here.)
McCARTHY BILL TREATING GUN OWNERS WORSE THAN TERRORISTS
HR 297 would require the states to turn over mountains of personal data (on people like you) to the FBI -- any information which according to the Attorney General, in his or her unilateral discretion, would be useful in ascertaining who is or is not a "prohibited person."
Liberal support for this bill points out an interesting hypocrisy in their loyalties: For six years, congressional Democrats have complained about the Bush administration's efforts to obtain personal information on suspected terrorists WITHOUT A COURT ORDER.
And yet, this bill would allow the FBI to obtain massive amounts of information -- information which dwarfs any records obtained from warrantless searches (or wiretaps) that have been conducted by the Bush Administration on known or suspected terrorists operating in the country.
In fact, HR 297 would allow the FBI to get this information on honest Americans (like you) even though the required data is much more private and personal than any information obtained thus far by the Bush administration on terrorists.
And all of these personal records would be obtained by the FBI with no warrant or judicial or Congressional oversight whatsoever!!!
Get the picture? Spying on terrorists is bad... but spying on honest gun owners is good. After all, this horrific intrusion on the private lives of all Americans is presumed to be "okay" because it's only being used to bash guns, not to go after terrorists and criminals who are trying to kill us.
As indicated in earlier alerts, this information could include your medical, psychological, financial, education, employment, traffic, state tax records and more. We don't even know the full extent of what could be included because HR 297 -- which can be viewed at http://thomas.loc.gov by typing in the bill number -- is so open-ended. It requires states to provide the NICS system with ALL RECORDS that the Attorney General believes will help the FBI determine who is and who is not a prohibited person. Certainly, an anti-gun AG like Janet Reno would want as many types of records in the system as possible.
The provision that would probably lead to the greatest number of 'fishing expeditions' is that related to illegal aliens. Federal law prohibits illegal aliens from owning guns. The bill requires all "relevant" data related to who is in this country illegally. But what records pertaining to illegal aliens from the states would be relevant? Perhaps a better question would be, what records are not relevant?
1. Please take a moment to communicate your opposition to HR 297 -- even if you already sent your Representative a note earlier this week. We have provided a new letter (below) which provides updated information relating to the battle we are fighting.
House leaders are talking about bringing up this bill soon. And Sen. Schumer (in his interview with O'Reilly) even hinted at the fact that the bill could come up WITHOUT the ability to offer pro-gun amendments -- such as a repeal of the DC gun ban or reciprocity for concealed carry holders -- provisions that could potentially serve as killer amendments.
Also -- oh yeah, this is going to upset you -- Senator Schumer told O'Reilly, "I got to tell you, a lot of NRA people, they support this." Can you believe that? Senator Schumer is claiming to speak for you! That’s why it's so important that you once again tell your congressman that Schumer is wrong... that you're a supporter of gun rights who OPPOSES the anti-gun McCarthy-Dingell bill.
2. Please circulate this e-mail and forward it to as many gun owners as you can.
CONTACT INFORMATION: You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center to send your Representative the pre-written e-mail message below. And, you can call your Representative toll-free at 1-877-762-8762.
Dear Representative:
As a supporter of Second Amendment rights, I do NOT support HR 297, the NICS Improvement Act. I hope that you will OPPOSE this bill and urge your party leadership to either kill it outright or to allow other pro-gun amendments to be offered (repeal of the DC gun ban, reciprocity for concealed carry holders, etc.).
In its current form, HR 297 will treat gun owners even worse than terrorists, giving the FBI a mountain of private information on law-abiding Americans like me.
How is it that, despite all the criticism over the Bush administration's attempts to obtain personal information on suspected terrorists without a court order, this bill would allow the FBI to obtain massive amounts of information on ME -- information which dwarfs any warrantless searches (or wiretaps) that have been conducted by the Bush Administration on known or suspected terrorists operating in the country.
And all of this personal information would be obtained by the FBI with no warrant or judicial or Congressional oversight whatsoever!!!
How is it that spying on terrorists is bad, but spying on honest gun owners is good?
Again, I hope that you will oppose HR 297. Gun Owners of America will continue to keep me informed on the progress of this bill. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Streaming Video Update
It's an ongoing process of getting permissions, obtaining source discs, and formatting files, but we are continuing to post videos of GOA spokesmen on television as they become available. Please stop by our streaming video section to see what's new this week.
“We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office.” —Aesop
“Form 4473”
My Dad once observed, “In order for there to be a registration law, there must also be a deregistration law.”
But there’s no federal law requiring citizens to report private gun sales. Or for private buyers to register their purchases.
So.... ATFE agents appear at your front door and say that this stack of 4473’s says you own these guns and where are they, please? Answer, “I sold them all.”
(Yes, a new draconian `law’ could decree otherwise.)
Thoughts, anyone?
I cannot understand why anyone who voted for Democrats and whose voting helped create the far left leadership now in place in the House and Senate would want to be posting on Free Republic when there numerous Democrat-oriented websites available. If one wants leftism, I would think one would be better served on leftist websites.
Casting a vote that put Nancy Pelosi in as Speaker of the House, probably the worst Speaker of all time, is just not conservative behavior as far as I can see. I would think that such behavior would be more in accord with the ideals expressed on other websites focusing on the far left.
Your Gun Rights Could Soon Hang In The Balance
Comment# 11 on that thread had the NRA's position a few days ago. Now it's blank. I'm taking that as it's being reconsidered. I hope that is a good sign as this HR 297 could turn into a disaster with the left in charge of Congress. These commies care more about the rights of terrorists and nutjobs than the Constitution and natural rights.
Thanks for the link.
Having the ‘crats on power has been a great thing for the GOP so far.
The ‘crats have actually done nothing legislatively that I’m aware of, but in the process they have shown themselves to be even fruitier and nuttier than any VRWC propganda peice could claim they are.
They’re not going to get anything done because they’ve forsaken their incrementalism and are shooting their wads left and right. In doing so they are giving each other the hot foot and in reality are providing comic relief.
IMO, the rest of us should just keep our powder dry and hatchets scoured and wait for the real engagements.
Beat ya to it. Already sold all mine. Country leaders said that commoners don’t need them except for hunting, and I don’t hunt, so I sold them already.
Molon Labe
It's the old saw: Registration leads to confiscation. 100% of the time. I teach history. History proves my point. All the modern 20th century despots started their reigns of terror with unilateral disarmament of the general populace. Death by Government. To the tune of 56 MILLION in the 20th century alone.
The NRA has been in the middle of this from the start. I think they have been working on part of the bill that would keep people who had minor mental problems from losing their Rights.
Make no mistake. The gun owners are going to see a law where real nutcases are going to be in the background checks. Here’s hoping the way the bill is written, Viet Nam Vets won’t lose their Rights because they visited a shrink.
The fun thing is most of the shrink’s patients are probably dems. Liberalism is a mental disease, after all.
“Molon labe”
The new movie about the Spartans at Thermopylae has brought that defiant response to national attention.
Would that, right now, the N.R.A. adopt “Molon labe!” as its motto!
The problem is that this law will turn the law abiding into criminals.
Best reread and if you still agree with yourself read it again.
Blackbird's answer was correct.
I meant BlackbirdSST.
Are they singled out by name?
How many mildly disturbed people who might get a lot worse will not seek help because they don't want to lose their 2nd A. rights?
Can the disturbed have the other 9 taken too?
If the NRA supports this type of action then I will have to revisit my membership.
They don’t support this action. They try to minimize the damage of the speeding train. Here’s the way the poll will read. “Do you support legislation which will keep seriously mentally disturbed individuals from buying an assault weapon?” Y/N
The GOA just sits and watches from the sidelines. Oh, wait. They send those all important emails.
No, I know he was right, but it goes deeper than a loss of an inalienable right, or even an infringement...
He really doesn’t get an “F”, the deeper answer is much more than the infringement to us...But we all know that is just the start...
Its always been like this, and the reaction by those who do not respect the inalienable rights endowed upon us, their reaction is comicably predictable...We all knew it was coming...
Should I assume if this passes “you” would give up the arms that “they” know about??? Even though I know you got a few tucked away like everyone else (we know) does for that “rainy” day???
I know you better than that, and you know I was not implying a capitulation to this effort, much less the gun-control agenda in general...
I apologize if I was not clear or even if some considered I was in error in my analysis of this “new” thing they are throwing at us now...
My intent is to state that I do not believe this will gain much traction, even in todays congressional shift to a liberal lean in D.C.
There was a clearing of RINO’s that were a bane to protecting the 2nd Amendment, and that there strangely enough liberal democrats with proven NRA A+ ratings...
But...
You know as well as I do that I only believe in what they do when the rubber hits the road...
Also...
To make an act criminal, you must first establish before writing a law to criminalize that act that it is not an inalienable, constitutional right...
If picking your nose was arbitrarily made illegal, and everyone who picks their nose is an instant criminal based upon the passing of a law...How fast do you think that would get shot down??? Much less get passed for any reason...
I’m still going to pick my nose, and I am sure others will too, regardless of a law...
So the of passing a law that exposes you to scrutiny as a gunowner, and risking you in the future for attention in some unlikely confiscatory policy, to me, I still hold fast that there will be “many” of us who will “not” comply with such a violation of our basic inalienable/individual right to keep and bear arms...
You won’t be a criminal in many peoples opinion, not just mine...
Who defines “seriously mentally disturbed individuals”?
What is an “assault weapon”? They are actually going to use this term?
Finally, the “disturbed” can buy handguns because even the stupidest in the MSM don’t call them “assault weapons”.
We know each other and I am a member of the NRA, but I do need some clarification.
Thanks,
Eaker
You can’t beat a socialist in an election with socialism-lite.”
Amen! I’m sick and tired of the “hold your nose and vote” crowd. The republicans got trounced because the system worked exactly as intended. If there was a viable, third conservative party the republicans would be resigned to having a few private drinking clubs named after them and little else. Republicans have to do better.
All the little blame the voter crybabies out there need to shut up and write their republican office holder/candidate and tell them to BE conservative, not just pretend to be one. Conservatism wins elections, conservatism guarantees gun rights. Socialism lite is just a limp-wristed version of the democrat party. November 2006 is a date the republicans better remember whenever they consider veering to the left again.
Every Federal gun law is illegal and there are thousands.
Why is this any different?
Go for a mile and accept an inch is the slippery slope and the libs are very good at this approach. They have gained many a mile an inch at a time.
I didn’t teach my kids to shoot for them to have their right to protect themselves from a tyrannical government taken away because I was caught with my head up my ass.
VOTE CONSERVATIVE IN 2008 AND LET THESE IDIOTS KNOW WHO WE ARE!
Thats why some of us have made off the record exchanges...
There has never been anything illegal about that, if the persons doing the business are legal to own and possess firearms in the first place...
Which is a pretty good precentage, if not all of us here...
Consider this for something to ponder...
“IF” it ever came to the point where the government made it known that it would gather up all the 4473’s it could to facilitate a registration, or information gathering effort, to an eventual “confiscation” of “illegal” weaponry???
I would say it “might” be safe to say that that information might not be available to them because of a series of unfortunate events that would make that information irrecoverable, unavailable, etc etc...
If I were an FFL, I could safely say that I might be clever enough to....”Awwwwww, man! They stole everything except this firearm thats not on your ban or confiscation list!” Darn the luck...
I can also immagine the threats that could be imposed to FFL’s and possible incarceration because of this...But maybe thats the least of what will be lost individually “if” it ever comes to this...
Maybe I should just hush up about all of this, but you asks for thoughts/opinions...
hehehe, I know, I give headaches out in droves...
But I am only speculating...
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