Anti-gunners shamelessly exploit
september 11 tragedies
As we predicted, the anti-Second Amendment community has employed the
disgraceful tactic of exploiting our nation`s fear over terrorism to
promote attacks on our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. On September 25, the
Boston Globe published a grossly misleading attack on gun shows by
syndicated columnist Tom Oliphant-an attack clearly inspired by a
"fact sheet" provided to him by the anti-gun organization
called Americans for Gun Safety (AGS). Oliphant and AGS seem to have
collaborated in a deliberate attempt to inject the word
"terrorist" into the gun show debate by digging up a case the
FBI began investigating more than a year ago. Oliphant and AGS attempted
to use the case of a convicted felon, Ali Boumelhem, suspected of going
to gun shows to purchase firearms intended to be shipped overseas for
use in terrorist activities as a reason for promoting legislation that
would shut down gun shows as we know them today. The facts do not
support the anti-gunners, though, because the system worked-the suspect
was arrested, prosecuted, and convicted in federal court.
In order to foster the ruse that there was a link between gun shows
and terrorism, AGS selectively edited material it sent journalists and
members of Congress to try to create a nexus for its agenda of placing
new restrictions on law-abiding gun owners. The AGS "fact
sheet" mailing states an FBI informant previously had seen
Boumelhem in Beirut unloading shipments of weapons and explosives. The
Middle East Intelligence Bulletin, which AGS cites as its source, is
much more specific, saying the FBI informant "had seen Boumelhem in
Beirut unloading shipments of automatic weapons, explosives, grenades
and rocket launchers." Clearly, "automatic weapons,
explosives, grenades and rocket launchers" was changed to
"weapons and explosives" by AGS, knowing full well that none
of those items can be bought or sold at any gun show anywhere in
America.
AGS, the recent creation of anti-gun billionaire (and a past board
member of the gun-ban lobby formally known as HCI) Andrew McKelvey, was
conceived as a public relations ploy to push the same old gun control
agenda behind the facade of "third way" centrist rhetoric. And
despite its carefully focus-grouped moniker, McKelvey`s creation has
zero Americans for members and nothing to do with gun safety programs.
AGS is joined in its shameless exploitation of tragedy by McKelvey`s
old friends at HCI. But Sarah Brady`s gun-ban lobby took Oliphant`s
column a step further, and is using it to promote the registration of
all law-abiding gun purchasers. But even more shamelessly than AGS,
which refuses to publicly admit its true national agenda is the
licensing and registration of all gun owners, HCI has further expanded
the exploitation of the tragic events of September 11. Virtually every
release from the gun-ban lobby concerning the recent terrorist
attacks-attacks, we should all remember, that did not involve any
firearms-has included a pitch promoting its anti-gun agenda. Even a
recent release regarding the discussion of arming airline pilots as a
possible safeguard against terrorist hijackings saw the gun-ban lobby`s
president, Michael Barnes, include a pitch for registering gun owners.
In the days and weeks to come, Congress will consider many proposals
that seek to ensure America`s safety from terrorists, but promoting
attacks on legal gun shows and pushing registration schemes for
law-abiding gun owners have no place in this discussion. Be sure to let
your federal lawmakers know that the debate over legislative attacks on
legal gun shows, such as S. 767, introduced by U.S. Senator Jack Reed
(D-R.I.), and S. 890, introduced by U.S. Senators Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.)
and John McCain (R-Ariz.), have no place in an appropriate congressional
debate on the threat of terrorism. Be sure to contact your U.S.
Senators, at (202) 224-3121, and your U.S. Representative, at (202)
225-3121, and urge them to do everything possible to end the threat of
terrorism, but not at the expense of our freedom. You can also find
contact information for your federal lawmakers by using our "Write
Your Reps" tool found at www.NRAILA.org.
MORE PROBLEMS
FOR THE GUN-BAN LOBBY
While still a considerable threat to the Second Amendment, the gun
ban lobby formally known as HCI has fallen on hard times. Not only has
mainstream America consistently rejected its anti-gun agenda, but now it
seems its supporters are losing interest as well. The group announced
this week that it had to lay off nearly 20% of its staff, apparently due
to the fact that contributions are rapidly drying up. Could this mean
that many in the anti-gun community are starting to realize that
attacking law-abiding gun owners is not the answer to addressing
crime-or terrorism? A front page article in the September 27 issue of
Roll Call may give this theory some support. The article relates how
many on Capitol Hill are responding to the recent terrorist attacks, and
the possibility that more attacks may be in the future, and states,
"Several lawmakers described colleagues-including some advocates of
strict controls on handguns-who are now seeking firearms training in
hopes of protecting themselves if the need should arise." Even film
maker Michael Moore, who helped pressure Kmart into pulling handgun
ammunition from its shelves earlier this year, seems to have changed
some of his views. Writing about his experience while visiting the site
of the attacks on the World Trade Center, Moore commented, "This
started out as a documentary on gun violence in America, but the largest
mass murder in our history was just committed-without the use of a
single gun! Not a single bullet fired! No bomb was set off, no missile
was fired, no weapon . . . was used. A boxcutter!-I can`t stop thinking
about this. A thousand gun control laws would not have prevented this
massacre. What am I doing?"
Unfortunately, even as HCI and the gun-ban movement continue to lose
support, they remain credible threats to our Right to Keep and Bear
Arms. Anti-gun elitists such as AGS`s billionare Andrew McKelvey can
still funnel incredible amounts of financial support into anti-gun
efforts. And while most in the mainstream media have currently turned
their focus to America`s response to terrorism, it is likely only a
matter of time before America`s return to normalcy includes a return to
the mainstream media`s biased support of gun control.
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