Tag: GOA

RKBA

National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Vote Imminent

Post author By Scott
Post date July 17, 2009
No Comments on National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Vote Imminent

Vote on Right to Carry Coming Soon
— Please urge your Senators to vote YES!

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org
Friday, July 17, 2009

A vote to protect your right to travel out-of-state with a firearm could
come to a vote next week — even as early as Monday!

Senators John Thune and David Vitter are the sponsors of S. 845 — a
bill that will establish concealed carry reciprocity amongst the several
states.

Senators Thune and Vitter offered the bill as an amendment (#1618) to
the Department of Defense authorization bill (H.R. 2647).

This provision will use the constitutional authority allowing Congress
to enforce “full faith and credit” across the country, so that each
state respects the “public acts, records, and judicial proceedings” of
every other state (Article IV).

The benefit of the Thune/Vitter legislation is that — unlike other,
competing measures — it would protect the right of any U.S. citizen to
carry out of state (regardless of whether he possesses a permit), as
long as he is authorized to carry in his home state. This is important
because of states like Vermont and Alaska, where residents can carry
concealed without prior approval or permission from the state… in
other words, without a permit!

ACTION: Please urge your Senators to vote YES on the Thune/Vitter
concealed carry reciprocity amendment that will be offered to the
Department of Defense authorization bill and NO on any modifying
amendments. This vote could come as early as Monday, so please act on
this right away!

You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Senators the
pre-written e-mail message below.

—– Pre-written letter —–

Dear Senator:

Please support the Thune/Vitter amendment to the Department of Defense
authorization bill. This amendment will protect the right of citizens to
carry firearms outside of their home state without violating the rights
of the other states. Thus, the reciprocity language masterfully protects
the principle of federalism while also promoting Second Amendment
rights.

A person’s right to defend himself and his family should not end at the
border of his state.

I urge you to vote for the Thune/Vitter concealed carry amendment and to
oppose any modifying actions that seek to weaken their amendment.

Sincerely,

Please do not reply directly to this message, as your reply will
bounce back as undeliverable.

To subscribe to free, low-volume GOA alerts, go to
http://www.gunowners.org/ean.htm on the web. Change of e-mail
address may also be made at that location.

Problems, questions or comments? The main GOA e-mail address
goamail@gunowners.org is at your disposal. Please do not add that
address to distribution lists sending more than ten messages per
week or lists associated with issues other than gun rights.

Scott’s website
Scott Blog

Tags CCW, ccw laws, GOA, Right to Keep and Bear Arms, RTKBA, vote

Politics RKBA

Obama Pushing Treaty To Ban Reloading

Post author By Scott
Post date April 21, 2009
No Comments on Obama Pushing Treaty To Ban Reloading

Obama Pushing Treaty To Ban Reloading
— Even BB guns could be on the chopping block

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Remember CANDIDATE Barack Obama? The guy who “wasn’t going to take away
our guns”?

Well, guess what?

Less than 100 days into his administration, he’s never met a gun he
didn’t hate.

A week ago, Obama went to Mexico, whined about the United States, and
bemoaned (before the whole world) the fact that he didn’t have the
political power to take away our semi-automatics. Nevertheless, that
didn’t keep him from pushing additional restrictions on American gun
owners.

It’s called the Inter-American Convention Against Illicit Manufacturing
of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other
Related Materials. To be sure, this imponderable title masks a really
nasty piece of work.

First of all, when the treaty purports to ban the “illicit” manufacture
of firearms, what does that mean?

“Illicit manufacturing” of firearms is defined as “assembly of
firearms [or] ammunition… without a license….”

Hence, reloading ammunition — or putting together a lawful firearm from
a kit — is clearly “illicit manufacturing.”

Modifying a firearm in any way would surely be “illicit manufacturing.”
And, while it would be a stretch, assembling a firearm after cleaning it
could, in any plain reading of the words, come within the screwy
definition of “illicit manufacturing.”

“Firearm” has a similarly questionable definition.

“[A]ny other weapon” is a “firearm,” according to the treaty — and the
term “weapon” is nowhere defined.

So, is a BB gun a “firearm”? Probably.

A toy gun? Possibly.

A pistol grip or firing pin? Probably. And who knows what else.

If these provisions (and others) become the law of the land, the Obama
administration could have a heyday in enforcing them. Consider some of
the other provisions in the treaty:

Banning Reloading. In Article IV of the treaty, countries commit to
adopting “necessary legislative or other measures” to criminalize
illicit manufacturing and trafficking in firearms.

Remember that “illicit manufacturing” includes reloading and modifying
or assembling a firearm in any way. This would mean that the Obama
administration could promulgate regulations banning reloading on the
basis of this treaty — just as it is currently circumventing Congress
to write legislation taxing greenhouse gases.

Banning Gun Clubs. Article IV goes on to state that the criminalized
acts should include “association or conspiracy” in connection with said
offenses — which is arguably a term broad enough to allow, by
regulation, the criminalization of entire pro-gun organizations or gun
clubs, based on the facilities which they provide their membership.
Extraditing US Gun Dealers. Article V requires each party to “adopt
such measures as may be necessary to establish its jurisdiction over the
offenses it has established in accordance with this Convention” under a
variety of circumstances.

We know that Mexico is blaming U.S. gun dealers for the fact that its
streets are flowing with blood. And we know it is possible for Mexico
to define offenses “committed in its territory” in a very broad way.
And we know that we have an extradition obligation under Article XIX of
the proposed treaty. So we know that Mexico could try to use the treaty
to demand to extradition of American gun dealers.

Under Article XXIX, if Mexico demands the extradition of a lawful
American gun dealer, the U.S. would be required to resolve the dispute
through “other means of peaceful settlement.”

Does anyone want to risk twenty years in a sweltering Mexican jail on
the proposition that the Obama administration would apply this provision
in a pro-gun manner?

Microstamping. Article VI requires “appropriate markings” on
firearms. And, it is not inconceivable that this provision could be
used to require microstamping of firearms and/or ammunition — a
requirement which is clearly intended to impose specifications which are
not technologically possible or which are possible only at a
prohibitively expensive cost.

Gun Registration. Article XI requires the maintenance of any records,
for a “reasonable time,” that the government determines to be necessary
to trace firearms. This provision would almost certainly repeal
portions of McClure-Volkmer and could arguably be used to require a
national registry or database.

ACTION: Write your Senators and urge them to oppose the Inter-American
Convention Against Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms,
Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials.

Please use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Senators the
pre-written e-mail message below.

—– Pre-written letter —–

Dear Senator:

I am urging you, in the strongest terms, to oppose the Inter-American
Convention Against Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms,
Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials.

This anti-gun treaty was written by international bureaucrats who are
either stupid or virulently anti-gun — or both.

This treaty could very well ban the ability to reload ammunition, to put
new stocks on rifles lawfully owned by American citizens, and, possibly,
even ban BB guns!

There are too many problems with this treaty to mention them all in this
letter. The rest can be read on the website of Gun Owners of America
at:
http://www.gunowners.org/fs0901.htm

Please do not tell me the treaty has not yet been abused in this way by
the bevy of Third World countries which have signed it. We do not
expect the real ramifications of the treaty to become clear until the
big prize — the U.S. — has stepped into the trap.

For all of these reasons, I must insist that you oppose ratification of
the treaty.

Sincerely,

What’s Your Current GOA Status?

Obviously, we now face years of invigorated attacks on our gun rights.
Shutting down gun shows, prohibitions on specific calibers, another
semi-auto ban, and the anti-gun extremists’ Holy Grail of mandatory
federal licensing and registration of all gun owners — these are just
some of the horrors that we already know we’ll have to defeat head-on.
Not to mention this treaty nonsense. Meanwhile, we’ll take every
opportunity to go on offense and advance the Second Amendment.

It can’t be done without every single voice being counted. That’s why
we are asking you to consider making the commitment of becoming a Gun
Owners of America Life Member. By doing so, you put the politicians on
notice that neither you nor GOA is going away — that no matter who’s in
the White House, there is always going to be a solid wall of resistance.

Now is a perfect time to become a Life Member. And if you aren’t a GOA
member at all, isn’t it time you became one?

Please go to http://gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm to upgrade your
participation in GOA.

Please do not reply directly to this message, as your reply will
bounce back as undeliverable.

To subscribe to free, low-volume GOA alerts, go to
http://www.gunowners.org/ean.htm on the web. Change of e-mail
address may also be made at that location.

To unsubscribe send a message to
gunowners_list@capwiz.mailmanager.net with the word unsubscribe in
the subject line or use the url below.

Tags GOA, gun conrol, Oboma, reloading

2nd Amendment RKBA

End of the Year Report

GOA Members Win Key Battles in 2008
— While gun rights advanced this year, the prospects for next year
look very tough

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm

“The best Second Amendment defense organization in the country is Gun
Owners of America.” — Joseph Farrah, founder and CEO of

WorldNetDaily.com, September 2008

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Change.

That’s what the next four years are going to bring. More government
regulations… more government spending… and more battles over gun
control.

Once Barack Obama takes his oath of office in January, he will
become, without a doubt, the most anti-gun President this nation has
ever seen.

How are gun owners responding to the oncoming Obama presidency? By
the tens of thousands, they are pouring into gun stores all across
the country and stocking up on guns and ammo, fearing the worst.
Many buyers include first-time gun owners.

And while that is not a bad idea, it’s a short term solution to a
long-term problem that does nothing to defend our Second Amendment
rights from being eliminated by a Congress controlled by people like
Ted Kennedy, Chuck Schumer, Carolyn McCarthy and other notorious gun
grabbers.

That’s why we need you to stand with Gun Owners of America next year.
If you have never become a GOA member — or you’ve let your
membership lapse — we need you on board so that we have the
ammunition necessary to fight every gun control bill that comes our
way.

It takes less than five minutes to go to
http://www.gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm and sign up. By doing so,
you will be joining — in the words of WorldNetDaily’s founder — the
“best Second Amendment defense organization in the country.”

We need you now more than ever, as we are surely in for the fight of
our lives!

Even so, despite all the hurdles that we see ahead, one should not
forget that 2008 was a real improvement for gun rights in many
respects. Gun Owners of America experienced victories in the
courts… in the Congress… over federal bureaucracies… and in the
states.

The following victories are just a few of the accomplishments that
GOA was able to achieve this year with YOUR HELP. So let’s take a
look at our work together, month by month.

January – February

As the new year dawns, President Bush signs the Veterans
Disarmament Act (a.k.a. the NICS Improvement Amendments Act). This
legislation codifies illegitimate procedures that, over the past
decade, had already resulted in almost 150,000 veterans being denied
the right to buy guns because battle-related stress has supposedly
rendered them unable to manage their own financial affairs.

GOA was able to win some significant concession in the bill, even as
we were trying to kill it outright. Unfortunately, the bill passed
both houses of Congress last year without a vote. Republican Senator
Jim DeMint of South Carolina later complained that the Democrat
controlled Senate had passed 94 percent of its bills this year
without a recorded vote.

An Associate Director in the U.S. Interior Department defends the
National Park Service ban claiming that “parks are safe places” and
that right to carry laws “do not reduce crime” or protect people
against dangerous wildlife. GOA responds by generating thousands
upon thousands of postcards into the Oval Office, asking President
Bush to put the squeeze on Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to get
the NPS ban reversed — a reversal that will come about in May.
The U.S. Solicitor General files a brief with the U.S. Supreme
Court in the D.C. v. Heller case arguing that categorical gun bans of
virtually all self-defense firearms are constitutional if a court
determines they are “reasonable” — the lowest standard of
constitutional review. This view could justify a national ban on all
firearms, including a ban on all hunting rifles.

GOA works with Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA) and helps him to quickly get
57 additional congressmen to oppose the Solicitor General’s opinion.

Because of generous contributions from its members, GOA is able to
submit a very unique amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court in
defense of Dick Anthony Heller, who was denied the right to own a gun
in the nation�s capital as a result of the draconian gun ban which
exists there.

In this hard-hitting brief, GOA takes aim at the weak arguments put
forth by both the DC government and the Bush Administration. But
more than that, GOA examines the favorable text and context of the
Second Amendment in great detail, while also documenting the pro-gun
history that formed the backdrop of its inclusion into the Bill of
Rights.

March – May

After looking at all the briefs which have been submitted in the
Heller case, the editors at USA Today decide to use GOA for the
opposing voice on March 19. The paper’s editors tell our attorneys
that GOA had an argument that was clearly distinctive, as we were the
only ones to argue that the words “shall not be infringed”
invalidated all federal gun control laws.

In the states, GOA helped Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming to pass
Emergency Protection bills throughout the country. These bills
repeal laws that allow police to confiscate firearms during a
declared emergency, such as what occurred in New Orleans after
Hurricane Katrina decimated the city in 2005.

The sponsor of the Utah legislation, Senator Mark Madsen (R), thanked
GOA in March for the help we offered in helping pass the legislation
in his state.

“GOA supplied me with video that documented the plight of decent gun
owners in New Orleans who had their guns stolen by police after
Hurricane Katrina,” Madsen said. “The DVD was very helpful in
educating other members of the Utah legislature, and my bill to
protect Utah gun owners from gun confiscation, SB 157, passed by
overwhelming margins.”

Sen. Madsen’s new law is one of the best in the country. If someone
were to have his gun illegitimately confiscated, that person could
not only sue for damages, but could hold the offending officer and
his superior personally liable.

GOA’s attorneys uncover a proposal in April to keep gun owners from
shipping replica or inert munitions through the mail. GOA
immediately submitted a blistering critique to the U.S. Post Office
and contacted thousands of grassroots activists so they could submit
their own comments as well. To date, the agency has backed off of
its original gun control proposal.

The Bush administration, after more than seven years, has finally
issued regulations permitting the carrying of firearms in national
parks! Beginning in 2009, gun owners will be able to carry firearms
according to the laws of the state in which the park is located.

GOA learns about Pastor Phillip Miles of South Carolina, who was
sentenced to three years in a Russian prison for carrying a single
box of hunting ammo in his luggage, intended as a gift. GOA urges
President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice to intervene on
Miles’ behalf, as the sentence definitely did not fit the “crime.”
Russian authorities succumb to the outcry shortly thereafter… Miles
is released in June and returns to the United States.

June – August

The Supreme Court strikes down the DC gun ban! While not perfect,
the Court’s decision recognizes that the Second Amendment protects an
“individual right” and states that the decades-old ban in the
nation’s capital is unconstitutional.

GOA’s brief had countered both the DC government and the Bush
Administration — as the latter had asked the Court to use the DC
case as a justification for all sorts of gun control. GOA is pleased
that the Justices heeded our admonition to limit the Court’s holding
to the case before it, thus shooting down both the DC government and
the Bush Administration in their quest to validate other firearms
restrictions.

GOA Executive Director Larry Pratt escorts David Olofson to a
federal prison in Minnesota. Olofson was convicted in federal court
of transferring a malfunctioning semi-automatic firearm which the ATF
claimed was machine gun — a determination that should concern every
gun owner who owns a semi-auto.

Gun Owners of America becomes the lead gun organization fighting
against the ATF’s persecution of Olofson. In taking on this case,
GOA is also defending the rights of gun owners who could be
prosecuted for owning a malfunctioning firearm. For the ATF, a gun
that misfires is an excellent opportunity to rack up an easy
conviction on an illegal machine gun charge.

In Olofson’s defense, GOA submits an appeal challenging his
conviction at the district court level, and sets up a relief fund to
help pay for his family’s mortgage and car payments.

September – November

David Olofson’s wife, Candy, thanks GOA and its members for helping
their family. Candy tells GOA Executive Director Larry Pratt that
because of the financial help that GOA members have given, she has
not had to get a second job, so she is able to spend time being a
Mom.

GOA’s Larry Pratt travels to the Big Easy to award a brand new
handgun to Patricia Konie — the New Orleans resident who was tackled
and disarmed by police in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Konie was
forced to evacuate her home in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005,
and until recently, had remained disarmed. To this day, she has
never gotten back her stolen gun.

GOA tells its email activists how the ATF was trying to prevent the
distribution of an electronic 4473 Form. This software has been
developed by a private firm, Coloseum Software Corporation, and is
intended to protect dealers against the “mistakes” that have allowed
the ATF to prosecute or harass them into giving up their licenses.

GOA issued a grassroots alert in mid-October explaining how the ATF
had been dragging its collective feet for months — keeping Coloseum
from distributing its software, even while the ATF was developing its
own competing software (and possibly, violating the copyright which
belonged to Coloseum).

After GOA asked gun owners to contact the Bush Administration, the
owner of Coloseum contacted us shortly thereafter to tell us that our
alert had been a tremendous success: “After the GOA alert put the
spotlight on criminal activity by the BATFE, they quickly provided us
[Coloseum Software Corp] with the required documentation for the new
Form 4473 which we had been asking for months.”

GOA is on the front lines, fighting to defend your rights. Even if
you have already renewed your membership in GOA, we hope you will
consider making an additional contribution.

With your extra support in 2009, we will fight off every new attack
on our gun rights. And we will remind the Democratic Congress what
happened to their majority the last time they followed an anti-gun
President down this path.

This next year is going to be our most difficult year in a long, long
time. Already, President-elect Obama is surrounding himself with
virulent anti-gunners:

His pick for Attorney General went to a committed gun grabber in
Eric Holder. Holder signed on to an amicus brief in the Heller case
which SUPPORTED the DC ban on handguns and the ban on using any
firearm for self-defense in a person�s home. Holder’s brief also
argued that the Second Amendment protects a “collective” right, not
an individual right (as the Supreme Court eventually ruled).

And based on his pick for Chief of Staff, you can be sure that the
Obama administration will use any “crisis” it can to push its gun
control agenda. Obama’s Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, told the Wall
Street Journal recently that, “You never want a serious crisis to go
to waste…. [A] crisis provides the opportunity for us to do things
that you could not do before.”

Get it? Every time a crackpot goes on a shooting spree, the Obama
administration is going to use that “crisis” to come after your guns!

So please make the decision to stay with us in the upcoming year, as
it will be critical for America’s gun rights. Whether you can help
us out with your gift of $35 or $3500, your contribution will be put
immediately into the fight to preserve and restore all of our gun
rights.

Please go to http://www.gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm and stay with
us in 2009!

Please do not reply directly to this message, as your reply will
bounce back as undeliverable.

To subscribe to free, low-volume GOA alerts, go to
http://www.gunowners.org/ean.htm on the web. Change of e-mail
address may also be made at that location.

Tags GOA, gun, gun conrol, gun owners, Right to Keep and Bear Arms, RKBA

2nd Amendment RKBA

GOA 2008 Voter Guide Update

Post author By Scott
Post date October 21, 2008
No Comments on GOA 2008 Voter Guide Update

With the Elections Just Two Weeks Away…
GOA’s Voter Guide is now more user-friendly than ever!

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The GOA Political Victory Fund website is now hosting GOA’s voter guide ratings. If you haven’t checked out the ratings for the candidates who are running for Congress in your state, now is the time to do so.

You can go to http://www.goapvf.org to check out the new face lift.
Congressional and presidential ratings are all in one place now, and users will find the information they’re looking for in a much timelier manner.

The election is now just two weeks away! And while most candidates are running from the gun issue, GOA’s ratings hold their feet to the fire.

You owe it to yourself to check out the record of those who are trying to represent you in Congress, and to encourage others you know to check out the ratings as well.

GOA hopes you will make use of this valuable tool and share it with yourfamily and friends. Please distribute this e-mail far and wide. Thank you!

Are You A Bitter Clinger?– 3XL Now Available

Who is a Bitter Clinger? According to Sen. Barack Obama, who was recorded unawares at a San Francisco fundraiser, bitter clingers are
voters who are bitter because of their economic frustration and so cling bitterly to their Bibles and their guns.

If you are a bitter clinger, Gun Owners of America has a T-shirt for you!

You can proudly proclaim your membership in this class of people so looked down upon by the elites in our country.

To see the Bitter Clinger T-shirt, and for ordering information, go to:

http://www.gunowners.org/merch9066.htm

Please do not reply directly to this message, as your reply will
bounce back as undeliverable.

To subscribe to free, low-volume GOA alerts, go to
http://www.gunowners.org/ean.htm on the web. Change of e-mail
address may also be made at that location.

To unsubscribe send a message to
gunowners_list@capwiz.mailmanager.net with the word unsubscribe in
the subject line or use the url below.

Problems, questions or comments? The main GOA e-mail address
goamail@gunowners.org is at your disposal. Please do not add that address to distribution lists sending more than ten messages per week or lists associated with issues other than gun rights.

Tags election, GOA, Vote Guide

2nd Amendment RKBA

Concealed Carry Reciprocity In Congress!

Post author By Scott
Post date May 13, 2008
No Comments on Concealed Carry Reciprocity In Congress!

Senator Vitter To Offer Concealed Carry Reciprocity Amendment
— Action needed right away!

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Senator David Vitter (R-LA) has filed a pro-gun amendment to HR 980, and it
could be voted on as early as tomorrow!

This amendment would protect the right of citizens to carry concealed
weapons (outside of their home state) in states that allow concealed carry.

Sen. Vitter explains that his amendment does not violate the rights of
states as it “does NOT establish national standards for concealed carry, nor
does it provide for a national carry permit.”

In other words, the Vitter amendment specifically says that state laws
concerning specific types of locations in which firearms may not be carried
shall be followed. “My amendment will not federalize concealed carry
permits but simply requires concealed carry permits to be recognized in
other states that allow concealed carry permits,” Vitter said.

This is a real reciprocity provision which grants citizens the “full faith
and credit” protection that is guaranteed in Article IV of the Constitution.
Section 1 of this article says:

Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts,
Records, and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress
may by general Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records, and
Proceedings shall be proved, and the Effect thereof.

Vitter says that this constitutional provision authorizes the Congress to
pass legislation forcing each state to recognize the “public Acts” of other
states. So if states are not willing to recognize another state’s laws,
Congress has the authority to pass laws to require recognition of those
measures.

It’s just like with driver’s licenses. If certain states refused to honor
the driver’s licenses of citizens in other states, Congress could pass
legislation (under Article IV) to require every state to honor all licenses.

ACTION: Please urge your Senators to vote for the Vitter amendment to HR
980 to protect the right to carry concealed firearms outside of your home
state.

You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at
http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Senators the pre-written
e-mail message below. And, you can call your Senators at 202-224-3121 or
toll-free at 1-877-762-8762.

—– Pre-written letter —–

Dear Senator:

Please support the Vitter amendment to HR 980. This amendment will protect
the right of citizens to carry firearms outside of their home state without
violating the rights of other states. Thus, the Vitter language masterfully
protects the principle of federalism while also promoting Second Amendment
rights.

A person’s right to defend himself and his family should not end at the
border of his state.

I urge you to vote for the Vitter concealed carry amendment.

Sincerely,

Defend The 2nd Amendment Through Creative Giving…

As we confront the challenges of the future, we know that the generosity of
those who assist us will make all the difference in our success. That’s why
GOA seeks your long-term support.

Please call 703-321-8585 during regular business hours or e-mail
goamail@gunowners.org to request information on how to keep control of your
assets and make a gift at the same time through:

a bequest
a retirement plan
a will, living trust, or insurance policy

Requests for information are confidential and do not represent an
obligation.

Please do not reply directly to this message, as your reply will
bounce back as undeliverable.

To subscribe to free, low-volume GOA alerts, go to
http://www.gunowners.org/ean.htm on the web. Change of e-mail
address may also be made at that location.

To unsubscribe send a message to
gunowners_list@capwiz.mailmanager.net with the word unsubscribe in
the subject line or use the url below.

Problems, questions or comments? The main GOA e-mail address
goamail@gunowners.org is at your disposal. Please do not add that
address to distribution lists sending more than ten messages per

week or lists associated with issues other than gun rights.

Tags Concealed Weapons Permit, GOA, gun, RKBA

2nd Amendment RKBA

Ramifications Of The Veterans Disarmament Act

Post author By Scott
Post date January 8, 2008
No Comments on Ramifications Of The Veterans Disarmament Act

Q&A On The Veterans Disarmament Act
— How the new law will affect you and where we go from here

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://www.gunowners.org

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

As most Americans were preparing for the Christmas holidays last
month, the U.S. Congress pulled another fast one when only few people
were watching.

It was December 19. Most Congressmen had left town and were either
at the airport or in the air returning home. They weren’t in
Washington, DC, because their party leadership had told them that all
the major votes were over… that the only legislative business left
related to non-controversial issues, such as when Congress would
return from Christmas break, etc.

But it was then, with most of the Congress gone, that the House and
Senate passed the Veterans Disarmament Act without a recorded vote.
It was a huge deja vu, as this was the method that a previous
Democratic Congress used — together with compliant Republicans — to
pass the original Brady Law in 1993.

WHO IS TO BLAME?

In the fury that resulted from this “fast one,” many Americans have
wanted to blame the entire lot of them… all 535 congressmen. And,
to be sure, there is an extent to which they all share some blame.

But to be fair, no one congressmen can camp out on the floor of the
House or Senate chambers, every day, 24/7. It’s a physical
impossibility, which is why members of each party rely on their
leadership to protect their interests and keep them informed. And
that’s where the betrayal occurred.

No Unanimous Consent agreement can pass the House or Senate without
the leaders of both parties signing off. And on December 19, the
leaders of each party sent their members home for the Christmas
holidays, while forging Unanimous Consent agreements in each chamber.

As such, the immediate ire should be directed at the following
legislators: Democrats such as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
(D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV); Republicans such
as House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and Senate Minority
Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Obviously, the backers of the Veterans Disarmament Act should be held
to account, as well. Most of the lead sponsors were Democrats —
such as Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

But there were a few key Republicans who helped cosponsor the
legislation: Representatives Michael Castle (DE), Christopher Shays
(CT) and Lamar Smith (TX). And dishonorable mention goes to Tom
Price of Georgia who was physically present on the House floor on
December 19. It was Rep. Price who asked for the Unanimous Consent
agreement to pass the Veterans Disarmament Act without a vote.

Finally, many of you know that Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) held up the
bill in the Senate for several months. His intentions were laudable
as he desperately wanted to protect Second Amendment rights and cut
unconstitutional spending.

Unfortunately, not one pro-gun senator chose to stand with Coburn…
not one. In fact, GOA felt just as alone as Coburn did. While two
veterans groups (and several pro-gun state groups) sided with us, GOA
was the only pro-gun group at the federal level that actively fought
this legislation week after week, while another and bigger
organization was working behind the scenes to help pass the Veterans
Disarmament Act.

Standing alone, Senator Coburn decided to negotiate for a better
bill. GOA was asked for input and made a few contributions to the
bill, but not enough to justify support for the Veterans Disarmament
Act.

Add to this fact that GOA was prevented from seeing the final version
of the bill before the brokered Schumer-Coburn compromise was taken
to the floor under a Unanimous Consent agreement.

As a result, Senator Coburn spoke in favor of the compromise bill on the floor of the Senate — something that was a huge mistake, for many of the glaring problems with the bill still remained untouched.

So chalk up a victory for Chuck Schumer… and for Carolyn McCarthy
as well, as she told CBS News, “This is the best Christmas present I
could ever receive.”

WHAT DOES THE BILL DO IN GENERAL?

It would be a mistake to under-react — or over-react — to the
passage of the Veterans Disarmament Act. On the bad side, this bill
statutorily validates BATF regulations which could potentially disarm
millions of Americans. This is a VERY DANGEROUS turn of events which
will have huge ramifications over the next several decades.

The extent to which its unconstitutional potential will be realized
will be clear only over time — and perhaps a long time — and will
depend on whether pro-gunners or anti-gunners are in power. For
example, it took a full thirty years for language in the 1968 Gun
Control Act to be used to disarm veterans.

On the other hand, GOA was able to secure a few modest concessions
which should provide some protection to gun owners — though NOT
NEARLY ENOUGH PROTECTION TO JUSTIFY SUPPORT of this bill.

So having said that, what are the implications of this legislation
for Americans with psychiatric diagnoses?

Although we succeeded in forcing the deletion of the ratification of
the BATF regulations, per se, section 101 (c) (1) (C) contains new
language which could make you a “prohibited person” (unable to own a
gun) based solely on a medical finding (by a psychiatrist or
psychologist), provided:

That you had “an opportunity for a hearing by a court, board,
commission or other lawful authority”; and
In the future, that you had notice that you would be made a
“prohibited person” as a result of the agency action (section 101 (c)
(3)). [NOTE: This was added pursuant to negotiations over GOA’s
objections to the bill.]

However, even these modest gains have severe limitations. Up to
140,000 veterans had their gun rights taken away as a result of a
diagnosis of a mental disorder such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD). But this new law does not require two important things for
those 140,000 people:

The new law does not require that a veteran needed to have any knowledge of the ramifications of the “diagnosis” in the past — and the fact that this diagnosis could disarm him or her for life. How many veterans suffering from PTSD simply went to Veterans Affairs, hoping to get treatment, but now face a lifetime gun ban because of the new law?

Also, the act does not require that the disarmed vets even knew
they had a right to appeal their diagnosis. Many of the 140,000
Americans who have now lost their Second Amendment rights first
received a letter from Veterans Affairs telling them that, due to
their diagnosis, a “guardian” was being appointed for them to handle
their affairs. As stated above, how many vets realized that this
action would deem them as “mental defective” under the 1968 Gun
Control Act and strip them of their gun rights?

Moreover, how many vets realized they could challenge this action by
appealing the diagnosis? If they didn’t realize the significance of
this VA letter, most likely, the vets did nothing, as they were more
concerned with getting the monetary benefits that such a diagnosis
would bring. But, whether they knew these things or not, this new
law would still validate the removal of their Second Amendment
rights.

HOW WILL THE BILL AFFECT ME?

If you have been subject to a psychological or psychiatric diagnosis,
the following may be helpful:

A diagnosis by your private doctor — with no government
involvement — will probably cause you no problems.

The biggest danger remains the danger for veterans. Although the
language of this bill could conceivably disarm adults who were
diagnosed as kids with ADHD in connection with the IDEA program,
seniors on Medicare with Alzheimers, etc., we know of no active
efforts to disarm persons in these cases — yet.

The likelihood that new classes of people will be disarmed will be
directly related to the ease of accomplishing this though a computer
keyboard. If your file exists only on microfiche in a dusty basement
cabinet, you are relatively safe for now — although, keep in mind,
the new law calls for monies to be spent on collecting and updating
records like this.

Obviously, the question of whether a gun hater or Second Amendment
supporter is in the White House on January 20, 2009, will have a lot
to do with how vigorously this new statute is enforced.

WHAT CAN I DO IF I’M ILLEGITIMATELY PROHIBITED FROM BUYING A GUN?

In the unlikely event that you can get your diagnosis “set aside,”
“expunged,” or found to no longer exist, you can regain your rights.
[See section 101(c)(1)(A)&(B).]

The McClure-Volkmer “relief from disabilities” provisions which have
been blocked by sponsor Schumer for 15 years have been reinstated and
expanded — so that they will now exist in the broader range of state
and federal agencies which this bill will allow to make you a
prohibited person. Pursuant to negotiations over GOA’s objections,
we were able to secure very modest improvements which:

Would allow you to sue to get your rights restored if the agency
sat on your appeal for 365 days;

Would allow you to get your legal fees if you prevail against the
agency in court;

Would prevent Schumer from defunding these efforts in the same way
he defunded McClure-Volkmer — by requiring the 3% of state funds under this bill be used for these “relief from disabilities” programs.

But here’s the major loophole in all of this. What minimal gains were granted by the “right hand” are taken away by the “left.” Section 105 provides a process for some Americans diagnosed with so-called mental disabilities to get their rights restored in the state where they live. But then, in subsection (a)(2), the bill stipulates that such relief may occur only if “the person will not be likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety and that the GRANTING OF THE RELIEF WOULD NOT BE CONTRARY TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST.” (Emphasis added.)

This language sounds similar to those state codes (like California’s)
that have “may issue” concealed carry laws — where citizens
“technically” have the right to carry, but state law only says that
sheriffs MAY ISSUE them a permit to carry. When given such leeway,
those sheriffs usually don’t grant the permits!

As we have predicted before: liberal states — the same states that
took these people’s rights away — will treat almost every person who
has been illegitimately denied as a danger to society and claim that
granting relief would be “contrary to the public interest.”

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

GOA is devising strategies with House and Senate members to restore
veterans’ rights. Please stay tuned.

Defend The 2nd Amendment Through Creative Giving…

As we confront the challenges of the future, we know that the
generosity of those who assist us will make all the difference in our
success. That’s why GOA seeks your long-term support.

Please call 703-321-8585 during regular business hours or e-mail
goamail@gunowners.org to request information on how to keep control
of your assets and make a gift at the same time through:

a bequest
a retirement plan
a will, living trust, or insurance policy

Requests for information are confidential and do not represent an
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Tags disarmament Act, GOA, Veterans

2nd Amendment RKBA

The People’s Right to Keep and Bear Arms

Post author By Scott
Post date September 23, 2006
No Comments on The People’s Right to Keep and Bear Arms

http://scottsworld.info/rkba.htm

The People’s Right to Keep and Bear Arms

You will be told that the second amendment is about militias, but it is not and that is an intentional lie. It was written to protect the right of the people to defend themselves and have an armed populous to defend the country from foreign and internal threats to our liberty, I.E. the Government trying to take away our Rights.

This amendment uses the word People I.E. you and I, the same as it does in every case that it is used in the Bill of Rights and Constitution, it means the common citizens. The founders were clear when they meant State I.E. Government and when they meant People. They did not give the right to the government at any level to regulate your right to self defense or to keep and bear arms, they in fact wrote that it “Shall not be infringed“.

It is no coincidence that the right to keep and bear arms comes right after the right to free speech. When we lose these rights and the others in the Bill of Rights will shortly follow, and we will be no longer a free people.

Without the right to bear arms to defend ourselves and our rights, we have no rights! Are we free people today? Our rights have been so infringed by government because we keep demanding more of government that it is debatable if we are free now. Read the Bill of Rights and Constitution for yourself and see how frequently it is violated and ignored by our government from the Federal Government on down to the local level. It is vital to the future freedom of this country and our posterity that we know our rights as protected by the Constitution and Bill of Rights and vote to defend them.

The answer to violence and crime is not to ban guns or other weapons. We have literally thousands of gun laws which largely are not enforced well, if at all. It is illegal to murder someone, do we need more laws specifying it is illegal to murder someone with a weapon as well? (I oppose hate crimes for the same reason.) In many locations in this county you can not have a gun in your home to defended yourself. Much less carry one in your car or on you as I do here in Arizona to defend against car jackers and other assailants. Is it any wonder that crime and murder are rampant in these areas? Such areas are easy pickings for the criminals who don’t obey the laws anyway, because they know their victims have been disarmed by the government for them.. In nearly every state it is illegal to shoot a burglar even in your own home unless you are threatened with harm or death and can not get away..

Someone breaking into to your home is not threat enough? It is mind boggling. You may or may not be prosecuted for shooting a burglar depending on the views of the prosecutor in your area. Then, thanks to lawyers, you might be sued by the burglar or his family for injuring him, pain and suffering, depriving him of his livelihood. You think I’m joking? They have done it and won several times!

The answer to crime is to punish criminals severely for crimes. I strongly support capital punishment, I do not believe we should intern any criminal for life at tax payer expense. If they are so bad we must lock them away for life to protect society from them, then they should be put to death. If they take a life or use a gun in the commission of a violent crime they should be put to death. The idiots who want to ban guns will say their efforts have reduced crime. Utter lies, crime is going down because more and more states are keeping criminals behind bars with truth in sentencing and three strikes laws. The more criminals behind bars, the less crimes they commit, how much more simple could it be? The majority of crimes are committed by repeat criminals, something like 60% of all crimes. Crime is also going down because more states are allowing (imaging that, allowing you to exercise your God given right to defend yourself..), citizens in good standing to pay a tax (I.E. license) so they can carry a concealed weapon to defend themselves.

It has been proven conclusively that the more lax the gun laws a locality has and the more citizens carrying weapons to defend themselves, the less violent crime there is. The inverse is true also, the more strict the gun laws the more violent crime and murders there are. This is because criminals are cowards and attack the easiest prey they can find. They most definitely don’t want to go after someone who can defend themselves and possibly hurt or kill them.

Accidents? Truth be told accidents with guns have been going down for decades. The reason why is education, yet the gun banning idiots claim gun education promotes gun violence. We teach children to be safe with matches, hot stoves, etc. Why do we not teach children how to be safe with guns? The NRA Eddie Eagle education program teaches very simple rules to children. If they find a gun they are not to touch it and to find an adult and tell them about it. It is frequently opposed by liberal fools because it has to do with guns and is taught by the NRA.. If we are to ban guns to “Save The Children” (a favorite refrain of reactionary, emotional, fools), should not we also ban cars, swimming pools, bicycles, dogs, etc., which each kill and maim far more children than guns do every year? Opps, I almost forgot there are some liberal fools out there trying to do just that too…

My interest in guns? I like to target shoot and I carry a pistol for self defense most of the time. I started carrying after a shoot out between two cars in the parking lot of the apartment complex I used to live in, in a reasonably nice neighborhood. A couple months later I was shot at in south Phoenix, likely by some gang members. They were following me on the highway I-10 and I pulled off on to surface streets around Thomas and 27th Ave to verify this, then tried to loose them on side streets. I am a very good driver and when I was so far ahead of them I started to loose them, they turned sideways at a T in the street and fired one shot which went through the rear window of the camper shell of the red lowered Toyota Pickup I had as my company vehicle at the time. This came from my boss’s son after his divorce and was popular with the gangs back then, it attracted way too much attention all the time. From there the bullet went though a box, a plastic tool box and passed between where the camper rests on the bed frame and the bottom of the camper, hitting the rear of the cab behind my right shoulder, stopping after leaving a big dent in the metal. The car was a white late 80’s Mustang with dark tinted windows so I never saw them and they were always behind me so no plate number. The police think it was a 9 mm handgun. Which was one of the reasons I bought a 40 Caliber Glock 23, also the police are carrying the same caliber which was a shortened version of the10 mm the FBI was carrying in the 80’s.

Several years ago, about 1 A.M. (I’m a night person) I left my apartment complex to mail some bills that needed to be off right away so they would go out at the 6 am pickup at the post office half a mile away. When I came back about ten minutes later the parking lot was filled with police, Fire Dept. and neighbors. In the short time I was gone, one of the neighbors had caught someone breaking into his truck and they murdered him by shooting him in the head when he confronted them unarmed. Unarmed = Victim.. I won’t be a victim, don’t be one yourself!

If we allow the liberals to keep passing stupid gun laws, some day you will be a criminal just because you own a shotgun, rifle or a handgun to protect your home, hunt with or target shoot. There are already liberal controlled cities (in America, the land of the Free and home of the Brave??) where if you have an unregistered gun you are a criminal just for possessing
it. Have no doubt many liberal idiots want only the police to have guns and have publicly said so, even then they don’t really trust the police with them either.. There is no question they want to take away your rights to arm and defend yourself and your family. They don’t Trust you! You Must not trust them! Say NO! to more gun laws! Be involved, write your congressmen and senators to tell them you are opposed to any bill that infringes on your right to bear arms.. Tell them you are opposed any federal crime bill, crime is a local issue, best dealt with at a local level. Elect people who will support your rights and do your best to remove from office those who won’t.

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Tags GOA, gun, NRA, RKBA, vote