Anyone who doubts the depths to which the Brady Campaign will sink to advance its extremist gun ban agenda should do so no more. In a March 3 press conference to announce the introduction of legislation by Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Charles Schumer, and Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) to ban the FN 5.7mm caliber Five seveN pistol, the Brady Campaign`s President, Mike Barnes, stooped to a new low.
Even though "armor piercing ammunition" has been restricted under federal law since 1986, Brady and the anti-gun politicians nevertheless claimed that 5.7mm ammunition available to the general public penetrates bullet-resistant vests.
That lie is bad enough. But then Barnes demonstrated his group`s complete and utter disregard for gun safety and its flaming zeal to further restrict the rights of law-abiding gun owners, challenging NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre to "put on a bullet proof vest, and we`ll fire the weapon at him, and see what happens."
Claims made by Brady, Lautenberg, Schumer, and their ilk would lack credibility under any circumstances. But Barnes`s outrageous comment, along with Brady`s lies about the pistol and its ammunition, prove that the group has severed all ties to reality. For anyone interested in the facts, the BATFE--the nation`s regulatory authority over firearms and ammunition--has already made it clear that the pistol and ammunition that is available to the public are legal for importation and sale under federal law. (See www.atf.gov/firearms/firearmstech/fabriquen.htm)
Further, anyone who is even remotely familiar with firearms safety knows that you never point a gun--loaded or unloaded--at someone for anything other than defensive purposes. That is the Golden Rule of gun safety.
Unfortunately, however, the media did not report Barnes`s preposterous statement for what it is--a hysterical attempt by a radical group that knows it is on the losing side of history, much like Barnes` former pen pal Marxist dictator Daniel Ortega--that is trying desperately to rejuvenate its failed gun-ban agenda. We hope that the national media will demand a retraction of Barnes`s extremist and offensive statement and request that he issue an apology.
On this most important debate over the rights of law-abiding American citizens, opposing groups should be able to disagree without being disagreeable. Apparently, Barnes has shown he is incapable of comporting himself in such a civil manner.
More Like This From Around The NRA
