NRA-ILA COMMENTS ON SITUATION IN NEW ORLEANS
Numerous media sources are reporting on a campaign by New Orleans city authorities to confiscate lawfully-owned firearms from people in the city. Louisiana statute does grant the government, during a state of emergency, broad powers in regulating and controlling firearms.
However, we have seen not just with Hurricane Katrina, but other similar situations, that when police are unable to control the criminal element, people turn to the one freedom that protects all others--the Second Amendment.
While one can certainly understand the dire predicaments of all those affected by Hurricane Katrina, as we have learned throughout history, campaigns to disarm the lawful do nothing to disarm the criminal. And in truth, these restrictions make citizens less safe. Despite the valiant efforts of many law enforcement officers and rescue workers, too many of those left in the wake of Katrina are ultimately responsible for their own security and safety and that of their families and loved ones. This is especially true when communication is virtually non-existent and police can't be quickly summoned to respond to calls for help. At these times, lawful gun ownership is paramount to personal safety.
Of course, the entire situation in New Orleans is constantly in flux. But rest assured NRA is monitoring this situation very closely and will address any activity by the government that unduly infringes upon the rights of lawful gun owners at the appropriate time. As we learn more, we will report to our members accordingly. In the interim, however, we join with all Americans in offering our thoughts, prayers, and assistance to the victims and survivors of this terrible natural disaster.
NRA-ILA GRASSROOTS-ELECTION WORKSHOPS
With Virginia being one of only two states holding elections this year, all eyes will be on the Commonwealth. In preparation for the November elections, NRA-ILA is hosting a series of FREE Grassroots-Election Workshops across the state, with stops in Virginia Beach, Harrisonburg, Roanoke, and Leesburg.
At the Workshops, you will hear from pro-freedom candidates and their staff, NRA-ILA representatives, and NRA-ILA Election Volunteer Coordinators (EVCs) on what you can do locally to propel pro-gun candidates to victory on Election Day--November 8, 2005.
The meetings also provide a venue for lawmakers, candidates, and their staffs to reach out to NRA members and explain their positions on our Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
Upcoming Workshops are slated for:
Saturday, September 24, 2005 - Virginia Beach, VA
Saturday, September 24, 2005 - Harrisonburg, VA
Saturday, October 01, 2005 - Leesburg, VA
Saturday, October 01, 2005 - Roanoke, VA
Once again, the Workshops and related materials, including food and drink, are FREE! NRA members who are interested in attending should contact the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) for details and to reserve their seats. NRA members who have access to the Internet can also go to www.nraila.org/workshops/ to reserve their seats on-line.
CONTINUE TO URGE PASSAGE OF S. 397 IN U.S. HOUSE
As you know, the U.S. Senate has passed S. 397--the "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act"--by a strong bipartisan vote of 65-31! This action represents a great victory and a vitally important first step toward ending the anti-gun lobby's shameless attempts to bankrupt the firearm industry through reckless, predatory lawsuits. It also represents a crucial step forward for law-abiding firearm manufacturers, retailers, and owners in this country.
With Congress now back in session, it is critical that you once again contact your U.S. Representative's Capitol Hill office in Washington, D.C., and urge him/her to pass S. 397 as passed by the Senate!
You can find contact information for your elected officials by using the "Write Your Representatives" tool at www.NRAILA.org. Or you can call your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121.
We can and will achieve our mutual goal of finally enacting this common sense law, but only with your continued assistance. Please help us finish the job once and for all by contacting your U.S. Representative in Washington and urging him/her to support the "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act" as passed by the Senate.
FIREARMS LAW & SECOND AMENDMENT SYMPOSIUM:
Is The Second Amendment The First Among Equals?
To fulfill the promise of the Declaration of Independence, the authors of the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights made it clear that individual rights were paramount. The Bill of Rights, wrote James Madison, was "calculated to secure the personal rights of the people."
Yet when the U.S. Department of Justice issued its exhaustive 2004 memorandum on the Second Amendment, concluding without reservation that "the Second Amendment secures a personal right of individuals," the national media was apoplectic. So politicized had this right become that it had been clearly set apart and segregated as different from other rights guaranteed to the "people" as in the 1st, 4th, 5th, 9th, and 14th amendments.
To examine the Second Amendment in a scholarly and in-depth forum, prestigious constitutional scholars will convene at this symposium to explore issues past and present, pro and con, covering this controversial topic.
This event promises to present a thought-provoking and balanced discussion of this least understood, and arguably, the most factious freedom contained in the Bill of Rights.
This first ever "Firearms Law & the Second Amendment Symposium" will be hosted by Law Students for the Second Amendment, at George Mason University School of Law along with The NRA Foundation and the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund.
Each symposium registrant will receive a packet that contains the panelists' written materials on the subject--an excellent source for future reference. The event, including all materials, food and beverages is free, and is open to the public.
The symposium will be held:
Saturday, September 24, 2005,
George Mason University School of Law (Arlington, VA Campus),
9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., (Registration from 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.),
3401 Fairfax Drive, "Original Building," Room 329,
Arlington, VA
Attendance for this seminal event is increasing daily. To reserve your place, please visit www.nraila.org/workshops/Symposium.aspx?ID=GMUSL or call (800) 392-8683.
(NOTE: CLE Credit will be attained in the effort to serve new attorneys and general practitioners seeking advanced or specialized information concerning firearms law at the federal and state levels.)
2005 GUN RIGHTS POLICY CONFERENCE
This year's Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC) will be held September 23-25, at the LAX Airport Marriott in Los Angeles, California. Celebrating its 20th year, the conference is sponsored by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) and the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), in cooperation with NRA, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). Attending this year's event will be representatives from major national and state gun rights organizations, including the California Rifle & Pistol Association. Key speakers at this year's conference will include: NRA President Sandra S. Froman, NRA Executive Vice President Wayne R. LaPierre, and Professor Eugene Volokh of the UCLA Law School. Other panelists will include: acclaimed author and scholar, John R. Lott, Jr. (author of the book "The Bias Against Guns"); syndicated radio show host Tom Gresham (host of the "Gun Talk" radio show); NRA-ILA's Director of Federal Affairs Chuck Cunningham, and others. Registration, conference materials, receptions, and a Saturday luncheon are free. Participants are required to pay for their own lodging, travel, and other meals. Advance registration is required. For more information, or to register for this year's GRPC, please call (425) 454-7012, or visit www.saf.org/default.asp?p=GRPC.
A LOOK AT THE STATES
(****For all of the action items below, you can find contact information for your legislators by using the "Write Your Representatives" tool at www.NRAILA.org. As always, thank you for your support.****)
CALIFORNIA
The State Senate has just adjourned with no action on Assembly Bill 352. AB 352 cannot be acted upon until the second half of the session starts next year. AB 352 would expand the definition of unsafe handguns to include semi-automatic pistols that are not designed and equipped with an array of microscopic characters, which identify the make, model, and serial number of the pistol by imprinting the characters on each cartridge case when the firearm is discharged.
ILLINOIS
The Cook County Board of Commissioners did not bring up the proposed ban on certain semi-automatic firearms at Thursday's board meeting, so it appears pressure from the pro-gun community is being felt. This issue is far from dead, however, and NRA will continue to oppose this attack on the Second Amendment. Please continue to let your Cook County commissioner know that you object to this attempt to ban these common firearms from law-abiding citizens. The general number for the County Board is (312) 603-6398. For specific contact information on your commissioners, please visit: www.co.cook.il.us/secretary/HomePage_Links/board_of_commissioners_of_cook_c.htm.
MASSACHUSETTS
Mark your calendars and spread the word! MA-10 EVC Don Kusser is hosting a "Constitutional Rally" on Saturday, September 17, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The rally will take place at Faxon Field across from the Quincy Police Department in Quincy, MA. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact Don Kusser by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at (781) 871-1115.
NEW YORK
Only one week remains until the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association will host the first annual RPA-PAC fundraising dinner featuring NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, and NRA 1st Vice President John Sigler. Have you made your reservations yet? Please plan to attend the dinner, which will start at 6:00 p.m., on Saturday, September 17, and will be held at the Holiday Inn, Fishkill, located at I-84, exit 13, at Route 9. Advance tickets are available for $50 or you can purchase tickets at the door for $60. To purchase tickets, please visit www.nysrpa.org or call (518) 272-2654 or (800) 469-7772. Also, the Shooters' Committee on Political Education (SCOPE) will be holding its 40th Annual "SCOPE Awards Banquet," tonight! Featured speakers will include John Sigler, Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) founder Alan M. Gottlieb, and several local speakers. The Banquet will be held tonight at the Millennium Hotel, 2040 Walden Avenue, Cheektowaga (3 miles from Buffalo International Airport), from 5:30-11:00 p.m. For more information, please visit www.scopeny.org/banquet05.html. For tickets and reservations, please contact Mary Jo Picone by phone at (716) 639-7651, or via e-mail at [email protected].
NORTH CAROLINA
The North Carolina General Assembly adjourned last week, and the pro-gun community was successful in derailing an anti-gun measure that could have created long-term threats to our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. SB 892, introduced by Senator Tony Rand (D-19), was innocently promoted as a bill to study the "trafficking of illegal handguns," but appeared to be written by the anti-gun extremists at North Carolinians Against Gun Violence (NCGV) as a template to facilitate future attacks on gun shows, the lawful private transfer of firearms, the privacy of law-abiding gun owners, as well as "[a]ny other issues the Commission considers appropriate." The rather ominous "[a]ny other issues" is taken directly from SB 892, and could have opened up any firearm-related matter as being subject to study by the Commission. While NRA had received assurances that this legislation would not be brought up in the Senate, Sen. Rand waited until the last minute to use a procedural maneuver to attach the language contained in SB 892 to an omnibus study bill (HB 413) that contained numerous other issues, which the Senate passed. Working with House Speaker James Black (D-100) and a bi-partisan coalition of pro-gun Representatives, NRA and the pro-gun community were able to keep HB 413 from being heard, while the House passed a separate study bill that did not contain the language from SB 892. In addition to derailing this study bill, the General Assembly passed HB 1311, the "Domestic Violence Victims Empowerment Act." Introduced by pro-gun Representatives Mark Hilton (R-96) and Linda Johnson (R-83), this act allows victims of domestic violence to show proof of a protective order issued under chapter 50B of the general statutes as evidence that an emergency situation exists, so that they may acquire an expedited, temporary permit to carry a concealed handgun for personal protection. HB 1311 also requires domestic violence victims be notified that they may apply for these temporary permits when a protective order is issued. While this bill was not a primary objective for NRA this session, we did support its passage, and worked to ensure its intent remained intact.
TEXAS
Attorney General Greg Abbott (R) has negotiated, and Governor Rick Perry (R) has signed, two more handgun carry license reciprocal agreements with the states of Missouri and South Dakota. For more information, please visit www.txdps.state.tx.us. These agreements, in addition to the two signed last week with Michigan and Virginia, were made possible by the passage of HB 225 by Representative Joe Driver (R-Garland), Representative Glenn Hegar (R-Katy), and Senator Bob Deuell (R-Greenville) during the 2005 session of the Texas Legislature, which made key improvements to Texas's reciprocity law.
VIRGINIA
Pro-gun gubernatorial candidate Jerry Kilgore (R), is looking for volunteers tomorrow, Saturday, September 10, to help at the NASCAR race in Richmond. Volunteers will be working the parking lots circulating petitions and campaign material for approximately two hours. Volunteers should meet at the Kilgore Campaign Headquarters (7870 Villa Park Drive, Suite 800, Richmond) no later than 10:30 a.m. Campaign officials will then shuttle volunteers to the race track parking lots where they will engage arriving race fans. At 1:00 p.m., campaign officials will pick volunteers up and return them to the campaign headquarters. Please be sure to check www.NRAPVF.org, and future issues of the Grassroots Alert, for updates and election information regarding Virginia's November 8, 2005 General Election.
WISCONSIN
As you may be aware, the Town of Waukesha was considering a new ordinance imposing dramatic new restrictions on the ability of residents to hunt within the town limits, even where it is safe to do so. This ordinance would have prevented many residents from engaging in the safe sporting activities they have enjoyed for generations. Fortunately, the Town Board listened to the concerns of local residents like you and rejected the restrictive ordinance. Instead, it adopted an alternative ordinance that substantially improves circumstances for gun owners and sportsmen. We ask that you call the Town Clerk at (262) 542-5030 and leave a message for Chairman Rodney Stillwell and Board Members Steven Smart and Robert Tallinger. Please thank them for their role in protecting the rights of gun owners and sportsmen in Waukesha. Voice your approval of their actions so they will continue to safeguard our Second Amendment Rights and hunting heritage.
