89% OF NRA-PVF ENDORSED CANDIDATES ELECTED—
But The Fight Is Far From Over!
While the two major political parties may be receiving mixed reviews for their candidates’ performances in Tuesday’s elections, one truth remains unchanged—pro-gun candidates, irrespective of party affiliation, win elections!
Supreme Court To Decide On Taking Heller Case: The U.S. Supreme Court is in conference today to consider the petition for the District of Columbia v. Heller (formerly known as Parker) case. The Court may have an announcement as soon as next Tuesday as to whether they will review the case. If they choose to hear it, the case will likely be heard in early 2008. If the Court refuses to hear the case, the lower court’s decision, which struck down the D.C. gun ban as unconstitutional, will stand.
The Miami Herald: Where Guns Are Concerned, It’s Not Worth The Paper It Is Written On: We are now more than 20 years into the “assault weapon” debate, so you would think enough time has passed, and enough information is available on the internet and elsewhere, that even the laziest and least competent newspaper reporter could get at least a handful of the most basic facts straight on the issue.
You would think that, unless you read the Miami Herald.
More Lunacy "Across The Pond" This week’s outrage comes from England, a country whose failed gun-control experiment we’ve often reported on.
You may recall that in March of 1996, a deranged man walked into a school in Dunblane, Scotland and killed sixteen children and one teacher. In the aftermath of this heinous tragedy, British politicians sought to reduce violent crime by enacting an injudicious ban on all handguns. Handgun owners were given a February 1998 deadline to turn in their firearms--and they did. The UK was supposed to become a much safer place--but it didn’t. Not by a long shot.
STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates on states not listed below.)
ILLINOIS: ISP Extends Comment Period for Proposed FOID Card Age Restriction! As previously reported, the Illinois State Police has proposed enacting an age limit for an Illinois Firearm Owner Identification (FOID) card. This appears to be in response to an editorial by Daily Southtown columnist Howard Ludwig, who created controversy where none existed when he wrote an article about obtaining a FOID card for his ten-month-old son. Illinois law does not set an age requirement for issuance of a FOID card with a parent’s consent, but imposing one could have disastrous effects on Illinois’ rich hunting heritage and would endanger the lives of children. The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) will determine if this rule will be enacted, but you can still submit comments in opposition to the proposal. Please address your comments to: Mr. John M. Hosteny, Interim Chief Legal Counsel, Illinois State Police, 801 South 7th Street, Suite 1000-S, P.O. Box 19461, Springfield, IL 61794-9461. Please be sure to ask Mr. Hosteny to share your comments with the members of JCAR.
LOUISIANA: Saturday, November 17 is Election Day! Please be sure to go to the polls and protect our Second Amendment rights. Early voting ends this Saturday, November 10! Please visit http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/ for more information about voting in Louisiana. For candidate ratings and endorsements, please call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at (800) 392-VOTE (8683) or visit www.NRAPVF.org. Remember to “Vote Freedom First” on Saturday, November 17!
NEW JERSEY: Elections Prove Successful for New Jersey’s Law-Abiding Gun Owners and Sportsmen! On Tuesday, November 6, law-abiding gun owners and sportsmen in the Garden State went to the polls and their voice was heard loudly and clearly. Twenty-five NRA supported candidates won their elections for the State Legislature. Also, in the 12th District, anti-gun and animal “rights” advocates Senator Ellen Karcher and Assemblyman Mike Panter were defeated. Both had sought to pass legislation to restructure the New Jersey Fish & Game Council to take away representation of New Jersey sportsmen and give more influence to animal “rights” activists who want to ban hunting in the Garden State. The fight is still far from over. Please continue contacting your State Legislators and respectfully urge them to oppose legislation that undermines our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Contact information for the General Assembly can be found by visiting www.leg.state.nj.us or call (609) 292-4840.
VIRGINIA: Hunting With Hounds Under Review: The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has launched a review of hound hunting in the Commonwealth. Focus group meetings will be held around the state during November and December and are being conducted by Virginia Tech. The rising number of trespass complaints from property owners has sparked this review. The Department’s goal is “To provide diverse opportunities for hunting with hounds in Virginia in a manner that is fair, sportsmanlike and consistent with the rights of property owners and other citizens.” The process includes many avenues for hound hunters to participate, such as focus group meetings with individual stakeholder groups, a survey conducted through the Department’s web site, opportunity to review all developments, public meetings, and by letter or e-mail. About half of the focus groups will be made up of bear, deer, fox, and raccoon hound hunters. The remainder of the focus groups will be populated by landowners, government representatives, other hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. If you are a hound hunter, make your views known during this public process. Go to www.dgif.state.va.us/hunting/hounds for more information about how you can participate.
