In a rare occurrence, NRA and the Brady Campaign (formerly Handgun Control, Incorporated) agree on something.
Four years ago, the Brady Campaign endorsed an anti-gun senator by the name of John Kerry for President, and NRA thought that decision made sense—for an anti-gun group.
This week, in a testament to his anti-gun record, Barack Obama also received a presidential endorsement from the Brady Campaign.
So, once again, the Brady Campaign and NRA are in total agreement—Barack Obama is, by far, the most anti-gun presidential nominee in history and he certainly deserves the endorsement of one of the most outspoken anti-gun organizations in the country.
Refused to sign the brief supporting an individual Second Amendment right in the Heller case.
Against Right-to-Carry. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 4/2/08; Chicago Tribune, 9/15/04)
Director, Joyce Foundation—one of the most anti-gun foundations in America. (Politico)
"I think it's a scandal that this president [Bush] did not authorize a renewal of the assault weapons ban." (Illinois Senate Debate #3: Barack Obama vs. Alan Keyes, 10/21/04)
"Clinging" to guns—how Obama described "bitter" gun owners at a San Francisco fundraiser.
Ammunition ban supporter. Obama voted to ban almost all rifle ammunition commonly used for hunting and sport shooting. (United States Senate, S. 397, vote 217, 7/29/05)
Limiting self-defense. Obama voted to allow the prosecution of people who us a firearm for self-defense in their homes. (Illinois Senate, S.B. 2165, vote 20, 3/25/04)
Visit NRA-PVF Site Before Election Day For Candidate Grades & Endorsements! Election Day, November 4, is now just a little more than two weeks away! For up-to-the-minute campaign information, and to see what more you can do to help elect pro-Second Amendment candidates to office, NRA members are strongly encouraged to visit the NRA-Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) website, www.NRAPVF.org. This official NRA campaign site will serve as your one-stop campaign reference guide this election season. The site is loaded with all of the critical information you’ll need to make informed decisions on Election Day, November 4. Included on the site are news stories, articles from NRA’s magazines, NRA-PVF press releases, and a complete listing of NRA-PVF candidate grades and endorsements!
Attention Colorado Hunters!!!! Public Comments Requested for Draft Environmental Impact Statement for White River National Forest in Colorado: The U.S. Forest Service is conducting the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Travel Management Plan (TMP) for the White River National Forest in Colorado. This process will specify the extent to which existing roads are closed to vehicular access and will impact thousands of hunters who pursue game every year in Colorado.
Absentee Voting: Bank Your Vote—Assist On Election Day! With more states than ever allowing early and absentee voting, it is critical that those pro-gun voters who think there may even be a chance they won’t be able to vote in person on November 4th, ensure they vote via absentee ballot. By banking your vote prior to November 4th, not only will you avoid potentially long lines, but you will also be freed up to assist with the Election Day activities of pro-gun candidates in your area!
Help Defend Your Gun Rights One Easy Click At A Time: We now have a revolutionary yet simple tool that will allow you to stay connected to NRA-ILA and raise valuable contributions to defend our Second Amendment rights without spending a dime! It’s the NRA-ILA Toolbar, and you can make a difference by downloading and using it.
“I’m A Bitter Gun Owner And I Vote!” Yard Signs Available Now: We’ve created a new yard sign that will send a message from all of you “bitter” gun owners to Obama this election season with our own slogan: “I’m a Bitter Gun Owner and I Vote!”
STATE ROUNDUP (please click to see any updates on states not listed below.)
ARIZONA: Maricopa County to Discuss Shooting Range! The Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department will hold a public meeting at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, October 21 to discuss the naming of the Buckeye Hills Public Shooting Range. The Board of Supervisors will consider the naming the shooting range the "Joe Foss Public Shooting Range," a tribute to the former President of NRA and great American hero who rose to fame as a top Marine ace in World War II, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, and former Governor of South Dakota. Joe Foss retired to Scottsdale where he founded the Foss Institute, which remains active today. There has been some resistance relating to this nomination, which is why it's vital that NRA members attend the meetings and express their support. The meeting will be held at the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department located at 234 N. Central Ave., Suite 6400.
IDAHO: BLM's Owyhee Field Office Releases Plan for Roads and Trails Use The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Travel Management Plan for motorized and mechanized uses for the Murphy Subregion which is a BLM planning unit in the Owyhee Front located between Wilson Creek and Castle Creek. The Plan is open for public comment until Friday, October 24. The proposed action in the Plan would designate a route system composed of 834 miles of roads and trails, and would close 436 miles of roads and trails that are either parallel to other roads and trails or the uses are resulting in environmental damage. Comments can be sent to BLM at First Avenue South, Marsing, ID 83639 or via email to [email protected]. The Plan can be viewed at www.blm.gov/id/st/en/info/nepa/owyhee/murphy_subregion_travel.html. For further information you may contact the Owyhee Field Office at 208-896-5925.
MONTANA: Hunting Addressed in Refuge Management Plan: The Fish and Wildlife Service has released a plan that will guide management of the Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge for the next 15 years. The 48,000-acre Refuge is located east of Monida in southwestern Montana. The Refuge is open to hunting of ducks, geese, coots, moose, elk, pronghorn, mule deer, and white-tailed deer. The plan offers 4 management alternatives to consider, all of which would continue hunting opportunities, although several alternatives would close one or more roads in the Refuge. The public comment period is open until October 27th. Comments may be sent to Laura King, Planning Team Leader, Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge, 9756 143 1/2 Avenue SE, Cayuga, North Dakota 58013, or by fax at 701-724-3683, or electronically to [email protected]. A copy of the plan is available at http://mountain-prairie.fws.gov/planning. If it is important to you that hunting opportunities continue and be enhanced on this Refuge, it is important for the Fish and Wildlife Service to know which alternative best reflects your views of how the Refuge should be managed in the future.
PENNSYLVANIA: Governor Signs Important Pro-Gun Bill into Law! Today, Friday, October 17, Governor Ed Rendell (D) signed House Bill 1845 into effect. HB1845 is an omnibus legislative package that contains a number of pro-gun provisions for Pennsylvania gun owners. Among the provisions was an “Emergency Powers” reform measure prohibiting any government agency from confiscating firearms during a state of emergency, such as occurred in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Other important provisions include: establishing the lawful carry of a concealed firearm in state parks; funding for the acclaimed “Don’t Lie For The Other Guy” program administered by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF); and an emergency permitting system for concealed carry licenses for individuals who are under immediate threat. Thank you to all of the NRA members who took action in support of this important legislation. Without you, this victory would not have been possible.
TENNESSEE: Please Submit Your Application Today for a Tennessee NRA Specialized License Plate! The Tennessee specialized NRA license plate provides an ideal opportunity to showcase your pride as an NRA member and your steadfast dedication to preserving our cherished Second Amendment freedoms. Your support of this program will help ensure hunting and shooting traditions in the Volunteer State for generations to come. The NRA has begun collecting applications for specialized NRA license plates in Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Revenue, Vehicle Services will only produce the NRA license plates if it receives a minimum of 1,000 applications. The application fee is $35.00. Upon receiving the 1,000 applications prior to June 30, 2009, the National Rifle Association will submit a check for $35,000 to the Department of Revenue, Vehicle Services. If you are interested in becoming one of the first NRA supporters in the State of Tennessee to receive a specialized license plate, please click here for information about the application.
VIRGINIA: 130,000 Additional Acres of Wilderness Proposed for the George Washington National Forest (GWNF): The Forest Service is in the process of writing a new forest plan for the GWNF. Public workshops are being held and public comments are being accepted while the plan is being developed. The plan will be released down the road for formal public comment. Of importance is a proposal to designate 130,000 acres of forestlands as wilderness. This is in addition to 42,000 acres of existing wilderness and thousands of other acres under limited management. Wilderness designation severely limits the management, restoration, and improvement of wildlife habitat. Under wilderness designation, these lands will lose their habitat value over time. Loss of habitat leads to loss of wildlife diversity and shrinking populations. That “perfect storm” translates into lost hunting opportunities. Public roads that access designated “wilderness” areas will be closed to mechanized or motorized vehicles and equipment.
If you hunt in the GWNF, it is critical that you communicate with the Forest Service about what you want, or don’t want, changed from the way the GWNF is currently managed. Comments should be addressed to: George Washington Plan Revision, George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, 5162 Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke, VA 24019. Information about the planning process can be found at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj.
WASHINGTON: Attorney General Issues Monumental Pro-Gun Opinion! On Monday, October 13, Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna (R) issued an important decision regarding Seattle’s Mayor Greg Nickels’ brazen attack on Right-to-Carry. In short, Attorney General McKenna’s opinion affirmed Washington State’s preemption statutes by saying that cities cannot enact laws prohibiting the possession of firearms on city property or in city-owned facilities. Thank you to Attorney General McKenna for standing up for the Second Amendment freedoms of Washington’s law-abiding gun owners. Also, thank you to all of the NRA members who answered the call in opposition to Mayor Nickel’s brash violation of state law.
