No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.362 / Virus Database: 267.13.5/177 - Release Date: 11/21/2005 Correction: A few days ago I shared a link to an account of a man who shot himself in the hand while disassembling a Glock pistol. The man was incorrectly identified as a Deputy US Marshal. The following update was circulated by the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors: My name is David McGaha, and I'm a Supervisory Inspector at the USMS Training Academy at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. I also serve as the Senior Firearms Instructor for the Service and I'm on the USMS Shooting Review Board. FYI, this was not an AD from a U.S. Marshal. It came from a forum called "Glocktalk.com" (see below) and, as it made its way around the internet, became more than it originally was. (The furnished link does not seem to work.) Don't get me wrong, we have plenty of our own ADs (NDs?) to talk about, but this one isn't ours. Dean Speir has made an appropriate correction on his web page. http://www.thegunzone.com/mos/nd.html --- Budget Compromise Leaves DC Gun Ban Intact: Prohibitionists in the government of the District of Columbia are breathing a sigh of relief that Congress failed to rescind their ban on privately owned firearms in this year's budget bill. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/18/AR2005111802441.html --- NPR Lies About Workplace Violence: In a program about proposed legislation that would protect the right of workers in Florida to remain armed while traveling to and from work, National Public Radio distorts the facts about violent attacks in the workplace. http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/article2821.html --- How Many Guns Is Too Many?: A Massachusetts paper looks at one aspect of collecting firearms - total number. http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_3238671 --- British Police Debate Firearms: In the wake of the murder of a female officer, Some British officers may be questioning their uniquely British logic that they are safer unarmed. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10356267 Related Article: Death of officer spurs debate over protective vests. http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=55&ArticleID=1261349 --- British Firearm Offenses Tripled Since Last Ban: Firearm offenses reported to police in England and Wales have nearly tripled since the last major firearm ban in 1997. http://www.freemarketnews.com/Feedback.asp?nid=1354 --- From GOA: Two Great Victories To Celebrate This Thanksgiving 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, November 22, 2005 ----------------------------------------------- "Thanks so much for sending me the link to the videos on your [GOA] website. I showed the members of the [House] committee the video of out-of-state police confiscating weapons in the state. They watched it and couldn't believe it." -- Rep. Steve Scalise (R), November 18, 2005 ----------------------------------------------- There were two super victories this past week. One you may be familiar with. One you may not. First, we'll begin with the victory you probably haven't heard. GUN CONFISCATION: NEVER AGAIN IN LOUISIANA GOA was honored to assist state representative Steve Scalise last week, as he successfully pushed a "gun restoration" resolution in the state of Louisiana, in response to what government officials did in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. You will remember that in September, government agents were confiscating the firearms of law-abiding citizens in New Orleans. But incredibly, this has been one of the best kept secrets in the state. While discussing this issue with his colleagues last week, Rep. Scalise became astounded that many of them were ignorant of the fact that government officials were stealing firearms two months ago! Well, GOA provided Rep. Scalise with the URL to the videos on the GOA website -- videos which he then showed during the legislative committee hearing. "Thanks so much for sending me the link to the videos on your website," Scalise said. "I showed the members of the [House] committee the video of out-of-state police confiscating weapons in the state. They watched it and couldn't believe it." Rep. Scalise also told GOA that the videos were quite instrumental. "It's one thing to hear about these confiscations," he said. "It's quite another thing to see them for yourself." Scalise thanked GOA and its members in Louisiana, saying that our combined activism had helped to solidify the overwhelming support in favor of his resolution. His measure passed the House by a vote of 78-1 and then was later sent to Gov. Kathleen Blanco's desk. The resolution does three things: 1. It points out that innocent civilians did, in fact, have their guns confiscated (stolen) in September. 2. It gives a "sense of the legislature" that the governor should bring up legislation in the next session to repeal laws that were used to justify the confiscation of firearms during an emergency. 3. Finally, the resolution indicates that ALL citizens who had firearms confiscated must have their guns returned. Scalise is now working on introducing binding legislation that he will actively push in January of next year. This bill will amend the state code to remove any language that could provide a pretext for the future confiscation of guns in the state. He already has several dozen cosponsors. Please stay tuned for more updates next year. BILL GIVING FBI ACCESS TO GUN RECORDS TEMPORARILY STALLED Now, for the news you may have already heard. The House and Senate recessed for Thanksgiving WITHOUT completing its work on H.R. 3199. That's good news, for it gives us more time to address the serious gun rights concerns that are in H.R. 3199. The bill amends Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act to allow agents of the federal government to get secret court orders for "firearms sales records" which, in their opinion, are relevant to investigating terrorism. The House-Senate agreement on the bill seemed to be a done deal until outside groups (including GOA) and Republican Senators (like Larry Craig of Idaho) issued statements of opposition to the latest version of the bill. What this means is that House and Senate negotiators will continue tinkering with the bill after the Thanksgiving break. Expect GOA to keep you informed on the latest developments, as GOA continues to urge House and Senate members to address the gun registration provision that is present in the bill. Until then, the staff at Gun Owners of America wants to thank you for all of your activism. And we hope that you will enjoy a blessed Thanksgiving this week. Thank you! **************************** WILL YOU HELP GOA REMAIN AMERICA'S 2ND AMENDMENT ATCHDOG? Grassroots activism works. Your efforts are worthwhile, because quite often, politicians won't see the "light" until they feel the "heat" from the folks back home. That is why GOA is committed to keeping you informed about what is happening here in our nation's capital. But the ability of GOA to keep you up-to-date and to continue putting pressure on politicians depends on loyal activists like yourself. So if you would like to keep up on 2nd Amendment issues; if you would like to receive our very informative newsletter and get pre-printed postcards that enable you to easily lobby your own Congressmen -- even to the point of becoming an "arm chair lobbyist" while watching TV commercials -- then please become a GOA member today! Join GOA today online at http://www.gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm or call 703-321-8585. U.S. Representative Ron Paul of Texas says, "Your membership in Gun Owners makes a difference on Capitol Hill every single day.... I know that GOA will continue to be the 'no compromise' leader in defending America's gun rights and personal freedoms." Again, simply go to http://www.gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm and join with hundreds of thousands of other Americans who have already sided with the nation's only national, no-compromise gun lobby. You can continue to receive these email alerts for free. But your contribution will go a long way to help us keep you informed. Rest assured, GOA will certainly keep you up-to-date if anything changes in the battle to clean up the gun liability bill. **************************** -- Stephen P. Wenger Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .