Date: Thu, 8 Jun 1995 20:36:29 -0400
From: alerts@gatekeeper.nra.org (NRA Alerts)
To: firearms-alert@shell.portal.com
Subject: INFO: Letter from T. Metaksa to JPFO


			     June 8, 1995


Mr. Aaron S. Zelman
Executive Director
Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership
2872 South Wentworth Avenue
Milwaukee, WI  53207


Dear Mr. Zelman:

Thank you very much for your letter of May 12 regarding your research
materials and the NRA's stance on gun prohibitionist legislation.  I
apologize for the delay in responding, but the storm of media
attention following the Oklahoma City bombing, coming as it did
shortly before one of our largest Annual Meetings in recent years,
occupied most of our attention.

As you know, our library has received several of your publications and
found them both interesting and useful.  Additionally, NRA
publications have devoted limited space both to reviewing your first
book and to covering your speech to NRA's Board of Directors last year
in Minneapolis.  But that does not seem to be your main question.
Your main question is why the NRA does not rely more on your
information.

The answer is that we simply don't believe that any one fact or piece
of research will necessarily provide a "silver bullet" to (as you say)
"destroy gun control."  We use a wide variety of research materials
from a host of organizations -- from the smallest grassroots activist
organization to the United States Department of Justice -- where and
when we feel they will be most effective.  As a matter of fact, for
quite some time our Research and Information Division used Mr.
Simkin's Wall Street Journal piece as a helpful summary on the use of
semi-automatics in crime.

The fact that we have not relied as heavily on your materials as you
might like does not reflect any more poorly on your research than it
does on our commitment to defend the Second Amendment.  Neither do we
argue, as you allege, that the Second Amendment protects duck hunting.
I believe the enclosed poster makes that point clear.
				   
I trust this addresses the concerns you raised in your letter.  Rather
than casting doubts on one another's seriousness about defending the
right to keep and bear arms, I believe we would best serve our mutual
cause by considering how we can fight our common opponents by the most
efficient means available.  Therefore, if you have any further
questions or concerns, or if there is anything else I can do to be of
assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.


Sincerely,



Tanya K. Metaksa
Executive Director


P.S. As an aside, I'd like to point out that if anyone thinks this
means I am "soft" on Senator Dodd or forgiving of his actions in 1968,
I'd only remind them that in 1969 I founded the Connecticut
Sportsmen's Alliance with the intention of defeating him at his next
election -- a goal I and my fellow activists were proud to accomplish
in short order.


Enclosure

TKM/jcf