Date: Sat, 13 May 1995 13:13:23 -0400 From: alerts@gatekeeper.nra.org (NRA Alerts) To: firearms-alert@shell.portal.com Subject: FAXALERT: Media's Maligning Marches On (95-05-12) NRA-ILA FAX NETWORK 11250 Waples Mill Road * Fairfax, VA 22030 Vol. 2, No. 21Phone: 1-800-392-8683 * Fax: 703-267-3918 5/12/95 MEDIA'S MALIGNING MARCHES ON Regardless of the fact that Attorney General Janet Reno refuted all reports that NRA was in any way a target of the Oklahoma City bombing investigation, many media outlets -- from NBC to local daily and weekly papers across the country -- are still trying to link the horrific bombing to the NRA and lawful gun ownership! In one of the more vicious attacks to date, the Arizona Republic's E.J. Montini implied that NRA membership dues helped subsidize the bombing! Being vilified by the media is nothing new for us, but this time it's particularly repugnant. While in the past, the media elite may have taken issue with our legislative agenda, today they are trying to link law-abiding NRA members to those responsible for the Oklahoma blast. It's time to stop the media from defining NRA for the American public. It's time to set the record straight, and we're counting on you to help! Begin a "Letters to the Editor" campaign and contact the general managers of your local television outlets and provide them with the facts -- that NRA advocates freedom, the constitution and the rule of law. Use this forum to inform the public that NRA is one of strongest supporters of this country's law enforcement officials and firearms safety, training and education. Spread the word that from the outset, NRA condemned the malicious bombing in Oklahoma City, and called for the death penalty for those responsible. For information to help draft an effective letter, please call NRA-ILA at 1-800-392-8683. BUSH QUITS: Citing differences with the Association over our support for inquiries into recent federal law enforcement abuses, President George Bush resigned from NRA. Sadly, rather than seeking an explanation regarding NRA's position on this subject, the Mr. Bush drafted a letter to NRA President Tom Washington asking to be removed from our membership lists. For a copy of NRA's response to President Bush, call NRA-ILA at 1-800-392-8683. A copy of the NRA response can also be downloaded from GUNTALK. A LOOK AT THE STATES: Louisiana: SB 886, NRA-backed right to carry reform legislation, has passed the Senate and is pending in the House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice, which has already approved a similar House version of right to carry reform. Gov. Edwards has not committed either way to this critical legislation. Members: please call the Governor at (504) 342-7015 and encourage him to support right to carry reform. Missouri: Thanks to a tie-breaking vote by Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson, SB 176, right to carry legislation without any referendum requirement, is still alive on the Senate floor! With the legislature set to adjourn at midnight tonight, anti-gun Senator Jet Banks is leading a filibuster on this bill, which he promised to end only if Gov. Carnahan personally commits to vetoing the bill. Members: please call your State Senators and urge them to vote to end the filibuster, and call Gov. Carnahan at 314/751-3222 and encourage him to support SB 176. North Carolina: The House approved HB 879, NRA-backed state firearms preemption legislation to overturn local gun control ordinances. The bill now moves to a Senate Committee for consideration. We'll keep you posted! Oklahoma: Next week, the Senate will consider the conference report on SB 3, NRA-supported right to carry legislation. If the Senate and House approve the conference report, it will then go to Gov. Keating for his expected signature. Members: please call your State Senators at (405) 524-0126 and urge them to support SB 3 as it comes out of conference. South Carolina: Next week, the House will vote on HB 3730, NRA- backed right to carry reform legislation. Members: please call your State Representatives and urge them to support HB 3730 and to oppose any gutting amendments offered to the bill on the House floor. Tennessee: HB 259, NRA-backed shooting range protection legislation, passed out of the House Judiciary Committee and now moves to the House floor for consideration. Members: please contact your State Representatives and urge them to support HB 259. Texas: This weekend the Senate could consider the conference report on SB 60, NRA-supported right to carry legislation. If the Senate and House approve the conference report, it will go to Gov. Bush for his expected signature. Anti-gun amendments added to the bill in the House, which called for a non-binding referendum on the issue and an increase in the number of training hours to qualify for a permit, were removed in conference. On Monday, the House will vote on HB 439, a bill which would make it a felony to posses any gun within 1,000 feet of a school or public building -- no exceptions! Members: please contact your State Representatives and urge them to oppose HB 439. NRA-ILA ON THE RADIO. Next week, NRA-ILA Executive Director Tanya Metaksa will kick off a nationwide radio campaign, which includes a special Sunday, May 14, feature on the syndicated talk show "What's the Story," hosted by political columnist Fred Barnes. Starting Wednesday, May 17, Mrs. Metaksa will appear on the weekly program "Police Station." Her segment will air every Wednesday night at 10:10 pm. The show airs on WWTN-FM (99.7) in Nashville, Tenn., and can also be heard throughout Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky. Next month, the show will be syndicated nationwide. Also, Mrs. Metaksa can be heard every Sunday between 4-4:30 p.m., on "Gun Talk," Tom Gresham's weekly program on the Talk America Radio Network. For information on radio stations carrying these programs in your area, call NRA-ILA at 1-800-392-8683. =END= =+=+= This information is presented as a service to the Internet community by the NRA/ILA. Some useful URLs: http://WWW.NRA.Org, gopher://GOPHER.NRA.Org, wais://WAIS.NRA.Org, ftp://FTP.NRA.Org, mailto:LISTPROC@NRA.Org (Send the word help as the body of a message) Information can also be obtained by connecting directly to the NRA-ILA GUN-TALK BBS at (703) 934-2121. NRA.org is maintained by Mainstream.com mailto:info@mainstream.com