The PROponent Peoples Rights Organization 5 E. Long St., Suite 412; Columbus, OH 43215; (614) 268-0122 Volume 6 May, 1994 Number 5 (headline) VOTE! A BIG PRIMARY ... PRO has been fighting an uphill battle trying to convince members of the importance of a primary election. This is where the candidates are picked. This is where a group like ours can make a difference without having to fight million dollar purses. This is where we can win in the fall by just getting the right candidates on the ticket. So Democrat or Republican, take control of your party and pick candidates YOU want to run. Exercise your right to have a final say on those who party bosses have picked to run. VOTE! WHO TO VOTE FOR...SORT OF... Citizens Against Crime is in a quandary concerning the upcoming primary. In several races, it is clear that we should vote for certain candidates. In others, it is a jumbled, tangled, mass of confusion. In an easy race, CAC strongly endorses Democrat Bill Moss in his bid for the 22nd Ohio House District seat. His opponent, a hand-picked assistant of the resigned Ray (you can call me Ray) Miller has vowed to continue the Miller anti-gun tradition. In his position paper concerning gun control and hunting, Mr. Moss, on the other hand, states that "There is a tremendous amount of debate on the issue of gun control. The United States Constitution clearly defines the right of American Citizens to keep and bear arms. This right should not be abridged. I do believe in educating people about the responsibility of gun ownership. Indeed, with every right, there is a responsibility." Bill Moss has long been a hunter and outdoorsman and is committed to preserving our natural resources and to listening to those of us that bear the brunt of conservation in Ohio. The hunters and fishermen of Ohio. (Sorry feminists, but fishpeople sounds like the gillman is attacking) Mr. Moss is running against an incumbent that has never run for election. As firearm owners, we do not need a Miller clone in the Ohio State House. (Miller was a perennial sponsor of anti-gun bills, who never would return calls or answer letters) CAC urges all Democrats and all independents voting as Democrats in the primary to vote for Bill Moss. In the Senate race to replace Howard Metzenbaum, there is almost a feeding frenzy among Democrats and Republicans. There are five strong candidates for his office. Metzenbaum's son-in-law, Joel Hyatt and Mary Boyle are vying for the democratic side, and Mike DeWine, Bernadine Healy and Gene Watts are vying for the republican position. Several articles have proclaimed that Hyatt will follow in his daddy's footsteps. Those of us in central Ohio have had enough of that type of representation. Mary Boyle is a capable politician from the Cleveland area. Several members of PRO have stated that they are going to switch to the democratic party so that they can vote for Mary Boyle against her opponent, Howard's son (in-law). On the republican side, we know where DeWine stands. While a representative in Washington, he voted for an early version of the Brady Bill and many of it's amendments. Plus the fact that Mike does not know what he wants to be when he grows up. It seems that he is running for some office every year. The senate race against John Glenn showed DeWine to be too much of a political lightweight for an office at this level. During the pre-election debate Glenn accused DeWine's bunny ads of making fun of a "military" uniform, (note the bunny wore a space suit not a military uniform). DeWine hemmed and hawed until it sounded like he was really guilty of Glenn's stupid charges. The kind of candidate we needed was one who would have turned on Glenn and accused HIM of violating HIS uniform and the military code of honor by his part in the outright theft of vast sums from the savings and loans and his longtime outstanding campaign debts that he refuses to pay (while at the same time giving money to other anti-gun Democratic candidates). Senate candidate Gene Watts is that kind of hard hitter, but Gene Watts is an enigma. For many years he has been a supporter of hunters and gun owners in Ohio. He has also been a leading advocate for anti-stalking laws in our state. His position on gun control reads as follows: "I have sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States - including the Second Amendment, which allows Americans the right to bear arms. This has been a fundamental right of our citizens since the birth of our nation. And as a gun owner and sportsman, I strongly support the Constitutional rights of Americans to own and bear firearms for recreational usage and self protection. I supported the final version of the Brady Bill, including instantaneous background checks endorsed by the National Rifle Association. I have fought for laws in the Ohio General Assembly that increase the penalties for crimes committed with firearms. Law abiding citizens should not be punished for the actions of criminal members of our society, which brings us to the real issue: we cannot let the issue of gun control detract us from what is important to Ohioans and Americans - removing violent criminals from the streets and locking them up." Sounds good. BUT... In his current term as an Ohio Senator, Watts has introduced legislation calling for a balanced budget amendment in Washington, and if that failed, for a Constitutional Convention to be convened to force Congress to balance it's budget (and of course, possibly write a new Constitution). Watts has also introduced a bill that would allow the National Guard troops of other states to enter Ohio for drug interdiction, and to allow Ohio troops to go to other states for the same purpose. (See last issue for more detail on this bill.) It just makes us wonder. Healy is an unknown as no one from the pro-gun side has personally talked with her. It took many phone calls even to receive an issues sketch. On crime, Healy believes "that the primary role of government is national security and personal security. She believes that the federal government should help put more police officers on the streets and build more prisons. She is a strong believer in "Three strikes and your out", life imprisonment for those convicted of three violent felonies. Healy also supports truth in sentencing rules and habeas corpus reforms to stop endless death row appeals." On guns, "Healy would have supported the GOP compromise on the Brady Bill, with a quicker phase-in of an instant background check. Beyond that, Healy doesn't believe that gun control is the answer to crime - more prison, more police, stiffer sentences, and death penalty reforms are. "Three strikes and your out."" If we can hold her to this, we will be in a favorable position in Ohio to stop further inroads against gun ownership in the Washington Senate. In today's election climate, Healy stands a better chance of defeating the democratic candidate for a Senate seat in Washington. Even though she is from Cleveland, and it would finally be nice to have some representation from central Ohio, she has more money than her fellow Republicans and seems to have the desire to represent Ohio in Washington. She has also stated that she will not run for re-election as a means unto itself. Although people from Cleveland have told us that Healy is strong willed and independent, we worry about how much pressure the American Medical Association (AMA) can bring to bear on her, especially in regard to their specious "guns as a disease" campaign. Cleveland people say she can stand up to political pressure, but we haven't talked with her and we just don't know. One of our favorite people that we love to hate is the Republican endorsed candidate for Franklin County Commissioner. His opponent is Carol Ann Carroll. We all know where her nationally known opponent stands on the issues of your Rights ... he opposes them. [See Neanderthal in this issue] Carol Ann Carroll, on the other hand is a strong pro-gun candidate out of the same mold as Amy Salerno. Carol has appeared at PRO meetings and wholeheartedly receives the endorsement of Citizen Against Crime. She stands ready to work in defense of your rights. To get started all she needs is your vote. LETTERS ... [The editors knew they were in trouble when this letter arrived at the PRO office. Just one look at the "AIDS Awareness" postage stamp sporting a red "AIDS Awareness" lapel ribbon and we could guess which side the message was from. Not that the editors wish to minimize the seriousness of the AIDS plague as do some conservative spokepersons. AIDS is real. AIDS is serious business. Just because it has primarily ravaged groups like homosexuals and IV drug users, don't think it can't get around to you. My figures show the disease is still expanding at a rate following the standard plague formulas. But the point here is that you stop a plague by changing behavior. The great plagues of the past were controlled (note I said controlled not cured; they could STILL break out again.) by behavior modification. People had to understand that sewage and drinking water don't mix and that vermin (in spite of their "rights") and unsanitary living don't promote health. Likewise, today, sleeping around can get you killed ... and I don't mean by their or your spouse. However, our differences with the lapel ribbon crowd are that PRO believes the answer to problems is doing something about them, rather than sitting on your butt while sporting a ribbon to show how much you are "aware" and "care."] Dear PRO, My husband James and I received [sic] a newsletter from you dated February 1994. He skimmed a few pages and ask [sic] that I send some money to you. Unfortunately for you, I had time to read the letter in full. I would like you to know that I am one of those empty loudmouth windbags you referred [sic] to on page 7. Animals should have "rights" and protection. I do not believe animals should be used to test products for people's vanity (hairspray, cosmetics, perfume, etc.) My husband and myself are both boaters and shooters. So it would seem from your article that we do pay excise taxes and are two of those furry critter "huggers." Maybe you should do some more research on the PETA organization before you go around "name calling." And as I am also the payer of bills in this household, you will not see one dime of our money. Sheryl Nicklin Grove City, PA [editors: We are sure longtime PROponent readers remember how your editors have shot off their mouths without thinking and then had to issue an apology in a later issue. However, This is NOT one of those times. Are PETA members "empty loudmouth windbags?" PRO says that anyone witnessing PETA members screaming at fur owners at one of their anti-fur protests can easily verify for themselves the "loudmouth" portion. As for "empty windbags" the truth of that statement turns upon the reality of the PETA position. Does their position make sense or is it nonsense? Granted that for people like Sheryl Nicklin who have not taken time to dig down to the essence of these issues, PETA seems to make sense. They seem to care so much more about animals than the rest of us callous slobs. But do they really? First of all, no matter what PETA says, animals can never have rights. Rights are reserved strictly for humans. The reason is not because we think being human is so superior, it is because humans are superior. Rights always imply responsibilities. On this planet humans alone have the intellectual capacity to meet their responsibilities. Animals, on the other hand, operate on instinct and training. While they may take the consequences, they cannot take responsibility for their acts. Mankind can be given the right to keep and bear arms which also implies the responsibility of not killing every person who makes you mad. Animals may be born with sharp teeth and some can be trained not to attack humans, but if they do attack it was nothing more than instinct on their part. They have no responsibility for the act. We are sorry, Mrs. Nicklin, but no matter what you think you may have learned from watching the animals in Disney cartoons, real animals are not some kind of caricature, furry humans. They do not wear miniature vests or tiny trousers. They do not vote, and except in a rather rudimentary fashion, they do not experience feelings and thoughts as humans do. Wild animals are wild. We have stated, that we believe humans have a responsibility to protect animals, though we also believe that human life has more value than animal life. The PETA position is the reverse. They believe human suffering means nothing if it allows animals to be "free." PETA decries all medical animal testing. PETA abhors the "exploitation" of farm animals even to the shearing of sheep for wool. PETA even protests the killing of silk worms for the manufacture of silk. Where does this stop? Shall we revert to dark ages medicine because modern antiseptics kill "bacteria families?" They do, you know! And PRO does not need to do "more research on the PETA organization" because we are constantly investigating the animal "rights" people. We have spies in these organizations who keep us informed of their exact positions. We don't go around "name calling", we go around telling the truth. Unfortunately, PETA and others have convinced some persons that "caring" people do not support things like the testing of cosmetics on animals. But think about what this means. There is a healthfood store here in town where I used to go to buy peanut butter and one day I noticed that the manufacturer of one brand of cosmetics had given the storekeeper these little signs to hang from the shelves that said, "We Do Not Test on Animals." So as a little educational project I made up stickers to hang below those signs that said, "We Test Them On YOU!" The next time I went to the store both signs were gone. Mrs. Nicklin, seems to take on a smug air of moral superiority by saying that to save a few animals, persons committing the sin of "vanity" should go blind. The fact is that they put those cosmetics in rabbit eyes not to harm the rabbit, but because those same materials are very likely to find their way into human eyes. Hopefully, neither the rabbit nor your wife or daughter will go blind. I hate to point this out, but most men do not look like Greek gods and most women don't look like they stepped off the cover of Cosmopolitan. People dress up to go to church, but it isn't because God doesn't know how ugly you look buck naked. They dress up out of social respect for their neighbors who have to sit next to them on the pew. Perhaps Mrs. Nicklin has burned her bra and now tucks 'em in her belt to show how her lack of "vanity" makes her superior to the rest of us sprayed and painted sinners. But in truth, she is simply demonstrating the lack of respect for fellow human beings that seems to run so strongly throughout the animal "rights" movement. The odd thing here is that while this woman insists that animals have "rights", her husband (I presume, a human) apparently doesn't have any. He can't hold an opinion about PRO without her approval. He can't support PRO without her checking us out for him and giving her OK. While boating, we can only wonder if she allows him to catch fish. In short, she apparently believes that her own mate has no capacity for responsibility and is little more than some owned animal, while at the same time she believes that wild animals should have all the "rights" affirmed by the Founding Fathers ... And PRO is supposed to be the one that needs to do some research??? P.S. And thanks for supporting wildlife conservation through boating and shooting. Nobody is all bad.] NRA DINNERS... The Central Ohio Friends of the NRA Dinner is June 14, 1994 at the Villa Milano Restaurant at 1630 Schrock Rd., Columbus, Ohio. Take Karl Rd. or Cleveland Ave. north to Schrock Rd. Turn right off of Karl Rd. and the restaurant is on the north side. Turn left onto Schrock Rd. from Cleveland and the restaurant is one mile west. There will be many items auctioned off during the evening. These items range from a Winchester Model 12, to a Winchester shooter's box, to framed artwork, to duck decoys, to knives, to ammo boxes, to putters, to videos, to bows, to scopes, to jewelry, to a Winchester Model 70, to a rifle vise, to a Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun, to Afghans, to a Collectors Plate, to rifle and pistol soft cases, to a jewelry box, to luggage, to rifle racks, to shooting bags, to a Marlin 1894 .218Bee Lever Action Rifle, to serving Trays, to a watch, to a sculpture of a hunter, to a welcome mat, to binoculars and much, much more. All items are of limited editions and are of top quality. Happy hour begins at 6:00pm and ends at 7:15pm. The auction begins at 8:15pm and will last for over two hours. There will also be silent auctions for other donated prizes from the community. The price of the dinner at Villa Milano is $25.00, and vegetarian plates are available, as is chicken. The main fare for the rest of us will be prime rib and all the fixin's. Other Friends of the NRA Dinners will be held in the following areas: May 25...Athens, Ohio 614-592-6668 June 14..Columbus, Ohio 614-268-0122 June 17..Perrysburg, Ohio 614-773-4119 July 13 & 26, and August 5 & 10, Camp Perry National Matches, 614-773-4119 August 16...Ashland, Ohio 614-773-4119 August 17...Vandalia, Ohio, Grand America Trap Shoot, 614-773-4119 These dinners are an excellent opportunity for those of us that love and cherish firearms for any reason to gather together and get to know one-another. Whether you hunt, shoot trap, targets, collect or believe in the inalienable right of man to have and keep arms to defend himself, this is the time to meet others of your fraternity. See you there! RALLIES... We have been talking about it for years but now the time has come. The "Committee of 1776" has been founded by the Gun Owners Foundation (Gun Owners of America) and Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (JPFO) to organize a national pro-gun rally. Members from North Texas Arms Rights Coalition (NTARC), PRO and others are in on the ground floor in organizing these rallies. The national rally is scheduled to be held August 14, 1994. Individual state rallies are scheduled to be held on July 2 or 3, 1994. The Washington rally will begin about 1 pm, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.. There will be an area for booths and a staging area for buses. Booths will sell items and supply information on all aspects of the grassroots movement in protecting our Second Amendment. The national rally will cost upwards of $100,000. This will buy ad space in papers and gun related publications along with security. For further information, call 1-800-466-0200. As of yet, there is no number to call for a state wide rally in Ohio. All of the state rallies will be used to build momentum to attend the National Rally in Washington on August 14, 1994. ____________________________________________________________ "... how abominably absurd is the idea of being hereafter governed by a set of men who have been guilty of forgery, perjury, treachery, theft, and every species of villainy which the lowest wretches on earth could practice or invent. What greater public curse can befall any country than to be under such authority, and what greater blessing than to be delivered therefrom. The soul of any man of sentiment would rise in brave rebellion against them, and spurn them from the earth." Thomas Paine, The American Crisis ____________________________________________________________ FOOD FOR GUNS ... ` In order to make a big PR "splash" showing how much they "care" about gun safety in our community, Channel 4, Mayor G. Lashutka and Krogers, seven other companies and a coalition of hospitals donated funds to the unproductive "Food Swap for Guns" program. Krogers and Channel 4 donated $45,000.00. Others climbing on the bandwagon were: Banc One: $35,000.00 Worthington Industries $20,000.00 Hospital Coalition $8,000.00 Designer Shoe Warehouse $5,000.00 Midland Mutual Life Ins. $1,500.00 City Center $1,500.00 Finland Middle School $126.82 As might be expected the program wasted a lot of money and police hours collecting boxes of junk guns (including the police hours spent by officers and deputies manning the Channel 4 phone bank). PRO seemed to be the only group questioning the utility of the gun buy-back and received considerable media attention because of it. We were even afforded the opportunity to air our views in a March, 29 Dispatch Forum piece. We stressed the importance of firearm safety education over just turning in guns and avoiding the issue. Two positive results from the politically induced buy-back farce is that WCMH 4, WSNY Radio and WVKO Radio are sponsoring "Partners 4 Peace Expo and Rally" on April 30, 1994 from 10 am til 3 pm. Admission and booth space is free. "Cheers for Children" is being sponsored by Mt. Carmel Auxiliary and Children's Hospital on June 4, from 10 am til 5pm for children ages 3 to 12. These expos are an excellent opportunity for PRO to finally get it's name out to the general public as a force for education through the Eddie Eagle program. PRO is also working with the Sheriff's office to put on safety classes around the county. As concerned gun owners that are safety conscious, you should contact the above corporations and ask them to contribute to PRO and the NRA so that we may distribute coloring books and Eddie Eagle books at these functions. Estimated costs are $1,000.00 for both expos combined. The Kroger Company has already been solicited for a donation for the needed supplies. We will keep you abreast of their actions. LEFTIST PRESS ... More and more in this country it is becoming apparent that the press has abdicated it's role as a responsible watchdog of government and has become the lapdog of those in government pressing forward an illegal Marxist radical agenda. The rule in the press, in government, as well as in our inner city neighborhoods seems to be that crimes, immoral behavior, cons, and scams only count if you get caught. If you "get away with it" then there was no crime. While the media try to create the "spin" that there is still even-handed responsible journalism in this country, the truth of a media agenda for the overthrow of our American system of Rights and freedom was never more plain than in this amazing exchange between Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, Ron Noble and an unnamed member of the press at a White House Press briefing on the "Brady bill" by Janet Reno and others. ASSISTANT SECRETARY NOBLE: To me it's stunning that there are over 200 million handguns in the U.S. That's stunning, but what's more stunning is that there are people with records trying to buy these handguns and that we're able to catch them and stop them. Q Clearly, that's a good thing, but I just wondered if it makes you think about taking this a step farther, to banning handguns or -- ASSISTANT SECRETARY NOBLE: No. No. Q Why not? ASSISTANT SECRETARY NOBLE: Because the problem that we're trying to address with Brady and that we have addressed with Brady is we're trying to address the problem of the wrong people having handguns. Now, a law-abiding American citizen who wishes to own a firearm should not be prevented from owning a firearm. That's a -- Q Why should they have one? ASSISTANT SECRETARY NOBLE: First of all, there's a constitutional right to bear arms we hear about time and time again. Q There is? ASSISTANT SECRETARY NOBLE: I think there's a constitutional right to bear arms. And I also think there's a right, an individual right to protect himself or herself or one's family. So from my perspective, I don't do anything and wouldn't suggest anything that would impinge upon a U.S. citizen's right to purchase a firearm. Q Are you a member of the NRA? ASSISTANT SECRETARY NOBLE: One might think so in light of my answer, right? Q Are you? ASSISTANT SECRETARY NOBLE: I am not. Q Under Brady, the local law enforcement -- ASSISTANT SECRETARY NOBLE: I just want to respond. I am a college professor, law professor on leave. I may be returning more quickly than I'd like but -- (laughter.) That's my individual position. That's my individual position, just for the record. Q You have not at this point ruled on -- ASSISTANT SECRETARY NOBLE: Okay. It's my individual position, please. Can you believe this? Here is a law professor on leave to be part of the Clinton administration who is grilled by a hostile press who are implying that his statement that a Bill of Rights actually exists is way out of line. Because Assistant Secretary Noble refuses to commit a crime and violate his oath of office and take part in the destruction of the Constitution he swore to support, he is accused of being a member of the NRA (and every reporter knows what Neanderthal-bubba-criminals they are). Astoundingly, this professor is pressured into saying that his statement that this country actually has a constitution that is the highest law of the land and just might provide limits on what Congress and the administration can do is not really an administration position, but rather only his personal opinion! Mr. Noble even acknowledges that his odd belief in the United States as a nation ruled by laws rather than by Congressional and presidential decree could even result in his removal by superiors who do not share his views. I don't know what you think, but it seems to me that when things in Washington have gotten so bad that a cabinet official has to apologize for believing in his oath of office and fear that such integrity could be cause for dismissal, we are all in heap big trouble. ____________________________________________________________ LESS IS BETTER! "Last, we come to the most evil ... the most horrible ... the most deadly part of this 'assault weapon,' THE 30 ROUND MAGAZINE! These are the magazines of choice for those who desire large capacity. Large capacity and the desire, thereof, is evil for the citizens of the nation. Less is Better! Less jobs, less military, less choice in health care, less money in your pocket, less guns, less ammo. This is better for you. 'MORE' is reserved for those who are watching over you and taking care of you." Jim Taylor, Spouting off about the Clinton-Feinstein "assault weapon" ban in April 15, 1994, The New Gun Week. ____________________________________________________________ PRO-CENTRAL... PRO has had two complaints from PRO-Central members concerning a letter by the new chairman of PRO-Central, Mike Masten. Jason Happenny, from Ashville, sent us a copy of the letter. The objectionable part reads as follows: "To those of you that just join this organization to get into the gun shows for free and don't contribute anything all I can say is that I would rather not see you in the organization. This group does not exist just to put on gun shows. We exist to protect our second amendment rights. I know that there are those individuals who may not be able to help out at all, or may only be able to assist very little. You have my understanding. But for those lazy do-nothing gun owners (who know who they are) you have nothing but contempt from me. It is because of you we have these stupid gun laws on the books." "If you are not interested in helping out PRO-Central to protect your gun rights then you need to read no further. Go back to the flock of sheep to whom you belong. If someone comes to take our guns away, I hope they will come to you first." The PRO leadership can understand Mike's frustration. Many of use have become disgusted at the difficulty in getting members to get active in the fight for our rights and voiced similar complaints. However, the truth is that PRO (and PRO-Central) are volunteer organizations. No one is required to work for the cause. Sure we don't need members who don't vote or those who caused us to end pro-rated dues by scamming their way into the gun shows by paying a couple of months dues, but we need all members. Sure, it would be great if most PRO members were out there busting their butts fighting for our Rights, but even those couch potatoes who do nothing more than send in dues, scan the PROponent and vote pro-gun are also helping us win. We want to keep them on our side and thank them for those things they have done. Nevertheless, it is the job of PRO leadership to try to get as many people actively helping as we can. Most members know by now that we constantly beg for help and are not above repeatedly trying every trick in the book to get you moving. We are not above trying to shame you into volunteering. In Columbus, there is a 5% community service commercial. In it, it says that one should give 5% of their time or 5% of their money towards charity, community projects or worthwhile causes. Can any of us say that we give 5% of our salary towards what we believe in? Do any of us give 468 hours a year towards community involvement or what we believe in? If not, don't complain! This is the time of Lit Drops for candidates, envelope stuffing and fund raisers. Are you doing any of these things? Or are you out turkey hunting? Not very many of us do as much as we could or should do to protect our Second Amendment! Many of you got your wake-up call when Brady became law. Now that you are awake and irritated at your chairman Mike Masten, stay awake and get mad at those that want to deny you your basic right to defend yourself against a government gone mad or against criminals that want what you worked hard for. Don't take your anger out on Mike. Take it out on Brady, and Metzenbaum, and others of their ilk. As long as you are not against us, we want you in PRO, no matter how little you do. BUT never forget that if we lose this fight, they will most assuredly come to take your guns. They may even come to you first since by your inaction you seem weak and appear to be an easy target for them to use to set an example for other gun owners. DOES "BRADY" WORK ? According to many media people, the Brady bill is a smashing success. 1,605 people were denied the right to purchase a handgun in March. Some of these had traffic violations that treated them as if they had committed a real felony. Reckless operation. Accident. This branded them as felons, and they could not buy a pistol. In California, for example, a felony is defined as any crime with the potential of time in a state prison. After the passage of the Brady law, about 37,600 people decided to purchase a pistol. This means that 4% were denied the ability to purchase a firearm. These people decided to purchase a pistol KNOWING that they would have to go through a records check. But they didn't care. Why? Sure, some criminals are really stupid, but the likely answer is some poor slobs got into trouble with bad checks or other paper offenses and never realized they were technically felons and can't own firearms. So now all the Brady people are crowing about how many violent crimes have been stopped. More likely the truth is that the 20% of violent criminals who used to go to gun stores for the tools of their trade now get them from sources that can't be traced. Thus, 20% of violent criminals just got that much harder to apprehend and convict. ____________________________________________________________ (Picture here of Howard Metzenbaum, Dewey Stokes, and Lee Fisher at the signing of the "Brady" bill.) Photo quoted from Winter 1994 Ohio Police, Vol 40, No. 3 HCI isn't the only one saying; "What was only a dream 10 years ago can be a reality as early as this year!" (November!) Please note: this picture is NOT suitable for target practice, unless you wad it up and shoot a basket into the trash can with it. Metzenbaum is gone after this year. We can stop Stokes from achieving political office and Fisher can be unseated in the fall election. It will take you and lots of hard work and money. Remember 5% involvement! Do your part now. Four years ago, Fisher could have been beaten if one more gun owner in each precinct had voted for Pfeiffer. VOTE! ____________________________________________________________ ROSEWOOD... Flames licked hungrily, spreading rapidly in a January over 70 years ago. At least eight people died in the blood lust in the tiny Florida community that began when a white women claimed that a black man had assaulted her. This was 1923. This month the Florida legislature passed a bill to compensate survivors of the racist violence with $2.1 million. Actual survivors will receive $150,000 each and the rest will be used to provide scholarships for the residents' descendants. During the `20's, there were many accounts of lynchings and racial violence throughout our country, mostly in the south. The Rosewood atrocity was one of the worst, and it is past time that compensation was made to the survivors. It is hard to believe, that in a country that provides for the arming of law abiding citizens, that such acts of depredation could ever happen. Unless you realize that gun control is a way to control minorities and undesirables. When each wave of immigrants hit our shores, they were hated and feared by those already here. The Scottish. The Irish. The Germans. The Chinese. The Japanese. All had to earn the trust and respect of those that came before. And they were all subjects of racist violence. As our country matures, let us pray that there will never be any more Rosewoods. Or Waco? Or Ruby Ridge? Or riots. But if they are to be, then let us maintain our rights as American Citizens to defend ourselves against an oppressive government, misguided law enforcement or those seeking to destroy for destruction's sake. NATIONAL MATCHES... The national matches at Camp Perry, on Lake Erie, may be doomed. With the withdrawal of support from the Department of Defense, the National Matches and shooting programs for over 450,000 scouts will come to a cease fire. This will also stop an influx of some $10 million into northern Ohio. Our state can ill afford to lose these tourist dollars and our country can ill afford to lose a program that teaches youth responsibility and pride. Write and call your state representatives and urge them to restore complete funding to the program of the National board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice. ACLU... In the Chicago Housing Authority there is definite and deliberate abuse of our constitutional rights. Random body searches of residents to no-knock, warrantless searches of tenants apartments in search of guns and drugs. These actions have stirred the mighty ACLU into action, arguing that just because people move into these projects does not mean that they are giving up their constitutional rights. They went on to argue that gang violence should be met with a strong police presence. Harvey Grossman, ACLU Legal Director in Chicago, said that if the level of violence happening in CHA was occurring around upscale residential neighborhoods, there would be a constant police presence. U.S. District Judge Wayne Andersen has temporarily halted the searches, and called the policy a "greater evil that the danger of criminal activity." As a result of the suspension of the no-knock searches, President Klinton told Janet Reno to come up with a way to get around the Constitution. The same one that he swore to uphold. It seems that he holds his oaths in the same vein as his marriage vows. Housing Secretary, Henry Cisneros said one way was to include clauses in leases allowing searches when crime conditions make it necessary. Cisneros would also empower residents to organize tenant patrols to ride the elevators and to look after the public spaces in these buildings. Another option would be to build smaller concentrations of immense hi-rises for the less advantaged members of our society. How many of our Rights, that many thousands of our forefathers died for, are we to give up to be safe in our chosen home? Wherever you first came from, your people have fought and died to either become or stay American. Why? Because we are the best country on the planet. Our country is having a serious bowel blockage these past several decades, but we are the best. We need to cleanse our system and in doing so, rid our society of all the parasites. We are not talking about racial cleansing. Or bigotry. We must cleanse our society of the vermin that feed on us. The Criminals. The rapists. The murderers. The violent thieves that we sentence to 20 to life and then let out in three years. Our parole and sentencing processes need an overhaul. Justice needs to be meted out in a sure and swift manner. We also have to provide education for them to take advantage of if they so desire. We can't make someone learn, but we can make the criminal lifestyle a promise of hard time without any frivolities. PERKS... The following is a list of perks found in Ohio prisons. They may not be found in all prisons, but all perks are somewhere in an Ohio prison. 1. Stamp Club, VVA Club 2. Arts & Crafts(allowed to sell to public) 3. Full contact football 4. Pool tables in honor pods 5. Ping pong, football 6. Basketball with electronic scoreboards 7. Hand ball, soccer & boxing 8. Bingo(winnings go into their account) 9. Baseball & volleyball 10. Free weights and weight machines 11. TV in cell(In 2-man cells each inmate may have one) 12. Stereo in cell(Same as Number 11) 13. Microwave in each pod 14. Popcorn machine in each unit 15. 1 honor pod per unit 16. Inmate Liaison Committee(Like a union bargaining committee to deal with warden) 17. Movies shown on prison channel(All night on weekends) 18. Field Day(Complete freedom inside fence to cook-out burgers, dogs and chicken) 19. Fair Day(Similar to Field Day-different time of year) 20. Free envelopes 21. Complete legal library 22. Free college education 23. Ice machines in pods 24. Drama club, music room 25. AWARE program(Culture program for blacks) 26. Food boxes from home(2 per year) 27. Able to buy non-perishable items from grocery store 28. Unlimited use of phones between 6:00 am and 9:30 pm 29. Able to buy fast food once a month(Pizza, chicken) 30. Pizza day 31. Able to purchase pastry from local bakery 32. Satellite hook-up with community college 33. Freedom of movement between 6 am and 9:15 pm except for 2 formal counts 34. Kitchen workers get a banquet once a month DAYTON, TOO... In the latest newsletter from the Miami Valley Association for Responsible Legislation we learn that commissioner Tony Capizzi is proposing a new ordinance requiring new gun owners to obtain an ID card and background checks for all gun owners. It would cost each gun owner $15 for a 3-year license. According to the Dayton Daily News, the ordinance would also change to definition of an assault weapon. Any handgun with a detachable magazine capable of holding more than 20 rounds "either inserted into the weapon or readily accessible or with a permanent magazine" would not be legal. Capizzi said, "if they have a semi-automatic handgun with a legal clip that's readily accessible, they are violating the law, if they have a clip in the trunk, they are not violating the law." Capizzi says Dayton residents may voice their opinions at the April 20 Commission meeting. When the April newsletter was written for MVARL, they were getting the run around from the city commission and the city law office in trying to obtain a copy of the proposed ordinance. The proposed ordinance may also eliminate the right of legal self defense in Dayton for anyone possessing a semi-automatic handgun. OHIO TASK FORCE... Since 1988, murder and gun violence have been on the rise in Ohio. This trend parallels the national trend that is displayed on our tv sets every day. FBI statistics show that firearm murders in Ohio raised 39% from 1988 to 1992; the rate of handgun murders raised 48% from 1988 to 1992; the rate of juveniles arrested for murder raised 101% from 1988 to 1992, and that firearm murders represented 66% of all murders in Ohio in 1992. In order to find solutions to the raising crime rate, Governor George Voinovich established the Ohio Task Force on Gun Violence consisting of 22 Ohioans from diverse walks of life, each with a unique professional perspective on gun violence. The executive order creating the task force called for a report to be completed in 90 days and to include: An implementation plan for instant background checks for those purchasing firearms and other enforcement measures. Recommendations for changes in statutes, rules, policies and procedures to reduce the incidence of violent crime committed with firearms. An education and research plan to assist in the development of policies to reduce gun violence. After many meetings the Task Force made recommendations in seven areas. The prevention recommendations form a comprehensive strategy designed to stop violence before it ever starts, to provide programs for youth at risk of becoming involved in violence, and to change the behavior of those who have already been involved in violence. The state of Ohio should foster and fund community-based violence prevention programs that involve family, churches, schools, youth groups, senior citizens and others. Action needed: legislative. The Governor should appoint a group of business leaders, law enforcement and local officials to help the task force implement the State's violence prevention plan which includes promotion of the BATF's 1-800-ATF-GUNS hotline. Action needed: Administrative. The Office of Criminal Justice Services should compile a violence prevention directory, organize violence prevention conferences, and oversee statewide violence prevention planning, including monitoring and evaluating the Task Force recommendations. Action needed: Legislative. Recommendations directed towards education are aimed at making schools safer by establishing a zero tolerance for gun violence in the school setting. The task force also promotes the establishment of model alternative educational programs to provide students at risk of becoming involved in violence with hope and a sense of future. Each school system in Ohio should develop and implement a violence control plan. Action needed: Administrative. A fund of $5 million should be established to provide security equipment to interested schools to reduce guns being brought into a school setting. Action needed: Legislative. Model educational programs should be promoted to provide youth at risk of becoming involved in violence with goals, incentives and career tracks. Action needed: Administrative. There is an immediate challenge to protect Ohioans from gun violence. Necessary measures include those that keep guns out of the hands of juveniles and dangerous offenders, as well as those that punish violators. The Task Force also recommends greater cooperation among local, state and federal agencies to control gun violence. The current Ohio firearm specification for using a firearm in the commission of a felony should be increased from a mandatory three years incarceration to five years and should be more comprehensively utilized by prosecutors and judges. Action needed: Legislative. The penalty for theft of a firearm, or receipt of a stolen firearm, should be a third degree felony, regardless of its value. Action needed: Legislative The use of any altered or counterfeit identification card to purchase a firearm should be a fourth degree felony. Action needed: Legislative. Judges should have increased authority to deny bail and order pre-trial detention for criminal defendants charged with serious offenses and who are potentially dangerous. Action needed: Ohio Constitutional Amendment. Other recommendations include: Individuals under parole supervision waive their rights in respect to random searches of themselves, their homes and their vehicles by law enforcement officers:existing drug task forces should be expanded to include investigation and apprehension of career criminals and illegal firearm traffickers; that the Governor of Ohio join a Memorandum of Understanding with the BATF and other cooperating states to investigate trafficking of firearms; law enforcement agencies and task forces should make use of BATF's Cease Fire project which target firearm-related crimes; all public schools should turn over all confiscated firearms to local enforcement who should contact the BATF for purposes of conducting firearm traces, and the possession of deadly weapons should be statutorily prohibited on the premises of any state or private college or university unless otherwise lawfully permitted. More recommendations are that: local authorities should be able to petition the Ohio General Assembly to designate certain school, church, playground or park areas as "Gun Free Zones" to provide for enhanced penalties for gun crimes within such areas; to increase from a second degree misdemeanor to a fourth degree felony the sale or furnishing of a firearm to a minor; that adults who negligently permit children access to their firearms should be subject to a criminal penalty; that law enforcement, coroners and courts be required to destroy, with limited exceptions, all seized and forfeited firearms, and to let law enforcement officers who meet all firearms certification requirements established by the Ohio Peace Officer Training Council, and other eligibility requirements, to be permitted to carry a concealed weapon. Transactions involving unlicensed persons are a significant source of firearms for criminal offenders. The task force recognizes that the control of these unlicensed firearm transactions, as well as the promotion of knowledge about current law and safety practices, is essential for Ohio to reduce gun violence. It should be unlawful for a person to sell more than six handguns or 20 long guns per calendar year without being a federally licensed firearm manufacturer, dealer or collector. Exceptions should be made for the sale or disposition of a personal collection of firearms or the one-time sale of firearms as part of an estate auction. Action needed: Legislative. Federal firearm licenses should be required to offer for sale firearm safety mechanisms and should offer literature on firearm safety and firearm laws. Action needed: Legislative. Quick, comprehensive background checks of the criminal and mental health histories of those purchasing handguns will help ensure public safety and minimize inconvenience to the lawful purchaser. The recommendations below promote the use of modern technology to increase the criminal history information for the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation to make such checks. For purpose of the Brady law, the BCII should be the agency authorized to conduct background checks on prospective handgun owners. Action needed: Legislative. An instant check system for handgun purchasers should be pursued through a collaborative effort between the BMV and the BCII which makes use of a new digitized Ohio drivers' license and 900 phone number to access a BCII computer data-base. Action needed: Legislative. Clerks of courts should be required to transmit the disposition of all criminal cases to the BCII. Action needed: Legislative. Clerks of probate courts should be required to report to the BCII all involuntary commitments of mentally ill persons. Action needed: Legislative. A central focus of the Task Force is keeping guns out of the hands of juveniles and increasing the penalties for violent juvenile behavior. The Task Force also recognizes that the criminal records of violent juveniles should be available to law enforcement for the protection of law enforcement and for the safety of the citizens. The expungement or sealing of juvenile records for youth committing violent offenses should not be automatic. These records should be accessible to law enforcement. Action needed: Legislative. Juvenile records for violent offenses, including those involving guns, should be placed in the Law Enforcement Automated Data System.(LEADS) Action needed: Legislative. Judges should be given greater authority to bind juveniles over to adult court at age 15, except in Capital cases(aggravated murder) In which case judges should be given increased authority to bind over juveniles at age 14. Action needed: Legislative. The Department of Youth Services should be able to transfer violent youth who turn 21 to the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for imprisonment up to the age of 25. Action needed: Study. The possession of firearms by juveniles outside of the child's residential premises should be prohibited except for hunting, sporting, or educational purposes. Action needed: Legislative. The purchase, or attempted purchase, of a firearm by an underage person, or by an adult for an underage person, should be prohibited. Action needed: Legislative. The Task Force identified many types of information necessary to put together a comprehensive strategy to reduce gun violence. It is also clear that much attention must be given to the coordination and integration of criminal justice information systems on which sound research and effective enforcement depend. The Criminal Justice Information Systems Steering Committee should be formally recognized and financially supported. Action needed: Legislative. A violence prevention data base should be developed to gather information regarding violence in Ohio, incorporating available sources such as schools, emergency rooms and law enforcement. Action needed: Legislative. Every youth and adult entering a state juvenile or correctional institution that has used a firearm in a crime should be interviewed to determine how they obtained their firearms for the purpose of developing enforcement strategies. Action needed: Administrative. The Youth Risk Behavior Study administered by the Department of Youth Services and the Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services should be expanded and continued. Action needed: Administrative. A study should be conducted to determine the potential issues that would arise from establishing a license to carry a concealed firearm. Action needed: Administration. LETTERS ... Dear PRO, Enclosed is an article from the local newspaper covering Sarah Brady's speech at Miami University-Middletown. I think this is exactly what we need to do every time she (or Schumer, Metzenbaum, Reno, et.al.) shows up to spew their lies. If she needs a week to recuperate from this we need to protest so hard that she will never recuperate. We must begin to use some of the same tactics the liberals have used for years to stifle the conservative side. Protest loudly, shout down the other side, file suits at every turn to delay implementation of bad laws, and generally clog up the process, while getting out the truth. While Sarah hides behind her husband, trotting him out for pity, she hammers us with a campaign of half-truths and outright lies. We need to take off the gloves and fight back! She cares nothing for the Constitution, except for the First Amendment, which she uses to trash the remainder. In the words of the anti-gunners, Enough is enough! Aaron Hagan Middletown, Ohio IF ONLY ONE LIFE WERE SAVED... The editors of the PROponent wish to dedicate this issue to the memory of John Luckett. Mr. Luckett died April 11, 1994 protesting against Sarah Brady at Miami University-Middletown. Mr. Luckett was one of the most vocal protestors during Sarah's speech before 600 people at the Dave Finkelman Auditorium. Two-thirds of the way through her speech, he began making loud noises and two police officers carried him outside where CPR was administered. He never recovered. It was later ruled a heart attack. Sarah Brady loves to talk about how this or that oppressive law is worth it "if only one life is saved." If only Sarah had stayed home, one life could have been saved. The crowd that was with Mr. Luckett was almost as rowdy as he, and many wore NRA hats and carried signs. They all kept shouting Sarah down, not letting her finish a sentence. Afterwards, as she puffed on a cigarette, Sarah said "I'll probably need a week to recover from this," as she heaved a deep sigh. Sarah went on to say that she had rarely seen a crowd this bad. "It just seems that since the passage of the Brady Bill they've gotten much more vociferous and more organized." The "they" she refers to are gun owners. According to articles in the Middletown Journal, Sarah spoke haltingly, and stopped outright or responded in some way to the hecklers at least ten times. She also has a nasty streak of her own. When asked if she would answer questions at the end of her speech if the crowd let her finish, she replied "I don't have to promise you anything." The question and answer period was terminated after just three questions. One could hope that her smoking habit catches up with her, but she is probably like our President and doesn't inhale. CRIME BILL ... As of this writing, April 18, the Feinstein Amendment to the crime package is in trouble. Rep. Charles Schumer said that he found it very surprising "with all the mayhem going on in the streets." Last fall, the Senate passed a crime bill that had the weapon ban. The House version, under debate, has no ban. The stumbling block to Schumer, Brady and others is Rep. Jack Brooks (D-Texas). Brooks is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and voted against the Brady Bill in 1991 and 1992. If it has not been defeated by the time you receive this, call write and fax your representative now at 202-224-3121. Tell them you oppose the entire crime bill as it contains many subtle tricks designed to undermine your rights. (See previous issues of the PROponent that discussed these features.) Ask them to vote it down. GET THE LEAD OUT ... The EPA is about to launch a preemptive strike on sportsmen. After their success in getting lead shot banned for waterfowl hunting, they are now going after lead sinkers of 1 inch or less diameter. Based on a study of about 200 birds of various types they have concluded (with almost no evidence) that lead sinkers are poisoning birds. My personal view is that the real culprit here is remnants of the residue from leaded gasoline which was poured on the countryside by the ton. Even though most oil companies knew very well how dangerous this vast amount of environmental lead was, they kept at it for decades out of greed and disregard for the children of this country. Only when the problem got so obvious to scientists that it couldn't be ignored did they act. (I understand that only when the death of lions in the Chicago Zoo was traced to lead from gasoline did officials understand how serious the problem was and forced unleading of gas.) But the disaster of leaded gas is very hush-hush and the idea now seems to be for sportsmen to take the fall for these crimes. And if in the process guns are made "safer" by forcing a switch from lead to chocolate bullets, so much the better. PRO lawyer, Dave Buda explained a few points about this rule change at the April meeting. The lead ban is a regulation not a law. Congress does not need to pass it for it to become active. But regulations have been authorized by Congress to have the force of law. Making lead sinkers at home will be a crime which includes confiscation of your equipment. That means your lead pot, the basement it's in, and the house that sits on the basement. Manufacturing lead sinkers is defined not only as casting lead but also packaging or transporting sinkers. There will be a record keeping requirement for sinker makers. At present there is little opposition to the new rules so your voice is important. Call Susan Hazen at (202) 554-1404 and indicate that you want public hearings held on this proposed rule change. Today its lead sinkers, tomorrow they take your house because of the lead bullets under your reloading bench. NEANDERTHAL ... Dewey Stokes, candidate for Franklin County Commissioner in the Republican primary spoke at the April PRO meeting. While an article in the April 13, Columbus Guardian mulled over the charges by his opponent Carol Ann Carroll that "Stokes is Neanderthal man," PRO members mulled over why Stokes would speak to PRO where his chance of gaining a single vote is highly unlikely ... especially after he crowed about how he just proposed gun registration as FOP policy to their governing body. While it may take a woman to judge the "Neanderthal" charge, it was clear to us that his reason for appearing was to show us just how "tough" he is. The FOP union boss, struck us as being right out of the mold of Jimmy Hoffa and other leaders from the bygone days of big labor. He is tough and street-smart (and that also means power-smart) and made it the hard way. He said "this is America" and PRO can hold any opinion we want, but he isn't scared of us. Dewey is scared of "nuttin'." What Mr. Stokes promised to bring to commissioner's office is his big-time national connections. He bragged about his Washington high-level connections and promised, if elected, to bring big federal bucks to Franklin County. We were not supposed to notice that this will also bring federal big brother to Franklin County. Mr. Stokes repeatedly stressed county "development and growth." The implication here seemed to be that with him in office, Stokes' national high-level friends will be able to connect with local movers and shakers. The meaning here seems to imply more malls and amphitheaters pushed through against the wishes of residents with the aid of big government dollars. Dewey said that crime is the number one problem in the county and the country. He believes that reaching juveniles is the solution to crime. He is proud of his community work with kids. He also said that busing is a cause of juvenile crime. He strongly supports the pending crime bill and says it will build prisons and (his favorite theme) funnel federal money to the county. Lastly on the issue of gun control (which PRO did not really bring up) he seemed irritated at "people" he said keep saying he has never polled his members about gun control. (I guess he means us.) He asserted that members were polled in March 1991 and somehow supported gun control (facts got real fuzzy here). He then noted that of 2799 voting delegates at the recent FOP convention, 58% favored an "assault weapon" ban and 62% favored "Brady." The catch here is that FOP convention delegates, as every line officer knows, tend to be those cops with one eye on their career and the other on politics. In two words: Politically Correct. This was in no way a poll of the rank and file. We would like to learn more about the 1991 poll, but until we do we can only go by the FOP members who have told us that they know of no general polling of rank and file members on gun control. What more can we say. If you love big government manipulated from behind the scenes by the rich and powerful, Dewey is your man. AMY SALERNO DATES... The May 22 fundraiser shoot for Amy Salerno is being moved to June 12, 1994. It will be noon to whenever. There will be food and soft drinks provided. The beer and brats fundraiser for May 10 is still on. It will run from 6:00pm till 8:30pm. The price is $15.00 and your support is very important. It will be held at Columbus Hi-Lo, 2270 Harper Rd. Take McKinley Ave. to Scioto-Harper Rd. and then turn left and go to Harper Rd. Hi-Lo is near the corner. See You There! ____________________________________________________________ The PROponent is published by: Peoples Rights Organization; 5 E. Long St., Suite 412; Columbus, OH 43215; Tel (614) 268-0122 Fax (614) 275-0092 EMAIL: 73427.1615@compuserve.com Michael T. Regan, Chairman; Ron Herman, Vice Chairman Dennis Walker, Secretary; Sherry Herman, Treasurer Editors: Dennis Walker and Frank Jacoby Contributions, either written or financial are gladly accepted. Anyone wishing to reprint all or part of an article from the PROponent may do so. Please mention the PROponent and the issue that the article was in, and send a copy of your publication to our PRO office. (We like to know what your organization is doing too.) Also, PRO will exchange newsletters with any pro-gun, pro-rights, pro-hunting, etc. group to further grass-roots communication. Put us on your newsletter mailing list and we will put your club on ours. PRO general meetings are held the third Tuesday of every month at Veterans Memorial Auditorium, W. Broad St. Columbus, Ohio. _________________________________________________________________