SAN FRAN BAN
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors wants to ban guns in the city! This week, the Supervisors submitted a proposal to the Department of Elections that will ask residents of San Francisco to vote next year on a proposed gun ban that would strip law-abiding citizens of their Constitutionally-guaranteed Right to Keep and Bear Arms. The measure would abrogate the right of any citizen to own a handgun for any reason. Only law enforcement officers, members of the military, and security guards would be allowed to possess them. The measure would also completely ban the sale, manufacture, and distribution of all handguns and ammunition in San Francisco, as well as the transfer of gun licenses. If passed next November, city residents would be forced to surrender their firearms within 90 days.
According to Bill Barnes, an aide to Supervisor Chris Daly (Dist.-6), "The hope is...that officers will have an opportunity to interact with folks and if they have a handgun, that will be reason enough to confiscate it."
In 1982, San Francisco enacted a similar ordinance which also purported to ban all handguns. That measure, with the help of NRA and its members, was eventually struck down.
Ironically, Washington, D.C., a city that effectively bans the right to self defense with a firearm, has one of the highest rates of violent crime in the nation. As such, San Francisco officials would be remiss to use the District of Columbia`s gun-ban experience as a model.
According to the anti-gunners` logic, if gun bans worked, Washington, D.C. would be one of the safest cities in America. In reality, the District holds the notorious distinction of being the murder capital of the United States.
As for the District`s draconian gun ban, on September 29, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the "District of Columbia Personal Protection Act--" legislation that seeks to restore the right of self-protection to law-abiding citizens of Washington, D.C. HR 3193, was introduced by Representatives Mark Souder (R-Ind.) and Mike Ross (D-Ark.), and passed on a bi-partisan vote of 250-171. The bill is the House companion to Senate bill S. 1414, introduced by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah).
Please contact your U.S. Representative and Senators and urge them to cosponsor and support this legislation in the 109th congress. You can find contact information for your elected officials by using the "Write Your Representatives" tool at www.NRAILA.org, or you can call your U.S. Senators at (202) 224-3121.
KERRY EARNS "FOLLIES" HONORS
In its post-election "The Follies" section, Campaigns & Elections magazine offers the following under the category of "Most Ridiculous Campaign Stunt": "John Kerry going hunting in a camouflage outfit on a Thursday morning in swing state Ohio a week and a half before the election." Later in the same issue, Dick Wadhams, campaign manager for Senator-Elect John Thune (R-S.D.) (who defeated Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.)) specifically mentions NRA`s help in the team`s successful effort to elect Thune.
TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!
Once again this year`s elections proved that good and accurate information is critical to success. But information can only be put to good use if it is received in a timely manner. Our campaign to ensure readers of the Grassroots Alert switch from receiving the newsletter by fax to e-mail is paying off! However, we still have thousands of Grassroots Alert recipients who receive the weekly Alert via fax. If you have an e-mail address, but you still receive the NRA-ILA Grassroots Alert every Friday via fax, we encourage you to switch over to our e-mail system. We can send e-mail instantly, at virtually no cost, while each fax incurs the cost of a long distance call, not to mention your cost in paper. E-mail also allows you more flexibility in relaying our information to others whom you know, but who aren`t on our e-mail list. If you would like to switch to e-mail delivery, just go to www.NRAILA.org, then follow the instructions through the link called "Sign Up For E-mail." Once you start receiving the Alert via e-mail, please call the Grassroots Division at (800) 392-8683, and let us know so we can take you off the fax system.
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A LOOK AT THE STATES
CALIFORNIA
The city of Azusa is trying to rezone property in order to force the San Gabriel Valley Gun Club to shut down. A city council meeting will take place on Monday, December 20, at 6:30 p.m., at the Azusa Civic Auditorium, 213 E. Foothill Blvd. Your attendance at this meeting is very important. With the help of NRA members, the city of Azusa`s anti-gun efforts can be defeated! It is critical that NRA members and the pro-gun community voice their opposition to any attack on the
Second Amendment. To defeat anti-gun efforts, please attend this meeting. Also, please call (626) 812-5238, and respectfully ask city council members to vote "NO" on rezoning the city of Azusa property lines. For more information, please visit www.NRAILA.org.
OHIO
The 2003-2004 regular session of the Ohio Legislature is quickly coming to a close. HB 405, a measure that will create a specialized motor vehicle license plate for supporters of the National Rifle Association, has been approved. The specialized tags will cost $25, with $15 of that total being deposited into the NRA Foundation State Fund Account for Ohio. The fund will be used for Foundation-related projects such as youth hunter education, firearm safety training, and shooting range development. All money raised from the purchase of these plates will stay in Ohio for activities and programs!. The bill now goes to Governor Taft (R) for signing. We`ll keep you updated on how you can order these tags in future alerts!
TEXAS
Although the Legislature won`t convene until January 11, 2005, Representative Joe Driver (R-Garland) has already pre-filed HB 225, a bill which extends the term of a renewed Concealed Handgun License from four to five years at the current $70 renewal fee. HB 225 will reduce the average annual cost of a CHL and maintain the license holder`s exemption from the federal instant check requirement when purchasing a firearm from a licensed dealer. Please contact your State Representatives in advance of the legislative session and urge them to sign on as co-authors to HB 225.
WASHINGTON
Last week, the Pierce County Council passed Ordinance #2004-72S, creating a Firearms Advisory Commission that will make recommendations to the Council on firearm-related issues. This is an important new addition, as the Council has been actively passing "no-shooting" ordinances lately. The new Commission will be made up of seven County residents, at least three of whom will represent local shooting groups, and will be charged with reviewing all existing County restrictions for appropriateness and will provide input to the Council on future proposals. Special recognition for their tremendous efforts in securing passage of this ordinance go out to Pierce County Council member Dick Muri (R), and NRA member and activist Allen Hodges.
