Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns
From: [j g d] at [dixie.com] (John De Armond)
Subject: NRA-ILA Sellout in Virginia
Date: Tue, 13 Jul 93 06:08:38 GMT

Well it looks like NRA has been in lockstep with the Brady bunch in order
to pass the Virginia Gun Control Act of 1993, also known as H.B. 2273.
This bill, among other things, adds the Striker 12 and the Streetsweeper
to Va's list of banned guns.

I just received about 15 pages of FAX from Howard Rabb, Exec director of
Citizens for Safe Government, the Ga No-compromise gun rights organization.
This package came to Howard from Bill Stump, a gun rights activist who is
organizing a CSG-style organization in Virginia.  I almost puked as I read
this package.  NRA, through Mr. Charles Cunningham, NRA-ILA Va state liason,
twisted arms to get this measure passed 97-1 in the House of Delegates
(opposite the senate in Va.) and with a similar margin in the Senate.

In this package is a letter from Delegate William Mims, a staunch pro-gun
representative.  Regarding the 1992 session where this same bill was known
as SB 94, he says:

"I staunchly opposed this bill when it first came to the House after narrowly
being approved by the Senate.  However, the bill's patron met with 
representatives from the National Firearms Association and the Virginia
Firearms Dealers Association (give 'em something so they won't take my
bread'n'butter), among other groups, and agreed to every amendment that
concerns firearms owners."

In a letter from Del.  Thomas Baker Jr of the 7th district, an NRA rated
A+ pro-gun politician, he says that he voted for HB2273 because a)
language affecting the TEC-9 and other pistols had been removed, b)
Inner city police bosses, particularly Richmond, asked for it and c)
because a federal Executive order had already banned the import so no
harm done.  (There's that "reasonable" argument again, only this time
OUR side is doing it.) And, later on in the letter, because Charles
Cunningham gave it his blessing.

Elsewhere in this package is a letter from Thomas W.  Evans (is he on
the NRA board?  He writes as if he is.) to Bill Stump telling him in
effect, stop the crusade against Charles Cunningham because the
situation is too complicated for him (Bill) to understand.  Riiiight.

Elsewhere in the package is a two page letter from Mike Farris, 
candidate for Lt. Govenor.  He spends the whole letter outlining his staunch
conservative pro gun position, specifically stating he is against waiting
periods, the gun-a-month program, instant checks or any other restriction on
non-criminal gun ownership.

In the margin is a hand-written note that says Farris won the nominating 
election on June 5th.  It also says that NRA-ILA refused to give 
Mr Farris any money but donated $50,000 to his opponent. (That number seems
high, could it be $5000?  Anyone have any other data?)

After the uproar over the above antics and the fact that Cunningham
was the person who cut the deal for the MD Handgun roster board, ILA replaced 
Cunningham with a Mr. Rabon (don't have his first name.)  But the damage
is done.

Is there now any doubt how the NRA represents our interests?  Does anyone
else see an uncomfortable parallel between what NRA did in Va and what
they have done here in Georgia for the last two years trying to pass 
an instant check bill?  I certainly heard the same "shut up kid, you don't
understand" argument.

I tried to call Mr. Stump today but missed him.  I'll try tomorrow.  I want
to get an update on what is going on.  I'll have more details after I 
talk to him.  Meanwhile if anyone in Virginia is intersted in joining 
Mr. Stump in a grassroots organization, he can be contacted as follows:

Bill Stump Jr.
Rt 1, Box 240B
Dublin, VA 24084
703 674 9537

The Farris campaign can be reached at 703 882 9000.  Sounds like this is
a fellow who deserves our support.

We may not win every battle but one thing is for sure.  We damn sure won't
win those we concede ahead of time.

John

-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC               |    (Pardon the inconvenience while we 
Performance Engineering Magazine(TM) |    remodel this .signature)
Marietta, Ga                         |
[j g d] at [dixie.com]                        |