Such was the latest salvo launched yesterday by the Clinton-Gore Administration in its orchestrated media campaign to shift focus away from its abysmal record of prosecuting armed criminals. Clinton, Gore, and their media shills have been responding to remarks made by NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre last Sunday on ABC's "This Week" and to a series of NRA ads featuring President Charlton Heston questioning, point blank, the veracity of Bill Clinton when it comes to his statements on gun issues. The comment that drew the most ire from the Administration was Wayne's mention of the anti-gunners' use of tragic shootings to further promote their anti-gun political agenda. The media, which in the past has given NRA scant coverage at best, is now licking their chops to try to further prolong this debate. However, before we get too caught up in the media's attempt to transform these most important issues into a media circus, let's remember some facts:
Fact #1: It was President Clinton, who, on the March 2 issue of the "Today" show shamelessly blamed NRA and a lack of a mandatory trigger-lock law for the tragic shooting of Kayla Rolland in Michigan (FAX Alert Vol. 7, No.9). Recall his quote: "They're (NRA) basically against anything that requires anybody to do anything as a member of society that helps to make it safer." It should be noted that the media's interest in this outrageous claim wasn't piqued at all!
Fact #2: Time and again, when a high-profile criminal act or tragedy involving guns has occurred, this Administration's response has been to call for new "gun control" laws. While the President has repeatedly noted his desire to see a "gun control"-laden juvenile justice bill pass Congress, he only puts on the full-court lobbying blitz when there is a terrible tragedy in the news.
Fact #3: Last year, the U.S. Senate passed a gun-lock bill, but the President's anti-gun House allies killed it.
While the media will continue with its theater, what is interesting is that, despite numerous references by Clinton to his Brady Act having stopped "half a million....felons, fugitives or stalkers" from purchasing a handgun from an FFL (a clear violation of federal law if true), not one of the talking heads is asking the million dollar question -- the issue that Wayne has been raising time and again on these programs and will continue to do so -- where are the prosecutions? And while Clinton will brush off discussion of his abysmal prosecution record with a statistic, which no one else can seem to verify, that prosecutions have risen, the fact still remains that Syracuse University's analysis of Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) data shows a 44% decrease in BATF-referred federal firearms prosecutions through 1998.
NRA has been deluged with calls of support by NRA members and non-members alike lauding Wayne and Charlton Heston for raising these important issues. However, the people who really need to hear from you and your fellow Second Amendment supporters are your elected officials. Although the Senate is in recess until early next week, the House of Representatives isn't. Therefore, it is critical that you contact your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121, and let him know that you support Wayne's and Mr. Heston's questioning of the Administration's policy of letting hundreds of thousands of criminals off without even a slap on the wrist, and that you support NRA's call for full enforcement of existing laws against violent criminals and drug dealers. Make no mistake, this issue isn't going to go away. The anti-gun Members of Congress are going to politicize this even further, and that's why lawmakers need to hear from constituents such as you about your support for our efforts. Please call today, and encourage others to do the same.
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