Sometime during the dead of last night, the NRA-ILA website was updated to provide readers an ongoing analysis, dated Friday, 27 February 2004, of S. 1805 (Lawsuit Preemption). http://www.nra.org/frame.cfm?url=https://www.nrahq.org/contact.asp
Two interesting excerpts are:
”The Senate then debated and voted upon two amendments seeking to gut S. 1805. The first related to the D.C. sniper case, but the proposal by Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) was defeated, 56-40. A so-called "law enforcement" exemption offered by Sen. Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) was soundly defeated, 56 to 38.
"NRA strongly opposed both amendments. One of the strengths of S. 1805 is that it adopts the same rules for all plaintiffs, no matter how sympathetic or unsympathetic, and no matter how notorious or mundane their victimization. Plaintiffs` rights should depend on settled principles of law, not on emotion or sympathy."
But, the NRA update DID NOT address an ALREADY PASSED Amendment sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist that violates the exact principle for the NRA opposition to the Mikulski Amendment.
"S.AMDT.2630 to S.1805 To protect the rights of law enforcement officers who are victimized by crime to secure compensation from those who participate in the arming of criminals. Sponsor: Sen Frist, Bill [TN] (introduced 2/26/2004) Cosponsors: 1 Latest Major Action: 2/26/2004 Senate amendment agreed to. Status: Amendment SA 2630 agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 60 - 34. Record Vote Number: 21"
The Frist Amendment says, in effect, 'Its OK to have a frivolous lawsuit against a manufacturer, dealer, or other third-party, so long as a policeman (and his lawyer) get all the money.'
In other words, contrary to their own statement: “ One of the strengths of S. 1805 is that it adopts the same rules for all plaintiffs, no matter how sympathetic or unsympathetic, and no matter how notorious or mundane their victimization. Plaintiffs` rights should depend on settled principles of law, not on emotion or sympathy", the NRA does not oppose, nor even speak about, the Frist Amendment S.AMDT.2630 to S.1805 .
Maybe I’m too idealistic, or naive – but, I simply do not understand the NRA’s duplicitous position on these Amendments.
Rather than accuse me of relying on others for my information on NRA motives and interpretations, I wonder why you suggest we rely solely on the NRA for it's interpretations of Second Amendment issues??
Anyway, here's what I found at RMGOA's web site:
Rocky Mountain Gun Owners
Colorado's No-Compromise Firearms Lobby
Based in Denver, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners is Colorado's largest state-based gun lobby. It is a group solely dedicated to the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Our strategy is simple: don't give an inch.
We believe that freedoms have been eroded far too quickly in our country, and that our rights must be reclaimed through the democratic process.
We believe that Americans have been given a right by God, and recognized through the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and numerous state constitutions, to keep and bear arms. Colorado's State Constitution also prohibits government from "calling into question" that right.
If we fail to convince politicians that they must recognize our freedoms, we have only ourselves to blame.
Rocky Mountain Gun Owners is a non-profit, non-partisan organization, registered with the Colorado Secretary of State and with the IRS as a 501 c-4.
Though Rocky Mountain Gun Owners is not legally affiliated with any other organization, we work with Gun Owners of America on a daily basis and consider them our Washington, D.C. lobby. You'll often find RMGO supporting the fine work of GOA on the federal level, and GOA supporting RMGO on a state level. The legal distinction between the two groups is to avoid being held liable for either group's work.
If you would like to learn more about RMGO, please feel free to either E-mail us or talk to our staff by calling (970) 842-3006.
You can also mail us at:
Rocky Mountain Gun Owners
P.O. Box 3114
Denver, Colorado 80201
About our Executive Director
Dudley Brown is Rocky Mountain Gun Owners’ Executive Director, and serves under a volunteer board and chairman. He handles all day-to-day operations and lobbying concerns for RMGO, Colorado’s largest gun rights organization
. Brown is a graduate of Colorado State University, where he was chairman and founder of the CSU College Republicans, and subsequently two-term State Chairman of the College Republicans of Colorado.
After Brown’s 1989 graduation, he served as Northern Colorado Director for U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong. In 1990 Brown left retiring Armstrong’s staff to become the Media Director for the Colorado House of Representatives’ Republican Caucus. In 1992, Brown left the legislature to become the assistant campaign manager for the unsuccessful Republican congressional campaign of Brian Day in Colorado’s 2nd District.
In 1993, Brown became Legislative Director of the Firearms Coalition of Colorado and contract lobbyist for the Colorado State Shooting Association (the NRA state affiliate). Brown also served as the state chairman of the Colorado Conservative Union, a group that rated Colorado legislators.
In 1996 Brown founded Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, a no-compromise gun lobby concentrating on Colorado, which operates independently of other gun rights organizations.
Brown has appeared as a guest on Fox News, Hannity & Colmes, CNBC's Geraldo Rivera, the NBC Nightly News, and numerous other media outlets.
Brown has served as political consultant for a large number of conservative candidates and for the Colorado Republican Party.
Brown is a born-again Christian, skier, computer enthusiast, hockey player and fan, hunter and, of course, shooter. He concentrates on the defensive use of the handgun and carbine. He is married, and lives in rural Colorado.
You can e-mail Dudley Brown at exdir@rmgo.org
I am a voting member of the NRA and have sent them contributions over the years. I am a "silver bullet" member sponsor.
I also associate with and respect the 75 Million American 2nd Amendment Supporters who DO NOT belong to the NRA.
Sadly, I believe the NRA "speaks" for the 2nd Amendment Community in much the same way Jesse Jackson "speaks" for the Black Community- in a top-down, we know what is best for you,misguided patronizing way.
We are buried in experts who have answers to everything and solutions to nothing.
The NRA, particularly the NRA-ILA, has been infiltrated by these experts who fix things that aren't broken until they are ruined beyond repair.
It is time for the vast overwhelming majority of the 75 million other 2nd Amendment Defenders to stop these quislings who destroy rights in the name of their salvation.
I will instruct my representatives (again) to vote for a completely "clean" 1805 or shut it down.
Zero tolerance and all that.
Best regards,