NRA: Kerry 'No Friend of the 2nd Amendment'

AP News ^ | April 6, 2004 | Dan Nephin

[kimber]

PITTSBURGH - In touting its selection of the Steel City for its 133rd annual convention, the National Rifle Association talks up the region's strong membership and Pennsylvania's rich hunting traditions.

But it also is rallying support to keep President George Bush in office.

At last year's convention in Orlando, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush credited the 4 million-member NRA with helping his brother win the 2000 presidential election. "Were it not for your active involvement, it's safe to say my brother may not have been president of the United States," he said.

The NRA hasn't endorsed a candidate yet, but NRA executive vice president Wayne LaPierre said Monday that "gun owners in massive numbers do not want to go back to the days of Clinton and Gore." Presumptive Democratic nominee John Kerry, he said, "is certainly no friend of the Second Amendment."

NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said "Pennsylvania is going to be a battleground state again. We certainly will be working to activate our base."

Although Democratic nominee Al Gore defeated Bush in Pennsylvania in 2000 by four percentage points, Arulanandam said the decision to hold its convention here wasn't made because of that. Host cities are selected five to six years out, he said.

Events at "Freedom's Steel," which runs April 16 through April 20 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, include a prayer breakfast; a game call challenge; and sessions on women's wear and wilderness gear, methods of concealed carrying, and hunts in Africa. The NRA expects nearly 60,000 people to attend.

LaPierre said the convention would be "a celebration of this American freedom to own firearms and hunt" and would reflect on the expansion of gun rights over the past 25 years. Back then, he said, only a handful of states had right-to-carry laws; now 37 have them.

Rocker Ted Nugent is also listed on the schedule. Vice President Dick Cheney was scheduled to be the keynote speaker, though LaPierre said he couldn't confirm whether Cheney was coming.

Meanwhile, gun control advocates plan to hold their own events. They include a teach-in at the University of Pittsburgh, a candlelight vigil to remember victims of gun violence and a concert, according to Nathaniel Glosser of Confluence Against Gun Violence, a coalition of local organizations.

Glosser said they will be trying to draw attention to two gun control issues: the continuation of the federal assault weapons ban and Pennsylvania's lack of "child access prevention laws." Eighteen states have some form of the law, which holds gun owners responsible if children have their gun.

The accidental fatal shooting of a letter carrier last summer by a 9-year-old boy in suburban Pittsburgh underscores the need for such a law, Glosser said. The boy's mother, Latoya Burnette, is charged with illegally possessing a handgun under federal law. She was not permitted to have it after her 2000 conviction for assault with a deadly weapon in North Carolina.

"We're not antigun. We're not against the responsible ownership of firearms," Glosser said. "We're in favor of laws that will keep guns out of the hands of children, the mentally ill and criminals."

LaPierre said states can already prosecute such cases under criminal negligence laws.

The assault weapons ban, which expires September, is "nothing but an incremental effort to ban more firearms," Arulanandam said.

"We feel that this is an ineffective law based on studies by the Clinton Justice Department, that this law is ineffective in reducing crime," he said. "We feel it ought to sunset."

[Shooter 2.5]

And yet there are those who don't see anything wrong with Kerry as President.

[Dan from Michigan]

John Kerry wants to ban the .30-30. He makes Klinton look like Wyatt Earp on guns.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

And yet there are those who don't see anything wrong with Kerry as President.

---

I think one is as bad as the other.

It's a 60mph over the cliff vs. 50mph over the cliff. In both cases the car goes over the cliff with the same end result --a crushed car full of dead occupants.

If we choose the lesser of two evils, we're still choosing evil.

If you had to choose, which would you back --Satan or Beelzebub?

Remember, these are your only two choices.

[Shooter 2.5]

last time I checked the names you listed are for the devil.
Maybe you should go to DU. Your end results are the same.

[Shooter 2.5]

Check 21 and the rest of the thread.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

last time I checked the names you listed are for the devil.
Maybe you should go to DU. Your end results are the same.

---

You catch on quick.

They wouldn't like me over there any better than you do here because I'm as critical of their bastard as I am of yours.

Unlike you, I think it's a better idea to put on the brakes than to go over the cliff.

[TERMINATTOR]

Most of the really evil so called "gun control 'laws'", have been NRA "compromises" signed by Republican presidents. The R's are at their best when they have a majority in congress and a Dem pres. This results in near perfect gridlock, and very little unconstitutional legislation gets through. Under a Republican pres the NRA and other RINO's get all soft and squishy and will fall for anything. If congress can't repeal any of the thousands of unconstitutional legislative acts on the books, they should go home anyway! The last thing we need is more stupid legislation.

NRA and Bush supporters should go to DU or some other liberal/RINO site. FreeRepublic is a CONSERVATIVE web site!

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

FreeRepublic is a CONSERVATIVE web site!

Well, it was when there was a democrat occupying the oval office.

[Badray]

Thanks for the ping.

I agree with you on this point - George Bush is better than John F'ng Kerry. He hasn't earned my vote yet though because of all of his transgressions against the Constitution.

I believe Kerry is guilty of treason for his actions in the 70s and probably even now. So no, I won't support him and want him defeated.

But I'm not yet prepared to actually cast my precious vote for Bush. I back him fully in our overseas WoT. I just can't abide what he has done here. So in that regard, I find myself agreeing with Ol' Dan Tucker, and the TERMINATTOR

[blackie]

GWB is a good man ~ he has accountability, integrity and is a great leader!

In case some of you haven't noticed; we're at war!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, .05% third party fringee's, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

GWB is a good man ~ he has accountability, integrity and is a great leader!

And just how do you know he's a good man, has accountability and integrity?

Have you met him? Had any business dealings with him? Do you have a close, personal relationship with him?

Or are you only basing this opinion upon what his PR people say?

[blackie]

I got that you don't like GWB ~ enjoy your misery ~ I refuse to share it with you!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

I got that you don't like GWB ~ enjoy your misery ~ I refuse to share it with you!

So, in other words, you don't really know the man. Or, rather, all you know about him is what you learned from his PR people.

And from all appearances you swallowed hook, line and sinker what they've told you.

There's a term for this.

[blackie]

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

We are winning

It'll be interesting to see if you still feel the same way in September when Dubya renews the AWB...

I know you're already a big fan of his amnesty plan. After all, to you, he can do no wrong.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

BTW, Is this your idea of winning?

Licenses for Migrants Urge [Florida's Bush joins licenses for illegals insanity]

[blackie]

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[blackie]

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

"There are none so blind as those who will not see."

[Shooter 2.5]

You're right. The bad guys are losing, whining and crying while the Republican Party sponsors Gun Rights.