Posted on 02/01/2005 1:53:15 PM PST by blackie
www.gunowners.org Feb 2005 GOA On Offense As New Congress Convenes -- Citizens' Self-Defense Act protects gun owners who save lives Gun Owners of America 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102 Springfield, VA 22151 (703)321-8585 February 1, 2005
With the defeat of the semi-auto ban reauthorization last year, and the election of several new pro-gun Members of Congress, it's time for gun owners to go on offense and demand legislation that advances gun rights nationwide.
One perfect example is H.R. 47, the "Citizens' Self-Defense Act of 2005," introduced by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD). GOA helped author this important bill that would protect those who use guns in self-defense from overzealous or anti-gun prosecutors.
H.R. 47 reaffirms the basic truth that citizens have a right to use a gun in defense of self, family, and home.
It enforces that right with serious "teeth." Should a person be deprived of their right to self-defense with a firearm, that person can bring an action in court against the United States, any State, or any person. Anti-gun prosecutors would be personally liable for their wrongdoings -- and the wronged party can demand compensation and reimbursement of legal fees.
You may recall that national news was made last year in Wilmette, Illinois. Hale DeMar shot a home invader. The shooting was ruled as justified, but DeMar was prosecuted because the town had enacted a ban on handguns. Outraged, the Illinois legislature subsequently passed a law to protect people such as DeMar.
And who could forget Bernie Goetz? He saved his own life when he shot his assailants in a subway train. The jury acquitted him on all charges involving the actual shooting, but he went to prison anyway for violating New York City's draconian gun ban.
The GOA files are overflowing with examples such as the two above. Every year, numerous gun owners are maliciously prosecuted all across the country for doing nothing more than defending their lives. Passing the Citizens' Self-Defense Act at the federal level will virtually eliminate this problem by holding prosecutors of any jurisdiction accountable for their actions.
In today's climate of anti-gun hostility and outright disregard for individual rights, H.R. 47 is needed now more than ever.
ACTION: Please ask your U.S. Representative to cosponsor H.R. 47. Bills with a large number of cosponsors are much more likely to receive an up-or-down vote in Congress. Building cosponsors is the critical first step in enacting a bill into law.
Contact your Rep. by visiting http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to use the GOA Legislative Action Center. The system will identify your representative for you and you can check to see whether or not he or she has cosponsored the bill. You can easily send a pre-written e-mail message from there, and the system will automatically load either a "please cosponsor" message or a "thank you for cosponsoring" message depending on your Representative's cosponsor status.
----- Pre-written message (for non-cosponsors) ----- Dear Representative,
Please cosponsor H.R. 47, the Citizens' Self-Defense Act of 2005. This important legislation would protect citizens who use a gun in self-defense from malicious prosecution.
Rep. Bartlett of Maryland introduced this bill because he feels, as do I, that there have been enough horror stories of people going to prison merely because they defended their own lives.
Please let me know when you have added your name to H.R. 47.
Sincerely,
**************************** New Film Catches BATFE With Its Hands In The Cookie Jar!
For years, you've heard horror stories about the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (BATFE). You've heard they're more interested in framing the innocent than in catching real criminals. You've heard they'll ruin lives for the sake of their own prestige and funding. You've heard that BATFE agents are callous and careless -- and that the bureau supports a culture of cruel ineptitude.
Well, you don't have to rely on rumor or third-hand information any more. Now, you can SEE FOR YOURSELF.
From JPFO comes the new film "BATFE Fails the Test" which shows exactly how the BATFE treats an ordinary, average gun owner once it decides to "get" him.
The video is available on DVD or VHS at http://www.gunowners.org/jpfobft.htm for only $17.76 (which includes shipping).
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Will it pass?
Good. Keep them there.
I would like citizens allowed to be armed in national parks. We've had lots of killings of govt. mandated unarmed victims in National Parks here in the west. This is a travesty, and unlike the GOA bill doesn't require the Feds to stick there nose into state laws, it only asks them to do a better job on the laws for Federal property.
GOA, NRA, & JPFO BUMP! I'm especially fond of GOA these days...
~ Blue Jays ~
But the 2nd hasnt been incorporated, so it wont count in cali... /Sarc
No, they're not. They keep saying that to tease us, but they never deliver (like everything else in their life).
Roger that, Jack Black!
Be Ever Vigilant!
PS great profile page!
Somebody ought to sue the 'Rat Party for preeing an agenda of victim disarmament for the past 35 years.
Roger that, Blood of Tyrants!
You too, have a great profile page!
FMCDH!
We're all in this together and the common enemy is the anti-gun dem party.
Let's keep voting them out of office.
I agree. I apologize for appearing to pit one organization against the other - we're all good guys here.
The background check is a particular pet peeve of mine, as I don't see why Uncle Sam has to stick his nose into my business before allowing me to defend myself. Criminals will continue to get their weapons illegally, and those of us who are fit to live in free society shouldn't need a special license to enjoy our Constitutional rights.
Sadly, I don't see this going away anytime soon, as the gun-grabbers are going to scream bloody murder. Give a lib an inch, and you'll never get it back.
Thanks for the post and the ping guys.
I'll do the congresscritter thing in the AM.
Thanks for the ping
These are many such places. Cuba, China, North Korea, and New York City all qualify.
What about GC '86 that banned new machine guns? I'd like to see that repealed first.
Thanks for reminding me about 86 I had totally forgotten about that that also needs to go bye bye.Hopefully the same day 1934 and 1968 acts get repealed we wil lhave to wait for a republican president that does not pander to the sarah brady crowd by sayinghe will sign the assault weapons ban if it gets to his desk though
Bush isn't just saying it; he will sign it if it gets to his desk. He is not conservative on the gun issue - more of a moderate (moderate defined as a patient liberal) as opposed to a flaming liberal like Clinton (either Clinton).
Exactly. I'd like to see Michael Moron, Rosie O'Donnell, and the rest of the liberal idiots take up residence in one of the former three. Of course, they'd have to leave their armed bodyguards behind, but wouldn't it be worth it knowing that no other law-abiding citizen had the right to defend himself either?
As for NYC, I live here, so I hope we come to our senses. But I won't hold my breath.
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