NRA update and first few days summary just in -
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U.N. GUN BAN CONFERENCE UPDATE
With the "U.N. Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation
of the Programme of Action to Prevent and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in
Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects" having begun on Monday,
June 26, here are some of the "highlights" (and "lowlights) of the
week's events.
Day One, Monday, June 26: U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan claims the
Conference's purpose was not to ban "law abiding citizens right to bear
arms..." However, others in the anti-gun cabal obviously disagree, as
evidenced by this statement from Indonesia's representative: "We
believe that no armed group outside of the State should be allowed to
bear weapons. We also believe that regulating civilian possession of
Small Arms/Light Weapons will enhance our efforts to prevent its misuse.
In our view, the issue of ammunition should also be addressed in the
context of the ProgramME of Action because in the absence of ammunition,
small arms and light weapons pose no danger." Regardless of Annan's
statement, the topic of "regulation" of civilian possession is obviously
still alive.
Day Two, Tuesday, June 27: U.S. Under Secretary of State Robert Joseph.
Joseph politely but forcefully gave the U.S. "red lines" -- issues which
the U.S. strongly opposes and will not allow into any Conference report
or recommendations. These include interference with Americans' Right To
Bear Arms, a U.N. ban on transfer of arms to freedom fighters and
international regulation of ammunition. The U.S. also said it was not
ready to commit to any future conferences on small arms. As Joseph noted
later, "The U.S. Constitution guarantees the rights of our citizens to
keep and bear arms, and there will be no infringement of those
rights..The United States will not agree to any provisions restricting
civilian possession, use or legal trade of firearms inconsistent with
our laws and practices."
Day Three, Wednesday, June 28: A new draft of the U.N. "Small Arms"
Conference "final" report became public. Unfortunately, the draft
contained provisions on two issues the U.S. considers "red lines" and
will not accept -- a U.N. ban on transfer of arms to freedom fighters
and international regulation of ammunition. The proposed document also
calls for U.N. meetings on "small arms" up to and including additional
conferences in 2008, 2010, and 2012! The U.S. is opposed to these
constant meetings which seem to rehash the same issues.
Day Four, Thursday, June 29: The Swiss Small Arms Survey (an anti-gun
think tank) released its book supporting international regulation of
ammunition. Although the U.S. continues to strongly oppose the
inclusion of ammunition in any Conference report, several countries
insist on pushing the concept. In another development, the President of
the Conference appointed three "facilitators" to work on the text of the
final report. The so-called facilitators are from Switzerland, Columbia
and Japan.
America's gun owners must continue to be vigilant and to take action on
this front. For additional information on the U.N.'s attempt to impose
its anti-gun will on the U.S. and around the world, please visit
www.NRAILA.org, where daily postings tracking the U.N. Conference can be
found. Also, please visit
www.stopUNgunban.org, or call (800) 672-0636.
This site provides valuable information and an opportunity to order
Wayne LaPierre's new book The Global War On Your Guns. The book spells
out a chilling warning that gun owners in the United States and abroad
must heed, and exposes a far-reaching scheme to pass a global ban on
civilian ownership of arms--including YOURS! Help stop the U.N.'s
attempt to thwart our Freedom. Please visit the site or call the
toll-free number today!
NRA NOT ALONE IN ITS IRE AGAINST U.N.
As noted in the previous story, America's gun owners are no doubt most
focused on U.N. efforts to promote transnational anti-gun laws.
However, that is just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to recent oil
for food, sex, and corruption scandals at the world body, a story in
today's Washington Times notes that Members of the U.S. House of
Representatives are promoting legislation to withhold U.S. contributions
to the U.N. Among the reasons cited for these actions are: recent
remarks by a U.N. bureaucrat that the U.S. government needs to do more
to defend the U.N. to the American public; displeasure with the makeup
of the U.N.'s Human Rights Council that includes some of the world's
most notorious human rights abusers and sponsors of terrorism; and the
U.S. goal of implementing a proportional voting system on financial
matters, where member-nations' votes would be commensurate with the
percentage of dues they contribute.
NRA APPLAUDS CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS FOR INCLUDING
GUN OWNERSHIP RIGHTS IN THEIR "AMERICAN VALUES AGENDA"
The NRA is pleased by Tuesday's announcement by House Congressional
leaders to include gun ownership rights as part of their 2006 "American
Values Agenda".
"On behalf of our four million NRA members nationwide, we deeply
appreciate the House Republican leadership for recognizing the
fundamental importance of protecting law-abiding Americans' Second
Amendment rights," said Chris W. Cox, NRA's chief lobbyist. "We strongly
encourage and endorse these pro-gun bills as part of the their "American
Values Agenda.'"
"Family, faith, patriotism and hard work bind us together as Americans.
Our laws should reflect those priorities, and House Republicans are
committed to the American Values Agenda, policies that stress the core
values on which our nation was built," said House Majority Whip Roy
Blunt (R-Mo.).
House Republican leaders have put together a package of "pro-freedom"
bills slated for votes this summer and fall. Two of those measures are
H.R. 5092 and H.R. 5013, bills that are also among NRA's top legislative
priorities.
H.R. 5092 is the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
(BATFE) Modernization and Reform Act of 2006." This measure would make
critical changes in the way BATFE enforces federal firearm laws. H.R.
5092 was introduced after abuses were exposed in several BATFE oversight
hearings by the House Crime Subcommittee held this spring.
H.R. 5013, the "Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act", would
prohibit the confiscation of legal firearms from law-abiding citizens
during national emergencies, barring practices like those employed by
officials in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The NRA
recently passed a similar measure into state law in Alaska, Idaho,
Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina,
Virginia, and Louisiana.
"NRA members, gun owners and sportsmen across the country should contact
their congressmen, urging them to support these pro-gun bills. No
matter what the circumstances, lawful gun owners have the right to
possess their firearms in their homes. That's what this legislation
ensures," concluded Cox.
