No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.3.5/301 - Release Date: 4/4/2006 Amended Parking-Lot Bill Clears Florida Committee: The revamped bill would give employees the right to keep guns locked in their parked cars while they work. But it also would give companies the right to prohibit employees from doing so "when reasonably necessary" for safety reasons. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-nra0506apr05,0,1331470.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-state --- NRA Losing Clout In Florida Legislature?: Several NRA-backed bills have encountered unexpected resistance this year, to the delight of the Brady Bunch. http://www.sptimes.com/2006/04/03/State/Big_business_to_NRA__.shtml --- Alabama Governor Signs Stand-Your-Ground Bill: Gov. Bob Riley signed legislation Tuesday that puts Alabama among a growing number of states giving new legal protection to people who kill intruders in their homes, businesses and vehicles. http://www.al.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-20/1144175057306060.xml&storylist=alabamanews --- Who Opposed Nebraska CCW?: Five of Lincoln's six senators voted against licensing Nebraskans to carry concealed handguns, as did five of Omaha's 12 senators. Article hints at an upcoming battle over whether cities will be able to maintain local CCW bans. http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2006/04/04/local/doc4431a873c7684540706521.txt --- CCW-Privacy Debate Continues In Kansas: When the state begins allowing concealed carry of guns early next year, it's unclear whether Kansans can learn who's packing and who's not. http://www.hutchnews.com/news/regional/stories/Conceal040506.html --- Emergency-Confiscation-Ban Bill Close To Passage In Arizona: Legislation given preliminary House approval Tuesday would end the governor's authority to seize firearms, ammunition or any components of either when an emergency is declared. One reporter suspects that Governor Napolitano will veto the bill. http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/123262 --- Stopping Illegal Guns?: John Longenecker tries to cast aside the diversion of "illegal guns" and examine why citizens are being denied the right to defend themselves against violent criminals. http://mensnewsdaily.com/2006/04/04/stopping-illegal-guns-stopping-guns-or-stopping-crime/ --- Virginia Tech Remains Defenseless-Victim Zone: Student comments on the futility of "Take Back the Night" march on campus when students are barred from being armed for self-defense. http://www.collegiatetimes.com/news/2/ARTICLE/6809/2006-04-04.html --- Oops, Wrong Store: A store owner in Ohio shot a would-be robber. (Note the typical hit to the leg, consistent with jerking the shot low and probably to the shooter's non-dominant side.) http://www.channelcincinnati.com/health/8457023/detail.html --- Colorado Teen Convicted Of Handgun Possession: A high-school student was convicted of juvenile possession of a handgun after posting pictures of himself with three handguns on MySpace.com. The conviction came despite his parents' testimony that they gave him permission to handle guns in their home without their supervision, which appears to comply with the requirements of Colorado law. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_4596866,00.html --- Demagoguery vs. Data: Included in Thomas Sowell's commentary is the observation that the mainstream media cherry-picks its data when comparing firearm restriction and homicide rates of other nations with ours. http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/s_440048.html --- Oops, Wrong Hammer: A teacher in California suffered a severe injury to his hand when he banged a decades-old paperweight, thought to be a 40mm shell, on his desk and apparently detonated the primer. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-explode5apr05,1,3082555.story?coll=la-headlines-california --- S&W Donates Handguns To West Point: S&W has donated ten Performance Center 1911's and 35 9mm M&P pistols to the Military Academy's Combat Weapon Team. (This is the first mention I have seen of the M&P actually being available in 9mm.) http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-04-2006/0004333339&EDATE= --- From GOA: House To Vote This Week On Further Limiting Free Speech Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408 http://www.gunowners.org Tuesday, April 4, 2006 Remember the Swift Boat Veterans? After a presidential election which was determined by fewer than 120,000 Ohio voters, it is clear that George Bush is president of the United States -- rather than John Kerry -- because of the swift boat veterans and because of pro-gun support. For their part, the swift boat veterans formed a political organization under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code - and their organization was therefore called a "527." Shortly, the House of Representatives will consider legislation (HR 513) which would regulate "527 organizations" -- like the Swift Boat Veterans -- as severely as the most heavily regulated political groups in the country. The result could be to effectively eliminate organizations like the Swift Boat Veterans. It is clear that the enemies of Free Speech are choosing their targets strategically. First, Senators like John McCain regulated (in 2002) the ability of groups such as GOA to use radio and TV to criticize any candidate before an election. Then, earlier this year, McCain & Co. wanted to further regulate GOA and similar organizations by requiring them to register their "grassroots" communications with their members and to file twice as many frivolous reports. Now, this new legislation (HR 513) would try to strengthen the Anti-Free Speech beachhead to limit even more avenues to free speech. The restrictions on our liberties need to end here. Really, this battle is similar to the battle to preserve our gun rights. Anti-gunners have fought a guerilla type of warfare, chipping away at our gun rights with piecemeal legislation. Some gun owners -- who didn't own ranch rifles or AR-15s or other so-called assault weapons -- were lulled to sleep for a time and thought that the anti's weren't really interested in their hunting shotguns or rifles. They soon found out they were mistaken. And it just shows, once again, that when the anti's get a beachhead, they don't stop there. They keep coming and coming. That's why we must now fight this battle to preserve another bastion of Free Speech. It is our constitutional right -- it is not a "privilege" to be expanded or contracted based on the impact on the party in power. ACTION: Please use the pre-written letter below to help direct your comments to your representative. Ask him to oppose H.R. 513 which would limit the constitutional Free Speech of "527 organizations" like the Swift Boat Veterans. You can visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at http://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your Representatives a pre-written e-mail message such as the one below. And, you can call your Representative toll-free at 1-877-762-8762. ----- Pre-written letter ----- Dear Representative: The House will soon consider legislation (HR 513) which would regulate "527 organizations" -- like the Swift Boat Veterans - as severely as the most heavily regulated political groups in the country. The result could be to effectively eliminate organizations like the Swift Boat Veterans. I would urge you to oppose that legislation. Free Speech is a constitutional right -- not a "privilege" to be expanded or contracted based on the impact on the party in power. Thank you. Sincerely, ***************************** "Live Fire" radio with Larry Pratt is broadcast by the Information Radio Network on Saturdays at 12:00 Noon Eastern. "Live Fire" is simulcast on the web at http://inforadionet.com and previous episodes are archived at http://www.soundwaves2000.com/livefire/ in RealAudio. Recent guests and topics have included: * Jim Jacobson: Christian Burmese refugees defined as terrorists for resisting genocide -- by US government * Dr. William Watkins: How much power for Washington - same disagreement in the 1790's as the 21st century * Joseph Klein: The UN's stealth assault on US freedoms and guns * Anna Zetchus Raetz of Liberty Belles: Beating back the Million Mom March ****************************** -- Stephen P. Wenger Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .