ALEC - Twenty Years of Pro-Gun Propaganda

Think about it – just think about it - - - - -

Firearms Owners’ Protection Act of 1986,

culminated with the one-two punch of the Brady Bill—mandating background checks on gun buyers— in 1993,

and the “Assault Weapons Ban” of 1994.

Since then there has been a complete reversal of fortunes for gun control.

Congress allowed the “Assault Weapons Ban” to expire in 2004,

and passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act in 2005,

which protects firearms makers from lawsuits.  

Think about it – just think about it - - - - -

During that time, 

ALEC has been "educating"  your ALEC Legislators on “gun control”

Twenty years of pro-gun propaganda –

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In February of 1995 – An ALEC document sent out to all ALEC members –included this statement.

While the proportion of violent crimes perpetrated with guns decreased 3.7 percent from 1980-92, when incarceration rates were rising, firearms availability (firearms per capita) increased by 18 percent. Therefore, the increase in the availability of guns did not manifest itself in the greater use of guns for crime.   

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November 22.1995 FYI

An ALEC document sent out to all ALEC members – written by the Heartland Institute included such statements as this.

“strict gun controls will do little if anything to improve matters."

For each life lost from a deadly gunshot, as many as 65 are protected by a gun.

Protected by civilians or by uniformed officers of the law?

The real truth is that most murderers and their victims have criminal records.

Their victims have criminal records – Really – ummmm. Sandy Hook

Between 1973 and 1992, when gun ownership in America increased by 45 percent, the homicide rate fell by 10 percent.

Why? probably because of:

Firearms Owners’ Protection Act of 1986, the 1989 Semiautomatic Rifle Import Ban, culminated with the one-two punch of the Brady Bill—mandating background checks on gun buyers— in 1993,  and the “Assault Weapons Ban” of 1994.  

The authors cite a 1993 study by criminologists Gary Kleck and E. Britt Patterson that found in 90 of 102 gun control law/violence relationship categories they researched, there was no "significant correlation between gun laws and violence."

Common Sense would say – Less guns – less violent crime – but then ALEC can’t tell that to their members – the NRA would object..

More Americans die from accidental drownings, inhalation and ingestion of foreign objects, and complications from medical procedures.  [as compared to gun accidents]

Maybe all added together – but what is the comparison of EACH to gun accidents?

But then you've got statistics - I've got statistics:
In 2010, guns took the lives of 31,076 Americans in homicides, suicides and unintentional shootings.  This is the equivalent of more than 85 deaths each day and more than three deaths each hour.1

73,505 Americans were treated in hospital emergency departments for non-fatal gunshot wounds in 2010.

What the authors tell us here is what our common sense tells us: Placing firearm ownership restrictions on the public will have little effect on "criminal armament," and "consequently, no noticeable impact on crime."

Oh – there is common sense – their version of common sense – where’d they get this one – out of an NRA fortune cookie?

"Firearms are nowhere near the root of the problem of violence and arguably are almost completely divorced from it... as long as some people have little or nothing to lose by spending their lives in crime, dispositions to violence will persist — and increasingly strict gun controls will do little if anything to improve matters."

"Firearms are nowhere near the root of the problem of violence"

Firearms are divorced from violence – really????   

"some people have little or nothing to lose"

….   What about the rest of us “people”?????

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In 2001

ALEC noted in an article – which again was sent out to all ALEC legislators as part of their ALEC membership – on gun show loopholes.

Starting off with this:

A growing number of school shootings and high profile violent crimes have grabbed the headlines over the past several years. Because of the inherent tragedy of these types of events, there is a natural desire to act, to “do something” in response.

Ending with this:

State legislators need to look at the facts pertaining to gun shows and understand that they are not the “arms bazaars” for violent criminals that gun control proponents would have us believe.   …  Any new laws would only punish honest, law-abiding citizens and business people and dramatically expand the scope of federal and state firearms laws with potentially disastrous civil liberty ramifications for all.

Gotta look out for those “business people”

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In 2002

ALEC concocted this argument – which again was sent out to all ALEC legislators as part of their ALEC membership

The Second Amendment states: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” To the Framers,   …  Promotion of the militia was a serious federal purpose, but the right was not limited to militia use.

Yeh – let’s re-write the Second Amendment.

By the 1960s, the Second Amendment had become politically incorrect, and some judges and prosecutors concocted the hypothesis that “the right of the people” to have arms really means “the power of the State” to have a militia. If the Amendment protects only the “collective” nobody and gun owners have no rights which the rulers are bound to respect, then all gun control laws are constitutional. Under this logic, the First and Fourth Amendment “right of the people” peaceably to assemble or to be free from unreasonable searches only protects persons selected by the government.

Let’s push it a little bit farther,   they are not acknowledging that the First and Fourth Amendments do have limitations and restrictions on them.  I can’t yell FIRE in a crowded theater without getting arrested.  And I sure as hell, in today’s politically charged “terrorist society” can't stop a search and seizure or even fight one after it has occurred.  Both of those rights have been restricted to me – but no restrictions / limitations on gun owners - why not to gun owners?  Oh, yeh – they are the blessed in our society.  Gun owners are the ones who are going to shoot you and me - when they fight the tyranny of the government.

Then they quote

George Mason’s “to disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.”

Then they quote

As Samuel Adams proposed in 1788, the Constitution should “never [be] construed . . . to prevent the people of the United States who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms.”

Then they

However, the Supreme Court’s  …  held instead that the Second Amendment protects a firearm if it “is any part of the ordinary military equipment or that its use could contribute to the common defense.” The Court never suggested that the possessor had to be in the militia.

Resulting in NRA propaganda at its best - sent out to all ALEC legislators as part of their ALEC membership

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August 2007

Inside ALEC article ended with this statement regarding ownership of guns:

the right to the means with which to defend themselves

from those who would do them harm.

Well – I guess I could concoct a definition of “those who would do them harm” that would not please all the ALEC legislators that received this twenty year stream of pro-gun propaganda as part of their American Legislative Exchange Council membership.

Saw this on Crooks and Liars and I have to throw this in - cause this is what started me thinking about this entry - being a Democrat and all. 

OR THIS

UPDATE: 

From  Think Progress

In an interview with NPR, former NRA lobbyist and founder of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners Dudley Brown compared deer hunting season with election season, when gun owners would be free to “hunt Democrats”:

    Brown complains universal background checks are just a step towards identifying gun owners so the government can seize their weapons, and he calls the 15-bullet limit on ammunition clips arbitrary. He’s promising political payback in next year’s election that could cost Colorado Democrats their majorities.

    “I liken it to the proverbial hunting season,” Brown says. “We tell gun owners, there’s a time to hunt deer. And the next election is the time to hunt Democrats.”

Don’t know who/what ALEC is? 

It is time you did!!! 

For lots of info check out this webpage >>>>>>>  ALEC Exposed 

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