Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 01:58:32 -0400 (EDT)
From: NRA Alerts <[a--er--s] at [nra.org]>
To: Multiple recipients of list <[r k ba alert] at [mainstream.net]>
Subject: FAXALERT: BATF's Enforcement Focus Questioned
NRA-ILA FAX ALERT
11250 Waples Mill Road * Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: 1-800-392-8683 * Fax: 703-267-3918 * [G--OO--S] at [NRA.org]
Vol. 3, No. 39 9/13/96
BATF'S ENFORCEMENT FOCUS QUESTIONED
Syracuse University researchers have found that the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) refers disproportionately
more criminal cases from rural areas and small cities to federal
prosecutors than from big urban centers. While cities like New
York, Los Angeles and Chicago are major centers for criminal
activity in the U.S., more of BATF's criminal cases originate in
places like Billings, Mont., Asheville, N.C., and Pensacola, Fla.
In 1995, for instance, the state of Montana, with a population of
870,000, had 127 cases referred for prosecution, while Los
Angeles, with a metropolitan population area over ten times that,
had just 113 referrals. Syracuse's David Burnham concludes that
BATF is focusing on rural areas, where both the rates and numbers
of violent crime are relatively low, rather than on major urban
areas where firearms are used more frequently in the commission
of crimes. BATF, however, says most of the agency's referrals
are in rural areas because understaffed law enforcement officials
in those areas rely more heavily on federal assistance. You can
decide for yourself by reviewing the data from the survey on the
World Wide Web at "http://www.trac.syr.edu/tracatf/".
ACTION IN U.S. SENATE: On Thursday, the Senate tabled, by a 57-42
vote, an amendment by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) that would have
required the Clinton Administration to study "taggants" in black
and smokeless gunpowders -- and given the Administration the
regulatory power to add these potentially unsafe markers to the
powder you use in shooting or reloading. If your Senator voted
to table the Kerry Amendment, please call him at (202)-224-3121
and thank him for his vote.
Also on Thursday, the Senate adopted an amendment to an
appropriations bill by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), prohibiting
firearms ownership by individuals convicted of domestic violence
misdemeanors. Because domestic violence statutes vary
drastically from state to state, the measure raises serious
constitutional and jurisdictional issues. NRA believes violent
criminals should never have guns. Unlike Senator Lautenberg,
however, NRA wants to attack domestic abusers as felons to take
them out of the home and off the streets. Lautenberg's proposal
fails to separate the victim from the offender. If someone uses
any kind of weapon to assault another, that person should be
prosecuted, tried and convicted of a felony. The Lautenberg
proposal fails domestic abuse victims by ignoring a criminal
justice system that returns such criminals to their homes rather
than sends them to prison. NRA will continue working to treat
domestic violence as the serious crime it is.
HCI TARGETS MORE SECOND AMENDMENT SUPPORTERS: As reported in
Tuesday's Fax Alert, Handgun Control, Inc. is now attacking pro-
gun lawmakers in key districts across the country. This week, we
received word from members in Washington state and California
that pro-gun Reps. Rick White (R-WA), Andrea Seastrand (R-CA),
and Frank Riggs (R-CA), and candidate Susan Brooks (R-CA) are
among the anti-gunners' latest targets. Radio commercials,
billboards, and flyers are among the attacks being deployed
against these supporters of gun owners' rights, who need the
support of all the gun owners in their districts! All members:
If you see any of HCI's commercials, billboards, or flyers in
your area, please call NRA-ILA at 1-800-392-8683. And if your
representative is targeted, please call him or her and thank him
for his continuing support of your rights -- then call your local
NRA-ILA election volunteer coordinator and find out what you can
do to help! For contact information, call NRA-ILA Grassroots at
1-800-392-8683.
PLAN TO ATTEND 1996 GUN RIGHTS POLICY CONFERENCE: It's time to
reserve your seat at the 1996 Gun Rights Policy Conference
scheduled for September 27-29 in Washington, D.C. Join NRA
President Marion Hammer, First Vice President Neal Knox,
Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, and NRA-ILA Executive
Director Tanya Metaksa, as well as lawmakers, candidates, pro-gun
leaders and your fellow gun owners as we discuss the issue of
greatest importance to all of us -- our freedom! The Conference
will be held at the Crystal City Marriott in Arlington, Virginia
-- just minutes from Washington National Airport. To reserve
your seat, or for more information, please call the Citizens
Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms at (206) 454-4911.
A LOOK AT THE STATES: Michigan: Gun owners and sportsmen are
encouraged to continue educating each other and the public on the
importance of Proposition G, which will compete directly on the
November ballot with the animal extremist groups' Proposition D,
an anti-bear hunting measure. Proposition G supports the state's
current sound wildlife management programs run by Department of
Natural Resource experts. Citizens for Professional Wildlife
Management is still working hard against Proposition D, but your
help is needed to ensure its defeat. Contact MUCC at (517) 371-
1041 for more information on how you can join the fight to
protect our hunting and sporting heritage in Michigan.
Idaho: The battle is heating up over the animal extremists anti-
hunting measure, Proposition 2, which ends spring bear hunting &
bans the use of dog and bait during all black bear seasons.
Later this month anti-hunting extremist Wayne Pacelle of the
Washington-based Humane Society of the United States will be in
Idaho to push the attack on Idaho's hunting heritage. NRA is
working with the Sportsmen's Heritage Defense Fund (SHDF) to
defeat Proposition 2, but your help is needed to ensure its sound
defeat. Please contact SHDF at 208-888-7020 for more information
on how you can join the fight.
Oklahoma: Tuesday, September 17 is the runoff election day in the
Oklahoma County sheriff's race. Be sure to go to the polls and
vote for J.D. Sharp in the Democratic runoff or for P.D. Taylor
in the Republican runoff.
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This information is provided as a service of the National Rifle
Association Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, VA.
This and other information on the Second Amendment and the NRA is
available at: http://WWW.NRA.Org