Date: Wed, 29 Mar 1995 11:45:32 -0600
From: "The Old Blue Howler" <[l--oa--l] at [ICSI.Net]>
To: [N--B--N] at [tomahawk.welch.jhu.edu]
Subject: This Past Weekend--A LOBO EDITORIAL

Although it wasn't discussed on this list we all know the paranoia that was 
raging the past few weeks about the morning of March 25th.  The day came and 
went, nothing happened, and a lot of people were left questioning their own 
judgement.  Did we dodge a bullet or was the bullet only in our mind?  Was it 
a hoax, disinformation or an aborted action?

We may never know.  However there is one thing about it gunowners should know.

Some weeks ago Tanya Metaksa called and asked my opinion on the rumors.  I 
didn't really have one except to say that there was something different about 
them, this time.  They were more worrisome for some reason I couldn't 
identify.  She agreed and we decided to compare notes from time to time.

Shortly afterward, we each had experiences that made us believe there was 
enough substance to the rumors to take them separately.  They were separate 
unrelated experiences that caused neck hair to tingle a bit.  But, there was 
no 'smoking gun'.

At this point Tanya went to work.  She was responsible for the public letter 
written to Janet Reno by Senators Craig and Faircloth and, through use of 
consultants, brought the matter to the attention of four other Senators, three 
of whom are extraordinarily powerful in that body.  This, along with a 
plethora of Congressmen.  

Inquiries were made and evaded, made again and evaded again and, finally, the 
date passed without incident and without the queries ever being directly 
answered.  They may never be.  Who knows.

I'm not saying there was an action planned that was aborted.  I don't know 
what happened any more than anyone else.  From my lair in Bumduck on the Bayou 
I'm not in a position to give a valid opinion.

What I do know is that Tanya perceived a threat and took action.  She spent 
serious bucks buying ads that held the BATF up to public scrutiny and she used 
her legislator friends and consultants to their best effect.  

If there was an action planned and aborted the reason it was aborted is 
because because Tanya and her minions marshalled 6 spotlight holding Senators 
and numerous Congressman into action.  I know of my own knowledge, not through 
hearsay, that there was this level of involvement.  I'm not passing along 
self-serving stories told me by the NRA.

Even if there were no action planned, the fact she was not willing to just sit 
on the sidelines with her finger crossed speaks well of her.

Those of you who knew me before the election know I rarely missed the 
opportunity to tear the ass off the NRA because of the Brooks endorsement.  As 
such, it is incumbent upon me to show the other side of the coin when 
appropriate.

Through NOBAN, I've developed a working friendship/respect with/for this 
woman.  I will probably always be suspicious of the NRA.  The NRA is an 
institutions and I distrust institutions because their focus changes as 
leadership changes.

However, if there is a more militant activist than Tanya Metaksa working in 
pursuit of gun rights I have yet to meet them and I've met/communicated with 
them all except JPFO.  

I suspect I'll get some private e-mail from a couple folks blistering my butt 
for telling "insider" stories on a public list, and that's as it should be.  I 
am breaking a rule or two by doing this.

However, I have chosen my task in gun rights activism and that task is 
building a national coalition of gunowners who stand shoulder to shoulder in 
pursuit of Second Amendment Freedom.  I don't give a damn what anyone thinks 
about any other issue, as long as they support the Second Amendment they need 
to stand next to their brothers and sisters in arms.  Period.

There are still folks out there who think the NRA are a bunch of wuss's who 
won't put themselves on the line for gun rights except when the camera is 
turning.  With Tanya Metaksa's NRA that's a bunch of crap and you all need to 
know it.

That doesn't mean they are perfect or that some of you don't have legitimate 
gripes against the organization or her, personally.  But you do need to 
understand that this is a person who is willing to stick her mits in the 
ringer in defense of what she believes and willing to do so behind the scenes 
without seeking kudos for it.  If I didn't tell this story you'd likely never 
hear it.