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			    GENERAL-RKBA Digest 319
Topics covered in this issue include:
  1) FAXALERT: Schedule Meetings With Your Elected Officials Now by NRA 
Alerts 
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Topic No. 1
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 1997 20:47:29 -0500 (EST)
From: NRA Alerts 
To: general-rkba-real.nra
Subject: FAXALERT: Schedule Meetings With Your Elected Officials Now
Message-ID: 
                        NRA-ILA FAX ALERT
           11250 Waples Mill Road * Fairfax, VA  22030
    Phone: 1-800-392-8683 * Fax: 703-267-3918 * GROOTS@NRA.org
Vol. 4, No. 49                                           12/05/97
   SCHEDULE MEETINGS WITH YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS DURING RECESS
     The U.S. Congress has adjourned until the new year, and that
means our elected officials are back at home and are ready to
hear from you, their constituents.  All NRA members are advised
to take this opportunity to schedule meetings with their
lawmakers to discuss some items of concern to law-abiding gun
owners.  The Congress's agenda for 1998 is already being
scheduled, and these are the upcoming legislative issues that
deserve our attention:
     The Juvenile Justice Reform Act:  S.10 is scheduled to be
one of the first items debated once the U.S. Senate returns in
February, and every indication tells us that anti-gun Senators
plan to attempt to amend this bill with restrictive trigger-lock,
gun rationing, and "junk gun" proposals. Urge your Senators to
oppose any and all "gun control" amendments to S.10, and if
they're added, to oppose S.10 in its entirety.          
     The New Clinton Gun Ban: President Clinton imposed by
Executive Directive, a ban on the importation of certain semi-
automatic firearms, and has ordered the BATF to examine the
arbitrary "sporting purposes" standards currently  used to
determine a firearm's suitability for importation. NRA believes
this administration will use every possible executive power to
restrict lawful gun ownership, and consequently, we opposed
granting "fast-track" authority for trade agreements. Let your
Congressmen know that "fast-track" should be opposed unless the
President rescinds his latest import restrictions. 
     Campaign Finance Reform: or shall we say, "Free Speech
Reform." Many proposals would restrict NRA's right to communicate
important legislative and electoral information to our members.
NRA believes such reform is clearly unconstitutional, and we are
opposed to any legislation that seeks to restrict "issue
advocacy" by organizations such as NRA. Urge your Representative
and Senators to NOT co-sponsor or support any campaign reform
bills that restrict our First Amendment rights.
        NORTH CAROLINA RIGHT TO CARRY -- POPULAR AND SAFE
     When the Tar Heel State's legislature debated the concealed
carry issue in 1995, anti-self-defense Senator Leslie Winner (D-
Mecklenburg) predicted,  "As more people carry guns, more will
use them." According to a November 24 Charlotte News and Observer
story, critics like Winner have been proven wrong two years
later, as statistics throughout the state show decreasing crime
rates and safe handling by permit holders.  Charlotte-Mecklenburg
Police Chief Dennis Nowicki admitted in the same article, "The
concerns that I had -- with more guns on the street, folks may be
more apt to square off against one another with weapons -- we
haven't experienced that."  In fact, the counties with the
heaviest per capita concentration of permit holders in the
Carolinas are in the suburbs around Charlotte, in some places as
high as 11 per  every 1,000 adults, and it is those areas that
have experienced the most significant drop in crime rates -- more
indisputable evidence that states that allow law-abiding citizens
to obtain permits to carry concealed firearms are enjoying crime
decreases, not increases.        
                  EDDIE EAGLE CONTEST FOR KIDS!
     To commemorate the 10th Anniversary of NRA's award-winning
Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program, the Association invites all
children grades pre-K through the sixth grade to submit a poster
featuring the mascot and Eddie's message of "STOP! Don't Touch.
Leave the Area. Tell an Adult." All entrants will receive a
special Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Kit, and winners will be awarded
in each grade level.  Winning entries will be featured at the
1998 NRA Annual Meetings in Philadelphia, Pa., and will also be
on display at NRA Headquarters.  Posters must be originals, made
by the entrant, must be no larger than 24" by 36", and must be
mailed by April 1, 1998, to "Eddie Eagle Poster Contest," 11250
Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA., 22030-9400. If you have
questions, call the Eddie Eagle Department at (800) 231-0752.
                       A LOOK AT THE STATES
CALIFORNIA: On Nov. 18, the Assembly Public Safety Committee held
a special "right to carry" interim hearing. John Lott of the
Univ. of Chicago and Texas State Rep. Suzanna Gratia-Hupp (R)
both attended in support. The hearing, coordinated by right to
carry sponsor, Assemblyman Rico Oller (R-4), focused on Prof.
Lott's study which documented that passage of concealed carry
laws leads to a decrease in violent crime. 
GEORGIA: Attention residents of the 166th State House District:
Don't forget to get out and vote on Tuesday, December 9, in the
special House runoff election. NRA-PVF has endorsed Richard
Tyndall as the pro-gun choice in this race.  Turnout is expected
to be especially low in this special election, so your vote could
really make the difference! 
TEXAS: Tomorrow, Saturday, December 6, a runoff election will be
held for the office of Mayor in the City of Houston.  NRA-PVF has
endorsed Rob Mosbacher (R) in this race. Rob's opponent in the
runoff established a dismal record on crime as New York City
Police Commissioner AND as President Clinton's anti-gun drug
czar. Mosbacher's opponent also supports restrictions on where
CHL holders may lawfully carry -- e.g.: city buses. Be sure to
get out and support Rob Mosbacher for Mayor tomorrow!          
=+=+=+=+
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
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End of GENERAL-RKBA Digest 319
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