*********** NOTICE: THIS IS A FORWARDED MESSAGE *********** 
============================================================================
                   GENERAL-RKBA Digest 330
Topics covered in this issue include:
1)FAXALERT:Violence Policy Center Attacks Texas Right-to-Carry by NRA Alerts
-!--------------------------------------------------------------------
Topic No. 1
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 1998 22:03:18 -0500 (EST)
From: NRA Alerts 
To: general-rkba-real.nra
Subject: FAXALERT: Violence Policy Center Attacks Texas Right-to-Carry
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. 5, No. 2                                             1/16/98
       VIOLENCE POLICY CENTER ATTACKS TEXAS RIGHT TO CARRY
     Not satisfied with the embarassing exposure for their
unwarranted attack on NRA's award-winning Eddie Eagle Gun Safety
Program, the Washington, DC-based Violence Policy Center (VPC)
held a press conference this week in Texas.  This time their
target was the law-abiding gun owners in the Lone Star state, as
they attacked the lawful carrying of firearms.  What VPC fails to
recognize is the tremendous success of Right to Carry laws
throughout the country, including in Texas.  "Here is the simple,
irrefutable fact about Right to Carry," said NRA-ILA Executive
Director Tanya K. Metaksa.  "Permit holders out perform their
critics.  Whether it's the permit holders of Texas, those in any
of 31 states where Right to Carry is the law, or permit holders
in all those states combined, the story is the same.  Permit
holders out perform their critics."  Also in response to VPC's
claims, State Senator Jerry Patterson (R-Pasadena) commented,
"The preponderance of the evidence suggests that the vast
majority [of permit holders] act responsibly." While the media
has been giving VPC full coverage, we have the facts to refute
their claims.  If you hear biased reporting on this issue in the
media, please call the NRA-ILA Grassroots Division at 1-800-
392-8683, and we will send you our Texas' Right-to-Carry Law Under
Attack Fact Sheet, so that you may respond.
                         JUSTICE AT ALL?
     Last week we told you how an Idaho state judge had ruled
that Lon Horiuchi, the man who shot and killed Vicki Weaver
during the 1992 siege at Ruby Ridge, must stand trial for his
actions and face involuntary manslaughter charges.  We also told
you that the taxpayer-funded defense team was working to move the
trial to a federal court.  Citing a rarely used statute  intended
to protect federal agents from overzealous state agencies, U.S.
District Judge Edward Lodge ruled this week in favor of Horiuchi,
allowing the trial to be heard in federal court. According to the
1/13/98 edition of The Washington Post, it is anticipated that
Horiuchi will now seek to have the charges against him dismissed
on the grounds  he was acting in his capacity as a federal agent
when he pulled the trigger.  The Justice Department had no
comment when asked if they would support a dismissal motion,
although they have been funding his defense with your tax
dollars, and have yet to issue even a reprimand of Horiuchi for
taking Mrs. Weaver's life.  In order to have the charges
dismissed, Horiuchi needs to show that he was acting within his
duties, and reasonably believed the shooting was  necessary and
proper.'  This case is certainly not over, and we will be sure to
bring you further reports as the trial develops.
                       HESTON TO BE HONORED
     NRA First Vice President Charlton Heston will receive the
Ashbrook Award at the 25th Anniversary Conservative Political
Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday, January 29, during the
Presidential Banquet.  Former Vice President Dan Quayle, as well
as numerous other  leaders and activists, will be on hand for the
presentation.  Other recipients of the Ashbrook Award include
such icons as Ronald Reagan, Patrick Buchanan, Jesse Helms, and
Malcolm Wallop.  This year's CPAC, proudly co-sponsored by NRA,
will be held from January 29-31, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott
in Arlington, VA, where the NRA-ILA Grassroots Staff will be
manning an information and Grassroots recruiting booth.  Also,
Virginia's Governor-Elect Jim Gilmore, who was endorsed by NRA-
PVF, will be the special guest at the Ronald Reagan Banquet on
Friday, January 30.
-=Continued in next post=-
...          ******** NOTE: THIS IS A FORWARDED MESSAGE ********
--- FMail 1.22
---------------