>>
 JM> >
 JM> >
                          ---- SNIP ----
 SG> Quoting Dingell convinces no one. Prior to 1994, he was a member
 SG> of the NRA's Board of Directors. Yes, he's liberal, but he isn't
 SG> opposed to our side.
    
 SG> These quotes were brought up way back in 1994 by various 
 SG> talk-show hosts (Liddy, Limbaugh, etc.) and really shouldn't be 
 SG> new to anyone here. Of more use to us, though, was the support 
 SG> of the ACLU in our drive for the hearings into abuses of power. 
 SG> The hearings seem to have fallen pretty flat, but the presence 
 SG> in the coalition calling for hearings of the ACLU and others 
 SG> speaks volumes.
     
      
Hello, Steve:
       
Limbaugh brought up the quotes on his May 16, 1995 TV show.  He showed
a clip of Dingell's 1981 clip and said that Dingell made similar 
comments in a speech on the floor of the House. (Ref: The 
Congressional Record, Feb. 8, 1995).  As I recall, Limbaugh did NOT
criticize Dingell, LaPierre, or the NRA for making their statements--
rather, he criticized the apparent hypocrisy of the media and other 
liberals.  He complained that the liberal media, liberal politicians 
etc. harshly criticized the NRA and LaPierre while they completely 
ignored (the liberal) Dingell's comments.  
        
As I stated in a May 17, 1995 post on the LIMBAUGH Echo:
         
   "The liberal Dingell has apparently escaped criticism from the
   Clinton camp, the liberal media, and others who prefer to 
   classify such language as "right wing hate speech" which they 
   attribute to their ideological enemies while they ignore similar
   sentiments expressed by liberal Democrats, civil libertarians, 
   and citizens of a more diverse representation who also believe 
   that federal law enforcement agencies should be held accountable."
          
I have stated on numerous occasions on other echos that I consider 
"accountability" of federal law enforcement agencies to be the main
issue.  
           
As for the coalition involving the NRA and ACLU--I think it is
unfortunate that Janet Reno and Louis Freeh apparently refused to
listen to the coalition's pleas.  On May 2, 1995, Reno and Freeh  
promoted Larry Potts to Deputy Director of the FBI after he received
a token reprimand for his role in the 1992 Ruby Ridge disaster.  
Potts also had a role in the government's tactics at the Branch 
Davidian standoff in Waco, TX.  The government's outrageous 
provocations at Waco contributed to the disastrous ending in which 
more than 80 persons died including approximately two dozen children.
            
The willingness of Reno and Freeh to promote Potts to 2nd in command
of the FBI--someone so closely linked to the Ruby Ridge and Waco 
tragedies--and their snubbing of the pleas for hearings on government
abuses, ALSO "speaks volumes." 
             
Thanks for your reply.
 
John
--- Maximus/2 3.01
---------------