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maintain the courage I need to survive. I pray that Congress can find
the courage to quickly pass the Brady Bill."
     This quote is illustrative of the techniques HCI has at its 
disposal with which to convince. The reader shall note that nowhere 
in Mr. Brady's plea is there reference to hard evidence that his bill 
will work, only a discussion of how miserable his life has become in 
a wheelchair and an insult to those who disagree ("cowardly lions").
     Other ways in which HCI gets attention is through smear campaigns 
directed at its main opponent, the NRA. Usually these smear campaigns 
are in the form of painting the NRA as a powerful beast that until now, 
could not be tamed. The tamer of course, is the "grassroots" 
organization made up of ordinary people, HCI.  The great American 
classic of the underdog beating the tyrannical master is deployed 
time and again, mostly by citing the NRA's enormous monetary assets. 
Upon contacting both groups, the NRA Annual Report (which includes the 
group's expenses) was received in less than a week. Such a report was 
never sent by HCI despite two separate requests. The NRA had no records 
of HCI's finances of course, but when the problem was explained to 
the represntative, a news clipping was sent.
     It is claimed by HCI that the NRA spends millions working to 
defeat "sensible ... gun policy" cursory check of the NRA Annual 
Report confirms the year 1989 saw $19,749,403 devoted to the NRA 
Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). As mentioned, no figures 
were obtained from HCI as to their total income.
     Shedding light on the subject is a news article in "The New GUN 
WEEK" which printed the 1989 Federal Lobbying Reports (1st Half Gross 
Receipts), reprinted here:
**** 1989 Federal Lobbying Reports ****
(1st Half Gross Receipts)
     Handgun Control, Inc.                        $3,827,020
     National Coalition to Ban Handguns         265,719
     ANTI-GUN TOTAL                              $4,092,739
     Citizens Committee for the Right to
     Keep and Bear Arms                         $1,158,572
     NRA/Institute for Legislative Action          915,603
     Gun Owners of America                          361,715
     PRO-GUN TOTAL                              $2,435,890
     ANTI-GUN ADVANTAGE                    $1,656,849
     The reader is asked to ignore the obvious inflammatory nature of 
the language used in this quote. The language is biased, but the 
figures are correct.
     Clearly, Handgun Control, Inc is as or more wealthy as the 
National Rifle Association.
     Exaggeration and misstatements appear to be the norm for HCI. I 
refer the reader back to the section where HCI's legislative 
accomplishments are listed. On that list is a note about plastic 
handguns which can be slipped, undetected, through metal detector 
security systems. HCI proudly states, "...  was working feverishly to 
block all attempts to ban plastic, undetectable handguns that could 
easily be smuggled onto airplanes." A little investigation found 
that currently, there is no item such as a plastic, undetectable gun 
in existence, nor are there plans for development. The legislation in 
question however,was so poorly worded, it would have banned several 
100% metal handguns in addition to giving the Secretary of the 
Treasury authority to ban ANY gun. In short, HCI supported legislation 
banning handguns that do not even exist. In interview, a disjointed 
and incomprehensible answer was given which seemed to say, "But if
next century technology should provide us with a plastic gun, we'll 
be ready for it." (HCI member who declined to state his name)
     Also on HCI's list of recent accomplishments is the banning of 
"cop-killer" bullets. I was unable to elicit a response from HCI on 
this one, but an NRA representative mailed me a pamphlet with the 
following information:
   "Police across the country begged the news media not to report 
that officers were wearing protective body armor. They rightly feared 
that criminals would attempt to shoot officers in areas of the body 
not covered by their vests. Indeed, in 1983 and 1984, there was an 
increase in the number of law enforcement officers who were killed by 
gun shot wounds to the head, just as rank and file officers warned. In
an attempting to ban the KTW bullet--a bullet with a  Teflon coating 
used as a barrel lubricant--the proposed legislation was so poorly 
crafted that it would have  banned virtually all commercially 
available ammunitionused in hunting, target shooting, and 
self-protection.  The NRA helped Congress write legislation which 
prohibits a specific type of ammunition from being sold other than 
to police and the military--merely regulating what had long been the 
industry practice.  Anti-gun Congressman Mario Biaggi, who introduced 
the original ban-the-bullet-bill that NRA and the U.S. Treasury 
Department opposed, said, 'Our final legislative product was not some 
watered-down version of what we set out to do. In the end, there was 
no compromise on the part of police safety.' HCI and the national 
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 * SRP 2.00 #2737 * If you can read this, I've escaped from your Twit List.
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