Leg-alerts 03-22-2000

The Smith & Wesson Sell-out


IS THIS OUR FUTURE?

"(Salt Lake City, Dec. 15, 2000)  A 28 year old, divorced mother of two was found dead today after her 7 year old daughter alerted a neighbor.  The victim was identified as Betsy Ross.  Police report the woman appeared to have been beaten with a blunt object, raped, and strangled.  Her three children, Abigail, Thomas, and Ben were in the home, and apparently slept through the attack.
"There are no suspects.  However, one of Ross's co-workers told police that Ross had recently complained that an unidentified man was stalking her and that she feared for her safety.  Police confirm that Ross had called 911 twice in the past week, once to report a man following her, and once to report a possible burglar.  The friend, who requested anonymity because she fears for her own safety, also told police that Ross had attempted to purchase a gun, but was turned down because she did not have a government-issued safety certificate.
"The children, ages seven, five, and three, are in the custody of the Department of Child and Family Services.
"Tom Paine, owner of the Hunt 'N' Shoot gun store in West Valley City confirmed that Ross had tried to purchase a firearm just two days before her death.  "She seemed like a real nice lady", he said.  "I could tell she was real scared.  I wish I could have helped her out.  But the rules are the rules.  She didn't have one of them new licenses, so I couldn't sell her a gun.  I told her there was a class about once every couple of months, and told her to come back when she had her certificate.  To tell you the truth, it makes me sick.  Pretty lady like that with little kids getting killed that way just because she didn't have some piece of paper."
"According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF), anyone wishing to purchase a firearm must pass a certification exam demonstrating proficiency in the safe handling of firearms.  Although there is no law requiring certification, all firearms dealers are voluntarily enforcing this policy under the terms of the agreement reached with the Clinton administration."

Things like this only happen in places like Britain and Australia, right?  Or maybe only in places like Massachusetts and California.  But not here in Utah!
 

THE APPEASEMENT AGREEMENT

Wrong!  Under the terms of the agreement reached between the Clinton Administration and Smith & Wesson, ANY dealer who wants to be able to sell Smith & Wesson firearms will have to obey the "voluntary" Code of Conduct for ALL firearms transfers.  Anyone who wants to purchase a gun from such a dealer will be required to "have passed (a) certified safety course or exam and demonstrate to purchasers how to use all safety devices and how to load, unload, and safely store the firearm before completing the sale."

Note that the "certified safety course" has not been defined, nor is there any provision for actually certifying such courses.

"So what", you say.  I'll just buy a gun at a gun show.  But any gun show that  wants to include dealers who sell Smith & Wesson firearms must abide by the "Code of Conduct" too.  That Code requires that buyers at gun shows not only have a government license to purchase a firearm, but that they submit to mandatory background checks and registration.  Since Smith & Wesson is the largest handgun manufacturer in the US (actually they're owned by a British conglomerate, Tomkins, PLC), and since other dealers are considering signing on to the agreement, this means that we can expect ALL gun shows to require licensing and registration of gun owners in the near future.  (The only other option would be to exclude S&W dealers (and dealers from any other manufacturer who agrees to this nonsense) from gun shows.

There's much, much more in the agreement.  And all of it is SCARY!  "Smart guns", mandatory locking devices, bans on "high-capacity" magazines, mandatory training for gun store employees, restrictions on youth in gun stores, unlimited interference in lawful businesses by a government-controlled "oversight committee" - and more.  Read it and get ANGRY!

For a summary, see: http://www.hud.gov/pressrel/gunagree.html
For the full text: http://www.isra.org/smithagree.pdf  (Requires Adobe Reader)
For an excellent analysis by noted firearms author and researcher, David Kopel, see: http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment032000b.html
 

BOYCOTT!

UTGuns joins with Gun Owners of American and other firearms rights organizations in calling for a boycott of Smith & Wesson firearms and products.
1. Please express your outrage to Smith & Wesson.  Their customer service department can be reached at 1-800-331-0852; and their public relations department can be reached by phone at (413) 781-8300 ext. 299 or by e-mail (ceo@smith-wesson.com), (qa@smith-wesson.com).  You can fax them at (413) 747-3317.  The postal address is Smith & Wesson, 2100 Roosevelt Avenue, Springfield, MA  01104.
2. Please contact your favorite local gun stores/dealers and ask them to terminate their relationship with Smith & Wesson in order to protect their right to engage in lawful business activities and your right to own, possess, and carry firearms.
3. Please contact other firearms manufacturers (especially Glock which today refused to sign the agreement) and encourage them to resist all government attempts to restrict their business and our rights.  A list of manufacturers (and others) can be found at http://www.RKBA.net/html/links.html.  (I have not verified any of the info on this page!)
4. See GOA's alert at: http://www.gunowners.org/a032100.htm
 
 

REMINDER!  Only FIVE days until caucuses!  Are you prepared?
See http://www.utguns.freeservers.com/volunteer.html, and http://www.utguns.freeservers.com/caucus.html and http://www.utguns.freeservers.com/legalerts032400delinfo.html.

Thanks!
Sarah
 

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