ftp.xmission.com/2014.06.ftp.xmission.com.tar/ftp.xmission.com/pub/lists/utah-firearms/archive/utah-firearms.200108

Internet Message Format | 2001-08-30 | 59KB

From: Scott Bergeson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Scumbag
Date: 04 Aug 2001 12:16:29 -0600

http://www.lewrockwell.com/elkins/elkins23.html

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From: Scott Bergeson <[e-mail]>
Subject: The strange case of United States v. Miller
Date: 06 Aug 2001 13:14:58 -0600

The strange case of United States v. Miller
----------
by Dr. Michael S. Brown
   Authoritarians like to claim that the Supreme Court's 1938
   Miller decision asserts that there is no individual
   right to bear arms. But the decision was rather limited
   in its findings, and didn't touch on the question of
   individual vs. collective rights. (08/06/01)
http://www.newsmax.com/commentmax/articles/Dr._Michael_S._Brown.shtml

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From: charles hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: FW: Tomorrow's News: Marksmanship Ban
Date: 08 Aug 2001 22:25:06 -0600


----------------
Charles Hardy
<[e-mail]>

--------- Forwarded message ----------
----------

Forest Closures Planned, Executed
Forest Closures Planned, Executed
Forest Closures Planned, Executed


August 8, 2001



by Alan Korwin, Author
Gun Laws of America

An anonymous Associated Press story, produced and timed for release by
federal bureaucrats running the Arizona Tonto National Forest, will
appear in many of tomorrow's newspapers nationwide, announcing the
closure of 80,000 acres of the forest to outdoor marksmanship.  The
areas to be closed, adjacent to the Phoenix metro area, have been in
continuous use for decades, without incident, by citizens conducting
traditional firearms practice.

Following a three-month intensive amelioration drive, lead by recently
appointed Tonto Supervisor Karl Siderits, in which area residents were
repeatedly assured that no blanket actions were likely, the federal
agents did what activists suspected had been planned from the outset --
the total restriction of marksmanship in the commonly used and easily
accesible sites that people use to practice and gain proficiency with
arms.  The move goes into effect Monday, and is expected to be
precedential for National Forests around the country, which have been
following the developments closely.

Safety is cited by Siderits and others as their main concern, though no
concrete examples of such a problem have been brought forward.  Forest
agents claim in the article, and have claimed publicly for months, to
have witnessed hundreds of examples of criminal conduct with firearms on
Forest Service land (e.g., shooting across roads, which is dangerous,
stupid and strictly illegal).  When asked about arrests, citations or
any other disciplinary actions of the purported crimes, Siderits, PR
Officer James Payne, and various rangers admit to knowing of none.

Although Tonto officials regularly claim they have insufficient law
enforcement to do anything about the alleged violators they supposedly
frequently witness, additional law enforcement people will be engaged,
according to the report, to enforce the new land closures.  In essence,
the plan is to punish the innocent for alleged acts of unidentified
guilty parties.

Unlike less free zones in America, where the right to bear arms is
heavily repressed, outdoor marksmanship is routine in Arizona, with
countless thousands of residents taking to open terrain on a regular
basis.  The National Forests are one of the main areas used, with some
larger impromptu ranges in use since before WWII.

The Tonto Forest comprises 2.9 million acres of public land, and
contrary to its name, is primarily unbroken expanses of open desert.  In
effect, the closures are expected to force marksmanship away from well
known and well worn target areas that are easy to reach, to untouched
pristine areas of desert further inland.  One justification cited by
officials is that they haven't closed anywhere near as much public land
as federal agents in California have.  Dirt bikers, ATVs and all other
land users, including hunters, will still have access to the restricted
areas.

Unmentioned by the anonymous AP "writer" is the fact that 54 dead bodies
were removed from Tonto National Forest last year -- a typical count for
a year -- none of them related to outdoor marksmanship or recreational
shooters in the forest.  Also unmentioned are marksmanship education
programs for the public and the state's school systems, and
establishment of ranges, which were prominent issues during the long
running public comment and town-hall style amelioration campaign.

Details on the amelioration campaign, a joint statement by sportsmen in
Arizona and the Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association concerning
the planned (now implemented) closures, and direct contact information
for the responsible federal bureaucrats, press the New Stuff button on
our website.

###

Alan Korwin
Bloomfield Press
"We publish the gun laws."
4718 E. Cactus #440
Phoenix, AZ 85032
602-996-4020
800-707-4020
[e-mail]
http://www.gunlaws.com



Coming Soon at Bloomfield Press:
Coming Soon at Bloomfield Press:

A long overdue line of books on political activism:

How to stop winning debates and start
winning friends and influencing people.
Check our website in the next few weeks
for this sorely needed critical addition
to the gun-rights struggle.

http://www.gunlaws.com
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From: Charles C Hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: AOL gets help in its guns-at-work lawsuit
Date: 09 Aug 2001 11:28:43 -0600


--------- Forwarded message ----------
So how is it that Utahns Against Gun violence can
claim that they are not anti-gun after joining in
the lawsuit against AOL employees fired for
possessing guns on company leased property?


AOL gets help in its guns-at-work lawsuit

http://www.standard.net/standard/news/news_story.html?sid=000108082320453
74245+cat=news+template=news1.html

Employers groups file "friend of the court" briefs

Thr, Aug 9, 2001 00:00:00

By TIM GURRISTER
Standard-Examiner staff

OGDEN -- A consortium of employers groups have joined the fray backing
America Online in its
defense of a guns-at-work lawsuit brought by former employees of the
Internet service provider"s
Ogden call center.

Last September, Luke Hansen, Paul Carlson and Jason Melling were fired
from AOL"s 2261 Grant
Avenue plant when they transferred guns between their vehicles, preparing
for a round of target
shooting after work.

They filed suit against the company for its gun ban policy, claiming
violation of their Second
Amendment rights to bear arms.

The case is still pending in motion and discovery phases before 2nd
District Judge Roger Dutson,
with no court dates currently set.

Two "friend of the court" or amicus briefs were filed earlier this year
by statewide employer
groups in support of AOL by the Utah Society of Human Resource Managers
and the Utah Manufacturers
Association.

The former is represented by three-term Utah Gov. Cal Rampton.

Now Rampton"s firm, Jones, Waldo, Holbrook and McDonough, has been joined
in their amicus brief by
the following:

The Chamber Ogden/Weber, the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the Utah
Restaurant Association,
the Employers Council and Utahns Against Gun Violence. The updated amicus
brief was filed Tuesday.

The business and community groups are neither pro-gun or anti-gun, said
Michael O"Brien, a Jones
Waldo employment lawyer also involved in the amicus brief, in a press
release.

Their position, O"Brien said, is a recognition that guns at work are a
sensitive issue and each
employer should be allowed to assess its own safety and security needs as
well as employee morale,
employee culture and other factors.

"Once an employer does so, an employee can decide whether or not to work
there," he said. "This is
not simply a matter of gun owners" rights, because employers and
co-workers have rights too."

The fired employees" lawsuit against AOL could possibly force employers
to allow guns on their
premises against their will, O"Brien said.

Also in response to the lawsuit, several gun organizations, The Utah Gun
Owners Alliance, and a
national organization, Gun Owners of America, called for boycotts of AOL.

The 20-year-old GOA boasts 300,000 members, according to a spokesman for
the group, making it one
of the nation"s largest. The Utah group is a fledgling organization
counting several thousand
members.




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From: Jim Hudgins <[e-mail]>
Subject: Bush admin gets top rating
Date: 09 Aug 2001 15:51:28 -0600

I am new to this list and appologize if a link to this information has
already been provided but there is a refreshing change to government
policy concerning gun ownership.
 http://www.usnewswire.com/topnews/Current_Releases/0808-103.html  Maybe
we can look forward to some reversals of gun laws instituted under the
past few administrations.

Jim Hudgins

--
"The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule."
H.L. Mencken



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From: charles hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Fundraiser reminder, volunteers needed
Date: 10 Aug 2001 20:57:49 -0600

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A reminder about the fundraiser party tomorrow (Saturday) evening at
Janalee's house for Glen and Frank.  If you attend, be sure to take your
own BBQ main course and a side dish to share.
Also Glen and Frank are looking for volunteers to help at the convention
by passing out literature, wearing T shirts, poll watchers, etc.  You
need not be a delegate and in fact, for positions like poll watcher, it
is advantagous to have some people who are not delegates.  Please let
them know if you can help.

It's a Party and
You're Invited






Day:  Saturday, August 11


Time:  6 p.m.


Place:  Janalee Tobias' Home, South Jordan
            1238 West Jordan River Drive (11050 South)
            (Jordan River Estates)

DETAILS:

BYOB (Bring Your Own Barbeque Item) and something to  share (potluck).
The purpose of this party is to have some fun and to encourage people who
are delegates and those who are not delegates to come and make a donation
to Frank and Glen and to come help at the state convention.  They will
have assignments/literature for people.

The party is also to celebrate the victories we had this year at the
state legislature and to get to know each other.

Parking is available along the street.  You can park throughout the
subdivision and along 1300 West.  Just don't park in front of someone's
driveway.

I've been practicing water conservation, so ignore the brown spots and my
dead flowers in my lawn!

For those who want to make s'mores and roast weinies (frankfurters, not
liberals), there's a firepit available.

Feel free to pass this invitation around.

----------------
Charles Hardy
<[e-mail]>
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<H1 align=3Dleft><FONT size=3D3>A reminder about the fundraiser party =
tomorrow=20
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attend,=20
be sure to take your own BBQ main course and a side dish to=20
share.</FONT></H1>
<DIV align=3Dleft>Also Glen and Frank are looking for volunteers to help at=
 the=20
convention by passing out literature, wearing T shirts, poll watchers,=20
etc.  You need not be a delegate and in fact, for positions like poll=
=20
watcher, it is advantagous to have some people who are not delegates. =
=20
Please let them know if you can help.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft> </DIV>
<H1>It's a Party and<BR>You're Invited</H1></CENTER><A=20
href=3D"http://attach2.egroups.com/group/wagc-ut/attach/1633004/404/gs-163=
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<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>
<H2>Day:  Saturday, August 11</H2><BR>
<H2>Time:  6 p.m.</H2><BR>
<H2>Place:  Janalee Tobias' Home, South Jordan</H2>
<DIV>            1238 West =
Jordan=20
River Drive (11050 South) </DIV>
<DIV>            (=
Jordan=20
River Estates)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dcenter>DETAILS:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft>BYOB (Bring Your Own Barbeque Item) and something to =
; share=20
(potluck).  The purpose of this party is to have some fun and to =
encourage=20
people who are delegates and those who are not delegates to come and =
make a=20
donation to Frank and Glen and to come help at the state convention.  =
They=20
will have assignments/literature for people.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft>The party is also to celebrate the victories we had this =
year at=20
the state legislature and to get to know each other.</DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft>Parking is available along the street.  You can park=
=20
throughout the subdivision and along 1300 West.  Just don't park in =
front=20
of someone's driveway.  </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft>I've been practicing water conservation, so ignore the =
brown=20
spots and my dead flowers in my lawn!</DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft>For those who want to make s'mores and roast weinies=
=20
(frankfurters, not liberals), there's a firepit available.  </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Feel free to pass this invitation=20
around.</DIV><BR>----------------<BR>Charles Hardy<BR><<A=20
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From: Charles C Hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Deadline to file for local office
Date: 15 Aug 2001 14:26:13 -0600

Just a reminder that today is the deadline to file for non-partisan
municipal offices such as city council and mayor.  If you have not
already done so, please at least call you city recorder and ask which
positions are up for election this year and who has filed for each
position.  It is not unusual for no one but the incumbant to file.
Sometimes the incumbant doesn't file and only a single person does.  I
currently have one city council member serving who was elected, for the
first time, completely unoppossed, two years ago.  Most of these
positions are part time with meetings in the evenings.  A small number
may be full time.

Even if you cannot and/or do not want to commit the resources to running
a full fledged campaign, simply filing in such a situation may win you
the seat or, at very least, put the incumbant in the position of having
to take public positions on various issues that he could avoid if he runs
unoppossed.  How do you feel about photo-cop?  If you live in SLCo do you
favor or oppose the idea of all cities and the county consolodating fire,
police, paramedic, garbage, and road service into county wide units?  Do
you favor or opposse local zoning to allow gun ranges in your city or to
protect existing ranges?  Do you favor or oppose light rail expansion in
your city?  And so on and so forth.  These are the issues city councils
control or greatly influence.

The cost to file is minimal.  In my city it cost $10 and takes all of 10
minutes to file for city council.  In return for that you are guaranteed
to have your name on at least the primary ballot (or if so few people
file that no primary is needed, the general ballot), a full "A" size,
color plot of the entire city, showing voting districts and precincts, a
full and complete copy of the current city budget, and a nice candidate's
packet with all the other paperwork you will need.

PLEASE, especially if no one, or only a single person has filed for a
seat, take the time to file for office.  If you find out next week that
someone you would rather support is also running for the same seat, you
can withdraw.  But if you don't file today, you can't file later.

Charles
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From: Charles C Hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: CCW and weapons' storage at GOP Convention
Date: 17 Aug 2001 12:30:13 -0600

All,

I've just gotten off the phone with Scott Parker at the State GOP office.
 At present there are no firm plans to send anything via usmail to notify
delegates that CCW will be prohibited during at least part of the
upcoming GOP State Convention due to the presense of VP Cheney.   (See SL
Trib article at <http://sltrib.com/2001/aug/08172001/utah/123396.htm>) He
is convinced that the Secret Service, used to holding events in other big
gun States like Texas, Montanna, etc, can maintain security without
offending anyone.  But we all know they are not going to let CCW into the
convention hall.  This means, at the very least, that anyone carrying a
gun will be required to find someplace to leave it before they are
allowed to enter the hall.  For most delegates this will mean taking it
out to leave in their cars.

This presents a couple of problems.  1-It is possible some number of
delegates may use TRAX or other mass transit to get to the convention and
NOT have a car in which to leave their gun.  2-A car is about the least
secure storage device available.  I'd hate to have a CCW weapons stolen
from a car during the State GOP convention and later used in a crime.
3-This leaves people unarmed as they walk through the parking lot.

I told Scott that I firmly believed the State GOP should step up and
honor our RKBA by providing a secure storage facility inside the
convention center, but outside the Secret Service secure area.  This is
not an Olympic Venue so storage areas are mandatory under State law if
they are going to prohibit weapons.  I suspect this storage could be
provided for all of a few hundered dollars to rent some lockers and hire
a police officer or other appropriate person to run it.  Scott was not
oppossed to the idea, but was not rushing to say it was something they
wanted to do, either.

Please, give Scott (or any other State GOP official) a call, or drop
him/them an email letting them know you expect the GOP to honor its
committment to RKBA and the laws of the State of Utah by providing a
storage facility for CCW weapons.  Not only is this a matter of honoring
the law and the platform, but I believe the GOP's actions on this issue
will send a strong message one way or the other.  To prohibit weapons and
not provide storage provides fodder to the anti-self-defense media and
lobbyists.  "Even the Republicans don't let those loons with licenses
into their conventions.  Why should we have to let them into our stores,
apartment complexes, etc?"  OTOH, to provide storage sends a powerful
pro-gun and pro-law-abiding message.  "We have no control over SS
restrictions.  But we respect people's right to defend themselves and
will provide storage facilities for any legally carried weapons in the
event the SS prohibits private guns in the convention hall."  And it sets
an important precedence.  There are some number of places and events
where we simply are not--for the foreseeable future--going to be able to
CCW.  Do we want safe, secure, storage for our weapons at such times and
places, or do we want to have to leave guns in cars or even at home?

Please contact Scott Parker and other GOP officials.

Scott Parker and other State GOP officials can be reached at the State
GOP office here in SLC.  The phone numbers are:
801-533-9777--phone
801-533-0327--fax

Scott's email is mailto:[e-mail].

Charles

PS, Please note that while the SL Trib article suggest that delegates
will be allowed to bring their guns in after the VP leaves and before
voting starts, this is ONLY the voting for candidates and resolutions.
Voting on agenda and rules (ofttimes some of the most important votes
cast) has always taken place first thing.  Anyone who chooses to boycott
the convention hall until they can enter with their CCW will almost
certainly miss voting on the rules and agenda.  While the decisions about
when are where to carry a gun and whether to go someplace a gun is
prohibited are all intensely personal decisions, I can only hope we don't
suffer too much of a disadvantage when voting on rules and agenda due to
our people not being in the hall because of secret service restrictions
on CCW.
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From: charles hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Janalee on the Radio
Date: 19 Aug 2001 00:31:16 -0600


Jim Dexter, talk host on KTKK radio, 630 on your AM dial will have as his
guests this Monday regarding bill 328, on the phone Leroy Pyle, the
writer of " a new sheriff in town" and Sheriff Richie Mack, in studio
Jana Lee Tobias of Women against Gun control.

Please tune in to listen and to call in with questions.


----------------
Charles Hardy
<[e-mail]>
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: charles hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Gun Storage at GOP State Convention this Weekend
Date: 22 Aug 2001 17:46:40 -0600

All,

I'm pleased to announce that there will be provisions to safely, securely
store your self defense firearms at this Saturday's State GOP Convention.
 As you are aware, due to the presence of VP Dick Cheney as the keynote
speaker, all weapons (except Secret Service and on duty LEOs we presume)
will be banned from the convention hall until after the VP has finished
his remarks and left the building.  The secret service will have metal
detectors to screen for weapons and the secret service along with local,
county, and state police will be responsible for securing the building.
Once the VP finishes and leaves, the convention should be opened back up
for unrestricted carry of legal CCW.

While the exact location of the storage area is not yet known, it will
most likely be in front of the convention center under some kind of
canopy or tent and will be well signed and easy to find.  Metal lockers
will be available and Clark Aposhian, head of the Utah Self Defense
Instructors Network (US-DIN) along with a couple of State LEOs will be
manning the area continuously.  A sand pit/bullet catcher will be
available for safely clearing weapons before they are stored.

We don't yet know the exact details of how checking of weapons will be
handled, but have been assured that whatever mechanism is used will
provide good assurances that only the person who owns the checked weapon
can retrieve it AND will preclude the possibility of the registering of
weapons.  This will likely place great responsibilty on gun owners to NOT
lose or misplace their claim ticket.  I think we are up to that.  :)  But
for the ultra careful, you may want to jot down your weapon's serial
number on someting and keep it seperate from your claim ticket, just as a
last ditch way to prove ownership should the ticket be lost or destroyed
somehow.

The last word I've heard is that no one will be required to show a CCW
permit in order to check and claim weapons.  But, as always, if you
choose to carry concealed without a current, valid, CCW permit, you are
in technical violation of State statute.  However, some form of photo id
may possibly be required and will be needed in order to get your ballots
anyway.  While open (unloaded) carry without a permit is legal, I
personally do not think this event would be the best place to do so.

For those who are not delegates but are planning to attend, be aware that
a $5 fee will be charged for non-delegates to enter the convention hall
and seating will be segregated between delegates and non-delegates.
Obviously, if you are showing up merely to pass out flyers outside the
convention there will be no fees and, I should think no need to disarm,
though all the usual rules about being safe and discreet when CCWing
apply even more so at this event.

(Most candidates would still love to have more help at the
convention--from passing out flyers to maybe even being poll
watchers--and in some cases someone who is not a delegate is a better
choice than a delegate.  So if you are delegate, show up for sure.  If
you are not, and would like to support pro-gun candidates or resolutions,
let me know or just contact the candidate/resolution writer directly.)

Several delegates have plans to offer an amendment to the agenda to add a
short recess following the VP's remarks so that those with checked
weapons can retrieve them and have them on their persons throughout the
rest of the day.  For those who prefer to not retrieve weapons at that
time, the gun check station will be available until shortly after the end
of the convention.

Please note that at least two KEY votes (rules and agenda) will take
place BEFORE the convention hall is opened up to CCW.  I encourage
delegates who CCW to avail themselves of the safe storage so they are
present to cast votes on these issues.  Voting for party officers and
most other business will occur after the secret service re-opens the
hall.

Also, please remember that leaving a loaded weapon in a car is illegal
under Utah law.  Since you would no longer have the weapon in your
immediate control, your CCW permit will not cover it.  Obviously, with
the high level of LEOs and concerns over security (along with common
sense gun safety), the exposition center parking lot is NOT a good place
to unholster, and unload a weapon to legally leave it in the car.  Ditto
for reloaded/reholstering after CCW is allowed.

Again, I encourage those who plan to carry a self defense weapon to
either make use of the storage area or make some other appropriate
arrangment outside the area of the exposition center.

This is the first we've had this type of event in Utah where CCW has been
restricted and the first time secure storage has been provided.  Let's
each do our own part to show that the security needs of high elected
officials and the rights and safety of common citizens are not at such
odds as the liberal press would have us believe.  (It would also be nice
if the storage area did not go completely unused.)  Also, since this is
the first time providing storage of weapons, something may not go as
smooth as we'd think it should.  Please plan to arrive early to have
plenty of time to check weapons, and be patient with Clark and the others
working there.

Thanks.

Charles


----------------
Charles Hardy
<[e-mail]>
________________________________________________________________
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "David Sagers" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Times for Saturday
Date: 23 Aug 2001 09:24:44 -0600

Hi Charles

Do you know what time the festivities start on Saturday Morning?

Thanks
David


-



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Charles C Hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: Times for Saturday
Date: 23 Aug 2001 11:10:00 -0600

Credentialing starts at 9.

I think the convention starts at 10.

If you'd like to help any candidates, we can use help as early as 7.

Let me know.

Charles

On Thu, 23 Aug 2001 09:24:44 -0600 "David Sagers"
<[e-mail]> writes:
> Hi Charles
>
> Do you know what time the festivities start on Saturday Morning?
>
> Thanks
> David
>
>
> -
>
>
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Charles C Hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Fw: [UTGOA] Great Convention - THANK YOU!
Date: 27 Aug 2001 12:00:01 -0600


Thank you to those who participated and helped in any way with the
convention.  It turned out to be a good day for gun rights.

Here is UTGOA's report...

--------- Forwarded message ----------
Thanks to all of you for your help in making yesterday's Republican State

Convention a rousing success!

Election results (provided by Dana Dickson)

Joe Cannon - 1091 Glen Davis - 762
Frank Guliuzza - 883 Candace Daly - 845
Miriam Harmer - 1016 Camille Cook - 528
Mike McCauley - 1568 Kyle Larsen - 205

Congratulations to the new officers.  We look forward to working with
you.


Resolutions

Gun Rights Resolution - PASSED
Jury Plank Resolution - PASSED
American Sovereignty Resolution - PASSED


Constitution & Bylaws

State Central Committee C&B amendment(opposed by UTGOA) - DEFEATED
Dickson C&B amendment(supported by UTGOA) - REFERRED to C&B committee
Closed primary amendment (no UTGOA position) - PASSED


Rules
Voting Rules amendment - PASSED
Quorum amendment - FAILED (but the quorum was kept throughout the
Convention, so this had no effect)
Instant Runoff Voting - PASSED (and was used very successfully)


Safe Storage

Safe Storage of weapons at the convention was a resounding success!
There
were 25 weapons checked by 24 people - mostly firearms, but also a few
knives.  There were no problems whatsoever.

To our knowledge this is the first time citizens have been able to bring
firearms to an event attended by the president or vice president.  We
hope
that we've successfully demonstrated that there is no conflict between
the
right of ordinary citizens to carry firearms for their own safety, and
the
ability of the Secret Service to protect visiting dignitaries.  We
encourage gun owners throughout the rest of this great nation to insist
on
similar arrangements whenever such events are scheduled.

In addition to local media coverage in the Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret
News,
and the Spectrum, there was national coverage from the New York Times and

Associated Press.

See http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/26/politics/26CHEN.html for the NY
Times
story and
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61756-2001Aug25.html for
the
AP report as it appeared in the Washington Post and
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010825/pl/life_guns_dc_1.html for the
Reuters story.


THANK YOU!

Victories of this magnitude take the hard work of a great many people.

Utah Gun Owners Alliance would like to thank the following people:

Republican State delegates, especially those of you who kept your
commitment to stay to the end of the 7 hour convention - often without
lunch, or even a break.  You have earned the gratitude and respect of all

Republicans and all gun owners.

Our many WONDERFUL volunteers who stood out in the hot sun making sure
delegates got copies of our Utah Gun Owners Alliance Convention Guide.
We
were especially happy to have so many young people who cared enough to
help.

The 24 people who checked weapons, proving that safe storage is needed,
and
that it poses no threat to anyone.

Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, for arranging for (and paying for!) the
safe storage lockers and security.

Jade Pusey of the Attorney General's office and Clark Aposhian of US-DIN
for manning the safe storage area, and helping everything to go smoothly.

The Secret Service, the Sandy City Police, and Utah GOP Executive
Director
Scott Parker for their cooperation.

The sponsors of the many excellent Rules proposals, Constitution & Bylaws

amendments and Resolutions.

The candidates for State Party offices - especially those who cared
enough
to complete the UTGOA questionnaire.

ALL of you - our UTGOA members and supporters for your active involvement

and ongoing commitment to protecting and restoring our gun rights.
Without
your phone calls, emails, letters, and your moral and financial support,
we
would not be able to accomplish anything!

THANKS!  WE APPRECIATE YOU!


Copyright 2001, Utah Gun Owners Alliance, Inc. and Sarah Thompson
PO Box 1185
Sandy, UT 84091
801-566-1625
http://www.utgoa.org
[e-mail]

PLEASE SUPPORT UTAH GUN OWNERS ALLIANCE!  JOIN US TODAY!

Did someone forward this to you?  Please SUBSCRIBE NOW!  That way you'll
receive our FREE alerts as soon as they're released.  During the
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missing important information because someone else neglected to forward
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To subscribe to the UTGOA list, send a blank email to
[e-mail] or use the form on our web site,
http://www.utgoa.org. For more information, see
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Utah Gun Owners Alliance is completely dependent on your generosity to
cover our operating costs.  Please consider joining us or sending a
donation.  Membership information is at:
http://www.utgoa.org/pages/join.html  Donations may be sent to: PO Box
1185, Sandy, UT 84091  Checks should be made payable to Utah Gun Owners
Alliance, Inc. or UTGOA.  Thank for your support!

UTGOA is written and distributed by, Utah Gun Owners Alliance, Inc.
www.utgoa.org, and Sarah Thompson, M.D.  All information contained in
these
alerts is the responsibility of the author, unless otherwise attributed.

Permission is granted for distribution of these alerts so long as no
changes are made, UTGOA is clearly credited, and this message is left
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Archives of the UTGOA alerts can be found at:
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: charles hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Federal census suit
Date: 28 Aug 2001 23:34:23 -0600

This message is in MIME format.  Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.

----__JNP_000_0c5f.7e9a.18f5
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Not a gun issue, but of interest...

At 9:00 am tomorrow (8/29), Utah State will be appearing in Federal
District
Court in Salt Lake (Rm. 420) before a three-judge panel to argue round
two of
our case against the US Census Bureau for their arbitrary and unlawful
actions which unquestionably denied Utah its fourth Congressional seat.

This is the suit that argues Utah lost the 4th seat due to the use of
"imputation" (statistical sampling)
in NC.

If you get this in time and want to show up, it may be interesting and a
nice show of support.

----------------
Charles Hardy
<[e-mail]>
----__JNP_000_0c5f.7e9a.18f5
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Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 http-equiv=3Dcontent-type>
<META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.2919.6307" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY bottomMargin=3D0 leftMargin=3D3 rightMargin=3D3 topMargin=3D0>
<DIV><STRONG>Not a gun issue, but of interest...</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><B>At 9:00 am tomorrow (8/29), Utah State will be appearing in Federal=
=20
District <BR>Court in Salt Lake (Rm. 420)</B> before a three-judge panel to=
=20
argue round two of <BR>our case against the US Census Bureau for their =
arbitrary=20
and unlawful <BR>actions which unquestionably denied Utah its fourth=20
Congressional seat.  </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>This is the suit that argues Utah lost the 4th seat due to the use of=
=20
"imputation" (statistical sampling)</DIV>
<DIV>in NC.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If you get this in time and want to show up, it may be interesting and=
 a=20
nice show of support.</DIV>
<DIV><BR>----------------<BR>Charles Hardy<BR><<A=20
href=3D"mailto:[e-mail]">[e-mail]</A>><BR></DIV></=
BODY></HTML>

----__JNP_000_0c5f.7e9a.18f5--

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Charles C Hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: GOP Closes primaries
Date: 29 Aug 2001 14:23:58 -0600

This is not strictly a gun issue.  However, if you consider yourself a
Republican it may affect your ability to vote in primary elections.

You may have read in the paper or heard on the news that at last
Saturday's State Republican Convention, the delegates chose to "close"
the Republican primaries.  What does that mean?  Not a whole lot, but a
little history will put it into perspective and, I hope, dispel some of
the fear and anger that some reporters seem to want to spread.

Until now, primary elections in Utah were "open."  This meant that
anyone, of any, or no official, political affiliation could vote in the
primary election of any party.  When you went to your polling place on
primary election day you were simply handed a ballot.  Once you were
inside the voting booth you could decide which primary (Republican,
Democrat, Libertarian, etc) you wanted to vote in.  You could only vote
in one party's primary, but you could pick ANY one party you wanted to.

This has allowed for what is known as "cross over voting."  Because the
Democrats (and most smaller parties) often do not have enough candidates
for office (or eliminated all but one candidate in their convention) they
frequently do not have a primary election.  So it was becomming common
for Democrats and others to "cross over" to vote in the Republican
primary.  Republican delegates have decided they don't want
non-Republicans helping to pick which Republican will appear on the
general election ballot.  As one Republican has said, "When I played High
School football, we never asked our cross-town rivals to help us pick our
team captains.  Why should Republicans be letting Democrats help pick our
party's standard bearers?"

By "closing" their primary (as allowed under State law), the Utah
Republican Party will now only let *Registered* Republicans vote in their
primary elections.  In other words, rather than being handed a ballot and
allowed to vote in any primary race, a voter will now be handed a
specific ballot and allowed to vote in the Republican primary only if the
voter is registered Republican.

To those who have lived in other States, this is completely normal and
natural.  But to Utahns it is a bit of a change.  Somethig like 70% of
our registered voters are officially unaffiliated.  Unless you are
*actively* involved in a political party--such as delegate or precinct
officer--odds are pretty good that you are officially unaffiliated.  The
fact that you may have voted for Bush (or Gore) in the last election does
not matter.  Your actual votes are (always have been and will continue to
be) secret.  The only way to register with one party or another is on an
official, voter registration form.  This does not cost anything (other
than 2 minutes to fill out the form and a stamp if you choose to mail it
in) and anyone may register with any party.  If you are not sure whether
you are registered with a party, call your county clerk (see below for
link to contact info).

For the 2002 primary election only (the primaries this year are all
non-partisan so this change does not affect them) you will be able to
register as a Republican at your polling place immediately prior to
voting, if you want to vote in the Republican Primary.  However, barring
a change to State law, come the 2004 primary (the next Presidential
election year), you will have to have been registered as a Republican for
several weeks prior to the primary in order to vote in the Republican
primary election.

None of this affects general elections in any way.  You will not need to
be registered with any party to vote in the general elections.  At this
time, the Democrats and other parties continue to have "open" primaries
so anyone is free to vote in those primaries on the somewhat rare
occassions they occur.

If you consider yourself a Republican, I urge you to go ahead and update
your voter registration to declare affiliation with the Republican party
so you will know that you are all set to vote in the GOP primary next
year.  Regardless of affiliation, I urge you to vote in whatever primary
your party has.  The primary elections have VERY low voter turnout and
so, a relatively small number of gun owners voting (or choosing to stay
home and not vote) can easily affect the outcome of the race.  Show up at
the primaries so that you have a good, pro-gun candidate on the general
election ballot.  It is frustrating to show up to a general election and
have to select between a gun grabbing Democrat and a gun hating
Republican simply because good, pro-gun candidates were eliminated in the
primary election.

An official voter registration form that is good for anywhere in the
State is available at
<http://governor.state.ut.us/lt_gover/Registration.PDF>.  It will need to
be printed, filled out, signed, and mailed to your county clerk.   A list
of addresses for all county clerks is available at
<http://www.governor.state.ut.us/lt_gover/97Clerks.htm>.

For more information you can call your county clerk, the State elections
office at [phone] or 1(800)995-VOTE, or reply and I'll see if I can
help.

Charles Hardy
________________________________________________________________
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Charles C Hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Fw: Sniper rifles: the lethal - and legal - weapons of war
Date: 31 Aug 2001 11:35:19 -0600


The latest "evil gun" tactics.  Look for legislation to ban or
over-regulate these weapons, probably based on something like simply
caliber.  Then next thing you know, your .50 cal Desert Eagle or maybe
even your .45 is considered a "pocket rocket" and banned.  Just because
you may not own, or ever want to own such a weapon, don't let the antis
get us again with divide and conquer.  First it was short shot guns and
fully automatic weapons.  Next it was semi-auto scary-looking guns like
the AR and SKS.  Let them take out .50 cal rifles today, and your
children will wake up to find that their 30.06 scoped hunting rifle has
been reclassified as a dangerous sniper rifle.

Charles

--------- Forwarded message ----------
Care for a dose of statist propaganda?

Sniper rifles: the lethal - and legal - weapons of war
By Tom Diaz
KNIGHT RIDDER TRIBUNE

Have you heard about the booming sale of .50-caliber sniper rifles on the
civilian market? Consider what one writer had to say about these guns,
capable of slicing through an inch of armor plate as if it were so much
butter:

"How can anyone exaggerate .50-caliber performance? Here's a bullet that
even
at 1 1/2 miles crashes into a target with more energy than Dirty Harry's
famous .44(-caliber) Magnum at point-blank. But tremendous energy can
hardly
be surprising for a cartridge that's five times larger than a .30-06 -
indeed, its 750-grain projectile is almost twice that of many elephant
gun
cartridges.

"Overpenetration concerns? Dave Bush, an Indiana City, Michigan, loader
of custom .50-caliber match rounds, reports he test-fired his bullets at
simulated wooden frame houses and found they blew completely through six
houses - not six walls, six houses!"

Six houses? Oh, come on. But wait a minute. This quote isn't the ranting
of some gun control advocate in full hysteria. This is matter-of-fact
descriptive prose, straight from "The Ultimate Sniper," a magisterial
book by Maj. John J. Plaster, widely acknowledged as an expert within
the burgeoning sniper community.

Plaster is right. It is indeed almost impossible to exaggerate the
lethality
of these weapons of war. Barrett Manufacturing, a pioneer maker of the
big
sniper rifles, calls them "heavy firepower for light infantry." It brags
that
its rifles "allow sophisticated targets to be destroyed or disabled by a
single soldier. Armored personnel carriers, radar dishes, communications
vehicles, aircraft . . . are all vulnerable to the quick strike
capability of
the Barrett 82A1."

Translate that into civilian terms and you have the perfect weapon for
assassination and terrorism, for taking out armored limousines, shooting
down helicopters, and destroying physical infrastructure. And yet
.50-caliber sniper rifles sold by Barrett and a growing field of
companies are less regulated than handguns. A youth of 18 can legally buy
a .50-caliber sniper rifle. But only an adult of 21 can buy a handgun.

Most ordinary, normal Americans - even gun owners - are shocked to learn
these weapons of war are the hottest new item in the American civilian
gun
market. They are selling like hot cakes, all over America, and the price
is
dropping precipitously. If you can't find one in your local gun shop, you
can
find one in five minutes over the Internet. Or buy a video that
demonstrates
how to make one at home.

What is going on here?

Simply a new verse of an old song. The gun industry is the last consumer
product industry completely free of health and safety regulation. Toy
teddy
bears are subject to more product design regulation than any gun sold in
America. As a result, the gun industry is free to design and sell almost
anything it wants to boost its profits. Over and over again, it turns to
increased lethality - more firepower, more killing power - to rejuvenate
its stagnant and failing markets.

The .50-caliber rifle is the unthinkably dangerous extreme at the "bigger
is
better" end of the gun marketing spectrum. The so-called "pocket rocket"
is
the reckless extreme at the opposite end, the region of the mindless
"more
guns make us all safer" mantra. Pocket rockets are tiny, high-powered,
very
concealable handguns. (The term was coined by the Austrian company Glock,
a
major importer of handguns into the United States). They are specifically
designed to be carried on the person and to have maximum killing power
for
their size. A pocket rocket is a homicide waiting to happen.

The gun industry in America is like a shark. There is nothing personal
about
what a shark does to survive. It just does what is in its nature to do.
The
gun industry is the same way. It is full of otherwise perfectly nice
people
who will nevertheless keep on designing, making, and selling more and
more
deadly killing machines until we bring the industry under control.

The best way to bring the gun industry under control is to treat it like
every other consumer product industry in America. Firearms should be
subject
to the same basic standards for health and safety that we impose on every
other consumer product from pesticides to baby cribs to motor vehicles.

We need an independent federal agency - preferably in the Treasury
Department, which already has gun expertise - with broad authority to
apply
those basic standards and balance the public health and safety risks that
specific models of guns impose on the public against the benefits they
offer

Guns would not disappear under such a system, just as pesticides haven't
disappeared under the same kind of regulation. There would be plenty of
guns for recreation, hunting, and home defense. But Second Amendment
pornography like .50-caliber sniper rifles and pocket rockets would be
kept under the rocks where it belongs, and out of the civilian
marketplace.

Tom Diaz is the senior policy analyst at the Violence Policy Center
and author of "Making a Killing: The Business of Guns in America."
________________________________________________________________
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Charles C Hardy <[e-mail]>
Subject: FW: Concealed weapons law praised
Date: 31 Aug 2001 11:30:03 -0600

This message is in MIME format.  Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.

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Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit


----- Forwarded Message -----


Concealed weapons law is praised

CHARLESTON (AP) - When the state's concealed weapons law
was passed in 1996, critics feared gunslingers would be strolling
the streets of South Carolina, but authorities say the program has
worked effectively.

The law allows any South Carolina resident 21 or older with a clean
criminal record to obtain permits to carry guns in handbags,
briefcases or holsters. They must pass a training class and pay a
$50 fee for a background check and processing.

Many locations still prohibit concealed guns, including schools,
legislative buildings and any place with a liquor license.

Last year, nearly 11,000 people applied for the permits, and many
of those were license renewals.

"People are very aware of their right to have a permit and to carry a
firearm," said Capt. Joe Dorton, who oversees the State Law
Enforcement Division's regulatory department. "They are very
attentive to keeping their permit in good standing."

Former Gov. David Beasley signed the concealed gun bill into law
in 1996 despite concerns from critics that it would add trouble to
the state's gun culture. Dorton, however, said very few permit
holders have abused the privilege since the law was enacted.

"We have had a couple of instances of pointing a firearm, and one
instance where a firearm was fired at an acquaintance after a fight,"
Dorton said. In all the cases, the owner's permit was revoked, he
said.

Rep. Jeff Young, R-Sumter, the original sponsor of the bill, said the
legislation is working.

"The people who have gotten them have been very responsible," he
said. "Now you have 30,000 people trained with guns who may not
have been trained before. And the criminal still doesn't know who's
carrying."

Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, originally opposed the bill
because she feared it would lead to more armed citizens walking
the streets.

But she said Thursday that if "there's no evidence of abuse, I don't
have any opposition to the law remaining in place."

University of South Carolina criminologist Geoffrey Alpert said it's
still unclear whether the state's concealed weapon law is an
effective tool for deterring crime.

That's because violent crime is down in most categories, and no
one seems to have done any in-depth research into the issue since
it became law.

Dorton said he didn't have any data to support why the program is
gaining in popularity, although SLED suspected it was bound to
happen. "We don't do anything to encourage or discourage" people
signing up, he said.

But he added, "we knew there would be a pretty sizable base"
given the enthusiasm of gun owners.
----__JNP_000_63f7.7097.6934
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<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>Concealed weapons law is praised <BR><BR>CHARLESTON (AP) - When=
=20
  the state's concealed weapons law <BR>was passed in 1996, critics feared=
=20
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  authorities say the program has <BR>worked effectively.<BR><BR>The law =
allows=20
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to=20
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They=20
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and=20
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including=20
  schools, <BR>legislative buildings and any place with a liquor=20
  license.<BR><BR>Last year, nearly 11,000 people applied for the permits, =
and=20
  many <BR>of those were license renewals.<BR><BR>"People are very aware of=
=20
  their right to have a permit and to carry a <BR>firearm," said Capt. Joe=
=20
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=20
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=20
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 into=20
  law <BR>in 1996 despite concerns from critics that it would add trouble =
to=20
  <BR>the state's gun culture. Dorton, however, said very few permit <BR>=
holders=20
  have abused the privilege since the law was enacted.<BR><BR>"We have had =
a=20
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  firearm was fired at an acquaintance after a fight," <BR>Dorton said. In =
all=20
  the cases, the owner's permit was revoked, he <BR>said.<BR><BR>Rep. Jeff=
=20
  Young, R-Sumter, the original sponsor of the bill, said the <BR>=
legislation is=20
  working.<BR><BR>"The people who have gotten them have been very =
responsible,"=20
  he <BR>said. "Now you have 30,000 people trained with guns who may not=20
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walking=20
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evidence of=20
  abuse, I don't <BR>have any opposition to the law remaining in=20
  place."<BR><BR>University of South Carolina criminologist Geoffrey Alpert=
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crime is=20
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didn't=20
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  although SLED suspected it was bound to <BR>happen. "We don't do anything=
 to=20
  encourage or discourage" people <BR>signing up, he said.<BR><BR>But he =
added,=20
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of gun=20
  owners.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>

----__JNP_000_63f7.7097.6934--

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