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utah-firearms-digest      Monday, August 10 1998      Volume 02 : Number 094




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

Date: Wed, 05 Aug 1998 14:12:54 -0600
From: "David Sagers" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Fwd: Head's Up - Intellectual Ammo

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Subject: Head's Up - Intellectual Ammo
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Heads Up Shooters.  This just in. =20

Without a doubt, anti-RKBA types are going to stroke this school and
Capitol Hill thing, as they have for any incident they wished to exploit
to get rid of that pesky Second Amendment.  Nestled within the newsprint
is the name Lois Fingerhut, the author of a series of studies on youth
violence.  I have not read her reports in depth, but a quick MetaSearch
pulled up some references. =20

At first blush, it appears that she is a favorite of the Anti-gunners.
Please take a look at the stuff below and get ready for some LTE's.

Note:  the two last citations are Must Reads -> Great Intellectual Ammo!
[Re: Original Intent and Anti-RKBA methods of attacking the RKBA]

Semper Fi,

Rick V.


Yahoo! News -  Top Stories Headlines=20

Tuesday August 4 6:41 PM EDT=20

Experts issue mixed report card on violence in U.S.
By Michael Conlon=20

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Experts issued a mixed report card on violence in
the United States Tuesday: Fewer young people are being murdered but
domestic violence involving attacks on women may be worse than
recognized.=20

"Homicide rates have recently begun declining among persons 15 through
24 years old, the age group where rates have been the highest and in
which the most rapid increase ... from 1987 through 1991 was
experienced," said one report from the National Center for Health
Statistics.=20

The drops involve both firearm and non-firearm homicides, are taking
place in both metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas among white and
black males and females, it added.=20

"While the data shows a decline in homicide rates for young adults and
adolescents in every subgroup studied, there is a significant decline
for 15- to 24-year-old black males, a group for which homicide continues
to be the No. 1 leading cause of death," the report said.=20

[article snipped for brevity]

The study was one of several published in this week's Journal of the
American Medical Association, an issue devoted to various forms of
violence.=20

Lois Fingerhut, a lead author of the study, said that while the research
focused on statistics and not causes, law enforcement officials and
others have cited a number of reasons for the dropping homicide rates.=20

"They've credited changes in the judicial system, higher incarceration
rates, changing drug markets and the stabilization of them and a lot of
community activism with people getting tired of violence and working to
take back their neighborhoods," she told Reuters.=20

[What? No credit for Right-to-Carry reform?]

Asked if those opposed to further gun control efforts would cite the
report and others showing crime declines in some major cities as proving
that no additional restrictions are needed, she said "that is a danger."=20=


"But one of the key messages I want people to take home is that this is
no time for complacency. Our efforts need to be redoubled. The
(homicide) rates are not nearly as low as they were in 1987," she said.=20

The study found that between 1993 and 1995 firearm homicide rates in the
15 to 24 age group declined an average of 8 percent per year in the
biggest metropolitan areas and by more than 15 percent in medium
metropolitan areas.=20

"Provisional data for 1996 and 1997 indicate that the national declines
in homicide are continuing," it said. "Firearms continue to be the
mechanism with which most homicides are committed, with the proportion
of homicides resulting from the use of firearms increasing from 66
percent in 1985 to 84 percent of all homicides in 1995."=20
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/top_stories/story.html?s=3Dz/reuters/9=
80804/news/stories/violence_2.html


> University of Toronto holdings:=20

[Say..wasn't Reno just talking about Toronto?]

Fingerhut, Lois A. "International and Interstate Comparisons of Homicide
Among Young Males." JAMA 263 (June 1990): 3292-5. BMES

Fingerhut, Lois A. "Homicide Among Adolescents in the United States."
JAMA 266 (Oct 1991): 2223. BMES
http://library.utoronto.ca/www/libraries_crim/juvhom.htm

Violence Policy Center [Anti-RKBA] Favorites:

Fingerhut, Lois, MA and Joel C. Kleinman, PhD,
"International and Interstate Comparisons of Homicide Among Young
Males," JAMA, June 27, 1990, Vol. 263, No. 24.

Fingerhut, Lois, MA, et al, "Firearm and Nonfirearm homicide Among
Persons 15 Through 19 Years of Age: Differences by Level of
Urbanization, United States, 1979 Through 1989," JAMA, June 10, 1992,
Vol. 267, No. 22.

[...and our old buddy Kellermann...]

Kellermann, Arthur L. and Roberta K. Lee et al, "The Epidemiological
Basis for the Prevention of Firearm Injuries," Annual Review of Public
Health, Vol. 12, 1991, pp. 17-40.
http://www.vpc.org/ytopic.htm


Beacons of Hope: New York City's School-Based Community Centers.
Series: NIJ Program Focus Published: January 1996=20
- - Daniel McGillis (cites to Fingerhut study)
http://www.ncjrs.org/txtfiles/beacons.txt


ACHTUNG!!  [THESE ARE MUST READ(S)!!!]
UNDER FIRE: THE NEW CONSENSUS ON THE SECOND AMENDMENT=20
Randy E. Barnett, Don B. Kates         =20
http://www.2ndlawlib.org/journals/bk-ufire.html

THE FEDERAL FACTOID FACTORY ON FIREARMS AND VIOLENCE: A Review of CDC
Research and Politics, Blackman, NRA-ILA 1994
"From proving that firearms exist and are sometimes misused, the CDC=20
regularly presumes that any and all restrictions on firearms -- self- or
government-imposed -- would benefit individuals and society.  To enhance
that conclusion, the CDC produces research showing bad things associated
with firearms, based on a fairly open anti-gun bias (Blackman,
1990:2-4):  "The Public Health Service [parent agency of the CDC] has
targeted
violence as a priority concern....There is a separate objective to
reduce the number of handguns in private ownership...." (Fingerhut and
Kleinman, 1989:6)=20
http://www.nra.org/pub/ila/95-09-23_federal_factoid_factory_on_firearms_and=
_violence


- -

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

Date: Thu, 06 Aug 1998 13:43:30 -0600
From: Will Thompson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Janet, part of "the most ethical administration in histroy"

From UPI....

The House panel probing campaign fund raising has voted to hold Attorney
General Janet Reno in contempt of Congress.The vote was 24-19, along
party lines.

Reno has refused to give Burton memos including one from FBI Director
Louis Freeh that urge her to recommend an independent counsel
investigate alleged fund-raising abuses.

- -

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

Date: Thu, 06 Aug 1998 15:05:32 -0600
From: Will Thompson <[e-mail]>
Subject: Or was that "parts of the constitution"?

After swearing to uphold and protect the Constitution of the United
States.....

Thursday August 6 1:50 PM EDT

Clinton: Gun waiting period should stay

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (UPI) - President Clinton is warning Congress he will
oppose ``any legislation that would gut the Brady law,'' the anti-
handgun law named for former press secretary James Brady.

In the Rose Garden today, with Brady once again at his side, Clinton
called for making permanent the waiting period, which expires at the end
of November, and vowed, ``I will oppose any legislation that would gut
the Brady law and put guns back into the hands of felons and fugitives
when we can prevent it.''

Clinton is supporting legislation that would require a minimum three-
day waiting period for all handgun purchases and add up to two
additional days if needed.

With Vice President Al Gore, Attorney General Janet Reno and Treasury
Secretary Robert Rubin also on hand, Clinton said the law has obviously
worked since taking effect in 1994, preventing some 250,000 handgun
purchases.

But he said: ``We should resolve to do better. No serious person
believes this country is as safe as it ought to be.''

``We cannot retreat,'' Clinton said. ``Yet...that is precisely what the
gun lobby and its allies on Capitol Hill have asked us to do _ to
retreat from a law that is keeping guns out of the hands of criminals.''

He was referring to a recent amendment to the Senate Commerce-
Justice-State appropriations bill that the White House says would
undermine nationwide background checks.

Officials say it would prohibit the FBI from charging gun dealers a fee
for background checks, without which the bureau would have to skip
processing millions of such checks.

Clinton has often summoned Brady, and his wife, Sarah, to the White
House for appearances on behalf of the legislation, which passed after
many attempts following the 1981 assassination attempt on President
Reagan in which Brady was seriously wounded.

Rubin said the administration would soon move to expand the law to cover
so-called long guns, such as rifles and shotguns, and require background
checks for pawn shop customers who redeem their own firearms.

Copyright 1998 by United Press International.

All rights reserved.

- -

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

Date: Fri, 07 Aug 98 06:32:00 -0700
From: [e-mail] (SCOTT BERGESON)
Subject: Counterterrorism Fund 1/3

Search down to 2002 Winter Olympics. Do they have a chemical or
biological attack scheduled for the 2002 Olympics, or is this a
bribe to the University of Utah?

- ---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 06 Aug 1998 19:07:31 -0400
From: "Mark A. Smith" <[e-mail]>
To: SNET <[e-mail]>, L & J <[e-mail]>
Cc: David Rydel <[e-mail]>
Subject: Counterterrorism Fund

5 August 1998
Excerpted from Senate Report 105-235  July 2, 1998
105th Congress
DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AND STATE, THE JUDICIARY, AND RELATED
AGENCIES APPROPRIATION BILL, 1999

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

                     TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

*****

                         Counterterrorism Fund

                     (including transfer of funds)

Appropriations, 1998....................................     $52,700,000
Budget estimate, 1999...................................      61,703,000
Committee recommendation................................     193,999,000

    The Committee recommends $193,999,000 for the
``Counterterrorism fund'' account which was established in
Public Law 104-19, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations
for Additional Disaster Assistance, for Anti-Terrorism
Initiatives, for Assistance in the Recovery from the Tragedy
that Occurred at Oklahoma City, and Rescissions Act, 1995. The
recommendation provides $132,296,000 more than the request and
$141,299,000 above the 1998 appropriation. This fund is under
the control and direction of the Attorney General to: (1) cover
the costs incurred in reestablishing the operational capability
of an office or facility which has been damaged or destroyed as
a result of any domestic or international terrorist incident;
(2) the costs of providing support to counter, investigate, or
prosecute domestic or international terrorism, including
payment of rewards in connection with these activities; (3) the
costs of conducting a terrorism threat assessment of Federal
agencies and their facilities; (4) the costs associated with
ensuring the continuance of essential Government functions
during a time of emergency; and (5) the costs for activities
related to the protection of the Nation's critical
infrastructure.
    Counterterrorism initiative.--The administration is
starting to realize the threat of terrorists using considerable
destructive power on individuals, institutions, and facilities.
The Committee is especially concerned with the threat of
chemical and biological weapons. The requirements placed upon
officials from Federal, State, city, and community agencies are
complicated and in many cases unfunded. Most Federal, State,
city, and community agencies do not have civil response assets
needed to address such a threat or event. These assets include
the equipment and training needed to address the demands of
terrorist threats or events.
    The Committee also recognizes that domestic disaster relief
is part of each State's responsibility for public safety. The
Committee's goals include providing States with an improved
ability to respond to terrorist threats or events. This
includes training and equipping the first responder who will
respond within 1 hour of a threat or event. The Committee is
also aware of the State's rapid assessment and initial
detection [RAID] elements that are expected to arrive within 6
to 8 hours after an event has occurred. They will assist in
confirming the nature of an attack. However, the use of weapons
of mass destruction [WMD] could create a situation which is
outside the response capabilities of local law enforcement. The
role of the Department of Justice is to manage crises that are
caused by domestic terrorists. This includes the ability to
prevent or resolve an act of terrorism.
    The fiscal year 1998 conference report directed the
Attorney General to develop a 5-year interdepartmental
counterterrorism and technology crime plan. The plan covers a
broad range of topics encompassing the Nation's efforts to
prevent and deter terrorist attacks, as well as manage a crisis
created by a terrorist incident. It is to serve as a baseline
strategy for coordination of national policy and operational
capabilities to combat terrorism. This effort is in accord with
Presidential Decision Directive 62. The final plan is due no
later than December 31, 1998. Last year, the conferees provided
$1,000,000 for the preparation of this plan.
    On March 3, 1998, the Department provided an initial
prospectus outlining the basic topics to be considered in the
course of developing the plan with estimated time lines and
major milestones for completion of the plan. The prospectus
outlines a comprehensive strategy which covers the prevention
of, and the reaction to, terrorist events both inside and
outside the United States. It also addresses the safeguarding
of our information infrastructure and the research and
development of critical technologies used in combating
terrorism. The goal of the Committee is to create a coordinated
posture with respect to our national efforts to combat
terrorism.
    The Committee understands that working groups have been
developing specific 5-year objectives to be included in a draft
plan. The subject area of these recommendations include:
prevention and deterrence; crisis management; consequence
management; cyberterrorism; critical technologies; and research
and development. The Committee expects field meetings be held
to refine the draft plan. The purpose of these meetings is to
consult with State and local authorities and interested members
of the academic community to obtain input for the plan. The
Committee continues to emphasize the importance of input and
consultation from State and local authorities, and the academic
and private sectors. In consultation with the Office of
Management and Budget [OMB], the Coordinating Subgroup on
Counterterrorism and key agencies, a final plan should be
completed by November 31, 1998. The plan should be presented to
the Attorney General for approval and submitted to the
appropriate committees no later than December 31, 1998. The
Committee looks forward to submission of a comprehensive final
product that will serve as a baseline strategy and budget
document for coordination of national policy and operational
capabilities to combat terrorism.



- -

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

Date: Fri, 07 Aug 98 06:32:00 -0700
From: [e-mail] (SCOTT BERGESON)
Subject: Counterterrorism Fund 2/3

    The Committee commends the Attorney General for her efforts
in this process. However, the Committee is concerned with the
burdensome process that has been created. The Department has
given direct roles to the following agencies: Federal Emergency
Management Agency, National Security Agency, Public Health
Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Aviation
Administration, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, General Services
Administration, U.S. Information Agency, Department of
Transportation, and Department of Commerce. While many of these
agencies have a significant role to play, others do not. It has
been estimated that 20 different agencies are involved. As a
result, information has been leaked to the media and the
process has become burdensome. The Committee urges the Attorney
General to conduct an immediate review of the process and in
consultation with the Appropriations Committees make
appropriate changes.
    Also, the Committee expects the final plan will contain
budget data appropriate for inclusion in the fiscal year 2000
appropriations bills.
    To advance this effort the Committee recommendation
includes language which allows the Attorney General to better
manage and coordinate the funding requirements needed for
crisis management.
    Improving State and local response capabilities.--The
Committee recommendation includes $197,000,000 within the
counterterrorism fund to enable the Office of Justice Programs
[OJP] to expand first responder training and equipment program
activities. The grant funds available in this program will be
targeted to the 157 largest cities and localities in the United
States, as well as States. These first responders will be
designated by the appropriate local governments. The Committee
notes the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium was
designed to address and sustain comprehensive and coordinated
efforts to respond to incidents of terrorism. This will be done
through certification programs, technical assistance, distance
learning, test and evaluation, and realistic confidence
building exercises based on threat-driven scenarios. The goal
of the consortium is to provide a threat responsive, long-term
national capability. This capability will be attained through
weapons of mass destruction [WMD] emergency first responder
training, test, and exercise programs. The consortium should
concentrate on using its existing training facilities and
staff. This collaborative effort is intended to achieve the
most immediate enhancement of local, State, and Federal
emergency first responders and emergency management agencies
nationwide.
    The consortium members include the National Energetic
Materials Research and Testing Center, New Mexico Institute of
Mining and Technology; the National Center for Bio-Med Research
and Training, Louisiana State University; the Center for
Domestic Preparedness, Fort McClellan, AL; the National
Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center, Texas A&M
University; and the National Exercise, Test, and Training
Center, Nevada test site.
    The Committee is aware of and supportive of OJP's
administration of this program. This program includes an
equipment purchasing program and two training programs. It will
address the unmet needs of our Nation's first responders by
providing equipment and training to efficiently and safely
respond to incidents of terrorism, including those involving
nuclear, biological, and chemical agents; explosive devices;
and other weapons of mass destruction.
    OJP expects to accomplish the following activities by the
close of fiscal year 1998: (1) offer the first responder basic
concepts course to over 74,000 firefighters and emergency
medical services personnel in 120 jurisdictions nationwide; (2)
award equipment grants, totaling $12,000,000, to 46 State and
local first responder agencies for the purpose of outfitting
these agencies with basic protective gear and equipment; (3)
establish the State and local training center for first
responders at Fort McClellan, AL; and (4) award a $2,000,000
grant to the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology for
the development of a curriculum to train local law enforcement
personnel to respond to incidents of terrorism.
    The Committee recommends the following program increases
for fiscal year 1999:

- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                    1998
1999 budget        Committee
                                                               appropriation
estimate      recommendation
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Metropolitan medical strike teams training and equipment....  ...............
$9,000,000       $5,000,000
Establishment of a Local Law Enforcement Training Program...  ...............
7,000,000        7,000,000
Expansion of the equipment acquisition program..............      $12,000,000
73,500,000       95,000,000
    Administration..........................................  ...............
...............       (2,000,000)
Implementation of situational exercises.....................  ...............
...............       10,000,000
Technical assistance/national needs assessment..............  ...............
10,000,000       10,000,000
For consortium members:
    Center for Domestic Preparedness, Fort McClellan, AL....        2,000,000
5,000,000       12,000,000
    National Energetic Materials Research and Testing
     Center, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology..        2,000,000
...............        2,500,000
    National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center,
     Texas A&M University...................................  ...............
...............        2,500,000
    National Exercise, Test and Training Center, Nevada test
     site...................................................  ...............
...............        2,500,000
    National Center for Bio-Med Research and Training,
     Louisiana State University.............................  ...............
...............        2,500,000
State and local detection/bomb technician equipment.........  ...............
49,000,000       23,000,000
Municipal fire and emergency services.......................  ...............
...............       25,000,000



- -

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

Date: Fri, 07 Aug 98 06:32:00 -0700
From: [e-mail] (SCOTT BERGESON)
Subject: Counterterrorism Fund 3/3

    Should the funds be available in the Department of Justice
working capital fund, the Committee directs the Attorney
General to provide $23,000,000 for State and local detection/
bomb technician equipment.
    The Committee finds that the Department of Justice's Office
of Justice Programs [OJP] currently does not have a plan to
develop simulations of complex, nonlinear phenomena, such as
dispersion and deposition of chemical or biological aerosols
for the 2002 Winter Olympics. The Committee directs the
Department to explore this possibility, employing the services
of the University of Utah which is the Nation's lead
institution in the National Science Foundation Science and
Technology Center for Computer Graphics.
    The Committee also notes that the Department of Defense is
expected to commit additional funding for this counterterrism
effort in fiscal year 1999 pursuant to the Nunn-Lugar-Domenici
Program authorized in Public Law 104-201.
    Improving municipal fire and emergency services.--The
Committee recommendation includes $25,000,000 to improve
municipal fire and emergency services. This new program will
ensure municipal fire and emergency services departments are
provided with appropriate equipment necessary to respond to
incidents of terrorism involving the release of chemical,
biological, and radiological agents, as well as improvised or
manufactured explosive devices. The Committee recommendation
includes $17,000,000 for grants of equipment directly to local
fire departments, hazardous materials response teams, and
emergency medical service agencies, and $8,000,000 for grants
for interoperable radio equipment to local emergency response
agencies. The Committee's recommendation also includes
$7,000,000 for grants to firefighters and emergency service
personnel within the ``Justice assistance'' account.
    Topoff exercise.--The Committee commends the administration
for its efforts to enhance our ability to prevent and respond
to chemical, biological, and cyberweapon attacks. The Committee
is aware that numerous exercises are conducted each year to
practice operations in the event of a terrorist incident. The
Committee understands that few of the top officials of agencies
have ever fully participated in these exercises. The Committee
directs that an exercise be conducted in fiscal year 1999 with
the participation of all key personnel who would participate in
the consequence management of such an actual terrorist event.
The decision on what type of simulated attack should be based
upon the ability to best address one of these three threats.
This exercise should be cochaired and administered without
notice by the Attorney General and the Administrator of FEMA
and coordinated with the National Security Council.
    Cyberterrorism.--The Committee understands that today our
U.S. economy and even our continuing national security is
heavily reliant on a vast array of interdependent and critical
infrastructures. The Report of the President's Commission on
Critical Infrastructure Protection in October 1997 and
Presidential Decision Directive No. 63, released in May 1998,
call for an unprecedented level of cooperation among U.S.
Federal law enforcement agencies, national security entities
and the private sector owners and operators to reduce the
threat of information age crime, terrorism and possibility of a
cyber attack. The Committee strongly encourages and expects all
Federal agencies to cooperate to the full extent of their
authorities and expertise in the response planning, prevention,
detection, deterrence, and elimination of vulnerabilities to
these critical infrastructures. The Committee further
encourages all Federal entities to ensure that resources
required to protect critical infrastructures and pursue
information age criminals and terrorists are given a high
priority within respective programs and initiatives.
    Today, the potential for an Internet crime wave is
staggering. Programs are available which provide marginally
skilled people with the tools to threaten national security.
These efforts can be contained by simple methods. The Committee
urges the FBI to provide guidelines for all agencies within the
Department. These guidelines should include the enforcement of
strict password policies, employment of firewalls between
agency networks and the outside world, the use of encryption,
and the reporting of break-ins.
    Presidential Decision Directive 63 [PDD-63].--The Committee
supports PDD-63 in its efforts to address threats to physical
and cyberbased critical infrastructure. The Committee notes the
requirement by PDD-63 that the Department develop a plan for
protecting its own critical infrastructure, including but not
limited to its cyberbased systems. This plan should be provided
to the Committee no later than August 31, 1998. In addition to
this plan the Committee directs the Department to include the
necessary legislative authorities and fiscal year 2000
budgetary priorities necessary to begin implementing this plan.
    National Infrastructure Protection Center [NIPC].--The
Committee recommendation includes $26,984,000 for the National
Infrastructure Protection Center. The recommendation does not
include $6,619,000 for other infrastructure protection
projects. Should the funds be available in the Department of
Justice working capital fund, the Committee directs the
Attorney General to provide $7,985,000 for the National
Infrastructure Protection Center [NIPC].
    Continuation of operations [COOP]/continuity of government
[COG].--The Committee recommendation includes $1,000,000 for
the continuation of operations/continuity of government for an
alternate crisis management/relocation facility to carry on
essential Department of Justice functions in the event the
Department, or one of its components, is denied access to its
facility for various reasons, such as a terrorist act. The
recommendation is $2,100,000 less than the fiscal year 1999
request due to updated funding requirements.
    The Committee is aware that there are carryover balances
from fiscal years 1997 and 1998 in excess of $50,000,000. This
amount is adequate to fund the statutory provisions provided in
fiscal years 1997-98 counterterrorism fund. The Committee
directs the Department of Justice to continue to notify the
House and Senate Appropriations Committees prior to obligations
of funds.

*****

    Cybercrime.--Traffic on the Internet continues to rise, yet
security controls remain totally inadequate. As a result, the
information superhighway has become an avenue for embezzlement,
fraud, theft, sabotage, espionage, hate crimes, and
pornography. Within available resources and manpower ceilings,
the Committee recommendation provides $3,630,000 (and 18 full-
time equivalents) for cybercrime prosecutions.


- -

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

Date: Fri, 07 Aug 98 19:27:00 -0700
From: [e-mail] (SCOTT BERGESON)
Subject: "Anti-Brady" amendment

- ---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 07 Aug 1998 15:33:46 -0400
From: "Jeff S." <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Michigan Militia Corps' Weekly Update (5-25)

The Michigan Militia Corps'
WEEKLY UPDATE **Internet Edition**
Volume 5 Issue 25
Week of July 20, 1998

[Other articles snipped]

Hats off to GOA members and activists for their tremendous efforts!
By Gun Owners of America
http://www.gunowners.org
(Wednesday, July 22, 1998)

As we told you to expect, Sen. Bob Smith (R-NH) introduced his
"Anti-Brady" amendment as a rider to the StateJustice-Commerce
Appropriations bill (S. 2260) yesterday. The amendment passed
overwhelmingly, and, unless it's stripped out in a conference committee,
the amendment should become law later this year!

The Smith amendment would do three things. As explained by Smith himself
yesterday:

Stated simply, my legislation will put a stop to the FBI's plan to keep
records of private identifying information on law-abiding citizens who buy
guns. . . . Why would we want the FBI to maintain a file on a law-abiding
gun owner who did nothing [except] exercise his constitutional right to own
a gun? They want 18 months to keep these files. I don't want 18 seconds. I
want these files destroyed immediately. That is point one in my amendment.
. . . Secondly, the amendment prevents the FBI from imposing a tax on these
people. Thirdly, it allows a person to go to court if the FBI does that. We
have seen abuses by the FBI. We have seen files held in the White House. Do
you want this to go on? That is what this issue is about. That is what my
amendment is about.

Members and activists of Gun Owners of America deserve a lot of credit for
this victory. Smith's staff has told GOA that during the past month, they
have seen boxes of postcards come in to the Senate in favor of his
amendment. Your other contacts were also helpful in overcoming some
institutional opposition in the Senate.

High-level Senate sources reported that NRA lobbyists were "camped out" in
the Senate cloakroom, pushing an alternative to the Smith amendment. They
were concerned that Smith's amendment was too tough and that it didn't have
enough votes to pass. But despite these objections, your grassroots
efforts prevailed!

Indeed, Senator Smith's amendment is tougher than other bills that try to
stop the FBI from registering gun owners. Smith's proviso actually allows
individuals to "punish" the FBI by suing them for any infringement of
privacy (i.e., gun owner registration), and then recover all the attorney's
fees that one spends on the lawsuit.

Strange coalition forms to back Smith amendment

Sen. Smith's amendment would, obviously, benefit gun owners first and
foremost. But Sen. Smith also appealed to those Democrats who were
interested in the issue of privacy. "This is more than a gun issue," he
told his colleagues. "This is a privacy issue [as well]."

The privacy issue can often cut across party lines. Some liberal,
Democratic Senators voted with Smith purely because of the privacy
implications. And thus, Smith was able to garner a filibuster-proof and
veto-proof majority. To make matters simpler, we have listed the 31 "bad"
Senators who voted AGAINST Smith:

Akaka (HI), Kohl (WI) Biden (DE), Landrieu (LA), Boxer (CA), Lautenberg
(NJ) Bryan (NV), Levin (MI), Bumpers (AR), Lieberman (CT), Byrd (WV),
Mikulski (MD), Cleland (GA), Moseley-Braun (IL), Dodd (CT), Moynihan (NY)
Durbin (IL), Reed (RI), Feinstein (CA), Robb (VA), Ford (KY), Sarbanes
(MD), Glenn (OH), Torricelli (NJ), Graham (FL), Wellstone (MN), Harkin
(IA), Wyden (OR), Inouye (HI), Kennedy (MA), Kerry (MA)

Fight moves to the House

The House version of the Commerce-State-Justice appropriation bill will be
coming up for a vote soon. GOA will keep you updated on our efforts to
attach a Smith-type amendment on the House bill. Doing so would help
guarantee that a HouseSenate conference committee will not strip the
amendment from the bill.

***

If you would like to submit an editorial, commentary, or news story from
your perspective on something you have been keeping an eye on, please
e-mail it to [e-mail] and it will be evaluated for
entrance. Thanks.

To subscribe to the Weekly Update, put out weekly by Michigan Militia Corps
5th Division command, simply send a message to [e-mail] with
the phrase "subscribe militia" in the BODY of the message. The Weekly
Update is archived at the Michigan Militia Corps web page at:
http://militia.gen.mi.us

Jeff S.
15th Brigade: Kent county
5th Division
Michigan Militia Corps



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Date: Sat, 08 Aug 98 08:16:00 -0700
From: [e-mail] (SCOTT BERGESON)
Subject: Projections on Y2K

- ---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 06 Aug 1998 22:22:16 -0700
From: Mike Lamb <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Projections on Y2K

Had to pass this post along to you'all.
The last paragraph is quite amusing.

Best, Mike Lamb
=========================================

Subject: More Valid Y2K projections
Date: Thu, 06 Aug 1998 15:13:37 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Organization: Deja News - The Leader in Internet Discussion
Newsgroups: misc.survivalism

Compadres,

Another very good post from AR-15 mailing list with
good Y2K technical info and an amusing last line.

Ed Hill,
Atlanta

Date: Wed, 05 Aug 1998 21:28:43 -0700
From: James Rogers <[e-mail]>
Subject: [AR15-L] Y2K....

First off, I am a senior software engineer in Silicon Valley and am
very familiar with these issues.

There are a lot of aspects of Y2K that a lot of people on this list
don't seem to be comprehending. First is that the primary effects
of a Y2K failure are *not* the most destructive. The problem is the
secondary effects. By secondary effects, I am talking about the impact
on the systems that depend on the smaller number of systems that fail.

Here is an example: All checks in the U.S. banking system go through
one of seven automated clearing houses that run 24/7. If any one of
these mainframes goes down for more than a single hour, the entire
bank checking system will be unrecoverable due to the volume. Now
imagine what it would do to the banks if the entire check clearinghouse
systems collapsed in an unrecoverable manner. But not to worry, the U.S.
banking software will most likely be Y2K compliant, I am told by my
friends who happen to be working on the problem. Unfortunately, most
of the European systems and the majority of Asian banking systems will
*not* be ready. The reason this is especially bad is that a Y2K failure
at a European or Asian bank will very likely cause a secondary failure
in the U.S. banking software because all the banks are interconnected
and interdependent on each other's data. The U.S. banks are extremely
concerned about this but there is little they can do.

Now apply this example to your industry of choice. A very small number
of failures will topple the house of cards. And because this is a data
and software issue, it can affect *all* computers, not just mainframes.
Remember earlier this year when a software bug in two Cisco routers
killed 40% of the U.S. data network capacity for a day? ATMs stopped
working, banks lost their computer capability, and businesses were
unable to conduct transactions. And it only required a software failure
on two machines.

For the record, the so-called "Great Geek Migration" is a real
phenomenon. Based on my personal experience, I would estimate that 10%
of the software engineers in Silicon Valley are looking at serious
bugout/survival preparation. It is considered no joke here. While no
one knows what will happen (many system failures *will* occur but the
amount of damage is pure speculation), enough people here are risk
averse enough to make preparations. And don't even get me started on
the possibility of "work camp internment" by FEMA as allowed by EO.
At best things will be uncomfortable for a while.

It does warm the heart, though, to have left-wing, grass-eating, gun
hating co-workers asking me for advice on the purchase of their first
gun in preparation for Y2K. I guess the RKBA wasn't important to them
until it was their ass on the line...

 -James Rogers
[e-mail]


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Date: Mon, 10 Aug 98 07:44:00 -0700
From: [e-mail] (SCOTT BERGESON)
Subject: Forbidden Words

Forbidden Words
http://www.fatalblindness.com

August 9, 1998 Fulton Huxtable

Here is something you may not know. If you don't, you
are not alone, since most Americans appear to be
completely unaware of it. And the reason most do not
know it is that the media hasn't provided the details.

What is "it"? The fact that legislation recently passed the
House that would forbid you to use certain words, during
the 60-day period prior to a general election, in any "type
of general public communication." It would be illegal for
you to engage in "a communication that advocates the
election or defeat of a candidate by-(i) containing a
phrase such as `vote for', `re-elect', `support', `cast your
ballot for', `(name of candidate) for Congress', (name of
candidate) in 1997', `vote against', `defeat', `reject' or a
campaign slogan or words that in context can have no
reasonable meaning other than to advocate the election
or defeat of 1 or more clearly identified candidates;"
(Title II, Sec. 201 (b) (20) (A).

Welcome to the hoped-for, totalitarian world of the
Shays-Meehan bill, pleasingly touted to the public as the
Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act.

This Act does not stop with merely banning the use of
certain words in any public forum, during the 60 days
before a general election, it makes a sweeping ban of "...a
communication that advocates the election or defeat of a
candidate by-(iii) expressing unmistakable or
unambiguous support for or opposition to 1 or more
clearly identified candidates when taken as a whole and
with limited reference to external events, such as
proximity to an election." (Title II, Sec. 201 (b) (20) (A)
(iii)).

If this legislation is signed into law it will bring
widespread, forcible suppression of freedom of
expression, suddenly putting into high gear what has, so
far, been a slow-motion death march toward totalitarian
rule in America.

Even though statists claim that these restrictions would
only apply to ads coming from such groups as the Sierra
Club or the NRA, consider the possibilities which will
be offered to statists and the power they will have against
anyone who opposes them.

With the power to ban any
"...communication.expressing unmistakable and
unambiguous support...," logic, as logic always does,
will drive statists to take this to its ultimate conclusion.
Just what might be the target of statist regulators?
Anything and everything: every means of communication
would eventually become subject to regulation. How
about your web site? It certainly is a means of
communication. How about your postings to an online
discussion forum or newsgroup? Yep, this would qualify
as communication. What if you have a list of individuals
to whom you e-mail political messages? This, too, would
be a communication. In fact, virtually any form of public
expression, anything you might say for the purpose of
influencing the outcome of an election-a letter to the
editor of a newspaper, a telephone call to a talk radio
show or a speech given to a group of individuals-would
be banned during the 60 days prior to a general election.

This legislation would also mean that for the 60 days
prior to a general election, no newspaper, magazine or
any other publication could issue an editorial either for
or against a candidate. Talk radio show hosts, such as
Rush Limbaugh, would effectively be silenced for 60
days.

There would essentially be no public utterances for or
against candidates during 60 days of suppression,
except, of course, for the candidates themselves, their
political parties and their representatives.

According to news reports, the Shays-Meehan bill is
given little chance of passing the Senate, but there are
only a half-a-dozen or so Senators standing in the way of
its passage-that is how close America is to taking one,
gigantic step closer to full-blown totalitarianism.

What if there are a few changes in the makeup of the
Senate in the coming, November elections, changes that
alter the philosophic mix of the Senate, making it even
more statist than it is now? What if those now standing
in the way of the passage of Shays-Meehan are no longer
in office? Given the penchant of most Americans to only
judge legislation by its cover and the unconscionable
editorial support it has received from most newspapers,
most will rally around this Bipartisan Campaign Reform
Act and will only discover the meaning of their act of
support after it is too late.

Once statists succeed in establishing censorship for 60
days prior to elections, the collapse of freedom will
accelerate with startling swiftness. Statists will soon
claim that 60 days isn't long enough, that these
restrictions on speech need to be extended and they will
call for these extensions during the 60 days of silence,
when no one can effectively speak out against them,
when only statist politicians can speak and run their ads
to influence opinion-and they will get that extension,
one that will go to 120 days, then to a year before any
election, then to a total ban on public expression for or
against a candidate.

I have repeatedly warned that America will quickly
collapse into complete totalitarian rule shortly after
freedom of speech is sharply restricted-and we are now
within sight of such restrictions on speech being
imposed in the very near future. It could only be a year or
two away, or it could be longer-or, if enough act now,
it will never happen. (If you are relying on the Supreme
Court to save the First Amendment, don't bet your life
on it. For decades, the Supreme Court has been
sanctioning the nibbling away of the First Amendment.)

The passage in the House of the Shays-Meehan bill
should be a wake-up call to anyone who values his
freedom. The alarm bells should be ringing. There should
be a storm of protests. Alarmingly, there are no alarms
and no storms of protest-at least, not yet. While you
still have the freedom to do so, you had better act now,
speak out while you still have the freedom to do so. If
you don't, statists will eventually see to it that your
voluntary silence now will become involuntary silence in
the future.

Fulton Huxtable

August 9, 1998
Rose Bowen <[e-mail]>
Prophetic Secrets and the New World Order
Will they affect your life???
http://www.sayhello.com/secrets




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End of utah-firearms-digest V2 #94
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