In Washington, D.C., CCRKBA announced its opposition to S. 2237, by Sen. Joseph R. Biden, Jr., of Delaware, a 2008 presidential candidate. “Although Biden is promoting this measure simply as a ‘bill to fight crime,’ in reality it contains provisions which, if adopted, would constitute serious infringement on the individual Second Amendment civil right of law-abiding American citizens to keep and bear arms,†said John M. Snyder, CCRKBA Public Affairs Director. “For instance,†he continued, “it would reauthorize the Clinton era ban on the importation and manufacture of certain semiautomatic firearms and require that all firearm sales at gun shows be submitted to federal background checks.†S. 2237 has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, under the chairmanship of Sen. Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont.
CCRKBA noted last month that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, the supposed front-runner for the 2008 Democrat presidential nomination, supports giving driver licenses to illegal aliens but opposes right to carry statutes that provide for concealed carry licenses for law-abiding citizens and others who are here legally. Citing her comments during a recent Democrat presidential candidates debate, Alan M. Gottlieb, CCRKBA Chairman, said “Clinton must think people in this country illegally are entitled to greater rights than those who are here legally. Maybe it’s because she knows that illegal aliens would vote for her, while law-abiding American gun owners won’t. She supports firearms registration and gun owner licensing. She supports banning sport-utility rifles and magazine restrictions. She has opposed legislation to prevent junk harassment lawsuits against the firearms industry.â€
In Anne Arundel County, Maryland, the abundance of deer is being used to feed the hungry, reports The Capital of Annapolis. Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, a nationwide organization, connects hunters with the needy by paying butchers to process deer meat and then getting it to local food banks. The newspaper reported last month that local chapter coordinator David McMullen one week unloaded more than 1,150 pounds of venison steaks, roasts and ground meat at the Anne Arundel County Food Bank. “It’s a great program,†he said. “It encourages hunters to return to their heritage as food providers. It is a great way for hunters to give back and help their fellow man.†The venison is distributed to the several food pantries and soup kitchens around the county.
In Orlando, Florida, two holders of concealed firearms permits surprised armed thugs who approached them one day last month. Both men opened fire rather than surrender their wallets, reported the Orlando Sentinel, and the robbers took off. “They left with broken egos,†said Juan Amezaga. “They didn’t get nothing from us. If more people stood up for themselves, a lot of crime could be prevented. And the concealed weapons permit – that’s great!†Amezaga and Stephen Soto said they exercised their constitutional right to own guns, carried them legally and defended themselves within the Sunshine State’s deadly force law. “It’s appropriate, people have to defend themselves,†said Sgt. Barbara Jones of the Orlando police. “It’s no different from us using a gun. It has to be justified and we will, or course, investigate what happened.â€
In Idaho, officials are trying to attract more gun makers, touting state laws aimed at promoting gun ownership and manufacturing, reports the Associated Press. “It certainly would be an industry that would thrive in Idaho because of the interest we have in hunting and the way the state embraces firearms,†said Jan Roeser, an Idaho Department of Labor economist. “I think Idaho is on its way to developing an industry base.†About 200 small arms manufacturers in the United States rack up about two billion dollars a year in sales. Other states such as Montana, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming also are trying to attract gun manufacturers. “Much of what it will come down to is which state will be the most aggressive in appealing to the industry,†said firearms industry analyst Richard Schelowitz.
