Public Pressure Battle Focuses On Renewal of Clinton Gun Ban
June 20, 2004

by Joseph P. Tartaro
Executive Editor

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), original author of the amendment that became the “assault weapon” and “large capacity magazine” ban in the 1994 Clinton Crime Bill, has introduced S-2498, a bill to reauthorize and expand the law that is due to sunset on Sept. 13 this year.

Just as the original gun ban became law by amendment of other legislation, Americans can expect to see Feinstein attempt to attach S-2498 to anything moving in the Senate. She is probably encouraged by the slight majority in the Senate that already voiced support in March. But if she succeeds, the real test will come in the House where the Republican majority leadership has indicated that the ban will not be considered this year.

But that could change if the anti-gunners can put enough pressure on President Bush to push for such a vote. Hence the major anti-gun campaign.

Now the anti-gunners are getting frantic about the ban and the calendar.

The sand is running out of the hourglass. While it may seem that Sept. 13 is three months away, Congress doesn’t have a lot of legislative days left in this session.

The remaining days of the 108th Congress are becoming a precious few, as the song says, and even fewer are the days before this hoax of a law sunsets. Between now and Sept. 13, there are only about seven weeks of session left—three in June, three in July and one in September. (Congress hopes to adjourn about Oct. 1.)

After the Brady Act, the ban on so-called assault weapons is the crowning jewel of the anti-gun movement. For its Democrat proponents, it cost them control of both houses of Congress in 1994, and maybe the White House in 2000.

Yet they really, really hate to see it go.

Sham
Truth is that even the anti-gunners know the law was and remains a sham. If it sunsets, it will reveal to the general public that, like the storied emperor’s new clothes, there was never any substance to it. The use of military-style guns in crime was never the public threat they claimed. Rifles and shotguns were only a tiny percentage of the firearms used by criminals, and semi-automatic rifles were an even smaller percentage. Today, just as 10 years ago, a citizen has a much higher chance of being punched and kicked to death than shot by what the anti-gunners and their media pals call “assault weapons.”

Of course, these guns were not real assault weapons. They had to call them that to feed on the public confusion. The Clinton gun ban never took one of the guns out of the market, away from any owner, or away from the street criminals. So when the anti-gunners run their bogeyman ads, mailings and press releases they are being as dishonest now as ever.

Language is important to the anti-gunners; it’s critical to their snake-oil marketing strategy.

When Handgun Control Inc. proved to be a hard-sell name with the public, they changed it to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Then they gathered the “Million” Mom March label under their wing so that the Moms could become their latest front name.

The Moms label has been the leading brand for the campaign to renew and expand the gun ban.

Their campaign, including the Mothers Day 2004 Washington “marches,” have tried to convince the public that as soon as the law sunsets, children will be bringing “assault weapons” to school, drug gangs will take over the streets and terrorists will suddenly be armed.

None of that is going to happen because demented students and drug punks ignored this law as they ignore all others. And terrorists train and have access to real selective fire arms.

But the anti-gunners are pulling out all the stops, funding expensive ad campaigns, a touring pink banmobile, and countless state surveys designed to show the public supports retention of the ban.

Sky Is Falling
The latest (June 4) Brady Campaign press package warns that the sky is falling. “There are now only 100 days until the federal ban on assault weapons expires. Unless President Bush takes action, America’s police will again face Uzis, AK-47s and large ammunition clips in American neighborhoods.”

“I can’t believe President Bush would let this law lapse,” said Sarah Brady, chair of the Brady Campaign. “With terrorists targeting America and even shopping for assault weapons at gun shows, will we actually make it easier for them to arm themselves?”

The stoptheNRA.com website claims there is only one group in the country in favor of letting the ban end: The National Rifle Association. And so far President Bush is listening to the NRA over every other constituency.

“We cannot let this ban expire. Here’s what happens if the NRA wins:

“1. In most states, eighteen-year-olds will be able to walk into gun stores and buy new American-made AK-47s.

“2. In many states, it will be possible to bring concealed TEC-9 assault pistols, loaded with thirty rounds of ammunition, into bars, churches and sports arenas, and even public schools or universities.

“3. In many states kids as young as 13 will be able to buy brand new American-made AK-47s at gun shows and through the classifieds.

“4. New assault weapons will be advertised over the internet.

“5. New rapid-fire ammunition magazines that allow guns to fire up to 100 rounds without reloading will be mass-produced and sold on a cash-and-carry basis to anyone, with no questions or background checks.”

Public Campaign
Boston, MA-based Stop Handgun Violence (SHV) and other anti-gun groups have drafted political and police administrator spokespersons to promote retention and expansion of the ban.

SHV has also unveiled what they claim is “America’s largest billboard, depicting a 150’ X 30’ AK-47 assault rifle and stating that this gun will be ‘Coming to a Home Near You’ unless action is taken to renew the (Massachusetts) state and federal ‘assault weapon’ bans.”

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), who became a movie star by blowing up and shooting anything that stood in his way, has reaffirmed his support of the federal assault weapons ban, reported The Hill newspaper.

In a May letter to Feinstein, Schwarzenegger called on Congress to renew the ban, which is scheduled to expire in September.

Even the normally reserved Joyce Foundation, which supports so much of the anti-gun “research,” has pushed for renewal of the ban in its May newsletter with a feature entitled “Not Your Grandfather’s Rifle.”

The Joyce Foundation noted that the Senate is on record as favoring the ban. “In a complicated set of votes in early March, senators tacked extension of the assault weapons ban and another gun control measure onto a bill that would exempt gun manufacturers from civilian lawsuits. But the bill’s sponsor objected to the amendments and killed the entire measure.

“So it’s back to square one for law enforcement, medical, and citizen groups who want the public to understand why it’s so important to extend the ban and make it more difficult to evade,” the Joyce Foundation newsletter continued. “Members of Physicians for Social Responsibility, with support from a $100,000 Joyce grant, are getting the word out that the ban is in danger of expiring. The group is organizing events on the 13th of each month, leading up to the September 13 expiration date, to keep the issue before the minds of lawmakers and the public.”

And the Joyce Foundation revealed another $250,000 two-year grant to Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence, to collect endorsements from police chiefs and hold press conferences to help the public support renewal of the ban.

The next few weeks will be pivotal for American gun rights. The ban could expire, and become permanent.