Date: Sat, 29 Apr 1995 23:12:14 -0700 From: Jeff Chan To: firearms-alert Subject: GOA: TX CCW bill clean up urged From: DENNIS.FUSARO@prn-bbs.org (DENNIS FUSARO) Subject: Phony Texas CCW Reform!#2 To: firearms-alert@SHELL.PORTAL.COM, firearms-politics@cup.hp.com Date: Sun, 30 Apr 1995 05:21:09 GMT Organization: The Paul Revere Network - (312) 482-9910 Response to Questions and Critics on Texas Phony Concealed Carry by Gun Owners of America -- 703-321-8585 SB 60 is fatally flawed (worse than the status quo) for two reasons; one related to our rights and the other related to politics. Rights: First, SB 60 codifies into law the idea that concealed carry is related to your ability to handle a gun -- not a right of the law-abiding. Second, giving bureaucrats at DPS the ability to decide this by approving training gives them the ability to deny law-abiding citizens. Third, the training requirement may be too difficult for many folks, especially women or the elderly, etc. Some signal to non-gun owners. Fourth, background checks and registration is required for all applicants which includes fingerprints, photographs, and may include credit records, divorce records and more. You can be denied if you're not paying alimony, behind on student loans, etc. Politics: This bill is so bad, that most anti-gunners and fence-sitters are anxious to vote for it. They will then return to their districts and say they are "pro-gun" and talk about how great the new law is. Then it will be nearly impossible to pass a true conceal carry reform in whole or incrementally for years to come. Reforms will likely be killed in committee giving added cover to the anti-gunners and fence-sitters. Finally, there is no guarantee that the law won't be made worse, not better, incrementally over the next few legislative sessions. The assumption that the Texas legislature is "pro-gun" is wishful thinking. The more accurate analysis is that the legislature is trying to cover itself with pro-gun voters until the current pro-gun wave subsides. The problem is caused by lobbyists who want to be players within the game not change agents for better policy. This skews their analysis and gives away too much power to the politicians. Since it is too late to start over with a proper concealed carry reform bill, ask your legislators and Governor Bush -- who has promised to sign concealed carry reform -- for a special session to take up this issue before the 1996 elections. This way the politicians will be under more intense pro-gun voter scrutiny and pressure to pass a real bill that protects your rights and safety. Right now they think they can pass one loaded up with anti-gun provisions and burdensome requirements without being held politically accountable. You don't get a Steve Stockman or a Helen Chenoweth -- legislators who will really do something for gun owners -- in Congress by giving cover to the Jack Brookses and Jim Chapmans of the world. You won't change the Texas Legislature into a pro-gun legislature by caving into fence-sitters who make anti-gun demands. That just shows how easily compromised you are. =========================================================================== Bypassing the bias of broadcast media with the "narrowcast" function of the telephone line's information SuperHiway! The Paul Revere Network with 150+ nodes worldwide! PRNet/HQ in Chicago, IL (312) 482-9940 BBS (312) 482-9910 voice =========================================================================== From firearms-alert-owner Sun Apr 30 04:30:44 1995 Received: (chan@localhost) by jobe.shell.portal.com (8.6.11/8.6.5) id AAA27936 for firearms-alert-outgoing; Sun, 30 Apr 1995 00:19:13 -0700 Received: (chan@localhost) by jobe.shell.portal.com (8.6.11/8.6.5) id XAA20347 for firearms-alert; Sat, 29 Apr 1995 23:18:00 -0700 Date: Sat, 29 Apr 1995 23:18:00 -0700 From: Jeff Chan Message-Id: <199504300618.XAA20347@jobe.shell.portal.com> To: firearms-alert Subject: GOA: ACTION: TX CCW bill fixes urged Sender: firearms-alert-owner@shell.portal.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To: Jeff Chan Followup-To: firearms-politics@cup.hp.com Status: RO From: DENNIS.FUSARO@prn-bbs.org (DENNIS FUSARO) Subject: Phony Texas CCW Reform #3 To: firearms-alert@SHELL.PORTAL.COM, firearms-politics@cup.hp.com Date: Sun, 30 Apr 1995 05:21:41 GMT Organization: The Paul Revere Network - (312) 482-9910 Alert to Action! Phony Texas Concealed Carry Reform -- SB 60 -- Close to Vote! by Gun Owners of America -- 703/321-8585 May 1, 1995 Dear Pro-Gun Activist, Because of a tecnical mistake in a previous posting, I am sending you a revised posting on behalf of the tens of thousands of gun owners and Gun Owners of America members across Texas. I still urge you to fight against SB 60. The fact is that SB 60 is still fundamentally flawed. A couple of weeks back, SB 60 passed the Texas State Senate where it started out badly flawed. Since then, anti-gunners have managed to further water down SB 60 with amendments added. Here's just some of what's already wrong with SB 60: * State controlled mandatory training. First, the state Department of Public Safety (DPS) is to design and approve a training course. If they never do, no one gets a permit. Second, the DPS can mandate training which requires you to shoot like an Olympian, and forces you to endure long classroom hours (15 hours) and pay high fees. * SB 60 still contains "No Safety Zones" (like sporting events and college campuses where law-abiding citizens are denied their right of self-defense with a firearm. This reflects an attitude of not trusting the honest citizens of Texas. * Super high license fees over $100 and a requirement for retraining whenever you renew. Maybe Ross Perot can afford this kind of self-protection, but many law-abiding citizens cannot. As a result of the above the elderly, many women, even hunters and military vets may find it impossible to pass the so-called "necessary" tests to carry a weapon for self defense. Low income citizens -- who often need protection the most -- may be priced out of defense. The list goes on and on. One thing is for certain. Law-abiding Texas citizens deserve better than this attempt to reform the conceal carry law. I urge you to opppose this anti-gun-rights bill and start over with better legislation. Ask Governor Bush and your legislators for a special session where a real reform bill can be introduced. Insist on a bill that protects your rights and safety. Oppose a bill that establishes gun permits for the "elite." One lobbyist who is supporting SB 60 says that Texans are too stupid and need mandatory government-controlled training. Now that's a message that will "win" us friends and educate non-gunowners. No change in the law this year is far better than a fatally flawed bill which takes away your rights, increases penalties, and at the same time allows anti-gun and fence-sitting politicians get cover by voting "For" concealed carry. The vote can occur as early as Monday May 1, 1995. Pleas act at once: 1) Call your Representative at 512/463-4630. Make it clear that SB 60 is fatally flawed, and you expect him/her to vote "NO" on final passage of SB 60. Not sure who your Rep is? Call legislative information at 512/463-1252 and ask. 2) FAX your Representative at their office. Call first and ask for the FAX number. Get your family and friends to call and FAX also. =========================================================================== Bypassing the bias of broadcast media with the "narrowcast" function of the telephone line's information SuperHiway! The Paul Revere Network with 150+ nodes worldwide! PRNet/HQ in Chicago, IL (312) 482-9940 BBS (312) 482-9910 voice ===========================================================================