Date: Wed, 15 Mar 95 08:48 PST
From: Clayton_Cramer@optilink.dsccc.com
To: firearms-alert@shell.portal.com
Subject: what is _Firing Back_?


In response to many requests for more detail, including from firearms-alerts
moderator, what is _Firing Back_?

It is a book that I wrote last year at Krause Publishing's request.  It is a
mass market paperback that is aimed at the average American gun owner, intended
to make him or her into a gun rights activist.  The target audience are adults
with a high school education or perhaps a bit of college.  While scrupulously
footnoted, the goal was to come up with a very accessible book that covers the
mechanics of gun rights activism, and provides enough information about the
various disputes of gun control for gun owners to intelligently respond to the
typical misunderstandings promoted by the media.  _Firing Back_ also provides
pointers to more detailed works (Kleck's _Point Blank_, Joyce Malcolm's
_To Keep and Bear Arms_, my _For The Defense Of Themselves And The State_,
Dave Kopel's _The Samurai, the Mountie, and the Cowboy_) as well.

While much of the material will be old news to regular readers of 
talk.politics.guns, there is some new research in here, and this book will 
fill in some gaps in the knowledge of many gun rights activists.  (I 
certainly filled in some of my gaps in knowledge doing the research!)

Chapter titles:

Introduction

1. Confessions of a Former Gun Control Supporter

My personal transformation

2. How to Change The Minds That Change The Laws

Writing letters to elected officials, news media, etc.

3. Keeping Ourselves Honest and "Reasonable"

The importance of being honest and accurate; various bogus quotes and
documents that we shouldn't use.

4. Rhetorical Strategies: Tools for Winning an Argument

Discussion of debating techniques.

5. What Crime Statistics Really Mean

Why "homicide" isn't "murder."  Deficiencies in various measures of
crime stats.

6. The Truth About Gun Control in Other Countries

Problems of cross-national comparisions.

7. Children and Guns

Data about accidents, crimes, etc. involving children.

8. "Let's Be Reasonable"

Evidence that the gun control side isn't interested in "reasonable"
gun control.  Analogies to point out how unreasonable gun control
proposals are.

9. Public Health and the Social Costs of Guns

Flaws in public health/social cost arguments

10. "Arms of the Soldier"

Why assault weapon bans make no sense, and are unconstitutional.  
Includes examples of why private citizens need such weapons during
riots and natural disasters.

11. Another War We Can't Win

"Alcohol prohibition didn't work; drug prohibition doesn't work;
gun prohibition won't work."

12. The Constitutional Right

A quick introduction to the subject.

13. The Second Amendment Isn't About Hunting

It's about restraining tyranny; includes discussion of a coup d'etat
plot against President Roosevelt investigated by Congress in 1934.

14. Self-Defense Is A Basic Human Right

This should be obvious.

15. The Media

Strategies for embarrassing the media, including their part in 
creating a violent society.

16. Ammunition For Your Arsenal: Recommended Reading

Books, articles, etc. that a gun rights activist needs.

Appendix

Tables of accidental death rates, homicide rates, suicide rates, murder
rates, from UCR, National Safety Council, etc.
__

Date: Tue, 14 Mar 95 16:46 PST
From: Clayton_Cramer@optilink.dsccc.com
To: firearms-alert@shell.portal.com
Subject: Firing Back now available at Barnes & Noble


Barnes & Noble finally shows _Firing Back_ in their data base of orderable
books.  It's $9.95, and they should be able to get it to you in about 7-10
days, if they don't have it in stock.