Gun Owners Of Vermont

The NRA: Friend of Freedom, or Foe of Firearms?

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Free Vermont) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:06:00 +0000

by Alex R. Knight III

February 8, 2008

From a recent solicitation letter I received from the National Rifle Association in order to increase membership, I excerpt the following quote: "We actively work to fight anti-gun media bias by encouraging law-abiding gun owners like you to stand tall and defend our freedoms without apology or compromise."

For our purposes, let's set aside the misnomer of defending freedom while remaining "law-abiding." Thoreau, I suspect, among others – myself included – might have had a thing or two to say about that all by itself. It is also arguable that from a Voluntaryist standpoint, being a member of any organization that actively lobbies government in any form is counterproductive and antithetical to freedom. Insofar as this is true, I must admit that for several years I have been a member of Gun Owners of America, which prides itself on being "the only no-compromise gun lobby." In all the time I've been a member, I've seen nothing to dissuade me from the contention that the staff at GOA are genuine in this assertion. It's what, in part, makes the aforementioned quote from the NRA so breathtaking. Let's have a look at some additional recent events:

In the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings, Congress ginned up the so-named "Veterans Disarmament Act." This bill, in essence, expanded the infamous Brady background check law. To anyone who knows anything about government, this should come as no surprise. What is shocking is that this bill had the full backing and blessings of the NRA. In fact, the NRA staff worked very closely with none other than Senator Chuck Schumer and Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy – both long-time and rabid attackers of gun ownership – in order to get the bill passed. To quote Schumer in speaking with the Associated Press on September 27, 2007 , he said: "When the NRA and Chuck Schumer agree, that tells you it's something worth doing."

Here's something just as maddening. Congressman John D. Dingell, in actually speaking before an NRA audience, told the assembled crowd, "In times of great stress, it is permissible to walk side by side with the devil to get to the other side of the bridge." In so saying, he was quoting his self-proclaimed "hero," Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who had originally made the statement in defense of working hand in hand with Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in World War II.

But here's the kicker, the thing that should make everyone stand up and take notice. In a letter from Iloilo Marguerite Jones of the Fully Informed Jurors Association (FIJA) to Larry Pratt, Executive Director of GOA, published in the Winter 2007 issue of American Juror, in which Ms. Jones refers to a recently produced FIJA jury nullification brochure focusing on gun rights, she had the following to say: "Because you, Larry, had the courage to distribute this brochure, other groups, knowing you had done so, have been distributing the brochure as well, including Liberty Belles and JPFO (Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership [sic]). NRA has ignored our offers and correspondence regarding the brochure, which we offered to provide them to mail to their entire membership, more than once" (italics are mine).

I first received a copy of the brochure in question because of my GOA membership. It is of the highest possible quality, and upon subsequently contacting Ms. Jones to congratulate her for having done such an outstanding job, she graciously provided me with a large quantity of the brochures, and has subsequently sent me even more jury nullification materials at no cost to myself. So I can arrive at no other conclusion than this: The NRA, for all of its hyperbole, does not even want its own membership to be aware of the concept of jury nullification, even when an innocent gun owner may be standing in the dock. I can think of no legitimate excuse for that kind of behavior from a gun rights organization that claims to encourage defending freedom "without apology or compromise." None. Can you?

I must admit that, as a Voluntaryist, I remain a GOA member not to engage government, but because I enjoy staying informed, and also as an insurance policy: GOA has been known on numerous occasions to assist its members who run afoul of government thugs. Not just in high-profile cases, either; often just regular folks like you or me. Having said that, I'm not going to go so far, necessarily, as to accuse the NRA of being little more than a front organization for the forces of gun control – although one might, based on the evidence, well make that assertion. What I am going to say, however, is only that which should be obvious by now: The NRA is no friend of freedom.

Used with permission from Strike The Root

Meeting Schedule Change

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Free Vermont) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:49:00 +0000

Attention Gun Owners of Vermont members and interested persons, as of today, the monthly meeting date has been changed to the 3rd Sunday of each month until further notice. Please mark it on your calendar and plan on attending.

The October meeting will be the rescheduled election of Officers. Please plan on attending and volunteering for a position in the administration staff of GOVT.

Contact GOVT President Ilse Vergi for more information.

Vermont's Red Badge Of Courage

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Free Vermont) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:40:00 +0000

In fact, Vermont is the most free "State" in the "nation" with regard to firearms ownership and self-protection (with only Alaska as a close second), and was given a score of 4 out of a possible 100 by the Brady Campaign.

http://www.strike-the-root.com/91/knight/knight1.html

New Gun Owners of Vermont Website!

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Free Vermont) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:54:00 +0000

Welcome to the new Gun Owners of Vermont website! As of the weekend of June 20th, 2009, Gun Owners of Vermont has a new website. The website address remains the same at http://www.gunownersofvermont.org. We have contracted with Radio Free Vermont to create our website for us and take care of our internet presence including maintenance, technical issues, streamlining computerization of administration tasks and assistance with updates. Slowly but surely, we will be streamlining our operation to better serve you and to allow us more time to work harder on gun issues for you! We hope you like the new site and find it easy to use.

From The Secretary's Desk

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Free Vermont) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:50:00 +0000

Please note that only two membership renewal notices are sent out to each person whose membership is about to expire. If we do not hear back from you, then your name is taken off the GOVT membership roster. If you haven't had a renewal form show up at your doorstep in awhile, then your membership is current or expired. Email ilse.vergi@gmail.com if you are unsure of our current membership status.

Raffle

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Free Vermont) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:43:00 +0000

Gun Owners of Vermont is having another great raffle this year. It is a Springfield Armory 1911 A1 WW2-edition .45 auto. It is a good gun to have.

To purchase tickets, email GOVT President Ilse Vergi at ilse.vergi@gmail.com or visit the Gun Owners of Vermont booth at the gun show on September 26th-27th at the American Legion on Route 103 in Chester, Vermont.

Tickets are $5.00 each or 6 for $25.00. Good luck!

Good News

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Free Vermont) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:33:00 +0000

In 2008, Gun Owners of Vermont accomplished a very big victory for the State of Vermont. It was the defeat of H. 352 and S.152, "An Act Relating to Reducing Lead Hazards in Housing". This was a clever ruse by Attorney General William Sorrell to outlaw all lead in Vermont, claiming it would be for the benefit of Vermont's children. The list included wheel weights, car batteries, solder and virtually all lead products that are used in bullet casting. Never have we heard of any child eating wheel weights or taking apart car batteries to get to the lead. (We do agree with the lead paint issue, for which there are Federal laws already in place regarding the use and removal of lead paint in homes.) This bill also had a very dangerous stipulation included in it stating that if any other New England state, New Jersey or Pennsylvania adopted a lead law, then Vermont would automatically follow suit in 180 days. That means our Legislature and the people of Vermont would have no say in how our State is run. This was a very draconian move by Bill Sorrell. Fortunately, Gun Owners of Vermont was at the state house for every hearing and meeting and this terrible bill was shot down in flames. A very special acknowledgement and thanks goes to the Vermont Traditions Coalition, Greg Costa from the NSSF and Evan Hughes from the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs for sticking together and working with us to get this bill defeated. Another special thanks to the Chairperson, Anne Pugh and the Vice Chair, Anne de la Blanchetai Donahue of the Committee of Human Services for being extremely fair and straightfoward with all of us.

Sad News

noreply@blogger.com (Radio Free Vermont) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 22:58:00 +0000

In November of 2008, after a long battle with a serious illness, Gun Owners of Vermont lost one of its dear friends and founding members, Bob Parzych. For many years, he was Vice President and worked diligently toward our goals. Bob was also a great guy and a very funny person, always ready with a joke, even in the worst of situations. He was a huge gun enthusiast with an impressive gun collection. We miss you, Bob!