INITIATIVE FIGHT
IN OREGON IS EVERYONE'S FIGHT
Larry Pratt, GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA
Aug. 22, 2000
Your
Help Is Needed
Oregon
Anti-Gun Initiative Has Nationwide Impact
******
GOA-PVF SPECIAL ALERT ******
Dear
Gun Rights Supporter,
Please
take a moment to read the note I've attached below. It is from
the Executive Director of the Oregon Firearms Federation (OFF),
an organization we are proud to call our friends.
OFF
needs your help right away to fight a vicious anti-gun initiative.
And
frankly, their fight is your fight because, if the anti-gunners
win without a fight in Oregon, they've sworn to take the same
effort (either by initiative or legislation) to every state in
America.
In
Oregon's last legislative session, OFF was the ONLY state lobbying
organization and GOA the ONLY national organization to fight House
Bill 2535, a terrible piece of anti-freedom legislation which
is now the basis for the Oregon initiative.
House
Bill 2535 would have outlawed private firearms transfers at gun
shows and many private transfers outside of gun shows. GOA members
in Oregon, along with the supporters of OFF, fought this bill
tooth and nail when they were told they had "no chance" of winning.
In the end, their dogged efforts paid off and the bill was killed.
Now
this terrible legislation is back as a "ballot initiative" and
our friends in Oregon need your financial help. GOA will be helping
too, but Oregon's election law severely (and probably>unconstitutionally)
limits what an outside group can do. That's why your financial
contribution to OFF-PAC is so important.
I
hope you'll take a moment to read this message from the Oregon
Firearms Federation and be as generous as you can in assisting
them.
Very
truly yours,
Larry Pratt Executive
Director GOA-PVF
Contribute
online.
OREGON
FIREARMS FEDERATION
PO BOX 556
CANBY OR 97013
503-263-5830
Dear
Friend,
Time
and time again, pro-gunners are told to quit, to give up, because
"we cannot win."
And
time and time again, the truth is when we stand together we can
and do win.
Even
though you may not live in Oregan, I ask you to stand with me
and the other pro-gunners at Oregan Firearms Federation (OFF)
in a fight that will impact gun owners across the country.
Just
a year ago OFF and GOA defeated a vicious attack on gun rights
after having been told victory was "out of the question." The
members of Gun Owners of America and the supporters of the Oregon
Firearms Federation fought a battle against impossible odds, and
because they NEVER gave up, snatched victory from the very jaws
of defeat.
But
now we're facing an even graver danger to our rights and our freedom
and I desperately need your help.
"Measure
5" has qualified for the November ballot and if it passes, Oregon
will be well on its way to universal gun registration. Yes, the
same type of registration that has our fellow gun owners in New
York and California facing prison time if they don't turn in privately
held rifles and shotguns to the government.
An
awful lot of people said "it can't happen here" but without your
help it most certainly can.
Quite
simply, Measure 5 will make it a criminal act to buy, sell, trade
or give a gun to another person at loosely defined "gun shows"
without permission of the police. According to this measure, your
home could be a "gun show." Of course, there will be a fee charged
each time a gun changes hands, but it gets worse.
Every
transfer will be databased and the police are mandated to maintain
that database of gun owners. I think, having seen what's happened
in other parts of the country, that that's chilling. Of course,
there's more.
Collectors
who want to sell or trade guns will be forced to run background
checks using the "National Instant Check System." This is the
same system that was "non operational" for the entire weekend
of the "Million Mom March." What a coincidence.
This
means that if the enemies of freedom have their way, ALL transfers
at "gun shows" could be shut down with the flip of a switch. It's
already happened many times and you can bet it will happen again.
If
the anti-freedom bigots get their way, it won't be long before
common firearms will be rounded up by the Oregon State Police.
But we can stop this insanity with your help.
You
see, whether you live in Oregon or not, this is your fight. If
the gun grabbers are successful here, they'll build on this victory
to carry their message of "no freedom, no privacy" to every state
where they have not already forced their agenda.
I
think we can stop them. We've done it before. But, whether we
win or lose we MUST make this a bruising and painful battle for
them.
I
have no crystal ball and with the media and the big bucks from
corporate America aligned against us this won't be easy, but if
we don't make this a knock down, drag out street fight the gun
grabbers will feel like they can't lose.
If
you'll help, I promise to wage the toughest fight the enemies
of liberty have ever seen. I promise we'll never give an inch,
we'll always speak the truth and with the help of God we'll win
this fight.
Oregon
Firearms Federation has formed a political action committee to
battle this measure. Your contribution will give us the resources
to counter the incredibly well funded anti-rights lobby.
In
the past we've been told "it couldn't be done" and we did it.
Will you help us do it again?
Very
truly yours,
Kevin
Starrett
Executive Director
Contribute
online here.
For
credit card donations please use the "comments" field to note
contributions are for OFFPAC. Donations over $50.00 require that
you list your occupation. Please use the "comments" field for
that information as well. If you're an Oregon resident, your contribution
is deductible on your Oregon tax return up to $50.00 for individuals,
$100.00 for couples. Please do whatever you can to stop the gun
grabbers. Thank you for your help.
Oregon Firearms
Federation
PO Box 556
Canby OR 97013
Please Make
Checks Payable to "OFFPAC"
Contributions
are not deductible for Federal Income Tax purposes.
Authorized
and paid for by Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund in
cooperation with Oregon Firearms Federation Political Action Committee.
Gun
Owners of America Political Victory Fund
E-Mail/Fax Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102
Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
