Citizens
Committee for the
Right to Keep and Bear Arms
12500 N.E. Tenth Place
Bellevue, WA 98005
NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
Contact: Alan
Gottlieb (425) 454-4911
Joe Waldron (425) 454-4911
PRO-GUN BILLBOARD
CAMPAIGN OPENS IN STATE CAPITAL
Olympia,
WA -- The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms
(CCRKBA) has launched a major "Hands Off My Guns" billboard campaign
in the Washington State Capital of Olympia. The Bellevue based,
pro-gun rights group plans to put up a total of six signs in the
capital and has plans for an additional 44 signs all across the
state.
"This
is an aggressive outdoor campaign reminiscent to the media blitz
we successfully ran against Initiative 676 in 1997," said Alan
Gottlieb, Chairman of the CCRKBA. "High visibility for gun owners
is necessary because of the current makeup of the new Legislature."
Each
billboard features a young lady gun owner holding up a "Hands
Off My Guns" bumper sticker that is being offered free to anyone
who calls the phone number (425-454-4911) listed on the ad. Two
ads are already on display. One is located on Martin Way heading
into Olympia (One block West of Slater-Kinney Road) while the
other can be seen on Fourth Avenue (a one way street) between
Adams and Cherry Streets. The goal of the "Hands Off" campaign
is three-fold:
1.
Keep lawmakers on track in solving gun crimes by focusing on the
people causing the problem -- the criminals. This is a far
better way to reduce gun crime than scapegoating and penalizing
the more than a million law-abiding gun owners in Washington State.
Furthermore, lawmakers attempting to reduce gun accidents should
turn their focus onto the very, very few irresponsible gun owners
rather than dictating policy to all gun owners who are not causing
any problems.
2.
Get gun owners involved in the political process and keep them
active. Far too many gun owners voted against Initiative 676
in 1997 and then failed to vote their gun rights in November of
1998. The result is a more suspect Legislature. Displaying a "Hands
Off My Guns" bumper sticker is a show of continued support for
the pro-gun movement.
3.
Provide the media with highlights of the political agenda that
the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms will
have in the 1999 Legislature. Some of the top priorities of
the CCRKBA include: Sponsoring concealed carry license reciprocity,
enacting shooting range protection, protecting uniform statewide
firearms laws, and supporting a bill encouraging responsible use
of firearms.
"This
year will be pivotal for Washington State gun owners," said Gottlieb.
"If local gun owners don't stay active, call their lawmakers,
and write letters then not only will our good bills fail, but
anti-gun bills and amendments could easily end up as law."
With
more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens
Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is one of the nation's
premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization,
the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms
through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating
grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities
throughout the United States. The group played a leadership role
in the defeat of the gun owner licensing and confiscation initiative
676 in Washington State in 1997.
