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Part 2: The nightmare is beginning
By Tanya K. Metaksa
"Safety, responsibility and freedom are still concepts that Americans value." |
It didn't take very long after the November election for the pundits to predict that the Democrat controlled legislature in conjunction with Governor Gray Davis would introduce and then pass anti-gun legislation. What they failed to predict was the pernicious onslaught against gun owners at the local level. The disastrous outcome of the West Hollywood suit left gun owners across the state vulnerable to being picked off one by one at the municipal and county levels of government. And here they come. A new year has arrived and with it the onslaught of proposals. In Southern California where the weather is mild, it's been a race between the weeds and the gun bills. In the north the gun bills are way ahead. The U. S. Conference of Mayors has just held its winter meeting in our nation's capitol and its gun violence task force has been busy with daily press briefings on its "hard work". That "hard work" is being engineered by Mayor Edward Rendell from Philadelphia, the chair of their gun violence task force. NRA members will remember Mayor Rendell as the mayor who welcomed the NRA convention last June with daily announcements of his antagonism towards the firearms industry. Well, Mayor Rendell like Senator Schumer and President Clinton has never met a microphone or TV camera that he doesn't like and taking a cue from Schumer and Clinton he has used the gun violence task force chairmanship to get inordinate press coverage. As a result he has shown his fellow Mayors the true path to media coverage. First you threaten the industry with a firearms litigation study committee, and then you pass an ordinance or resolution to form the aforementioned study committee. During the study committee's deliberations you try and lure the industry into discussing the problem and possible solutions with the study committee. Each of the many steps or stops along the path of this plan is another opportunity for the elected officials to get another 15 minutes of fame. Unfortunately, the media eats it up and the firearms industry has fallen for it too many times. I am hopeful that they are learning from their experience with President Clinton on trigger locks and their yearlong flirtation with Rendell. Jack Adkins, the ASSC spokesman, was quoted in an AP story on January 27th as saying, "When we thought we had some issues settled, we got a new list of demands. It's the mayors who are playing games here." Mayors, Supervisors, county commissioners and any other official are copying Rendell's blueprint. It is interesting to read Supervisor Gloria Molina's motion that will be voted on by the County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors on February 2. It reads as follows: "The country shall evaluate the merits of pursuing litigation similar to those lawsuits filed in New Orleans and Chicago." First we will study and evaluate. And as the study progresses there will be pronouncements to the media from lawyers who will come forth with their analysis of how to proceed. These are the attorneys who see this litigation as tobacco lawsuits, part two. The study and evaluation period can be stretched out over a period of months. Mayor Rendell one year later is still studying and has not filed any lawsuit. After all the longer it takes the more media attention that can be generated. After the evaluation has been completed, another motion will be presented. That will be the motion to proceed. What, you thought the study would look at all sides and that there was a real possibility of not litigating? The discussion and subsequent vote will be highlighted by much media frenzy. A frenzy works well for officials running for election and for attorneys looking for clients and notoriety. After all, if Johnnie Cochran can get his own TV show, the sky is the limit. So how do gun owners, especially California gun owners cope with this well planned onslaught? First, we have to recognize it for what it is just another method of eliminating gun rights. Second, we must get prepared to be able to rebut the strange litigation theories. So far there have been four municipal lawsuits filed and each one takes a different approach. The approaches are only limited by the imagination of the litigators. Finally, we have to keep our focus on the positive rather than responding to the opposition's attack. Turn their attacks into opportunities to educate and put our best foot forward. Safety, responsibility and freedom are still concepts that Americans value. And I know that law-abiding gun owners in California and the rest of the country personify those concepts. It's a chance for all of us to shine. Tanya K. Metaksa is the former Executive Director of the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA). Author of "Safe, Not Sorry", Mrs. Metaksa has appeared on many TV and radio shows such as "Crossfire", "Nightline" and "This Week". |
