NRA backs a gungrabber in Maryland

[dZ]

Sunday, July, 14, 2002

Taylor deeds match words on guns, hunting



To the Editor:

The Maryland State Legislature is home for the summer. New district lines have been drawn. Inevitably, election day will be upon us. In the interim, it is time for Maryland voters to contemplate the words and the deeds of elected officials and candidates for public office.

Two years ago, amidst growing concern about the continued oppression of Maryland sportsmen and hunters, the National Rifle Association and our state affiliate, the Maryland State Rifle and Pistol Association, met with our members in Cumberland. Our concerns were expressed to Speaker Casper Taylor. Since that meeting, Speaker Taylor has worked diligently to ensure equitable treatment of the Maryland sporting and hunting constituency. In short, his deeds have matched his words.

Casper Taylor has introduced several pro-hunting measures and has worked with longtime NRA ally, Delegate Kevin Kelly to reclaim the rights of law-abiding gun owners from the draconian gun control policies of Attorney General Joe Curran. It is noteworthy that when Handgun Control Inc. and their cohorts in the legislature hijacked Delegate Carmen Amedori’s Eddie Eagle Gun Safe Legislation in 2001, it was Cas Taylor who intervened and introduced his own gun safety legislation that integrated Eddie Eagle. While anti Second Amendment Gov. Parris Glendening eventually vetoed this legislation, credit must be given to Cas Taylor for his stand on principle versus politics. With the exit of Gov. Glendening, Cas Taylor has expressed strong support to re-introducing deer hunting, black bear hunting and other pro-sportsmen and hunter initiatives next year.

With November around the corner, I would encourage the voters of District I-C to listen to Speaker Cas Taylor. After all, as sportsmen and hunters in Maryland have learned, Cas Taylor’s words match his deeds.

Randy Kozuch

Director, State and Local Affairs

National Rifle Association

http://216.15.229.16/news/full_story.cfm?story_id=1660

<comments from a buddy below>

I'm afraid the NRA and Mr. Kozuch have lost their minds. It is not the
first time Mr. Kozuch and the NRA have made stupid political moves, but the
recent pattern have led Sara Thompson, MD to suspect the NRA's motives for
their blunders (see link:
http://www.utgoa.org/articles/cNotRationalAnymore.html).

In some cases, there have been suggestions or corruption (see:
http://communities.prodigy.net/sport...ba-nraila.html
and the text:
These same members told me that "…Worley's palm was
probably greased in exchange for the endorsement and
that you never had a fair chance in the election." )

I cannot say whether bad motives, corruption, or just plain political
stupidity and arrogance has produced the decisions people have commented
about in the NRA.

Fortunately, an NRA endorsement does not mean the candidate will win as we
can see from Mr. Kozuch's endorsement of State Sen. O'Malley for Governor in
Illinois. That endorsement used to reside on the web page:
http://www.omalleyforgov.com/platfor...view.asp?c=467
For those of you interested, I give the material from that page below -- it
is no longer available, because Sen. O'Malley lost badly to Attorney General
Jim Ryan (45% to 28% of vote in three way race). If you are interested in
some details, see:
http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-gop26.html
("O'Malley considers uniting with Ryan," March 26, 2002, BY SCOTT FORNEK
POLITICAL REPORTER). A segment of that article is offered below.

And Secretary of State Bill Jones of California was endorsed by the NRA, but
lost badly in the Republican Primary to pro-Second Amendment Republican Bill
Simon who was not endorsed. The article from Gunweek explaining this issue
was at link:
http://www.gunweek.com/archives/2002...ornia0320.html
but is no longer available. However, I include it below in the "Segments".
The NRA's endorsement of Jones was another Kozuch pick of the wrong guy. In
this case, the NRA looks stupid because it picked one of two pro-RKBA guys
who was the loser. Why couldn't it have endorse them both?

Now we have the NRA endorsing Speaker Taylor in rather glowing terms --
"Casper Taylor has introduced several pro-hunting
measures and has worked with longtime NRA ally,
Delegate Kevin Kelly to reclaim the rights of
law-abiding gun owners from the draconian gun
control policies of Attorney General Joe Curran"
(see the attached letter).

We suggest you all examine Speaker Taylor's pride as to his part in the
"draconian gun control policies." Take a look at his election web site:
http://www.speakercastaylor.com/cgi-...ll=N&pg=2000le
g
and scan down to PUBLIC SAFETY. On that page you will see Speaker Taylor
express pride in President Clinton's attendance at the signing of the major
piece of Curran's draconian control policies, the 2000 SB211. That event
and Speaker Taylor's pride is well exhibited in the photograph at:
http://www.mcrkba.org/CasperRTaylorJ...or4wayPic.html
The message for gun owners displayed by the kids brought in for show is
"students together against guns" -- see link:
http://www.mcrkba.org/CasperRTaylorJr/Lit.html
At the bottom of that web page is a link to a state web site have a real
video of that bill signing ceremony. If you want to see and hear Speaker
Taylor display his real attitude, please sit down at your computer and
review that event. In particular, listen to Senate President Miller's
credit to Speaker Taylor:
You know in urban areas it can be easier to vote for
gun control, but in rural areas it can be a little
bit tougher, but you can still vote for gun control.
But in places like western Maryland, like Southern
Maryland, like the eastern shore, there are some
people who stand out and the person I’m going to
introduce is the leader of the House of Delegates,
the Speaker of the House of Delegates, without whose
help this gun control bill could not have been made
possible, Casper Taylor.

Transcripts of the signing ceremony containing Speaker Taylor's remarks (and
those of Senator Mitchell and Lt. Gov. Townsend) can be read at:
http://www.mcrkba.org/CasperRTaylorJr/25.html


As to Speaker Taylor's real respect for Gun owners, I suggest you read the
article:
http://www.mcrkba.org/CasperRTaylorJr/30.html
where you will see "Speaker Casper Taylor threatened to clear two packed
spectators’ galleries of boisterous pro-gun activists."

As to Speaker Taylor working with Del. Kelley, let me point to the letter to
editor by John Josslyn to the contrary (see:
http://www.mcrkba.org/CasperRTaylorJr/27.html)

Speaker Taylor explained his support for "Assault Weapons" ban in Maryland
because the police wanted it at:
http://www.mcrkba.org/CasperRTaylorJr/23.html
Are we in a police state yet?

Speaker Taylor is hoping that gun owners will forget what has happened two
years ago. The NRA is cynically hoping you will too by endorsing Speaker
Taylor. Expecting rural people to have a short memory is the nature of
Senator Mitchell's remarks above about how it is possible to support gun
control if you are from a rural district.

The NRA is counting on Speaker Taylor's good will in the next legislative
session. I hope you all will remember the letter from Brian Patton of
Rawlings (see:
http://www.mcrkba.org/CasperRTaylorJr/17.html
Mr. Rawlings said 'House Speaker Taylor, there is an old saying, "Walk it
like you talk it." When Comrades Glendening, Kennedy-Townsend, and Curran
got their Responsible Gun Act passed, you voted to approve it. Period. It is
a wee bit late to start with the grand pronouncements and statements of "I
was convinced that the Senate would not support the bill."'

Speaker Taylor is also hoping you will forget the praise he receives from
the anti-gun group MAHA (see:
http://www.mcrkba.org/CasperRTaylorJr/14.html). I hope you will remember
it.

There are many more articles collected at:
http://www.mcrkba.org/CasperRTaylorJr/wwwboard.html
I hope you all will take the time to review that material and REMEMBER!

I urge all of you to pass this message on to other lists.

[TheEggman]

We’ve seen it happen throughout history. Otherwise good and noble causes, unions, charities, churches and civic groups become political tools in abandonment of their original charters. A few in the recent headlines are Red Cross, and United Way -- why should the NRA be exempt?

One of the smartest moves the ‘leftists’ could make would be to infiltrate and corrupt the NRA.

It’s time for ALL NRA MEMBERS to stand up and let the ‘Powers That Be’ know we are tired of being compromised out of our freedoms.

For a bunch of otherwise macho folks with guns, they (we) are sure acting like a bunch of political pawns.

[Blackhawk]

One of the smartest moves the ‘leftists’ could make would be to infiltrate and corrupt the NRA.

"could make would be"

OR

"did make was to"

[dZ]

MARYLAND BECOMES FIRST STATE IN THE US TO REQUIRE SAFER GUNS
From MAHA web site at:
http://www.hgabuse.org/ns100_1.html

On April 11, 2000, Governor Parris N. Glendening made national history as he signed into law the Responsible Gun Safety Act of 2000, requiring integrated mechanical safety devices on all handguns sold in Maryland, beginning on January 1, 2003. Such devices will prevent children and other unauthorized users from firing handguns, thus reducing the possibility of unintentional shootings of children and teen suicides.

President Clinton was on hand in Annapolis for this landmark event, declaring Maryland's new law a model for the country, and calling on Congress to take note of Maryland's initiative and pass national legislation to require childproof locks on handguns. "Every single day Congress waits, we lose 12 children, nearly 90 people overall to gun violence," the President proclaimed. "Congress should follow Maryland's lead." This is the first time that the President has attended a bill-signing ceremony in any state.

Also on hand for the ceremony were Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Senate President Thomas 'Mike' Miller, Jr. And House Speaker Casper Taylor, Jr., all instrumental in passage of the legislation. They were joined by numerous supporters of the law from the General Assembly, representatives of MAHA. and victims of gun violence around the state, including Carol and John Price, Lee Tolzman, Gloria Buckingham, Jessie Snead, Vicki King, Lisa Covington and Fran Block.

"Today is a great day for Maryland," Governor Glendening declared. "Today we set a new agenda for gun safety... not only for Maryland... but for the entire nation." Lt. Governor Townsend stated that "...This is a significant victory for our children, our communities and our democracy." Both praised the courage and efforts of Senate President Miller, Jr. And House Speaker Taylor, as well as Senator Van Hollen and Delegate Vallario.

Although the bill appeared to be stalled in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in late March, the announcement of an agreement with Smith and Wesson to provide safety devices for guns within the time frames specified in SB212 prompted Senator Miller to move the bill to the Senate floor, where it passed on March 27 with minor amendments. The House approved the bill on April 3. For provisions of the new law, see

RESPONSIBLE GUN
SAFETY ACT OF 2000

The following provisions are contained in the new law which goes into effect October 1st 2000:

* Requires any new handguns sold in Maryland after October 1, 2000 to be sold with an external trigger lock designed to prevent an unauthorized user from firing the gun.
* Requires by January 1, 2003 any new handguns sold in Maryland to be equipped with an integrated mechanical safety device or other incorporated design technology to prevent children and other unauthorized users from firing the handgun.
* Increases the membership of the Handgun Roster Board from 9 to 11 members. The two new additional members must be electrical or mechanical engineers.
* Requires the Handgun Roster Board to review the status of personalized handgun technology and submit and annual report to the Governor and to the General Assembly beginning July 1, 2002.
* Enhances existing gun laws and increases enforcement to protect children by placing a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years for the illegal possession of a firearm by a felon previously convicted for a violent crime or drug offense. This penalty is similar to the federal penalty used by federal prosecutors in Project Disarm and Project Exile.
* Provides 'Cease Fire' grant funds to enforce existing gun laws and innovative local law enforcement initiatives and programs, such as the Federal DISARM Program and Baltimore City's Firearms Investigation and Violence Enforcement Unit.
* Prohibits any person who as a juvenile committed a violent delinquent act from possessing a handgun until age 30.
* Requires that all guns seized, confiscated and subject to forfeiture to or by any law enforcement agencies in the State be destroyed or be retained for official law enforcement use.
* Requires ballistics fingerprinting of shell casings from new handguns prior to sale. Firearm dealers will be required to collect and provide certain handgun identification information to the Maryland State Police.
* Requires the Maryland Police Training Commission to adopt regulation for a certified firearms safety training course by January 1, 2001 and requires an applicant for a regulated firearm purchase, rental, or transfer made on or after January 1, 2002 to complete a safety training course. An individual may take a course offered by the Commission or by a certified individual or organization.