News Release
Second Amendment Foundation, 12500 NE 10th Place, Bellevue, WA 98005

For Immediate Release: 5/9/02
Contact: Dave LaCourse (425) 454-7012

REACTION TO JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SHIFT PROVES ANTI-GUNNERS WANT TO ERADICATE GUN RIGHTS

BELLEVUE, WA - The hysterical reaction by gun grabbers to the Justice Department's shift in philosophy from the anti-gun Clinton Administration about the Second Amendment proves that gun control is not the cause of reasonable moderates but instead the realm of gun rights hating extremists, said Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF).

Following the Department of Justice's declaration that the Second Amendment affirms an individual, rather than collective, right to bear arms, gun control zealots lost no time in declaring a liberal jihad against Attorney General John Ashcroft. Avowed gun banner Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) went on the warpath, as did the Violence Policy Center and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, and several newspapers with anti-gun editorial postures.

"Long-time advocates of so-called 'gun control' have shown their true extremism," Gottlieb observed. "Opinion polls overwhelmingly show Americans support the right to keep and bear arms, but the gun control crowd remains out-of-step with the mainstream. These people who now demand that the Second Amendment be considered a collective right are demonstrating that they are not for reasonable control, but instead want to eradicate a civil right.

"Even some groups that support gun control, such as Americans for Gun Safety, admit that the Second Amendment protects an individual right," Gottlieb continued. "Yet extremists at VPC and the Brady Center have shown why the firearms community can never expect to sit down with them in good faith. Dealing with gun control fanatics in America is like dealing with Palestinian terrorists in the Middle East."

Gottlieb said there has never been a serious intent among anti-gunners to "strike a reasonable balance," between the Constitutional rights of gun owners and public safety concerns of society at large.

"With these zealots," Gottlieb stated, "the terms 'sensible' and 'reasonable' translate to 'irrational' and 'inflexible' mandates with the ultimate goal of erasing the Second Amendment from the Bill of Rights. They wrap their extremism in a campaign to kill gun rights like a terrorist wraps himself in explosives to kill innocent people. In both cases, they must not be allowed to prevail."

The Second Amendment Foundation is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 600,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control. SAF has previously funded successful firearms-related suits against the cities of Los Angeles; New Haven, CT; and San Francisco on behalf of American gun owners. Current projects include several concealed carry lawsuits, a lawsuit against the cities suing gun makers & an amicus brief & fund for the Emerson case holding the Second Amendment as an individual right.

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