Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

From VCDL Newsletter DTD 07 May 2009

Now that the Virginia General Assembly session is over for 2009,
threats to our Right to Keep and Bear Arms by the Federal Government
should be addressed.

There are currently four anti-gun items at the national level that are
on our radar scope.

Here they are in order of importance, starting with the most severe
threat:

* An international treaty that could override our laws, and possibly
even the constitutional protections, for the right to keep and bear
arms. Reloading could become illegal, registration would be
implemented, even attaching a sling to a rifle without a government
license to do so would be a criminal act! The President is pushing
this treaty because of Mexico's inability to control its own criminals

* S843, a "gun show loophole" bill put in by anti-gun New Jersey
Senator Frank Lautenberg and cosponsored by a host of anti-gunners in
Congress. Because the public continues to be confused by the lies of
the anti-gunners, this bill is a real threat.

* An assault weapon ban - something that anti-gun US Attorney General
Eric Holder wants and something that the President said he would push
for if elected. Currently the Congress and President show no interest
in pushing such an item. However, anti-gun Senator Diane Feinstein
has said she is just biding her time until the "time is right." The
anti-gun media is pushing the issue pretty hard. For now there is
nothing to do on this item.

* HR45, a bill that is a wish list of anti-gun fantasies - licensing,
registration, and much more. This bill is so extreme that we don't
see it going anywhere, but we will continue to keep an eye on it. For
now there is nothing to do on this item.

----

This week we will target the international treaty. Next week we will
go after S843.

Here is video coverage of the treaty by Lou Dobbs with CNN:

http://tinyurl.com/dk2o4o

Here is the treaty:

http://www.oas.org/juridico/English/treaties/a-63.html

--

ACTION ITEM

Because the international treaty needs to be ratified by the Senate,
we need to contact our Senators and tell them that we don't want any
such treaty ratified.

1) Send a web mail to Senator Mark Warner by clicking here (suggested
message is below). Select a subject of Second Amendment Rights:

http://warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Contact

2) Send a web mail to Senator Jim Webb by clicking here (suggested
message is below). Select a subject of "Civil Liberty":

http://webb.senate.gov/contact/

--

Suggested message for both Senators:

I strongly urge you to OPPOSE the Inter-American Convention Against
Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition,
Explosives, and Other Related Materials.

The Treaty would allow our precious gun rights to be destroyed by
allowing bureaucrats to do an end-run on Congress and create of web of
restrictions on firearms that America has never seen before.

Americans should never be penalized for another country's inability to
control its borders and its criminals.

Please let me know what you are going to do.



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VA-ALERT is a project of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, Inc.
(VCDL). VCDL is an all-volunteer, non-partisan grassroots organization
dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians. The Right to
Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental human right.

VCDL web page: http://www.vcdl.org

Sent and Sent Thanks for the post.

Will

X2 both Senators

Sent to both as well as distributed to all my pro-gun friends/relatives

Warner responded but I don't get a warm fuzzy from his response. Seems like it is a pre-written, canned response. I've always felt those showed an attitude of "I'm too busy being a senator to worry about representing you."

Sent and sent. Thanks

I too got a response from Mr. Warner which read as follows

Dear Mr. Taylor,

Thank you for contacting me to share your views on gun control. I appreciate your thoughts on this important issue.

I realize that there are very strong opinions on both sides of the debate around Second Amendment rights. I support public policies that ensure the responsible and appropriate use of guns, as well as efforts to reduce gun-related crimes through increased enforcement and background checks. I do not, however, support laws or regulations that infringe on the Second Amendment Constitutional right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms.

In the United States Senate, legislation on gun control generally falls under the jurisdiction of the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which I am not a member. Please be assured that I value the thoughts that you have shared with me on this important issue. I will keep your views in mind should any legislation on this matter come before the full Senate in the future.

Again, thank you for writing. As we move forward in the 111th Congress, please continue to contact me with your opinions and concerns.

The thing that interested me about this was the fact that he pretty much negated his influence due to not being on the CotJ. Thats when I got this idea, since this dosen't just affect us here in VA, but all across this fine country, the need arises to broaden the scope of the emails, and thus I present you the most likely sub-committee to be looking at these bills in a democratic Senate- the Crimes and Drugs sub-committee of the CotJ. http://judiciary.senate.gov/about/subco ... /crime.cfm That lists all members of that sub committee. I say we blanket every member of that committee with our message as well as passing it on to anyone willing to support this action.

Hope I didn't seem too long winded there, I just feel passionately for these sacred rights of ours. Anyways, happy hunting yall.

I like your thought about broadening our audience on Capitol Hill for these emails to include Senate committee members. I'm not sure how they will respond when contacted by someone who isn't in their home district - but I guess there's only one way to find out!

That's word for word Warner's answer to me. Like I said, canned. Everyone else will be getting it too I bet. Being that we're talking about a treaty being ratified instead of a law being passed, I'n not sure it would go through committee. Does anyone know how that work on treaties? Does it go through a committee or is it presented for a vote?

Well according to my 12th grade Government teacher, anything submitted to the senate or house is first sent to a sub-committee, then, if approved by the sub-committee, it is sent to the main committee, in this case the Committee of the Judiciary(CotJ), if approved by them it is then sent to the main floor and voted on. It works pretty much the same in both sides of Congress.

Moccasin wrote:I'm not sure it would go through committee. Does anyone know how that work on treaties? Does it go through a committee or is it presented for a vote?

International treaties bypass the normal process and are ratified by the Senate before being sent to the President for ratification.

WikiPedia wrote: In the U.S.A., treaty ratification must be advised and consented to by a two-thirds majority in the U.S. Senate. The Senate does not actually ratify treaties. Once the Senate has given its advice and consent to ratification, the President ratifies the treaty by signing an instrument of ratification. While the United States House of Representatives does not vote on it at all, the requirement for Senate advice and consent to ratification makes it considerably more difficult in the US than in other democracies to rally enough political support for international treaties.

Based on what Rick has found appears that emailing committee members in reference to a treaty wouldn't have an effect on the vote. I kinda thought a treaty just had to be introduced and didn't have to go through committee.

SO, while the treaty issue might not be a good example of something to email committee members about, certainly there is federal legislation that would be worthwhile for that effort.

allingeneral wrote:SO, while the treaty issue might not be a good example of something to email committee members about, certainly there is federal legislation that would be worthwhile for that effort.

Agreed, doesn't look like emailing committee members would help. It may be of some use to email our various Congressmen encouraging them to discuss this with our Senators.

Emailing committee members over legislation is something I had not considered prior to the suggestion by goodoleboy.

I think that under US law, treaty ratification is an executive matter. That is, under the president's control. Congress may get an opportunity to review the treaty but their primary role is to effect legislation once the treaty has been ratified by all parties.

Btw, sent my responses to both senators.

DK, check Rick's earlier post (May 8, 7:02pm). The President does ratify the treaty but it is done with the "advice and consent" of the Senate. The President can't just make treaties at will, although I'm sure some, especially this one, would love too. It would be too much power for one person.

Thanks, Gary! I also read a wiki article that stated it was an executive matter. Appreciate the clarification.

So, getting back from the slightly off topic, yet informative, talk, are we in agreeance that certain emails should be sent to the Crime and Drugs sub-committee, concerning legislation? If so I will begin sending emails tonight and post links to all the contact pages

goodoleboy wrote:So, getting back from the slightly off topic, yet informative, talk, are we in agreeance that certain emails should be sent to the Crime and Drugs sub-committee, concerning legislation? If so I will begin sending emails tonight and post links to all the contact pages

Just trying to determine what would be most effective to email them about. If it concerns a treaty then it seems it might be a waste of time to email the committee members, if it is legislation then it could be of use. I would say that if it has a bill number then we should email members of the committee it has been referred to, in addition to our own Senators or Representatives.

And I agree with you completely,let the waves of email commence.