AHSA speaks out against the "assault weapon" fraud.

[benEzra]

Posted in its entirety since this is an open letter intended for public distribution. Mr. Schoenke is a Dem and campaigned heavily for Obama in pro-gun swing states. My opinion of AHSA has gone up quite a bit of late.

http://www.huntersandshooters.org/taxonomy/term/139

Letter to Eric Holder on Assault Weapons Ban
By Ray Schoenke at March 2, 2009 - 1:20pm

I thought I would share with all of you the letter I sent to Attorney General Eric Holder on February 26th:



February 26, 2009

Mr. Eric Holder
United States Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Mr. Holder:

Congratulations on your appointment and confirmation as Attorney General of the United States. I am writing to address your recent comments about the renewal of the federal assault weapons, which I read in The Hill today. This raises grave concerns for me and other law-abiding gun owners. I strongly urge you to reconsider this effort.

For the past four years, I have served as President of the American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA). We are a gun rights organization with a commitment to protecting our environment, preserving open spaces and keeping our communities safe. Then-candidate Obama shared many of our views and we endorsed his candidacy last April. I was honored to serve as a surrogate for the campaign. Last fall, I spent a great deal of time talking to gun owners, many of whom were union members, on behalf of the Obama-Biden ticket through over 40 appearances in Ohio, Minnesota, Florida and Colorado. I also did a radio ad, which was broadcast nationally, and was featured in the campaign's direct mail. Barack Obama's election was critically important for the future of our nation and to the million of gun owners, like me, who voted for him.

That is the reason I want to address the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which passed in 1994 in the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and expired on September 13, 2004. It is my understanding that the Obama administration continues to state its intention to reinstate that ban. I would strongly encourage you to negate that effort. The assault weapons ban is an issue of great import to America's law-abiding hunters and shooters, who I represent through my role as President of AHSA. But, this issue shouldn't be based on politics, it's about policy.

Most importantly, as studies have shown, the law had no measurable effect on crime reduction and created an easily avoidable template for gun manufacturers to work around. Instead, the law demonized lawful gun owners and became a lightning rod for a decade long public debate over gun crime that merely served to divert time and resources from our already over-burdened law enforcement agencies. Frankly, it has been an unnecessary distraction. Gun owners support efforts to keep our communities safe. We just want those policies directed at the root cause of crime and violence and not just symbolism, which is how the Washington Post accurately described the ban back in 1994.

Since the Federal Assault Weapons Ban's enactment, the studies analyzing its effect showed there was no statistical significant evidence that it reduced gun crimes. In fact, two studies prepared for the United States government confirm that fact: The Department Of Justice-funded study issued in July of 2004 titled "Updated Assessment of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban: Impacts on Gun Markets and Gun Violence, 1994-2003" and the Center for Disease Control's Task Force on Community Preventive Services report "First Reports Evaluating the Effectiveness of Strategies for Preventing Violence: Firearms Laws" issued in October of 2003.

The Federal Assault Weapons Ban's major thrust, which was based on a political compromise between competing bills in the U.S. Senate, was to ban the manufacture and sale of certain gun models that had two or more of the following features, considered by most to be merely cosmetic: pistol grip, folding/collapsible stock, flash suppressor/muzzle brake, large-capacity detachable magazine, bayonet mounting point, and a grenade launcher mounting point. However, manufacturers just put these features on guns in variable combinations instead of using an "all-in-one" approach, meaning that post-ban guns sold were effectively duplicates of pre-ban guns with a mix and match of the isolated features. The new law became a "charade."

The Federal Assault Weapons Ban also prohibited the production of large capacity ammunition feeding devices (clips) that carried more than 10 rounds. However, large pre-ban clips were always available, albeit with a higher price point, from dealers, on the internet, at gun shows, or from international sources (especially from former Warsaw Pact countries that had large quantities of AK-47 magazines of various capacities that could fit a variety of both pre-ban and post-ban AK-47 variants). Again, the law was meaningless.

In addition, law abiding sport shooters, collectors, self-defense advocates and hunters who bought semi-automatic replicas of military ordinance felt they had become targets of over-reaching law enforcement agencies because of the demonization of their lawfully owned guns or what they thought was a lawful hobby. This caused a chilling of support for law enforcement by an untold number of citizens who would never imagine themselves as law-breakers, which is exactly the opposite response you would hope to get from legislation intended to fight crime.

Finally, since the ban was first enacted back in 1994, there has been a major development in the interpretation of the Second Amendment, which must also be considered. The decision in Heller v. District of Columbia established the principle that citizens have the right to keep and bear arms. The Supreme Court decision must guide your thinking as you proceed.

We share your commitment to reducing crime and gun violence. We believe, as law-abiding gun owners, the way to do that is not by banning guns, but by making sure that criminals, terrorists and people who can harm themselves and others do not get guns. Law-abiding gun-owners will overwhelmingly support your efforts along those lines. Again, I applaud your long-standing service to our country and defense of the Constitution. I do however ask you work to ensure that any law enforcement legislation the administration proposes aimed at reducing gun crime in our communities will actually lower gun crime. Policy considerations should dictate this decision.

Sincerely,

Ray Schoenke, President
American Hunters and Shooters Association

[Redneck Socialist]

1. Good. The NRA has tried to paint AHSA as a gun grabber group.

I suspect the NRA don't care for to have to compete for donations, but it's good to see AHSA come out against the AWB.

[tburnsten]

3. I don't think they were wrong when they were against the AHSA at first

They did act in almost every way like an snti-gun group, right down to "hunter's rights", as if the "S" in their name didn't exist. they have apparently learned their lesson, because I am positive that they were in favor of things like the AWB this time last year, even six months ago they were behaving like a Brady astro-turf offshoot.


Since they seem to have come around to reality and decided to defend actual shooter's rights, I wonder if the NRA will see them as another advocacy group or if they will continue to go after them.

[benEzra]

5. Giving Rosenthal the boot probably had a lot to do with it.

That guy was a pro-AWB zealot and probably did see their role more as a front for gun control, whereas I think Mr. Schoenke does want it to be a group representing shooters and hunters, rather than the gun-control lobby.

[tburnsten]

2. I have also been pleasantly surprised by them

Up until recently they appeared to be nothing more than some kind of Brady front group, but then again, up until recently, everything they said and did put them squarely into the Brady/HCI camp. Good on them, and good on Ray Schoenke, who really did seem to be nothing more than a shill until now.

[FLAprogressive]

4. wow....and I thought they were a Brady front group.

[Tim01]

6. AHSA 2008 Quotes

Most of the articles on the AHSA website have the same flavor as those below. Lots of stuff about how they disagree with the NRA. They stopped just short of swearing President Obama would never be in favor of an Assault Weapons Ban.

It looks to me like they are in serious backpedal mode now.


"By faithful adherence to basic Second Amendment principles, while balancing the needs of our sport and the needs of our community, AHSA will promote rational and practical firearms policies that will benefit the hunters and shooters in this country while keeping our communities safe. That’s too logical for the NRA leadership, but it works for us."

"My wife doesn’t hunt. She doesn’t even like guns. In fact, she’s served on the board of various gun control groups, which has resulted in interesting conversations in our home."

"It’s time to begin rebuilding respect for our hunting and shooting heritage, so I started AHSA. Over the last thirty years, our reputation has been tarnished by gun rights extremists. That negativity has to end so that our traditions don’t end. And that’s what I’ll be working on."

[derby378]

7. This jives with what Ray Schoenke told me on the phone back in October

I think the AHSA is in a period of evolution. They wanted to attract hunters and sportsmen who were turned off by the NRA, but they realized very quickly that the semi-auto ban was untenable in the broader context of their mission.

They still want .50-caliber rifles to be reclassified as NFA weapons, which is also what Dianne Feinstein wants. So there's still some work to be done on AHSA, but their change of heart on semi-automatics is a big step forward.

[Tim01]

8. Not to be too argumentative

But what you said is basically that they would still be in favor of banning semi-auto box fed rifles, more or less. But they can't get away with it.
And they still want to ban .50s or make buying them more difficult, and more expensive. Like machine guns and silencers.

Is that about right?

[derby378]

10. By "box-fed," do you mean rifles with detachable magazines?

If so, the AHSA isn't going after any of those rifles, either.

But it's true that that want .50-caliber rifles reclassified as NFA Class 3. For now. I think the grassroots helped educate AHSA on semi-automatics, so maybe we can educate them on those Barrett rifles as well.

[Tim01]

11. OK, fair enough.

They still seem to me like an organization who's purpose is to preserve hunting guns. And they seem like they would be perfectly willing to go along with an assault rifle ban, or .50 ban or whatever, in exchange for being allowed to keep their hunting guns. It is incidental that on the current gun boards(which have MASSIVE numbers of members) that saying you are in favor of the second amendment AND support banning "assault weapons" will get you internet lynched in public.
Time will tell. And I am always in favor of more gun groups.
I wonder how Zumbo is doing these days?

[benEzra]

13. Zumbo is speaking out against AWB's

and pointing out to people who own only traditional-looking guns that "if we don't all hang together, we will all hang separately," as Ben Franklin put it.

Zumbo made his original statement out of ignorance, not idealogy, and has admirably endeavored to correct that ignorance.

[Jackson1999]

9. agreed on AWB

Good to see this being nipped in the bud.

[jody]

12. benEzra, thanks. Schoenke is uniquely positioned to encourage Obama to rethink his pro-AWB

position.

I'm optimistic Obama will make one simple statement to put this issue to bed for the remainder of his Administration, "I did not fully understand the intricacies of the assault weapons ban and will veto any bill that attempts to renew the ban. I restate my position, 'I believe in the Second Amendment. I believe in people's lawful right to bear arms. I will not take your shotgun away. I will not take your rifle away. I won't take your handgun away.'"

Obama could then focus on things like the economy, health, education, welfare, domestic terrorism, and international terrorism.

[slackmaster]

14. I hereby confess that I was misinformed about the AHSA

Their position on this makes sense.

[benEzra]

17. They were pro-AWB when originally founded...

and may have been more of an AGS-style poison pill at one time, but seem to be evolving into a genuinely pro-rights organization, IMO. Rosenthal and Ricker were both vehemently anti-nonhunting-guns, but I think Schoenke is genuine, and now that Rosenthal has gone and Ricker's role seems reduced, I think there is hope for them. They are still on board with the .50 nonsense, but that may just be from sheer inertia.

Breaking with the VPC/Bradyites/DLC over the "assault weapon" fraud is a big (and very important) step, IMO; it shows they are rejecting the VPC's bogeyman-du-jour mindset and actually looking at the issues. They may end up being a progressive alternative to the NRA after all, if they keep it up.

[slackmaster]

18. I've been "working" the AWB issue for more than 15 years

I find the AHSA come around like this to be extremely gratifying.

Republicans have carried the water on gun rights issues for way too long. It wasn't always that way, and they've done a pretty poor job of it.

[Furyataurus]

15. Hmmm

AHSA has changed their attitude. IMO, AHSA was formed by hunters and skeet/trap shooters who didn't care if semi-auto's were banned. Then Holder mentioned "cop killer bullets" which is practically anything above .243 and realized they are in trouble as well.

IMO, I wouldn't be surprised if they used the lowest level rated vest as the standard for penetration for "cop killer bullets".

[jody]

16. K&R to give max distribution to all DUers. n/t

[Xela]

19. Cautious kudos

Given the history of orgs like these (so called left of center pro hunting), I must say I'm glad to see these developments.

Xela

[Taitertots]

20. I'm going to withhold my judgment

They did use the word clip to describe a magazine. That is an instant Asshat award.
They claim to be against limitations on semi-automatics, while endorsing the candidate with the strongest gun control platform.


What standing does this organization even have. The NRA is several million paying members. Where is this group getting its money?