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by John Velleco Fresh off his Hawaiian vacation in January, President Obama set down his golf clubs and picked up his pen for another assault on the Second Amend- ment. Having tried — and failed — to pass gun control through Congress multiple times, Obama is now doing what he always does when he doesn’t get his way. By executive fiat he hopes to bypass Congress, and the rule of law, and enact massive new gun control measures. Obama is clearly frustrated by the gun lobby. So much so that he spent the bulk of a Weekly Address talking about his “one piece of unfinished busi- ness” — passing more gun control. After meeting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Obama came up with a laundry list of proposals, the most egre- gious of which will target private, indi- vidual gun owners. This is nothing new. For years, anti- gun activists have tried to ban private firearms sales. Sometimes they call it closing the “gun show loophole,” some- times “Universal Background Checks,” Gun Owners THE 41 YEARS OF NO COMPROMISE – 1975-2016 By Tim Macy The nation lost a true constitutionalist in February with the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. His pro-gun leadership on the Court will be sorely missed. Now, we are in a fight for our lives as President Obama will try to nominate a replacement to change the balance on the Court. No one should fail to understand what is at stake in Barack Obama’s scramble to appoint the “swing vote” on the Supreme Court. If Obama appoints a replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia, the reconstituted court will declare the Second Amendment dead. Period. Those who understand the Constitution know that Obama and the Court can’t really obliterate the 2nd Amendment. The Constitution trumps any unlawful action to the contrary. But a change in the Court — with the anti-gun decisions that follow — will give the “green light” for all kinds of gun registration and gun bans, resulting in a chilling effect on the exercise of gun rights. Heller, the 5-4 decision which recognized the Second Amendment as an individual right, will be reversed. McDonald, the 5-4 decision which recognized that the Sec- ond Amendment applies to the states, will be reversed. Even sooner, the court will recognize Obama’s illegal efforts to grant amnesty to 8-plus million anti-gun voters. And the consequence will be that the entire U.S. govern- ment will soon be the same gun-hating “utopia” which Califor- nia’s government became as a result of a 1986 amnesty bill. Gun Rights Would Not Survive an Obama Appointment to the Supreme Court Volume XXXVI, Number 1 • March 30, 2016 Continued on page 6 President Barack Obama is chomping at the bit to fill the Antonin Scalia vacancy with a radical activist who will swing the Court to the extreme Left, effectively killing the Second Amendment for the next generation. • Another mass shooting prevented by a concealed carrier (page 4) • GOA fighting gun control in the courts (page 5) • Total victory over Obama and Feinstein in the Senate (page 7) Inside: GOA Fighting Obama’s Nominee Continued on page 2 Obama Coming After Your Guns

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by John VellecoFresh off his Hawaiian vacation in

January, President Obama set down hisgolf clubs and picked up his pen foranother assault on the Second Amend-ment.

Having tried — and failed — to passgun control through Congress multipletimes, Obama is now doing what healways does when he doesn’t get hisway.

By executive fiat he hopes to bypassCongress, and the rule of law, and enactmassive new gun control measures.

Obama is clearly frustrated by the

gun lobby. So much so that he spentthe bulk of a Weekly Address talkingabout his “one piece of unfinished busi-ness” — passing more gun control.

After meeting with Attorney GeneralLoretta Lynch, Obama came up with alaundry list of proposals, the most egre-gious of which will target private, indi-vidual gun owners.

This is nothing new. For years, anti-gun activists have tried to ban privatefirearms sales. Sometimes they call itclosing the “gun show loophole,” some-times “Universal Background Checks,”

Gun OwnersTHE

41 YEARS OF NO COMPROMISE – 1975-2016

By Tim MacyThe nation lost a true constitutionalist in February with the

death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.His pro-gun leadership on the Court will be sorely missed.Now, we are in a fight for our lives as President Obama

will try to nominate a replacement to change the balance on the Court.

No one should fail to understand what is at stake in Barack Obama’s scramble to appoint the “swing vote” on the Supreme Court.

If Obama appoints a replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia, the reconstituted court will declare the Second Amendment dead.

Period. Those who understand the Constitution know that Obama

and the Court can’t really obliterate the 2nd Amendment. The Constitution trumps any unlawful action to the contrary.

But a change in the Court — with the anti-gun decisionsthat follow — will give the “green light” for all kinds of gunregistration and gun bans, resulting in a chilling effect on theexercise of gun rights.

Heller, the 5-4 decision which recognized the SecondAmendment as an individual right, will be reversed.

McDonald, the 5-4 decision which recognized that the Sec-ond Amendment applies to the states, will be reversed.

Even sooner, the court will recognize Obama’s illegal effortsto grant amnesty to 8-plus million anti-gun voters.

And the consequence will be that the entire U.S. govern-ment will soon be the same gun-hating “utopia” which Califor-nia’s government became as a result of a 1986 amnesty bill.

Gun Rights Would Not Survive an Obama Appointment to the Supreme Court

Volume XXXVI, Number 1 • March 30, 2016

Continued on page 6

President Barack Obama is chomping at the bit to fill theAntonin Scalia vacancy with a radical activist who will swingthe Court to the extreme Left, effectively killing the SecondAmendment for the next generation.

• Another mass shooting prevented by a concealed carrier(page 4)

• GOA fighting gun control in thecourts (page 5)

• Total victory overObama and Feinstein in the Senate (page 7)

Inside:

GOA Fighting Obama’s Nominee

Continued on page 2

Obama Coming After Your Guns

The Gun Owners is published by Gun Owners of America, Inc. 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 (703) 321-8585

March 30, 2016 • The Gun Owners /Page 2

Anti-gun Left Trying to Shame Senators into Packing the Court

The Leftist media has already beguntheir White House-coordinated cam-paign to bludgeon Senate Republicansinto approving Obama’s efforts to packthe Supreme Court with a “jurist” whowill repeal the Second Amendment —and achieve Obama’s life-long dream.

But all of their arguments are, trans-parently, lies and false propaganda.FIRST: Everyone knows that the

Obama appointment would result in thereversal of Heller — and the effectiverepeal of the Second Amendment — atleast, as recognized by a corrupt courtsystem. SECOND: Obama’s ultimate nomi-

nee will lie. He or she will say that they have no

opinion on the Second Amendment.And they will talk about legal doctrineslike stare decisis — which supposedlygives a presumption to retaining “set-tled law.”

Justice Sonia Sotomayor also swore,under oath, that she had no precon-ceived opinions on the Second Amend-ment. But as soon as she got her life-time appointment, she couldn’t movefast enough to call for the SecondAmendment’s repeal.

If there is one thing we have learnedfrom Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan,and the gaggle of Obama lower courtappointees, it is this: They will say

whatever needs to be said to get on theCourt, but they will run fast and hard tothe Far Left once they are confirmed.THIRD: There is no constitutional

principle which requires the Senate toapprove a lawless nominee.

Besides, Obama has had no problemusing the Constitution and the laws astoilet paper.

So he is the last one to lecture otherson their “constitutional obligations” —particularly when the goal is to confirmlawless jurists who would rubber-stampObama’s unconstitutional and lawlessactions.

The Supreme HypocriteYou might be surprised to know —

but then again, maybe not — who itwas that, as a Senator, loudly protestedthe ability of the President to simply getanyone he wants on the Supreme Court.

Remember who said this:There are some who believe thatthe President, having won the elec-tion, should have complete authori-ty to appoint his nominee ... thatonce you get beyond intellect and

personal character, there should beno further question as to whetherthe judge should be confirmed. Idisagree with this view.

That was then-Senator BarackObama in 2007, stating that the Senatecan vote down a presidential nomineeto the Supreme Court, based on hisviews alone.

Ironically, Obama was right then,and his words are true today — evenmore so than ever before!

You can be sure that GOA is goingto remind every Senator of BarackObama’s words before he became Presi-dent.

And you can tremendously help bydemanding that your Senators filibusteranyone who is nominated by PresidentObama — even if both of your Senatorsare Democrats.

We are going to remind every Demo-crat of what their “leader,” BarackObama, said back in 2007.

We are going to make sure they feelthe heat from the grassroots, so theyknow that their colleagues will pay apolitical price if they choose to listen tothe leftist media.

Senator Ted Cruz promised ABC’sGeorge Stephanopoulos in Februarythat he would be willing to lead a fili-buster against Obama’s nominee.

He’s led filibusters before. He hasthe experience and knows what to do.

But we need to raise a national out-cry like never before.

So please urge your Senators toreject and oppose — in every possibleway — any anti-gun “swing vote” nom-inated by President Obama.

Tell them that any support for anObama-nominee will be tantamount toa vote to reverse Heller and repeal theSecond Amendment. ■

Gun Rights Would NotSurvive an ObamaAppointment to theSupreme CourtContinued from page 1

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) told ABC News inFebruary that he would be willing to leada filibuster against any nominee put for-ward by Obama. (Pictured here withCruz is GOA Chairman Tim Macy.)

How to PlaceGOAin Your Will

You can help protect gun rights for future generations by placing Gun Owners of America in your will or estate plans. Here are some sample instructions to share with your advisor or attorney:

I give, devise and bequeath to Gun Owners of America (tax ID # 52-1256643),a non-profit, corporation in Springfield, Virginia:A. The sum of $_________; orB. _________ percent of my estate; orC. Residue. I give my Residue to Gun Owners of America,

8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, Virginia 22151.

March 30, 2016 • The Gun Owners /Page 3

The Gun Owners is published by Gun Owners of America, Inc. 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 (703) 321-8585

GOA on the Front Lines

The media was aghast when, in February, JusticeClarence Thomas asked his first question from thebench in over a decade. Upon further review, themedia credited a GOA brief for providing the ammu-nition that Thomas used to grill the government’santi-gun lawyer. The GOA brief –– which can beread at www.gunowners.com –– argues that consti-tutional (gun) rights should not be infringed becauseof a mere misdemeanor.

GOA spokesmen have already appeared on more than a thou-sand media outlets this year, much of it in opposition to thePresident’s executive actions. And in response to a statesupreme court decision, GOA’s John Velleco (right) went on FoxCable News, arguing that BB guns should not be treated like realfirearms in the eyes of the law. He added that the FBI should notbe allowed to conduct background checks “on the parents ofmillions of Ralphies who want a BB gun for Christmas.”

The Truth About Guns awarded GOA Executive Director Erich Pratt with“Gun Hero of the Day” in January, after a “tense” debate with an anti-gunCNN host. Said the website’s editor: “Erich Pratt gets our ‘Gun Hero of theDay’ for ably holding his own against the interviewer’s bully boy onslaught.And telling the truth about guns.”

A Constitutional Carry bill,sponsored by Republican Del. Saira Blair, became lawin March after both chambersvoted to override the gover-nor’s veto. Del. Blair thankedGun Owners of America forpushing her bill and providingmuch-needed data on con-cealed carry. “I appreciatethe support and the informa-tion,” Blair said. “I look for-ward to spreading it aroundto both my colleagues andconstituents!”

GOA spokesman named “Gun Hero of the Day”

GOA in the News, from coast to coast

GOA-backed carry bill becomes law in West Virginia

GOA brief prompts Supremegrilling in gun case

March 30, 2016 • The Gun Owners /Page 4

The Gun Owners is published by Gun Owners of America, Inc. 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 (703) 321-8585

ONTARGETby Erich Pratt

The full account for each of these stories can be read on GOA’s website at http://www.gunowners.org

More Guns, Less Crime in not a ’Cheesy’ PropositionAfter becoming the penultimate state to recognize concealed carry,

Wisconsin issued its first permit in late 2011. Since then almost 300,000 people have acquired concealed carry permits,

even while the murder rate has declined.FBI statistics show that the murder rate in the “cheese state” has dropped

slightly since its carry law went into effect –– a reality which defies the fear-mongering among the anti-gun Left.

Moreover, Breitbart reports that because there has only been onemanslaughter homicide by a citizen with a permit, that makes concealed carriers 12 times safer than the average citizen in Wisconsin. ■

Business owner requires employees to carry concealedSome businesses require sensitivity training for employees. But not this one.One Atlanta business owner is requiring his employees to get concealed

carry licenses.After hearing about several home invasions in the metro Atlanta area, Lance

Toland presented employees with Taurus Judge revolvers upon their gettingconcealed carry permits.

“I have a number of offices and most of my employees are women,” Tolandsaid. “A lot of my clients are high fiving when they hear this. They think it’s thebest thing for a company to mandate gun ownership and be responsible.” ■

Driveway Assault Shows Importance of Every-Day CarryA concealed permit holder was assaulted in his own driveway

in February –– an attack that underscores the lesson once again:“Carry every day, all day.”

A 20-year-old thug tried to rob his would-be victim at gun point,thinking the man who was standing at the end of his driveway was unarmed.

But the Minnesota permit holder pulled his gun and shot theassailant, who ran across the street and died in a parking lot.

The Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance reports that, since concealedcarry became legal in 2003, roughly “1 in 19 eligible Minnesotaadults” have permits. ■

Mass Shooting Stopped by Concealed Carrier

Another potential mass shooting was stopped inits tracks by a concealed carrier in February.

The incident occurred at a gas station inLouisiana, when a disgruntled customer fired morethan a dozen rounds into a crowd.

One of the wounded customers returned fire andended the assault by hitting the attacker in the head.

Authorities are treating the incident as a case ofself-defense, saying the concealed carrier was toting“a legal weapon that was registered to him.” ■

March 30, 2016 • The Gun Owners /Page 5

The Gun Owners is published by Gun Owners of America, Inc. 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 (703) 321-8585

Gun Owners of America Fighting Gun Control in the Courtsby Erich Pratt

On November 2, GunOwners of America (and itsfoundation) joined forceswith Dick Heller — thevery one who beat DC’sgun ban before theSupreme Court in 2008.

Working in tandem, GunOwners filed a brief in theU.S. Court of Appeals forthe Fifth Circuit in supportof a challenge to the federalmachine gun ban, whichwas stuck on at the lastminute to an otherwise pro-gun bill in 1986.

First and foremost, GunOwners argues in Hollis v. Lynch thatthe “arms” protected by the SecondAmendment include fully automaticweapons, and that Supreme Court opin-ions have bolstered this view.

Our brief explains that the SecondAmendment is not about hunting or tar-get shooting, but about the preservationof liberty.

In December, GOA filed anothersimilar case in the U.S. Court ofAppeals for the Third Circuit (in Penn-sylvania).

This second case is U.S. v. Watson. By bringing several cases in multiple

districts, GOA hopes to force theSupreme Court to decide this issue infavor of Second Amendment rights.

‘Shall not be infringed’ means what it says

Since its founding, Gun Owners ofAmerica has built its reputation as the“no compromise” gun lobby.

We want to repeal any restriction thatviolates the “shall not be infringed” lan-guage of the Second Amendment —going all the way back to 1934.

We have always taken the positionthat the “arms” mentioned in the Sec-ond Amendment are the types ofweapons that an infantryman in currentmilitary service would be issued. Theseare, in the words of an old SupremeCourt case, “part of ordinary militaryequipment.”

One Court of Appeals judge has

explained that the Second Amendmentprotects the “lineal descendants” of thearms brought to muster on the villagegreen in revolutionary times.

Second Amendment helps erecta bulwark against tyranny

If the purpose of the Second Amend-ment is to preserve a “free State,” thenthe people comprising the militia needto have the same type of “arms” that areavailable to the military.

Among other things, we quote Jus-tice Joseph Story’s explanation regard-ing the true purpose of the SecondAmendment:

The right of the citizens to keepand bear arms has justly been con-sidered as the palladium of the lib-erties of a republic, since it offers astrong moral check against theusurpation and arbitrary power ofrulers, and will generally, even ifthese are successful in the firstinstance, enable the people to resistand triumph over them. [JosephStory, Commen-taries on the Consti-tution, Volume III,p. 646.]

If the arms owned bythe people are profound-ly inferior to those oftheir “rulers,” the abilityof the people “to resist”will be diminished, andthe “strong moral check”

on those rulers will be lost.Of course, that is whatDianne Feinstein and her ilk want.

GOA is uniqueamong pro-gungroups

Sadly, other pro-gungroups have run the otherway when fully automaticweapons are mentioned.

In fact, a lawyer for oneof these other “pro-gun”groups took the positionbefore the U.S. SupremeCourt that it was complete-ly reasonable for the feder-

al government to prohibit private own-ership of fully automatic weapons.

But when David Olofson’s AR-15malfunctioned and he was charged withowning a machine gun, it was GOA that came to his aid — not any othergun group.

No one thinks that the First Amend-ment should be limited to pamphletsproduced one at a time, as in revolu-tionary days.

No one disputes that the FirstAmendment also protects radio and TVstations and the Internet.

Likewise, no one should think thatthe Second Amendment should be lim-ited to Brown Bess muzzle-loadingsmoothbore muskets and Pennsylvaniarifles.

At all times, the Second Amendmentwas designed to protect the infantry“arms” of the times.

Gun owners can read both machinegun briefs in the Hollis and Watsoncases on the Gun Owners Foundationwebsite at www.gunowners.com. ■

Like Gun Owners On

Urgent News • Sweepstakes • GOA Merch

March 30, 2016 • The Gun Owners /Page 6

The Gun Owners is published by Gun Owners of America, Inc. 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 (703) 321-8585

but the aim is the same.

Background checks create theframework for gun confiscation

The anti-gun Left wants ALLfirearms sales, whether over the counterat a gun store or over the backyardfence with your neighbor, to be subjectto an FBI background registrationcheck.

After all, if the government keepstabs on every firearm sale, it wouldmake it that much easier to take gunsaway from people who are next to fallinto the “prohibited persons” category.

While stopping short of implement-ing complete Universal BackgroundChecks, the President’s executiveactions will have a chilling effect onprivate firearms sales by treating indi-viduals as licensed gun dealers if, insome cases, they sell “even a few” oftheir own firearms.

There’s no specific criteria that thegovernment can point to that clearlystates when an individual suddenlybecomes “engaged in the firearms busi-ness,” but individuals who sell their pri-vate collections — whether at a gunshow or anywhere else — will do so atsignificant risk.

If the government determines that theperson was, in fact, acting as a gundealer, he would face up to five years inprison and a $250,000 fine.

Not many people will be willing tosell a gun collection of any size withthat Sword of Damocles dangling overhead.

Obama: Add seniors’ namesinto NICS gun ban system

In another order, Obama is instruct-ing the Social Security Administrationto turn over to the FBI’s gun prohibitionlist (NICS) the names of beneficiarieswho are determined to be unable tohandle their own affairs.

This could potentially impact mil-lions of senior citizens, whose cher-ished gun collections could be at risk ofconfiscation.

The stage is also being set to useObamaCare mental health data to barpeople from owning guns.

Obama is proposing an additional“$500 million investment” for mentalhealth care, while at the same time“expressly permitting certain HIPAAcovered entities to provide to the NICS”specific information regarding mentalhealth patients.

This is getting closer and closer to“see a shrink, lose your guns,” which isthe reason Gun Owners of Americaopposed ObamaCare in the first place.

There’s more to the President’s neworders, including hiring hundreds ofnew government agents to enforce hisnew gun regime; adding more names toNICS through state records; andinstructing the Defense Department andother government agencies to developso-called “smart gun” technology — anexpensive endeavor that can lead to allsorts of problems for self-defensefirearms down the road.

With his new orders, Obama thumbshis nose at the Congress and the Ameri-can people.

Congress has repeatedly shut down Obama’s gun control initiatives

Congress voted on Universal Back-ground Checks and other gun controlmeasures many times, most recentlyjust days after the San Bernardinoshooting, and they went down in defeateach time. (See the article on p. 7)

But in his last year in office (cue the

Hallelujah Chorus), Obama is in fullcommunity activist mode. Instead ofdoing the important work of protectingliberty, he is rallying his leftist troops toagitate for restricting Americans’ liber-ty to freely own firearms.

In so doing, he makes a mockery ofthe tremendous challenges we face inkeeping America safe from violentthugs and deranged individuals, not tomention radicalized jihadists.

Obama believes that because ofrecent violence we should take a closerlook at our gun laws.

On that point, we agree: We do needto reexamine our gun laws. But whatwill make us safer is to repeal unconsti-tutional gun laws — including the Pres-ident’s new orders.

Gun Owners of America is alsoworking to remove restrictions on law-abiding citizens’ ability to carry con-cealed firearms. Even a WashingtonPost-ABC News poll shows that morepeople favor encouraging the lawfulcarrying of firearms than passing moregun control in response to terrorism.

And GOA continues to push for therepeal of gun free zones that make forso many “soft” targets. This point is dri-ven home by the fact that almost everymass shooting in America since 1950occurred in a “gun free zone.”

Turns out that protecting liberty alsohelps keep Americans safe. ■

Obama Coming After Your GunsContinued from page 1

GOA Helps Talk Show Host ‘See the Light’ on Background Checks“I thought it was a little hardcorethat Gun Owners of America hadalways opposed the backgroundchecks. But actually what hap-pened [when Obama used execu-tive actions to impose privatebackground checks] is a perfectexample of why Gun Owners ofAmerica was right from the verybeginning because once you give the government the ‘in’ to do something like this, they’re going to continue to take [our]Second Amendment rights.”

–– Talk show host Emil Franzi, January 9, 2016

March 30, 2016 • The Gun Owners /Page 7

The Gun Owners is published by Gun Owners of America, Inc. 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 (703) 321-8585

Gun Owners Frustrate Obama, Once Againby Michael Hammond

The Second Amendment com-munity handed Barack Obama ahumiliating defeat in December.

This drubbing came just a fewweeks after the Oregon commu-nity college tragedy ... one weekafter the horror in ColoradoSprings ... and one day after thecarnage in San Bernardino.

Obama has been nursing hisbruised ego since gun ownershanded him a stunning defeat inApril, 2013.

Repeatedly, Obama has saidthat he is more frustrated by theSecond Amendment community,than he is by ISIS.

For example, last summer, the Presi-dent called the failure to pass new guncontrol legislation the “greatest frustra-tion of my presidency.”

And in December, Obama’s growingfrustration reached new levels.

First, by a vote of 48-50 (with 60votes required), the Senate rejected a

Manchin-Toomey amendment toimpose “universal background checks”and, hence, universal gun registries onlaw-abiding Americans.

Despite a three-year press-fueledpropaganda campaign by every liberalinstitution in America, the largelyparty-line vote had exactly the samedefectors it had in 2013 — with Demo-

crat Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) vot-ing pro-gun, and turncoat Repub-licans Mark Kirk (R-IL), PatToomey (R-PA), Susan Collins(R-ME), and John McCain (R-AZ) voting anti-gun.

Second, Obama’s efforts totake away Americans’ guns byputting them on a secret blacklist(“watch list”) fared no better.

By a vote of 45-54, this Fein-stein amendment fell 15 votesshort of the 60 needed for pas-sage. That vote was also largelyparty-line, with Kirk again votinganti-gun and Heitkamp votingpro-gun.

Gun Owners of America activated its grassroots network prior to these votes, encouraging gun ownersto immediately contact their Senators.

Gun owners can sign up for theseemail alerts at www.tinyurl.com/kmhqp68. ■

Michael Hammond is the LegislativeCounsel for Gun Owners of America.

Gun Owners of America8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102Springfield, Virginia 22151

703-321-8585www.gunowners.org

Enroll as a Life Member at the special charter rate of only$500, which entitles you to full member privileges.

Also consider the easy payment plan with an initial depositof $50 (with the remainder to be billed to you) or as a

quarterly debit to your credit card for $50 until your GOA Life Membership is fully paid.

When you contact us by phone,email or mail, please provide uswith your name, address, city,state, zip and member number tobegin enjoying your Life Memberprivileges with Gun Owners ofAmerica.

Life Member

Harry Reid Frustrated by GOA’s No-compromise Stance

I am pleased to announce that a new executivedirector became the official spokesman for GunOwners of America on January 1 of this year.

As you know, Larry Pratt has guided our organi-zation for almost 40 years as the organization’sexecutive director. He will remain quite active asGOA’s Executive Director Emeritus — conductingmedia interviews and hosting his weekly radio pro-gram, the GOA NewsHour Radio.

Erich Pratt, who has served in various roles withthe organization for over 25 years — and for the

last decade as the Director of Communications —has now stepped into the role of Executive Director.

For all of the leadership and staff at GOA, wewant to thank you for your continued support. GunOwners of America will remain here in the nation’scapital, fighting a no-compromise battle to protectyour right to keep and bear arms.

Again, thank you for your support and for youractivism. It’s what gives us the encouragement tocontinue fighting for our rights.

Tim Macy, GOA Chairman

A Note from the Chairman:GOA Announces New Executive Director

Are you a GOA Life Member yet?

March 30, 2016 • The Gun Owners /Page 8

The Gun Owners is published by Gun Owners of America, Inc. 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 (703) 321-8585

Gun OwnersTHE

Sen. H.L. Richardson (Ret.)Founder

Tim MacyChairman

The Gun Owners publication is copyrighted. But copies may be made freely with attribution,giving GOA’s address, phone number and website location.

GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102Springfield, Virginia 22151703-321-8585Web Site: http://www.gunowners.org

Larry PrattExecutive Director Emeritus

John VellecoDirector of Operations

Erich PrattExecutive Director

Chris StoneDirector of Federal Affairs

by Larry PrattI recently did a Spanish-

language talk show, RadioBilingue, and was asked aboutthe President’s demand that allfirearms transactions be subjectto a background check.

I pointed to the hypocrisy of Obama Administration officials — how they want toknow about my sale of a revolver to a long-time neighbor,even while they ran a deadly Fast & Furious programwhich put thousands of semi-automatic rifles into thehands of the Mexican cartels.

The government’s reckless pursuit of a political agendacost the lives of almost 200 people — mostly Mexicans,so maybe they don’t matter to the administration?

Over 1,000 guns were lost by the Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. And we learned onlyrecently that one of those Fast & Furious guns was a .50 caliber sniper rifle that found its way into the hands of El Chapo.

All of this happened on Attorney General EricHolder’s watch. Yet there have been no prosecu-tions of any high-ranking official involved in Fast& Furious.

The Obama administration was behind the great-est effort to arm criminals in recent history, but theydon’t want you to buy a revolver at a gun show unlessgovernment officials approve the sale.

Never mind the fact that the overwhelming majorityof gun show sales only occur after governmentapproval! They want an all-encompassing system ofregistration where every gun buyer has to get per-mission from — or get registered through — thegovernment.

The dirty little secret, however, is that thesebackground checks are NOT stopping and incar-cerating bad guys who try to purchase guns illegally.

There were only 44 prosecutions of buyers goingthrough a background check in the last year of record(when more than ten million guns were sold).

We Don’t Need no Stinkin’Background Checks

Brady Law not keeping guns out of criminals’ hands

(1)72,659 denials by FBI

(2)44 prosecuted for illegally trying to purchase a firearm

(3)13 convicted and rendered incapable of possessing firearms

Source: Department of Justice, Enforcement of theBrady Act, 2010 (August 2012), p. 8, 11.

Total background checks FBI ran on gun buyers (2010)6,037,394

A lot of money and personnel time is devoted to a non-crime-fighting procedure — even while the governmentwas effectively helping guns flow into the hands of theMexican cartels.

Again, it wasn’t honest private sellers who were toblame for thousands of guns getting into the hands of thecartels — it was the federal government.

Does bureaucratic inertia explain why a multi-million-dollar program is continued when it is obviouslypointless?

It could, but the more cynical among us suspect that,although prohibited from keeping background check infofor more than 24 hours, the feds are compiling a nationalgun registry from those checks.

Fast & Furious was illegal. The IRS abuses of conser-vative groups was illegal. And NSA monitoring everycall made in the United States is illegal.

Yet since all these abuses happened, should we nothave an independent prosecutor look into how the FBIhandles gun owner information that is collected pursuant

to every background check? ■