I present for yourconsideration Sportsmen for Clinton? and Sportsmen for Obama?The next presidential election will be especially important in case the Democratsretain control of the House and Senate.
American Hunters and Shooters Association
Thursday, 22 September 2005
History - It Is Pretty Short
The huntersandshooters.com website was licensed April 25, 2005. The majority of the site seems to have been written in June 2005. So they are new.
Update: August 7, 2005 - As of August 3,2005 the registration information for huntersandshooters.com has been updated to reflect the AHSA as the owner of the site name. There is no change in the blatant anti-gun rights positions expressed on the site.
Who Is DCS?
They are a collection of Democratic operatives that have worked for some of the country's leading gun grabbers.
Gerry Kavanaugh - President
From the AHSA website:
... a close advisor to the John Edwards for President campaign. Prior to working for John Edwards, he was the Policy Director for the Democratic National Committee. Mr. Kavanaugh served as Senator Edward M. Kennedy's Chief of Staff and worked with him through both his 1994 and 2000 re-elections.
David Bonior - Founding Principal
Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976 serving for 26 years. A reliable voter for gun control.
DCS utilizes cutting edge technology to create a winning Internet strategy for elected officials, campaigns and organizations. Our experienced political and Internet team will work directly with campaigns, political organizations, and their strategic partners to develop a plan that combines creative, research-driven messages with aggressive online advocacy. We will work with your fundraising, press and issue teams in their earliest stages to develop effective Internet strategies, full media plans, and fundraising strategies that can be turned into potent and powerful solutions.
My favorite part is: "research-driven messages". What they are really saying is that they find out what you want to hear so that their client can tell you that.
This is a who's-who of gun grabbers. They also list a slew of other Congressman. Every Congressman that DCS lists is a Democrat. That should tell us something.
This list does not include any donations to the Democratic National Committee (which have been numerous and substantive) or any state or local organization. It also does not include any donations to individuals we do not have time to research. And finally, it does not include any donations by his wife. We believe this list is long enough to speak to Ray Schoenke's commitment to the Second Amendment.
Bob Ricker, Executive Director, AHSA
Bob Ricker is a former employee of the NRA and turned sides a number of years ago.
He is also listed as AHSA Executive Vice President, Shooting Resources.
At one time he was Chairman of Stop Handgun Violence, a Massachusetts organization formed to promote gun control. He worked with Handgun Control President Michael Barnes on a national billboard campaign at the U.S. Capitol to call on Congress to pass gun laws similar to those in Massachusetts.
On the Leadership page, this John Rosenthal is stated as being from Boston and says
Mr. Rosenthal has played a pivotal role in the successful gun violence prevention efforts in the City of Boston ...
A simple Google search finds a John E. Rosenthal active in the Boston area as a gun control advocate. Read a Boston Magazine profile of him.
Allowed his name to be used by the Brady Campaign in a letter to senators as against a 2004 version of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.
Jody Powell, Co-Chairman, AHSA Advisory Board
A. Austin Dorr, Co-Chairman, AHSA Advisory Board
Dan Drummond, Press Contact
Chairman - Fairfax City Democratic Committee
Supported Tim Kaine for VA govenor who, has been a rabid gun grabber but is now tryed to change his stripes during the campaign. See Tim Kaine and gun control.
Seems to work for Weber Shandwick Worldwide, a professional PR agency.
AHSA Stated Goals
On the Who We Are of the website you will find the following:
According to a 2003 Field & Stream National Hunting Survey, sportsmen overwhelmingly support reasonable gun safety proposals. Moreover, an overwhelming majority of hunters support proposals like background checks to purchase guns, keeping military style assault weapons off our streets and the elimination of cop killer bullets.
In recent years, extreme political positions purporting to support gun rights have jeopardized our sport and have hurt the image of responsible gun owners. Unless the sporting community can become unified behind an organization that fights for safe and responsible hunting and shooting practices and sensible gun ownership, future generations may be unable to participate in and enjoy the shooting sports.
So, they support renewing an Assault Weapons Ban and the elimination of Cop Killer Bullets. Clarity is achieved.
In reality, the Cop Killer Bullet issue is an invention of Senator Kennedy and a series of bills and amendments he has proposed over the years. See Senate Amendment 1615 and Senate Amendment 2619. He attempts to confuse people about the differences between body armor, which protects people, and armor piercing ammunition, which is designed to penetrate vehicle armor plating. Even the Fraternal Order of Police says that
The truth of the matter is that only one law enforcement officer has been killed by a round fired from a handgun which penetrated his soft body armor--and in that single instance, it was the body armor that failed to provide the expected ballistic protection, not because the round was "armor piercing."
It is our view that no expansion or revision of the current law is needed to protect law enforcement officers. To put it simply, this is not a genuine officer safety issue.
For more information on the 'Cop Killer Bullet' issue, see Neal Knox on SA2619.
How Are They Being Used
Already the Citizens for a Safe Minnesota is trumpeting the AHSA organization (as if it really was) saying that 'Sportsmen fed up with the NRA'.
Final Analysis
This group is a gun control advocacy group that is masquerading as a gun rights group. There is every indication that they are a suborganization of the Democratic party. They are even in the same building as the Democratic Leadership Council. They will be happy to take money from gullible gun owners and use it against them and us.
The real goal is to fracture the power of the NRA before the next presidential election so the Democrats face a less formidable opponent.
In no way is the gun rights block a monolithic voting block. Some will love this group; some will be deceived by it. Make no mistake. They are the enemy of the Constitution.
About Us | Copyright 2004-2008, Gun Law News Do not construe anything you read here to be legal advice. Consult your attorney for any advice you may require.
