From: msmith01@flash.net
Subject: SNET: [Fwd: MMM Advocates Force]
Date: 2 May 2001 14:15:07 -0400
To: Mark 

->  SNETNEWS  Mailing List


--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ari@oneimage.com (Ari Armstrong)
To: ari@oneimage.com
Date: Wed, 2 May 2001 08:49:28 -0600
Subject: COFREE: MMM Advocates Force
Message-ID: 

C O L O R A D O * F R E E D O M * R E P O R T *
http://www.co-freedom.com

Dear Friends,

DON'T FORGET: Join the TRT, the LP, and RMGO at the state capitol on
Mothers Day (May 13) at noon. Stand up for your rights!

Below is a new article outlining the fallacies and outright lies
perpetuated by the Million Mom organization. Also new on the web page is
an
article about the TRT; see
http://www.co-freedom.com/2001/05/trtmeet.html.

Now is the time to catch up on your libertarian reading! Laissez Faire
Books is offering ***15% OFF*** its entire catalogue! Plus, if you order
via the COFREE link, a portion of the proceeds goes to offset our
operating
expenses. What are you waiting for? Mises, Hayek, Sowell, Rothbard,
Rand,
and others are WAITING FOR YOU at
http://www.laissezfairebooks.com/index.cfm?aid=10025

Free Colorado,
Ari Armstrong

             Million Moms Libel the TRT,
             Advocate the Use of Force

              by Ari Armstrong, May 2, 2001
       http://www.co-freedom.com/2001/05/mmm.html

My mom always told me to tell the truth.

Unfortunately, that's a lesson that doesn't seem to have sunk
in with the leaders of the Million Mom March.

In an e-mail dated April 25, the Denver chapter libeled Bob
Glass and other members of the Tyranny Response Team.
The e-mail, sent to
millionmommarch_denver@yahoogroups.com, states:

       While all of our opponents have a right to
       express their views and try to counter ours
       by peaceful protest, writing letters to the
       editor and talking to the legislators, etc., the
       TRT have routinely attempted to silence our
       voice and stop our meetings by bullying and
       intimidation. As defenders of the Bill of
       Rights, we find it incongruous that they
       systematically attempt to deny ours...

Put simply, that is a flat-out lie. The TRT has never
attempted to use force to "silence" the Million Moms or stop
them from meeting. The TRT has never attempted to deny
Million Mom members their civil right of free speech. Instead,
TRT leaders like Bob Glass have called for and pursued the
peaceful exercise of the First Amendment right of free
speech. Glass has stated unequivocally that the Million
Moms have equal rights of speech.

True, the TRT is intentionally confrontational in the sense that
its members plan counter-rallies at Million Mom events. Hey,
that's America! Apparently, the Million Moms think the First
Amendment should also be limited to what they deem is
appropriate.

As Glass has also argued, it is the Million Mom group that
seeks to use force to strip others of their civil rights.
Specifically, the Million Mom group seeks to turn the mere
peaceable possession and trade of private property into a
crime. The Million Moms explicitly seek to ban certain
self-defense tools and force all gun owners to register with
the federal government. Of course, such restrictions are
backed up by SWAT agents armed to the teeth with full
authority to bust down doors in the middle of the night.

Members of the TRT advocate peaceful human
co-existence and civil rights, while the Million Mom group
advocates the use of force and violence against peaceable
citizens.

As a case in point, the Denver Million Moms advocate using
force to disarm legal adults ages 18-20. Citizens in this
group can fight in wars, get married, and have children. Yet
the Million Moms want to strip them of their fundamental civil
right of self-defense. The e-mail from the group states:

       Please CALL your Senator and encourage
       him or her to vote for SB225!!!! And against
       HRC 1001.

       SB225 requires parental permission for
       anyone in the age bracket of 18-21 to obtain
       a handgun. (transfers under age 18 are illegal
       by federal law). This would match federal law
       for private sales and avoid confusing of
       conflicting laws. 18- and 19- year olds
       commit more crimes than any other age
       group. 84% of the crime guns seized from
       18-24 year olds are handguns. Because of
       the inherent responsibility required of a
       person drinking alcohol, legal drinking is not
       permitted until 21. Shouldn't it be the same
       for purchasing a handgun?

       President Bush supports SB 225 as written
       and would even go one step farther: "Bush
       supports raising the age from 18 to 21 to
       POSSESS a handgun without parental
       supervision." See
       http://georgewbush.com/issues/guns.html. If
       the President can support it, so can the
       Governor and everybody else....

       Additionally, the Governor should be
       reminded of the importance of this bill. (And
       also reminded that this was part of his
       proposed package of gun safety measures.

True, federal law prohibits 18-20 year olds from purchasing
some firearms. But that's an argument only for repealing the
unjust federal laws.

The vast majority of 18-20 year olds are responsible adults,
not criminals. They should not be treated like criminals. Only
the tiny minority who harm the person or property of
someone else should be treated as criminals.

Yes, legal adults ages 18-20 should also have the right to
purchase any beverage they choose. There is simply no
substantiation to the claim that raising the drinking age in
Colorado contributed to the decline in drunk driving deaths.
Instead, that decline is attributable wholly to better education
and enforcement efforts. (During the years the higher drinking
age was implemented, drunk driving deaths actually
increased, bucking the previous trend.) But the issue of
alcohol is relatively trivial. The right to buy alcohol is not
guaranteed by the U.S. or Colorado Constitution. An
alcoholic beverage cannot save your life if a criminal breaks
into your home and threatens your children.

Finally, the fact that Bush and Owens support such laws is
beside the point. Previous politicians supported slavery and
forced segregation, even though it was morally wrong.

The Million Moms' attitude of "rights for me but not for thee"
is also manifest in another section of the e-mail:

       House Concurrent Resolution 1001,
       changing the initiative process

       One of our members pointed out point
       about HCR 1001 which will restrict the
       initiative process like that used to close the
       gunshow loophole. 'One very salient point
       not made concerning HCR 1001 is that it
       very likely is unconstitutional. The Colorado
       State Supreme court has already ruled that
       restrictions such as those presented in HCR
       1001 are unconstitutional.' Good point to use
       -- voting for this bill will waste taxpayers
       money in the court challenge and eventual
       loss. Call your senator.

There are good reasons to oppose the initiative bill, but why
does the Million Mom group ignore the constitution
generally? Both Amendment 22 and the bill to strip adults
ages 18-20 of their right of self-defense violate the Colorado
Constitution, which states:

"The right of no person to keep and bear arms in
defense of his home, person and property... shall be
called in question..."

Even Bill Clinton would be hard-pressed to find an
ambiguity in that statement.

Unfortunately, as their e-mail makes clear, leaders of the
Denver Million Mom March are so intent on imposing their
will through the use of force that they are willing to lie to get
their way.

****************
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to the *Colorado Freedom Report* at a rate of $20 per
year
or more and help spread the liberty message in our area. Please send
your
check payable to "Ari Armstrong," Box 745015, Arvada, CO 80006. Thank
you!

LAISSEZ FAIRE BOOKS carries a wide range of libertarian and freedom
books.
Educate yourself, find great gift ideas for others, and help the
*Colorado
Freedom Report* in the process when you use the following link:
http://www.laissezfairebooks.com/index.cfm?aid=10025

TO REMOVE YOUR ADDRESS from this list, or to change it, please send an
e-mail to ari@oneimage.com stating your preferences. If this message was
forwarded to you and you would like to join the list directly, please
send
an e-mail to ari@oneimage.com asking to join. Ari Armstrong, Box 745015,
Arvada, CO 80006, 303.412.8356.



-> To unsubscribe send email to snetnews-unsubscribe@topica.com

==^================================================================
EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?b1ddDh.b1hB2A
Or send an email To: snetnews-unsubscribe@topica.com
This email was sent to: gateway@horus.bticc.net

T O P I C A  -- Learn More. Surf Less.
Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Topics You Choose.
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01
==^================================================================