| Dear Readers, | | | | these recent and tragic events for what they truly |
| June 20th, 2007 | | | | are? Examples and reasons that strengthen the |
| In light of the recent events surrounding the incident at | | | | position of The American Gun Association and its |
| Virginia Tech the American Gun Association is diligently | | | | members. The Right to Bear Arms is an essential and |
| preparing to address the coming storm of issues that | | | | fundamental right of every "law abiding" American. The |
| will, no doubt be raised anew concerning Americans | | | | issues regarding circumstances that allow certain |
| Constitutional right to bear arms. The American Gun | | | | irresponsible individuals to obtain weapons are another |
| Association remains stead fast in our commitment to | | | | issue all together. These are issues that are better left |
| rally all Americans in defense of their right to bear | | | | to psychiatrists, law enforcement officials, judges, and |
| arms. And to this end we are redoubling our efforts to | | | | other experts in fields such as psychiatric evaluation. |
| recruit more members to rally against those who seek | | | | This is not an issue that involves the Second |
| to infringe against our rights as Americans by using the | | | | Amendment Right at all. On the contrary, the Second |
| isolated, obscure, and criminal actions of unstable and | | | | Amendment of the Constitution was set in place to |
| deranged individuals as ammunition for their sorted | | | | protect us against just such individuals. The American |
| causes. | | | | Gun Association is unequivocally in support of those |
| While the American Gun Association sends its sincere | | | | individuals and/or organizations that seek to enact legal |
| condolences to the families and friends of the Virginia | | | | devices to prevent certain unstable, questionable, or |
| Tech tragedy we refuse to sit idly by as proponents | | | | criminal individuals from obtaining guns legally. We |
| use this incident and incidents like it to spearhead | | | | salute these individuals and organizations for their |
| bogus and rhetorical fallacies in regard to our | | | | works and applaud their efforts. The American Gun |
| Constitutional Right to bear arms. In my opinion the | | | | Association does however, stringently oppose those |
| recent events in Virginia and California only solidify the | | | | individuals or organization who attempt to restrict, |
| position of The American Gun Association. In that, we | | | | prohibit, or otherwise initiate, propositions that seek to |
| realize that there are individuals in America that should | | | | tie unrelated issues to the Second Amendment. |
| not have access to guns or weapons of any sort. This | | | | Including attempts to influence or undermine the |
| organization realizes that there are people in our | | | | Second Amendment by using issues and arguments |
| society that use their Constitutional Rights to do harm. | | | | that are unrelated to the meaning of the Amendment |
| This is nothing new and has always been a part of the | | | | itself. |
| fabric that binds us all together as a society. It is, as | | | | Though the American Gun Association understands |
| unfortunate as it sounds, a fact that with all the good | | | | the dichotomy presented by violence and civil rights in |
| that comes from being a free society there has | | | | relation to the Second Amendment. We understand |
| always been, continues to be, and will always exist, | | | | that the concept of violence and guns is an |
| that portion of our society from which we must | | | | unfortunate part of American Society. These |
| accept the bad. However, those very same principles | | | | individuals who "freely choose" to perpetrate criminal |
| and rights that allow those who would commit the | | | | acts upon our "free social structures, individuals, and |
| actions that expose the bad elements in our society | | | | institutions" should be dealt with in the appropriate and |
| are the very same principles and rights that allow law | | | | correct medical or legal forums. And not be incorrectly |
| abiding Americans to peruse happiness and remain | | | | linked to the legal rights of law abiding citizens in |
| secure in their own person. Part of this security | | | | relation to right afforded and guaranteed to them by |
| includes being able to defend yourself in the face of | | | | the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the |
| imminent and/or unforeseen dangers. No matter what | | | | United States of America. |
| that danger is. This is both directly and indirectly the | | | | The American Gun Association needs your donations |
| principle foundation upon which the Founding Fathers | | | | now more than ever. Please give generously for the |
| of this great nation constructed the institution of the | | | | protection of your Second Amendment rights. Without |
| Second Amendment. The American Gun Association | | | | your donations we cannot continue to insure that your |
| asks the question: would one legally obtained, licensed, | | | | rights are protected. We all have to stand behind the |
| and registered handgun in the possession of a | | | | principles of the belief for our right to bear arms. Your |
| responsible, law abiding student have prevented the | | | | generous contributions are greatly appreciated. |
| tragedy at Virginia Tech? | | | | Again the American Gun Association sends its |
| Do we allow the few to govern the many through their | | | | sincerest condolences to all those affected by the |
| individual and irresponsible actions? Or, do we view | | | | recent tragedies. |