Million Moms Libel the TRT,
Advocate the Use of Force
by Ari
Armstrong
http://www.co-freedom.com/
May 2, 2001
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.
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