John Lott, author of "More Guns, Less Crime" and "The Media Bias Against Guns" will be on OSU's campus to debate Jim Kessler, Americans for Gun Safety Policy Director.

The focus of the debate will be: "Should Government in a Free Society Limit Gun Ownership?" and will be at OSU's Ohio Union East Ballroom at 7:30PM on October 26, 2004.

The moderator is James Luck.

This will be a formal debate with 20 minutes allotted for audience questions.

Related Story:
AFGS: Wolf in Sheeps' Clothing

OFCC's Rick Kaleda was on hand at a press conference in Youngstown/Warren, OH, when NRA chief executive Wayne LaPierre made this all-important announcement:

October 13, 2004
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - The National Rifle Association endorsed President Bush for re-election on Wednesday, promising millions of dollars for ads, phone banks and other get-out-the-vote efforts.

"The Supreme Court is going to be crucial to the future of the Second Amendment, and President Bush will appoint justices that respect the Bill of Rights," NRA chief executive Wayne LaPierre told The Associated Press in a phone interview before announcing the endorsement at a news conference in Duluth, Minn.

Bush also supports legislation to protect the firearms industry from lawsuits and opposes centralizing files on gun owners, LaPierre said, calling the difference between Bush and Democrat John Kerry on guns "day and night."

LaPierre also planned news conferences in Flint, Mich.; Youngstown, Ohio, and Pittsburgh.

The gun-rights group's political action committee has already spent roughly $1 million on TV and other advertising opposing Kerry.

The NRA plans to spend about $20 million in all, focused on 10 to 15 targeted states, with efforts including radio, television and newspaper ads, phone banks, door-to-door voter contacts, up to 10 million pieces of direct mail and election messages in magazines that go to the group's 4 million members.

The pro-Bush spending will be done by the NRA's PAC, which is financed with limited donations from the NRA's members. The campaign law that went into effect this election cycle cut off a major source of past NRA election spending by broadly barring the use of corporate money in any amount and unlimited donations from any source in presidential and congressional races.

Kerry's campaign has derided the NRA's leaders as tools of the Republican Party and said they are out of touch with their membership.

Kerry says he has been a hunter from childhood and a gun owner who supports the Second Amendment. But he has voted in favor of gun control and has supported extending a now-expired ban on assault-style weapons and requiring background checks at gun shows. He opposes granting gun makers immunity from civil lawsuits.

Kerry has been endorsed by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. The gun-control group said Wednesday that it is joining with the Million Mom March to air a TV ad criticizing Bush's failure to press for renewal of the assault-weapons ban. The ad will air in Philadelphia, Cleveland and Miami over the next week, with an initial buy of $100,000, spokesman Peter Hamm said.

White House Communications Director Dan Bartlett welcomed the endorsement and said, "The NRA recognizes that President Bush understands that law-abiding citizens have a right to own firearms as well as to put the focus of our anti-crime policies on those who commit crimes with guns."

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All You Need To Know About John Kerry's Stance on Guns

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NRA ready to unleash fusillade of ads against Kerry in key battleground states

OFCC President Jeff Garvas' letter about John Kerry's stance on guns has generated quite a reaction from readers of this website from all over the country. Garvas' letter was written in response to a supposedly pro-gun voter who is supporting "Million" Mom/ Brady bunch candidate John Kerry...

Mr. Jeff Garvas,

I read your piece regarding Mr. Kerry's stance on guns. Well done.

I attend many political rallies in my home state and am not afraid to
ask pointed questions of candidates. Whenever a candidate for office claims
to be "a supporter of the 2nd Amendment" while also claiming to support "common
sense restrictions", I always follow up with the following question of that
candidate:

You do understand that the 2nd Amendment is: "...the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed"? If that's the case, exactly what
part of "shall not be infringed" do you not understand?

Respectfully,

Lee McGee
Jeanerette, LA

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Re: A Message From the President About John Kerry:

In case anyone has some disbeliefs of [Kerry and guns], maybe you should get the word from the horses mouth:

http://www.bradycampaign.org

Look up John Kerry and tell me if that is someone that who is pro gun.

Anonymous

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Political Bias?

I applaud your efforts to refrain from criticism of national politics. As a grass roots group dedicated to the right to carry in Ohio, you have done a great job of focusing on the task of getting a law passed and now on reforming the flawed law. I find that your information is not intended to deceive, rather to inform. Your (and my) cause to reform firearm laws and better society is a great task that requires much work, and I truly appreciate your efforts.

Your news statement about John Kerry being a poor choice for President is very accurate. You cannot hide from your past, especially if you are running for the highest office in the land. One thing is very clear about this November election: If John Kerry is elected President of the United States of America, our rights as gun owners will be in the greatest peril since the foundation of our country.

The quote "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss" would apply in terms of world policy and domestic policy. Nobody can possibly argue that our lives would change drastically due to who is President with one exception: the new boss could support legislation to take away our right to own a firearm.

John Kerry has supported legislation to take away guns. Period.

He is the wrong man to be President. Our founding fathers wrote the Constitution and amended it to include the Right to Bear Arms, second only to the right to free speech. I find it hypocritical that John Kerry says the Patriot Act restricts the First Amendment while legislation to restrict the Second Amendment would be OK. Please, please vote for our right to self-defense, our right to bear arms in November.

David Volk
Blissfield, Michigan

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