I’ve previously discussed the fake gun rights group, the American Hunters and Shooters Association. Yesterday, I received an unsolicited email from their political director, Colin Rogero, in which they attempt to falsely pass themselves off as pro gun, while the facts show that they are as anti gun as it gets.
Background information on the anti gun group American Hunters and Shooters Association
Reeling from defeat in the 1994 and 2000 elections, the anti gun politicians and their lobbyists knew that they would need to find a way of gaining the support of America’s gun owners. The simplest solution would have been to stop opposing the Second Amendment right to gun ownership, but they decided to go a different route. The American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA), an organization founded and staffed by anti gun lobbyists and supporters, was born.
- AHSA president Ray Schoenke has a long history of giving political donations to some of the most anti-gun politicians, including Al Gore, John Kerry, Barbara Boxer, Bill Clinton, Dianne Feinstein and Ted Kennedy. In 2000, Schoenke donated $5,000 to Handgun Control, Inc. (now the Brady Campaign) and the Ray and Holly Schoenke Foundation also made donations to the Brady Campaign.
- AHSA Board member John Rosenthal remains the leader of Stop Handgun Violence, the Massachusetts anti-gun group.
- A leading organizer of AHSA is Bob Ricker, who has been a paid expert witness against gun manufacturers in a number of reckless lawsuits.
- AHSA supported Bloomberg’s effort to repeal the law that protects confidential law enforcement data from disclosure that threatens the privacy of gun owners and the safety of law enforcement officers—all so that Bloomberg could use the information in reckless lawsuits against the firearms industry.
- AHSA filed an amici curiae (friend of the court) brief in D.C. v. Heller, where they argued in favor of keeping handgun ban.
- AHSA has endorsed Obama/Biden, the most anti gun presidential candidates this country has seen.
- The AHSA supported a ban on so-called “assault weapons.”
Since their inception, the American Hunters and Shooters Association has been run by anti gun rights individuals, has testified before congress in favor of gun control, has endorsed anti gun rights candidates, and has opposed well known and trusted pro gun rights groups such as the NRA. Simply put, the American Hunters and Shooters Association is as dishonest and anti-gun-rights as gets. More information about the AHSA and their anti gun track record can be seen here and here.
Today’s email from the American Hunters and Shooters Association
Contact: Colin Rogero
February 26, 2009
Cell: 202-262-9995
Email: Colin@huntersandshooters.com
*****************For Immediate Release***********************Ray Schoenke tells Attorney General Holder: Don’t renew the assault weapons ban. It didn’t reduce crime. It’s bad policy and even worse politics.
Washington, D.C. – Ray Schoenke, the President of the American Hunters and Shooters Association (AHSA), delivered a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder urging him to reconsider his comments about renewing the federal assault weapons ban.
Schoenke, who campaigned in key battleground states for Barack Obama last fall told Holder:
“Based on your comments today, it appears that the Obama administration may attempt to reinstate [the federal assault weapons] ban. As President of AHSA, I encourage you to negate that effort. The assault weapons ban is an issue of personal freedom, that deeply concerns America’s hunting, shooting, and sporting community. And even greater than the politics, the issue is bad policy.
Most importantly, the law had no measurable effect on crime reduction. Instead, the law demonized lawful gun owners and became a lightning rod for a decade long public debate over gun crime that merely served to divert time and resources from our already over-burdened law enforcement agencies. Frankly, it has been an unnecessary distraction. Gun owners support efforts to keep our communities safe. We just want those policies directed at the root cause of crime and violence and not just symbolism, which is how the Washington Post accurately described the ban back in 1994.”
After sending the letter, Schoenke stated, “The Obama administration shouldn’t be distracted from handling the important economic issues currently facing our country. This type of legislation will only disillusion the millions of law-abiding gun owners who voted for Barack Obama, believing that he did indeed support their right to own firearms.”
—
Colin Rogero
Political Director
AHSA
www.huntersandshooters.com
My thoughts
First, as discussed above, it should be clear that the American Hunters and Shooters Association is not a pro gun rights group, but rather a group of anti gun individuals in (poor) disguise. Even their most recent blog posts try to lull gun owners into complacency, despite the serious threat to gun rights that the Obama administration represents. This email where they now claim to oppose a ban on so-called “assault weapons” is a reversal of their previous position, where they supported a ban on such guns suitable for self defense purposes, and just another attempt at deception. I sincerely hope that no gun owners are fooled by the AHSA, and instead join the NRA and help protect our gun rights. I also hope that the AHSA doesn’t foolishly and unsuccessfully try to use me or other pro gun rights individuals as part of their future propaganda campaigns.