Gun Control at Olympics

[Teddy Lancaster <Teddy@runningbear.com>]

Sorry to clutter, if you are NOT interested, delete this, if you
are, read on:

The Salt Lake City Olympics (winter) coming up is trying to
change the state law on people's rights to bear arms.  If this is
a concern, read the attached file.

Teddy
Subject: Nolympics list and update
Resent-Date: Wed, 30 Dec 98 01:31:28 CST
Resent-From: <teddy@viper.runningbear.com>
Resent-To: run4bear@ticmail.net
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1998 00:12:40 -0700
From: "S. Thompson" <righter@therighter.com>
Reply-To: the_righter@therighter.com
To: righter-list@aros.net

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE AND REPOST WIDELY!!!!

Hi all!

At long last, the Nolympics mail list is up and ready for business.  (Thanks
to the folks at aros.net for their invaluable assistance in getting the list
functioning properly!)

The goal of the Nolympics list is to facilitate the efforts of all people
working to end gun control at the Olympics.  The list is a two-way list
which means that you are encouraged to post your own thoughts, ideas,
suggestions, questions, and to help others who have questions or problems.
If we're going to succeed, it needs to be a group effort!

Please keep posts as brief as possible, stay "on topic", and refrain from
posting unnecessary messages.  Doing so will keep the volume of mail down so
that people don't get overwhelmed and can stay focused.

This is NOT a list for debate about the Second Amendment or the merits of
gun control.  There are plenty of other lists for that.  This list is for
people who choose to work on the "Gun Control and Olympics" problem.

The list owner (me) reserves the right to remove subscribers who persist in
violating the list rules after adequate notice of violation has been given.

To subscribe to the Nolympics list, send a message to:
        majordomo@aros.net
In the body of the message put:
        subscribe nolympics

You will then get further instructions and full information by return mail.
You can unsubscribe at any time, so consider joining us!  (Expect some minor
delays, since I'm sure there are some bugs I haven't found yet!)

If you have your own web page, _please_ consider linking to the Nolympics
site - http://www.therighter.com/column/Olympics.html.

In other news, it has now come to light that the Salt Lake Olympics bid
committee spent $10,000 on - you guessed it! - FIREARMS which were given to
various International Olympic Committee members prior to Salt Lake City
being named as the site for the 2002 Olympics.

Whether these very expensive rifles and shotguns were "gifts" or "bribes"
will ultimately be decided by those investigating alleged bribery by the
Olympic bid committee, but half of them were "billed after the IOC enacted
rules that barred its members from receiving gifts worth more than $50
initially and later $150".  And whether the recipients of these firearms are
even allowed to possess them in their own countries is unknown, since the
list of recipients hasn't been released.

The rifles and shotguns were manufactured by Utah's famed Browning firearms.

You can read the story at:
http://www.sltrib.com/1998/dec/12191998/utah/68433.htm

Now, it's shameful enough that there are allegations of bribery surrounding
the Salt Lake City Olympics.  It's even worse when that alleged bribery
involves "gifts" of firearms to officials who are actively working to
subvert the right of Americans to keep and bear arms.  Apparently these
officials believe that wealthy, elitist Olympics officials have the right to
firearms, but ordinary American citizens, even those who have been subjected
to a rigorous background check, do not "deserve" that same right.

But it's even worse...  Those of you who have ever purchased a firearm are
no doubt familiar with the BATF's Form 4473 (a permanent record of all
firearms transfers which the BATF somehow maintains is _not_ gun
registration), without which one cannot purchase a firearm from a
manufacturer, dealer or Federal Firearms Licensee.

Question 9a asks: "Are you the actual buyer of the firearm listed on this
form?  If you answer 'no' to this question, the dealer cannot transfer the
firearm to you."  I've been told that this question is intended to prevent a
person from buying firearms and transferring them to people who may not
legally purchase them.  Yet it appears that the SL Olympics bid committee
folks not only purchased firearms not intended for their own personal use,
they transferred them to persons not legally permitted to purchase them!

Were the IOC officials who received the firearms eligible to purchase them?
Probably not.  The BATF has this to say on the subject:

"An alien who is legally in the United States will be considered to be a
resident of a State for the purpose of complying with the GCA if he has
resided in that State continuously for at least 90 days before purchasing a
firearm. Note, however, that even a legal resident alien who has lived in
the U.S. for many years will have to wait 90 days before purchasing a
firearm if he changes his State of residence.

"Alternative to the 90-day Standard

"An alien legally in the United States and who has been authorized in
writing by the principal officer of an embassy or consulate to purchase a
firearm would be considered a resident of the State where the embassy or
consulate is located for purposes of purchasing a firearm.

"The Federal firearms licensee must attach the letter of authorization to
the completed Form 4473 and retain it as part of the permanent records."

Falsifying Form 4473 in any way is a federal felony, but I haven't heard  a
word about the BATF investigating Olympics officials.  I guess they're too
busy stemming the tide of highly dangerous bayonet lugs.  But I know _I'd_
love to see those Form 4473's.  Wouldn't you?

You might consider calling your local BATF office (maybe anonymously!) and
asking why they're not investigating these probably illegal firearms
purchases.  You might even enlist some HCI members who will no doubt be
_horrified_ that such things are allowed to happen! <g>

Of course I don't think that _anyone_ should have to fill out those wretched
forms, or pass background checks to purchase a firearm.  But if Americans
have to be subjected to such onerous laws, then so should visitors to this
country.  I know of no Olympic nation that will allow an American to carry
firearms while in its territory.

The whole thing's appalling.  Olympic officials are allowed to buy guns
illegally, transfer them illegally, and all the while they're insisting that
law-abiding Americans must be forceably disarmed.

So far no bills concerning gun control and the Olympics have been filed,
which is to be expected.  Any such bill will likely be negotiated behind
closed doors and passed without opportunity for public comment or debate.
But rest assured - Utah legislators are not "asleep at the wheel".  Anti-gun
Senate President Lane Beattie has filed a bill request entitled "Criminal
Penalty for Drive-By Shooting".  And all this time I thought drive-by
shootings were _already_ illegal!

Then again, maybe the new bill will exempt Olympics officials.....

This will likely be the last post to The Righter dealing with the Olympics
problem.  So if you're interested, please join the Nolympics list, and if
you're not interested, things will get back to normal with a New Year's
column on Wednesday or Thursday.

Thanks to all of you for your support and patience!

Best wishes for a Happy New Year!

Sarah

Sarah Thompson, M.D.
http://www.therighter.com

Stop the Gun Ban!
NO-lympics 2002!
Check out http://www.therighter.com/column/Olympics.html
And now you can link directly to the Nolympics page too!
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