Reprise

                            by Brad Alpert

Gunowners have every right to question the level of commitment directed
towards the preservation,  restoration, and furtherance of our Second
Amendment rights by the Congress which we helped elect.  In interviews
with defeated Democrats, exit poll data compiled by news organizations,
and from the words of "President" Bill Clinton himself, it has been
established to everyones' satisfaction that gunowners paved the way for
the Republican landslide.

The money, hard work, and tireless effort we expended during the
election cycle thus sent an unmistakable message:  The American
gunowner has awakened and will work hard to defeat those who would
strip from us our inalienable right to keep and bear arms.

Now that 93% of those in Congress who voted in favor of the Crime bill
have been ejected from the offices they defiled, what do we have to
show for our efforts?  So far, very little.  We have seen the
Republican House leadership submit for repeal individual components of
the Crime Act - but nothing pertaining to the "assault weapon" ban.  We
have seen nothing originate in the Senate, where Majority Leader Bob
Dole - providing more proof (as if any were needed) that he's written
us off - has brushed away any suggestion that he will champion any
repeal effort.

We saw the House leadership maneuver into oblivion the attempt by Reps.
Chapman, Stockman, and Bartlett to repeal this unconstitutional act
in its entirety and then stand by in embarrassed silence when Rep.
Brewster (D-OK) joined with more than two dozen Democrats to stridently
call for its repeal.

Speaker Newt Gingrich has attempted to deflect criticism of his
perceived sellout by stating that Clinton would veto any attempt to
repeal the ban, and that putting partisan muscle behind such a doomed
attempt would cost dearly in terms of political momentum.  He has
promised us congressional hearings on the Second Amendment, to be held
after the first 100 days have passed, and that these hearings will
include an investigation into BATF abuses as part of their overall goal
of defining the scope, nature, and meaning of the Second Amendment.  It
is within the context of these widely-publicized hearings that Newt
says movement towards repeal of the ban will be made.

From the standpoint of realpolitik, there is undoubtedly much to be
said for the cautious tone of Newt's strategy.  On the other hand,
there is also much to be said on behalf of the idea that the Republican
Party owes us a whole lot more than the tepid support they've given us
so far.

It occurs to me that a Republican Party that was truly grateful for and
appreciative of our support would see to it that ban repeal language
was included in every single piece of legislation that landed on
Clinton's desk.  Further, they could see to it that every
appropriations bill that likewise went there would include a defunding
of the BATF pending denial of civil rights charges being filed against
the higher-ups and those "on the ground" from the Marshals Service,
FBI, and BATF who were involved in the blitzkrieg assaults in Ruby
Ridge and Waco.  A demand could be included that murder charges be
lodged against FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi, who testified that he was
capable of "hitting a quarter at 200 yards" but who, somehow,
"mistakenly" shot a stationary, infant-ladden Vicky Weaver in the face
from that same range.

These are things that a grateful Republican Party could do for us.

Until the November elections, I was afraid that the expanding abuses of
our rights - in many areas - would result, inevitably and tragically,
in a shooting war.  Then the landslide swept most from power most of
those who had most virulently endeavored to remove from us our Liberty
teeth,in relief, I relaxed a bit.

Relaxation time is over.  We have got to get back to work.  It is
absolutely essential that we remind those whom we elected that we
expect a lot more than what they're giving us.

The future of the Republic - and the lives of many good people, I fear
- depend upon it.


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