[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 89 (Friday, May 26, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S7611]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



[[Page S7611]]

                     THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION

  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I rise today to speak briefly on a 
matter that has caused me great personal concern and that has rapidly 
been allowed to escalate into another tragic example of political class 
warfare in the United States.
  I am speaking of the overzealous and counterproductive rhetoric of 
extremists and extremism. Most recently, the National Rifle Association 
has provided an example of the worst in political debate.
  At this time, Mr. President, I include a letter I recently received 
from Mr. Jack Sands, of Waldorf, MD. Mr. Sands is typical of many 
former NRA members who have seen its leadership become more violent in 
its rhetoric over the years. Addressing his letter to Wayne R. 
LaPierre, he states:

       I hereby resign as a life member of the NRA. Enclosed is my 
     membership card dated 1973. Please remove my name from all 
     mailing lists. I have chosen today to take this action, since 
     this is Peace Officers Memorial Day when we pay tribute to 
     the nearly 14,000 American law enforcement officers who died 
     in the line of duty. As a retired Federal officer, I no 
     longer wish to be affiliated with the NRA.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Jack M. Sands.

  I commend the national leadership for its courage in apologizing for 
its most recent example of political hatred. The comments circulated by 
the NRA were both offensive and irresponsible. I commend them for their 
apology, but I condemn them, Mr. President, for not having the good 
sense to exercise responsible restraint in the first place.
  There is a popular ad campaign that says ``I'm the NRA,'' and we are 
shown a normal, everyday, person. The message from that ad is that the 
NRA is just a rank-and-file, next-door-neighbor organization.
  Well, Mr. President, there are two NRA's. There is the leadership of 
the NRA and there is the rank and file reflected in this memo sent to 
several Members. This is their way of lobbying Congress. It is a 
picture of a gun-toting person speaking about ``jack-booted BATF 
thugs.''
  Mr. President, I was in the NRA but I quit a year ago. So did some of 
our friends and colleagues like Congressman Brewster who dropped off 
the board, and Congressmen John Dingell and Tom Foley. Just like former 
President George Bush.
  It is time for the rank and file membership of the NRA to take back 
their association. Otherwise, Mr. President, they will be tarred with 
the same brush as those few, but vocal, zealots who have initiated this 
most destructive campaign of hatred, innuendo, fear, animosity, and 
intimidation which are the NRA leadership's favorite tools for lobbying 
elected officials.
  Those who preach hatred and disrespect for the law bear some 
responsibility if their message of hatred contributes to lawless acts 
of others. Likewise, those in the Government who act with arrogance or 
disrespect for the rights of our law abiding citizens--regardless of 
the political or social beliefs of the citizens--will bear some 
responsibility if their official behavior contributes to an atmosphere 
of distrust and animosity toward the Government.
  There is no excuse to justify vigilante-ism or open lawlessness. It 
is absolutely inexcusable and irresponsible for a national 
organization--such as the NRA--which claims it speaks for a great 
number of our constituents--to openly promote lawlessness or disrespect 
for our law enforcement personnel.
  That is precisely what our system of government was created to avoid.
   Political debate, discussion, recall, referendum, and involvement is 
how we keep our Government responsive to the needs of the people in the 
traditional and acceptable way.

  I can tell you, Mr. President, that I also resigned my membership 
from the NRA. I did that over a year ago because some of its fanatical 
members actually made threats against me and my staff if I did not vote 
their way. I will not lend my name to an organization which appears to 
cater to that kind of violent behavior.
  I can also tell you, Mr. President, that views of the beltway NRA is 
not reflective of the majority of its members' attitudes. Certainly not 
the Coloradans who have been such dedicated and generous members.
  Those NRA members would, I am certain, join me in condemning the 
irresponsible behavior of earlier this month.
  I am personally highly offended that there is now a trend to 
politicize the tragedy in Oklahoma City. That was a heinous, terrible, 
criminal act. These responsible deserve nothing more than due process 
of law and total, complete, scorn from society. That was contemptible 
and it was barbarism.
  It is almost equally contemptible to use that tragedy to further a 
political agenda. It does not matter what the agenda is, whether 
additional forms of gun control or whether it is an agenda of anti-
governmentalism. To use that tragedy for political or personal 
advantage cheapens the lives of the innocent victims and it cheapens 
the rights protected by our Constitution.
  The NRA is not the only national organization to use lies, hate, 
fear, or intimidation to generate contributions and to influence public 
policy. This is a phenomenon that has become quite popular among many 
groups who wish to influence national policy despite representing 
small, minority, views on a given issue.
  However, I can think of no other organization in our history which 
has advocated acts of outright violence against the Government or law 
enforcement. That was a new low and I am relieved--somewhat--that the 
NRA has at least apologized. Let's have no more.
  The NRA held its national convention this week. To the NRA membership 
in Colorado and the Nation, I say: Take back your association before it 
is destroyed--before it destroys itself--from within.


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