[Brian in Oregon]

Yeah, those "apologies" sure did a lot of good with the anti-gunners, huh?<br>
<br>
[Congressional Record: March 20, 2007 (Senate)]<br>
[Page S3347-S3348]<br>
<br>
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]<br>
[DOCID:cr20mr07-117]<br>
<br>
ASSAULT WEAPONS<br>
<br>
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, the National Rifle Association leadership<br>
has stated repeatedly that a ban on assault weapons is ineffective and<br>
unnecessary. They assert that guns labeled as assault weapons are<br>
rarely used in violent crimes and that most people use them for<br>
hunting. However, despite these repeated assertions, the list of<br>
<br>
[[Page S3348]]<br>
<br>
people speaking out against assault weapons continues to grow.<br>
Jim Zumbo, an outdoors entrepreneur who lives in a log cabin near<br>
Yellowstone National Park, has spent much of his life writing for<br>
prominent outdoor magazines, delivering lectures across the country and<br>
who starred in a highly rated TV show about big-game hunting. Jim has<br>
been an NRA member for 40 years, and, according to his Web site, has<br>
appeared with NRA officials in 70 cities across the country. This<br>
relationship changed drastically when Jim expressed his commonsense <br>
opinion on assault weapons.<br>
<br>
Last month, after learning that some hunters were using assault<br>
weapons to hunt prairie dogs, Jim expressed his thoughts in his<br>
personal blog on the Outdoor Life magazine website. He wrote:<br>
<br>
Maybe I'm a traditionalist, but I see no place for these<br>
weapons among our hunting fraternity. I'll go so far as to<br>
call them ``terrorist rifles.''<br>
<br>
He continued by stating that in his:<br>
<br>
. . . humble opinion, these things have no place in<br>
hunting. We don't need to be lumped into the group of people<br>
who terrorize the world with them, which is an obvious<br>
concern. I've always been comfortable with the statement that<br>
hunters don't use assault rifles. We've always been proud of<br>
our ``sporting firearms.''<br>
<br>
The reaction from NRA officials was swift and callous. They<br>
immediately severed all ties with Mr. Zumbo. His TV program on the<br>
Outdoor Channel was canceled, and his longtime career with Outdoor Life<br>
magazine ended. In addition, many of his corporate ties to the biggest<br>
names in gun making, such as Remington Arms Co., were terminated.<br>
Jim Zumbo has worked for years to improve the image of outdoorsmen.<br>
As he put it:<br>
<br>
As hunters, we don't need the image of walking around the<br>
woods carrying one of these weapons. To most of the public,<br>
an assault rifle is a terrifying thing. Let's divorce<br>
ourselves from them. I say game departments should ban them<br>
from the prairies and woods.<br>
<br>
We all owe Jim Zumbo a debt of gratitude for his forthrightness, his<br>
honesty and his courage. We must put the safety of our communities<br>
first by taking up and passing sensible gun legislation that includes<br>
renewing the assault weapons ban.<br>
<br>

 

[smp005]

Thanks Zumbo! Why don't you just cut our hearts out!!

His arrogance has and will continue to cost us in the fight against the anti-gun crowd - mark my words!!

Scott

 

[smartass]

So those congressional wimps loved "assault weapons" before Dumbo Zumbo spoke? Sure thing.

 

[Brian in Oregon]

Anonymous: "So those congressional wimps loved "assault weapons" before Dumbo Zumbo spoke? Sure thing."<br>
<br>
Are you that stupid or do you work at it?

 

[JRD]

Brian, I was gonna ask the same thing.

Maybe he just got a case of Zumbo.

 

[blizzard]

"Jim expressed his commonsense
opinion on assault weapons."



well isn't that just effing perfect. thanks jim.


brett d.

 

[Charles L. Schmidt]

From the April 07 America's 1st Freedom:

"And they have a new ally - the American Hunters and Shooters Association. That group's president, Ray Schoenke, addressed the mayors, saying "It is time to begin rebuilding respect for our hunting and shooting heritage, which for the last 30 years has been tarnished by gun-rights extremists.""

And this from AHSA's web site (linked above):

<i>"A common sense message From John E. Rosenthal, AHSA Executive Vice President, Shooting Resources.</i>

As a long time shooter, conservationist and gun safety advocate, I believe most law abiding Americans have a right to own a gun to protect themselves and their families, to hunt and to enjoy the shooting sports."

Gee, ya think?!!!

Looks and sounds more like an "Anti" organization to me? cls

 

[Brian in Oregon]

The AHSA - Amerixan Hunters and Shooters Association - is the fake pro-Second Amendment group I posted about here when they first got started. And I got absolutely lambasted by some Fudds here who thought they were the best thing since canned beer. Their leader has been writing articles to newspapers like crazy lately, standing up for Zumbo, and attacking the NRA and NRA members. I said it then, and I'll say it again - this guy is an anti-gun Fifth Columnist whose goal is to sell our Second Amendment rights down the river. He basically says we can only defend the Second Amendment by allowing gun bans. Zumbo has provided this fool with a lot of ammo. Here's an example of his Zumbo-esque work. (And notice how the Field & Stream poll claims to represent hunters as a whole. Do they speak for you?)<br>
<br>
Tuesday, March 20, 2007 - 12:00 AM<br>
<br>
Real hunters and shooters need to stand up to the NRA<br>
<br>
By Ray Schoenke<br>
Special to The Times<br>
<br>
BEFORE today's presidential candidates go courting the National Rifle Association for support (witness Mitt Romney's sudden enrollment), they should be aware of the case of Jim Zumbo. One of nation's most famous and respected hunting and outdoors journalists, Zumbo was professionally assassinated by NRA hysteria for simply uttering a single and — many hunters would say — reasonable point of view.<br>
<br>
Returning from a weekend hunting trip in which he witnessed people using semiautomatic, military-style weapons to hunt varmints, Zumbo dashed off a column for his blog on Outdoor Life in which he played devil's advocate, suggesting these weapons are not appropriate for hunting.<br>
<br>
The reaction was swift — and brutal. The NRA whipped up a frenzy on the blogosphere, where a rabid fringe element of the hunting community denounced Zumbo in the harshest terms, even attacking his patriotism. Bowing to the intense pressure, Outdoor Life magazine fired Zumbo from his writing job, where he had won a huge following. The gun-company sponsors of Zumbo's highly rated weekly television show promptly pulled their support, thus killing the program. The NRA very publicly suspended all ties with Zumbo and cited the incident as a warning to anyone — "even fellow gun owners" — who might cross its powerful lobby.<br>
<br>
This incident is regrettable not only because it publicly humiliated an honorable sportsman, but also because it suggests that hunters and shooters are vindictive, close-minded zealots. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hunters and shooters are passionate about the Second Amendment, but we are not fascists. We recognize that reasonable people can disagree on reasonable issues.<br>
<br>
For instance, in a 2003 hunters poll by Field & Stream, the majority of hunters (67 percent) considered assault-styled rifles as not legitimate sporting arms. The NRA knows this, which is why it moved so quickly to preempt any debate — and threaten any sportsman who dared express another opinion.<br>
<br>
When the NRA can destroy a man like Zumbo for making a single observation that is actually embraced by a majority of sportsmen, it's time for all genuine sportsmen and women to ask a few basic questions:<br>
<br>
If the NRA's leaders can turn on a hunting legend like Zumbo simply for engaging in a reasonable and rational discussion of a growing issue, what can they do to you and me? Is this the type of organization sportsmen should look to for leadership? Is this the organization political candidates should cozy up to?<br>
<br>
Hunters and shooters stand for the freedoms on which this country was built — freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom to own a gun. We do not need a new brand of NRA "McCarthyism," or a loyalty oath for those involved in the outdoor world.<br>
<br>
We need more freedom, not less. We need to unite behind what binds us together — not demonize anyone who offers a different viewpoint. As we fight to defend the Second Amendment, we also need to fight for access to and conservation of public lands.<br>
<br>
The NRA has turned its back on these goals — and on basic matters of public safety. Along with the right of gun ownership comes a basic civic responsibility to support law enforcement and keep our communities safe. Criminals and terrorists do not have a constitutional right to own a gun, but you would never know that listening to today's NRA leadership.<br>
<br>
There is common ground to be found among those of us who are staunch defenders of the Second Amendment and policy makers and police chiefs who seek to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Although we will disagree on some issues, unlike the NRA's leaders, most hunters and shooters are not afraid of the dialogue; we believe in the First Amendment as well as the Second.<br>
<br>
The character assassination of Jim Zumbo — whether you agree or disagree with him — is an outrage. The attacks on his patriotism were un-American. And the silencing of legitimate debate is the latest evidence that the NRA puts its own political power over the interests of its members.<br>
<br>
Hunters and shooters don't like to be bullied, silenced or sold out. But that's what has happened. We cannot let it pass. The Zumbo case is a call to arms for every hunter and outdoorsman. Let's raise our rifles in defense of our freedoms, and speak out against any body — whether government or the NRA — that stifles honest discussion.<br>
<br>
Ray Schoenke is the president of the American Hunters and Shooters Association, a former Washington Redskins football player and a lifelong hunter.<br>
<br>
Copyright © 2007 The Seattle Times Company<br>

 

[jimbob]

I hear Zumbo is moving to France....

 

[smartass]

Lefty Brian, you are the idiot for thinking that Zumbo caused the liberals to dislike "assault weapons". He had nothing to do with it. You really ought to find another bogeyman besides Zumbo.

 

[TommyTEREX]

Anonymous, Nowhere in this thread did brian say dumbo caused the leftist libs to dislike so called "assault weapons". He merely says the bung-wad gave them more ammo to fire at gun owners.

Tom R.

 

[Paladin]

Good research Brian. This Zumbo idiot has done more harm to the Second Amendment than a whole herd of liberals. More damage than myself, and most gun owners realized.

 

[antique]

ANONYMOUS YOU AND DUMBO BOTH SHOULD MOVE TO FRANCE.Antique

 

[ganger]

Thanks for another excellent post Brian. Keep up the good work. Ganger NRA Life Member

 

[Brian in Oregon]

Anonymous is so full of horsecrap that the maggots are gagging.