Last week, we reported the shameless attempt by Americans for Gun Safety (AGS) to exploit the terrorist attacks on September 11 as a tool to promote its anti-gun agenda. Unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident, and this week, AGS has continued this disgraceful tactic. The latest effort from AGS involves yet another appalling attempt to foster the ruse that there is a link between gun shows and terrorism, but it falls just as flat as last week`s attempt. AGS cited a case involving alleged terrorists who had violated existing federal gun laws, among them making "straw purchases" of firearms. As was the case with last week`s story, though, the system worked here again. The illegal purchases were uncovered, and the perpetrators were arrested, prosecuted, and convicted. Even more embarrassing for AGS is the fact that they alleged the perpetrators were linked to the Irish Republican Army, but the record shows the jury rejected the prosecution`s charge that the guns were intended for the IRA.
It is clear that AGS will continue to stoop to these depths as it tries desperately to exploit the September 11 tragedies to help jumpstart its attacks on legal gun shows. Be sure to remind your federal lawmakers that attacks on legal gun shows, such as S. 767, introduced by U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and S. 890, introduced by U.S. Senators Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), have no place in a congressional debate on the threat of terrorism. Contact your U.S. Senators, at (202) 224-3121, and your U.S. Representative, at (202) 225-3121, and urge them to do everything possible to end the threat of terrorism, but not at the expense of our freedom! You can also find contact information for your federal lawmakers by using NRAILA.org`s "Write Your Reps" tool .