Page 2/The Battalion/Tuesday, April 15, 1986
Opinion
The real losers
The House’s vote Thursday to weaken the gun control law
proves that with enough money, anything — even legislation —
can be bought. - -
The debate was intense, with the National Rifle Association
lobbying for dismantling the Gun Control Act of 1968 and po
lice organizations rallying against it. But the NRA had $1.6 mil
lion to spend on lobbying; the police groups had only $15,000.
The House bill has pluses and minuses from both groups’
perspectives, but if passed by the Senate, the bill will make it eas
ier for criminals — or anyone else to purchase Firearms and
harder for police to trace their registration.
Under the bill, rifles, shotguns and handguns could be
transported across state lines as long as they were unloaded and
inaccessible. It also would legalize the face-to-face purchase of
rifles and shotguns outside of the buyer’s home state. The bill
does prohibit the sale or transfer of machine guns.
The most disturbing provision, however, is that a gun dealer
could place a weapon from his inventory in a “private collec
tion,” and a year and a day later sell or trade the gun without
registering the sale.
This means the gun dealer can declare part of his Firearms
inventory private and then a year later sell a gun from his pri
vate stock to anyone regardless of age or criminal record.
The private collection clause covers up the “paper trail” used
by police to trace gun ownership through registration and frees
' Ik ‘ '
the dealer of responsibility for illegal sales.
Gun registration requirements should be strengthened, not
weakened. Before a gun purchase is finalized, a thorough back
ground check of the prospective buyer should be completed.
This would help to uphold current gun laws that prohibit the
sale of Firearms to minors, drug addicts, felons and people with
certain mental disorders.
Instead, the private collection clause makes it easier for these
individuals to obtain guns and harder for police to trace the
weapon.
The NRA is proclaiming itself the winner because of the
weakening effect on the law. Police organizations are claiming
victory because of the restrictions of machine guns and the refu
sal to lift the ban on interstate sales.
T he only real losers are average citizens, who didn’t have the
money to fight the NRA and may Find themselves at the mercy
of a “collector’s item.”
The Battalion Editorial Board
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‘bump off Khadal
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96. Tl
Pat Robertson is
a nifty guy. Who
else has a hotline
to God in one
hand and a finger
on the world’s
pulse with the
other? For those
who have spent
the past few years
at the bottom of
an elevator shaft,
Loren Steffy
“What about foreign policy? Didn’t
Robertson recently advocate killing Li
byan leader Moammar Khadafy as a
means of ending terrorism?”
“Well, yes, but that was an unusual
circumstance. Generally Mr. Robertson
believes in living in peace with all men.
hut God told him in this case it would be
all right to bump off Khadafy.”
“God told him?”
ioint vio
od nee
attom c
ertson that Khadafy should be
off — his John Deere tractorm one-poin
rides around the desert. Tharcittas givei
hit his head and go into a coma if in kitch
never recover from. There's iitR airin 8- J
mandment that savs‘Thou shalit ' va . s
... Bui beh
world-threatening, commie-sw
ing madmen into comas.’” ™
Robertson is the head of the Christian
Broadcasting Network and anchor for
The 700 Club.
The Battalion
USPS 045 360
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwestjournalism Conference
The Battalion Editorial Board
Editor Michelle Powe
Managing Editor : Kay Mallett
Opinion Page Editor Loren Steffy
City Editor Jerry Oslin
News Editor ....Cathie Anderson
Sports Editor : Travis Tingle
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77843.
In recent months, suggestions that
Robertson try for the Republican nomi-
natiion in 1988 have been met with
hearty “amens” from his loyal followers.,
The idea of a clergyman in the White
House seemed interesting, so I talked to
Ernest Aymmenz, a camera lens re
pairman for CBN to find out just what
makes “Righteous Robbie” tick.
“Don’t you feel it might present a
conflict of church and state to have your
boss as president?” I asked.
“Not to worry, my son,” Aymmenz re
plied. “If elected, the reverend-presi
dent Robertson will deal with state mat
ters in one wing of the White House and
broadcast The 700 Club from the other.
You can’t get more separate than that.”
“But his experience is in soul man
agement, not in money management.
What can he do about the deficit?”
“Yes. He frequently advises Mr. Rob
ertson on foreign policy. That’s why we
know that if the Soviets invade the Mid
dle East, God will strike them down.
When it comes to foreign policy, Mr.
Robertson has one of the best advisers
around.”
“But,” I protested, “Robeits
on The 700 Club that AmeritatiJ
tion against Libya would
terrorism unless Khadafy is L1
said ‘You don’t strike the kir.;
you kill him.’ That sounds pra
nite to me.”
spection
je to re
Im]
at 1
“Isn’t permission to wipe out a head
of state, no matter how maniacal, a little
stern for a benevolent God?” I asked.
“Mr. Robertson has said in the past
that pacifism is not biblical. We have to
help fight wars of liberation. Commu
nism is based in atheism. We must fight
the enemies of the United States, the
Lord and freedom. Khadafy is no ex
ception. The man’s a lunatic and a dan
ger to God-fearing people everywhere.
So naturally God and Mr. Robertson
recognize the need to bend the rules.”
“I thought there was a command
ment that said ‘Thou shall not kill?”’
“Mr. Robertson misspokeaj
meant to say, ‘You don’t strike!
unless you hump him off.’Mai
you don’t hit him hard enough::
him off the tractor, why bother"
“Some people say that if kd
out of the picture, others even
than he will rise to power," I said |
“In this time of national debt we need
a president who’s not afraid to stand up
in front of large groups and ask for
money,” Aymmenz pointed out.
Aymmenz looked disturbed. “Well . .
. Mr. Robertson didn’t mean ‘kill’ like
you’re thinking of — not in a death-like
sense.”
“Then we will keep ‘bumpi
off until the people can dK#
themselves the basic fundams
Christian values that God isl
them to. Sooner or later,thepetfl
see our light. That’s why Nil
ertson’s campaign slogan (should]
cide to rim) is ‘Morality My Wav
“I see. What if not all M
mie-loving, paranoid meg
dictators ride tractors?”
“But you said God told him to ‘bump
off Khadafy,” I pointed out.
“Yes . . . well. . . God did tell Mr. Rob-
Loren Steffy is a junior journaj
jor and the Opinion
The Battalion.
Senators just follow the PAC
The political ac-
tion committees
are starting to dis
pense money for
the election pri
maries. Not only
are the commit
tees a source of
funds, but without
PACs few legis
lators would know
which way to vote.
Art Buchwald
I came to this conclusion while walk
ing past the National Association for
True-Blue Government, the PAC for
the Dynamite Users Industry.
The line of legislators wound around
the block.
In front of the building was a wooden
paymaster’s table and behind the table
was Shifty Diamond, chief paymaster
for the PAC. A large pile of $20 and $50
bills was stacked in front of him.
Shifty was yelling, “Have your voting
records available so we can look at them,,
please. Only incumbents in this line.”
Congressman Damper presented his
record to Shifty and waited nervously.
Shifty said, “It says against dynamite
being transported through school and
hospital zones.”
“What could I do? The mail from my
constituents was heavily in favor of reg
ulating dynamite trucks.”
“Do you know how much it costs us to
deliver dynamite under present regula
tions? I think we ought to make some
thing perfectly clear. We don’t care how
you vote on other issues. When it comes
to dynamite, you’re either for your con
stituents or you’re for us.”
“But they elected me,” Damper pro
tested. •
“They may have elected you, but they
can’t finance your campaign. Now, the
big vote on more liberalized dynamite
sales comes up on Thursday. Which side
are you on?”
“I’m not sure. Dynamite kills people.”
Shifty got red in the face. “No, it
doesn’t. People kill people.”
“Then in that case I’m for the dealers
selling dynamite over the counter with
out asking anyone for identification.”
“Spoken like a good friend of our in
dustry,” Shifty said and counted out a
bagful of money.
Following Damper was Sen. Tobacco
Stain’s campaign manager.
“Where’s the senator?” Shifty wanted
to know.
“He’s up on Capitol Hill dispensing
funds from his own political action com
mittee.”
“Why should we give him money if he
has his own PAC?”
“Because you need his vote to permit
dynamite to be sent by parcel post across
state lines.”
“Because he’s greedy.”
Shifty shook his head. “That’s the
only honest answer I’ve gotten today.
How would the senator feel about a
$2,500 contribution?”
“He’d feel better about a $5,000 one.”
Shifty said, “The man talks our lan
guage. Here it is in fresh fifties.”
“I must warn you. The senator will
never say thank you.”
“Why not?”
“Because we’re doing you a big favor
by accepting the money. Your PAC
needs every vote it can get, particularly
after the police chiefs came out against
people making bombs in their own
homes.”
“The police are panicking. Dynamite
is safe as long as it is kept out of the
hands of children and criminals.”
“Forget the party line. You still need
the senator to keep the anti-dynamite
wimps from bulldozing your bill.”
A third person came up to the desk.
“I’d like some PAC money. I’m chal
lenging the incumbent congressman.”
“How can we give you money when
you don’t even have a voting record?”
“I don’t need one. I decided the only
way to run for public office is to sell
out.”
Shifty handed the young man a stack
of bills. “Welcome to the club.”
“That’s true. But why does Sen. Stain
need money?”
Art Buchwald is a columnist for the
Los Angeles Times Syndicate.
Mail Call
Bludgeoning of the people
EDITOR:
Regarding Cynthia Gay’s column on April 7 (“Skepticism, selfishnej
hallmarks of democracy?”):
She hit it on the nail. But because what she says is true, statementslik
hers will be ignored as well. It brings to mind a quote from Oscar Wilde
“Democracy is simply the bludgeoning of the people, by the people,fori
people.”
Marco A. Roberts
1
Normal activity
EDITOR:
I am writing to express my disgust at Paul Brinkley and his nierryc
for their comments on Corps membert eating at Sbisa Dining HallinApI
Battalion. What “antics” may I ask, did these people engage in, asidefr«l
going to the ice cream dispenser together? Oh yes, I forgot. Thesepeopl
actually had the gall to whistle in Sbisa! Horrors! It must be somekindoil
communist plot!
Surely they must have done something else. Perhaps they talkedain)|
laughed while they ate. That would sure make me angry. Suchadispla'
normal activity! Shameful! But seriously folks, as a non-reg myself,
constant nitpicking over every little thing any member of the Corpsdot ]
downright sickening. Funny haircuts and all, they’re people, too. Let’s! 1
them like they are. Attitudes like those of Brinkley and his friends we
without.
Jimmy A. Miller ’89
Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length. The editorial staff resenei^t
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letter must be signed and must include the address and telephone number of the writer