An Open Challenge to Libertarian Presidential Candidate Bob Barr
Mr. Barr,
As WarOnGuns visitors were recently reminded, based on reporting by Gun Owners of America:
On September 28, 1996, you issued a memo on Congressional letterhead advocating:
But I think you need to go one step further. With the exception of your USA Today piece, which can be purchased individually (but not disseminated in total without violating copyright), the other referenced documents aren't accessible to scrutiny.
This issue will not go away, Mr. Barr--you will either address it directly, and explain yourself--or ignore it.
I challenge you to release and post the full text of your memo, your AJC letter, and your USA Today opinion piece, and let gun owners read your words for themselves. And I challenge the Libertarian Party to demand it of you as well.
Mr. Barr,
As WarOnGuns visitors were recently reminded, based on reporting by Gun Owners of America:
On September 28, 1996, you issued a memo on Congressional letterhead advocating:
The Lautenberg amendment with the Barr language is strong protection for women and children.On October 12, 1996, you sent a letter to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, claiming you "improved" the Lautenberg language so it could not be struck down by the courts, stating:
Under the Lautenberg language -- which was cleared up through my amendatory language that was adopted -- there was no consistent definition of "crime of domestic violence," and therefore the entire provision would have been declared unconstitutional. My language corrected this deficiency by setting forth the common elements of the crime that would apply to everyone.On Mar. 6, 1997, your editorial, "Don't Wink at Violence," was published in USA Today. In it, you wrote:
[Lautenberg] is important and worthwhile legislation, and we cannot allow its effectiveness to be reduced.Despite the fact you then voted for Lautenberg as part of an omnibus spending bill, there are those who would like to hear your reasoning. I'm among those.
But I think you need to go one step further. With the exception of your USA Today piece, which can be purchased individually (but not disseminated in total without violating copyright), the other referenced documents aren't accessible to scrutiny.
This issue will not go away, Mr. Barr--you will either address it directly, and explain yourself--or ignore it.
I challenge you to release and post the full text of your memo, your AJC letter, and your USA Today opinion piece, and let gun owners read your words for themselves. And I challenge the Libertarian Party to demand it of you as well.