CANADIAN SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION / CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION

TEAM CSSA E-NEWS - December 18, 2012

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COMMENTARY: Are mass murderers seeking infamy? We need to know

Newspaper editors across Canada and the United States reacted to the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting in the only way they know how – they contributed their significant resources to make a mass murderer infamous.

Many column inches and hours of air-time have been given over to the tragic event’s 5Ws -- who, what, why, when, where. The recurring theme is how to prevent the next one. And just as predictably, the media declare open season on responsible gun owners while so-called “experts” announce that gun control is the obvious answer. (For frightening evidence of how little regard many left-wingers have for responsible gun owners, see the entries in Liberal pundit Warren Kinsella’s blog reprinted near the end of this CSSA -E-News.)

Each time there is a tragic shooting, the spectre of gun control is the scab that won’t heal. Responsible gun owners reveal evidence that shows anti-gun laws do not curtail violent outcomes, while anti-gun advocates say they want more gun laws because there’s nothing else we can do.

Well, perhaps there is more we can do. Mass murderers are mentally ill and willing to usher themselves and others out of this world in a blaze of “glory.” The media are conditioned to provide that “glory” with breathless reportage, photos, flow charts, pie graphs and analysis. They compete with one another to provide as much information as possible on the assailant. But, are the media actually fuelling the cycle of violence that we all want to extinguish?

Editors and reporters learned years ago that reporting subway suicides appeared to increase the frequency of subway suicides. They surmised there was some evidence of cause and effect, so they took it upon themselves to avoid reporting them. If reportage might lead to cause and effect in mass shootings, we need to know. Until we take pains to identify a possible correlation, exasperated politicians will continue to pretend that gun control is the ticket. Governments are too willing to table legislation that doesn’t actually work. They try to appear proactive to pacify the sad and angry, but lip service is not enough. Witness the ineffective firearms registry.

By their very nature, mass media create a legacy for mass murders. Reporting the news is their mandate, but could that function become a self-fulfilling prophecy? Consider this -- weekend newspapers and newscasts everywhere are packed with sidebar stories on the Newtown shooter’s history, his guns and ammo of choice, President Obama’s tearful speech, the victims, the reaction of police and citizens, the helplessness of parents, the action of teachers, and much, much more.

We have seen the “milestones” charts that list the details of each deadly U.S. mass shooting from the 1960s until now – replete with the names of each assailant. And so the media coverage continues to provide overnight infamy for a mentally ill man who had no profile last week. If we believe social media bloggers would continue to be a problem, rest assured most of them use the mass media as their main source. And even if they do discover and release an assailant’s name, bloggers do not infamy make.

We need forensic studies to determine how this coverage resonates with other mentally ill attention-seekers. The media message is too clear – if you kill children, you can make the president cry on TV.

If a cause and effect trail is established, the solution would be a gigantic pill for the media to swallow. Would they be limit reportage of mass killings to just 4 Ws – what, when, where, why – to avoid making giving mass murders the notoriety they might be seeking?

We know gun control does not assuage the beast within because the shootings often occur where gun controls are the most stringent. We have learned that the heart cannot be legislated to enhance public safety. Responsible firearms owners are every bit as anxious to end the madness. Isn’t it time to dig for answers that might actually increase public safety?

If we don’t dig for these answers, we’ll never know.

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YOUR MEMBERSHIP DUES ARE NOT ENOUGH : If you want to defend your right to own and use a firearm -- if the freedom to hunt and shoot is important to you -- then you need to support CILA, the Canadian Institute for Legislative Action. CILA defends your firearms rights on Parliament Hill, the United Nations, in provincial legislatures and in courtrooms across Canada. Be part of the solution. Please support CSSA-CILA today by donating here: http://www.cdnshootingsports.org/membership.html

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Canada takes Silver Medal at the 47th CISM World Military Shooting Championships in Guangzhou, China.

On Dec. 5, 2012, while competing against the world’s finest military shooters, MCpl Pat Boulay, of the 21st Electronic Warfare Regiment in Kingston, ON, won the Silver Medal in the Individual Women's 25 metre Pistol event. She posted an impressive score of 583-17x, out of a possible 600 points. China and Poland took Gold and Bronze respectively.

CISM stands for the Conseil International du Sport Militaire, or in English: International Military Sports Council. Almost every year, the CISM World Shooting Championships are held for both rifle and pistol. This year, over 400 military athletes and coaches from across the globe, representing over 35 countries, competed in the event. These athletes include Olympians and ISSF World Cup champions, who hold military roles which allow them to train full-time year-round.

MCpl Boulay had the following thoughts on her performance: "I've been working on this medal since starting with the Canadian Forces CISM Pistol Team in 1994. The support of the Canadian Forces has helped me achieve this medal and prepare me for similar civilian events. I hope that this achievement energises Canadian shooters and shows that we can compete and medal on the world stage."

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SHOOTING FOR GOLD : Ontario Athlete Assistance Program for 2012-2013: Quest for Gold – Ontario Athlete Assistance Program 2012-2013 (OAAP) is funded by the Government of Ontario, through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport (MTCS), and operated through the Sport, Recreation & Community Programs Division.

The overarching goal of the Quest for Gold – OAAP is directly related to the High Performance Sport goals of the Canadian Sport Policy – to improve the performance and number of Ontario athletes performing at the national and international level and contributing to the improved performance of Canada at international competitions. For details, see the CSSA’s web site home page at www.cdnshootingsports.org and hit the “Quest for Gold” hotlink.

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FAME AND INFAMY BECOME INTERCHANGEABLE : The wisest story I’ve ever read about a mass school shooting is a work of fiction – no accident, I suspect, for it takes distance to see past the horror of such things, not to mention get around the makeshift shrines and the spoken and printed equivalents of the teddy bears which adorn them.

Social media and Twitter, it is certain, will make that latter task ever more difficult. As mainstream newsrooms around the world geared up the sombre music and reporters lowered voices and dumbed down their language (yes, it is hard to imagine) in order to interview eight-year-olds, so did cyberspace fill up with omgs, fake sites, expressions of sorrow, rumours and ghastly bleatings...

Perhaps that’s what Adam Lanza was doing at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., simply raising the ante. By assassinating children so young they could have hurt and offended no one, he was guaranteeing himself some place in the growing annals of school shootings, as compared to workplace massacres, which as Eva says are really just School Shooting Grows Up...

I was in Littleton, Colo., 13 years ago. What was almost as horrifying as the carnage — 14 students and a teacher dead, the killers having shot themselves — was the theatre that followed. Students were able to grieve only in public, preferably for the cameras; professionals descended in swarms to help the town mourn; people urged each other to hug their children, as though without the reminder, no one would have thought of it.

Columbine was prophetic in so many ways, and no one has much deviated from the format since. What Eva, in the novel, railed against — “the pleading refrain of why, why, why” — she answered, as best there ever is an answer, a few pages later.

Noting that “Mark David Chapman gets the fan mail that John Lennon can’t,” she says that in a country — I would say world — “that doesn’t discriminate between fame and infamy, the latter presents itself as plainly more achievable. Hence I am no longer amazed by the frequency of public rampages with loaded automatics but by the fact that every ambitious citizen … is not atop a shopping centre looped with refills of ammunition.” See the complete article at http://www.canada.com/news/world/Sch...458/story.html (By Christie Blatchford -- Postmedia News -- December 14, 2012)

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WINTER PISTOL LEAGUE OFF AND RUNNING : Held by Canadian shooting clubs that wish to participate in four handgun events: PPC, Standard Pistol, Sport Pistol, and Centre fire. Matches scheduled on a once per month basis from September to Apri at designated clubs (listed below) – open to all members.

CSSA system will be used – those with previous classifications will be classed according to their averages. Non- classified shooters will receive a classification after their second match which will be retroactive to the first match. For the Winter League, the classifications assigned or held at the first match will hold for the remainder of the League matches.

Awards to be compiled at the end of the season (April) – five matches are scheduled – participants must shoot 3 of the 5 in order to qualify for awards. If more than 3 matches shot, the top 3 scores are used. Matches to be a full 600 competitions using approved SFC targets at the appropriate distance. Match fee is $10 for each match with $5 kept by the club and $5 returned to CSSA for awards. All competitors must wear ear and eye protection and adhere to all range rules.

For information contact: Heather McConaghy at the CSSA Office, 1-888-873-4339 or heather.mcconaghy@cssa-cila.org

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GRANDFATHER ISN’T ALWAYS RIGHT : (From the UNITED STATES) Beginning in 2013 we can expect a flood of state and federal bills/laws to restrict or flat out outlaw certain firearms, ammunition, magazines, accessories and even attachments (such as bayonet lugs, etc.).

Here is something most people do not know and we hope you in your capacity will make much more public. First, many legislatures will write bills/laws that have a grandfather clause in them so as to make the law more palatable to the opposition and citizens. But if they can ram the particular law through without a grandfather clause, they will (Colorado will become a new and primary target for ram through tactics). However, and again if compromise is necessary to pass the particular law they may put in a grandfather clause; but what does that really mean?

A grandfather clause may imply that if you already own that newly banned or restricted firearm, magazine, ammunition, etc. that your stuff is exempt from the bill or new law. Thus, you may think you and your currently owned stuff is protected. It's sort of a feel good thing "whew I already own it so I am safe." But wait, there's more!

Here is the catch. The grandfather clause is defined by the precise specific legal language or definition--or lack thereof--in the particular bill or law. A grandfather clause can easily be defined or not defined (in detail) depending on how the bill/law is written--the devil is really in the details. It can mean you can keep the item(s), if you can prove your absolute ownership (to their satisfaction) prior to the law; or that if you have it you can keep it regardless, but under penalty of law you may be forbidden to give away, sell or in any manner transfer the grandfathered item to anyone else--period! You can't take it to a gun show, sell it privately, or even put it in your will. It is all illegal.

And as stated previously, depending on how the law is written or structured (and it can be very cleverly worded) a person possessing the item may have to absolutely prove that they obtained the item before the ban went into effect--or they may (again depending precisely on how the law and exemptions are or are not worded) be in prima facie violation (like possessing a stolen gun) and open to prosecution. The choice to prosecute is up to the applicable district attorney or federal prosecutor's office. If convicted it can mean a criminal record, loss of all firearms, jail or prison, fines, etc. and, regardless of the penalty the banned/grandfather item(s) will be confiscated.

Still feel good about grandfather clauses? If not, then put out the word about how they work and be prepared to recognize and fight against this political scam. (A short white paper prepared courtesy of US-based Shults Media Relations, LLC)

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CBC AND QUEBEC PREMIER PLAY POLITICS WITH U.S. TRAGEDY : The shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Conn. may have sparked talks about gun control in the U.S., but the discussion has crossed over the border to Canada as well.

Quebec Premier Pauline Marois was visiting New York when news of the tragic shooting broke on Friday. She took the opportunity to speak out about her government's stance on Canada's long-gun registry — a topic of contention since the federal Conservative government scrapped the registry last April.

"Firearms are too easily accessible, the lack of control over them can sometimes lead to situations like what happened in Connecticut," Marois said at a press conference, adding that she doesn't want to pass judgment on American politics. She said that Quebec must remain focused on conserving its own long-gun registry records. The federal government has destroyed most of the data for Canada, but Quebec won the right to preserve its share. Now Ottawa is appealing that decision.

The long-gun registry was created by the Liberal Party in 1995, in the wake of the Dec. 6, 1989, massacre at Montreal's École Polytechnique, in which 14 women were singled out and killed by a gunman. Earlier this month, the Parti Québécois announced it would move forward with a bill that will make long-gun registration mandatory in the province.

Heidi Rathjen, a former engineering student who witnessed the Polytechnique massacre, is a vocal gun control advocate. She said she hopes that Friday's shooting will motivate new gun control measures in the U.S. and Canada.

"It's always too soon to talk about gun control, but this time people came out and said it's not too soon — it's too late," Rathjen said. Montreal was hit with another school shooting in 2006 at Dawson College. A business student was killed and 19 people were injured before gunman Kimveer Gill took his own life. One of the guns found at the Newtown school a Glock 9mm. The same type of gun was one of the three firearms found on Gill.

Hayder Kadhim was one of the victims. He was shot twice — in the head and the neck. According to Kadhim, Canada's gun laws have progressively weakened over the past decade. "It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. I think our government needs to wake up and take a look at what's happening to our southern neighbours," Kadhim said. (CBC News – December 16, 2012)


NOTABLE QUOTES FROM ANTI-GUN ADVOCATES THIS WEEK :

(Editor’s note : Rhetoric abounds after every mass shooting. The following comments lead one to believe that the anti-gun camp believes responsible gun owners are criminals. The first comment reprinted below was written by Liberal pundit Warren Kinsella, who is reportedly involved in the campaign to elect Justin Trudeau as new party leader. Subsequent comments support Kinsella’s notion that responsible gun owners are “variants of al-Qaeda” and “deranged.” Kinsella is a self-admitted gun owner, which could be reason for concern in itself. The asterisks are ours.)

December 15th, 2012, 12:56 pm

"Dear gun nuts:

Don’t try and post here. I won’t approve your comments.

I’m sick of you. I detest you. I don’t want to hear from you. No sane person wants to hear from you.
You’re a variant on al-Qaeda, and you’re too deranged to realize it.
Go to Hell, where the likes of you belong." (Warren Kinsella)

FOLLOWED BY:

“You’re being too polite, brother – you should just tell them to f**k off.

“Ya go f**k yourselves. Buy some crayons or something.

“US politicians used to fear the political wrath of the Klan. Do you think they’ll ever be a day when they don’t fear the wrath of the NRA?”

“Well said, WK. Thanks!!”

“What the hell has become of what passes for conservative ‘thought’ that the only response to gun violence they can imagine is (you guessed it!) more guns. No contrition. No soul searching. No thought to regulating or outright banning the stupid kinds of semi automatic high capacity weapons used in this (and other mass shootings). It is madness, full stop.”

“hi Warren…well said. I’ve already received four barely veiled death threats, and the day is still young. Some of those gun nuts are as crazy as squirrels, and as dangerous as terrorists…”

“BIG tobacco marketed to kids – smoking/cigarettes were the s-l-o-w silent and eventual killer of children. BIG gun lobby markets the glamorization of guns to kids – guns are the loud, quick killer of other children. Warren will these two things not finally make you return in earnest to the Federal scene? The gun registry may have been a poorly designed, implemented and marketed program but we need a smarter approach to gun control more so than ever. Give it some serious thought.”

“Good for you, Mr. Kinsella. I shall reward you by buying your book. Rational dialogue really is impossible with gun nuts, although I’m sure you have to suffer their abuse in the many psychotic, hateful and threatening comments you are sensibly refusing to post. One class of person in this particular situation strikes me as considerably worse, however, than the inadequate, limp-dicked, psychopathic scum that is the typical Canadian gun nut, and that is the Harper Conservative politicians who manipulate their psychopathy, hatred, fear and sexual inadequacy to raise party funds and create wedge issues. Surely there is a special corner of hell for these cynical Harperites and their Republican brethren in the United States. From a policy perspective it’s clear a Canadian gun registry will never work – next time we must seize and destroy their firearms.”

“Can’t we ship’ em all to an Island, where they can play with their toys among themselves without poisoning our society?”

“Good al Qaida analogy. Was thinking earlier, if the gunman had been the actor of a foreign state or terrorist organization, they’d be subject to a predator drone response. Why no such treatment of NRA HQ?”

“I am just as appalled by this senseless act as well, just because I own firearms doesn’t mean I’m some cold, heartless pr*ck…I’m a father and a husband. I contribute to society in a positive way, I have a good job helping others. Please, don’t call me names because i own firearms, I know that we all have our opinions and we’re all entitled too them, but just because I own guns, it doesn’t mean my opinion is less than yours…just different.

Reply
“So you are a “responsible gun owner.” So what… Does that make this shooting/slaughter at the school okay? And society is suppose to just shut up and avert their eyes again to the little bodies all laid out because some “responsible gun owner” loaded up on their weapons of choice, just because they could? Go take a flying leap.”

“WK didn’t expressly come out and say it, but the fact they he owns guns tells me that he knows that there is a distinction between “responsible gun owners” and “gun nuts”.

“Hey man, nobody has a gripe with legitimate, responsible gun owners. What we despise is the pro-gun lobby, who make the world a more evil place. Reasonable folks have concluded that nothing will get them to change their views – therefore, I truly believe that the only way forth is to ship them off to an isolated Island along with their assault weapons. There, they can live happily ever after… & the rest of us won’t have to suffer their idiocy.”

“…how are the god and gun crowd any different from the clans in Pakistan or Afghanistan…they are not. Ones faith is ones faith…but you cannot separate the gun crowd from the Jesus crowd in America…never mind the fact that most of them have no clue as to the teachings of Jesus…if such a person actually existed. That is the crux of the problem…far too many folks are brainwashed by right wing media…that you cannot deal with the gun issue if you do not deal with the religeon (sic) issue. Many folks in Canada are intelligent enough to make the separation…many in America are not. God and guns baby…you cannot deal with one unless you deal with the other.”

“The coordinated gun nut response this time is to wail about mental health and letting people fall through the cracks. A serious issue, to be sure, but it rings a bit hollow when it is being used as a tool to steer debate away from gun ownership.”

“It is not the guns, it is the easy access to guns not needed. Why in Good’s green Earth does any individual need a large clip, an automatic weapon, hollow-point bullets, except to kill. Jon Stewart did a bit a few weeks ago making fun of the gun nuts, like at FoxNews, who said after this or that tragedy, that it was too soon to comment, let the bodies cool. It turns out, there is never a good time for those nuts to discuss reasonable limitations on gun and gun paraphernalia ownership. Some day I want those who spew the same defences about ownership — most are law abiding, if there were more there would be less mayhem, I’d want one if I was confronted with a gunman in my home. I want them to explain, if they are all so law abiding, why are they stored so frequently so badly, and didn’t register when it was the law? When has anyone with a gun stopped a mass shooting? The guns used in CT belonged to one of the victims — the shooter’s mother. The chances of being injured or killed by a gun increase with its presence in the house. I’m not convinced having a gun makes us any safer. Quite the opposite.”

And finally, we hear from a voice of sanity :

Warren and others, I don’t usually, actually never, post anything in these blogs. After reading some of the comments on here, I felt that now would be good time.

The comments made, especially the initial one, is hurtful, to myself and to a lot of other people. Maybe it was meant that way, maybe you had a different direction of intentions. All in all, that kind of talk should never be posted publicly. Yes, I am a gun owner, it’s a sporting hobby of mine. I don’t hunt, I know will ball my eyes out if I even killed a seagull. I am a 25 yr old female with a huge heart. This whole situation in CT is by far the saddest situation. It has left a lot of people speechless. The gun owner community has the utmost deepest sympathies for the families involved. None of you can argue that!!!!! But whats with this name calling and threatening families? Are you kidding me? That kind of talk is what’s wrong. What are you people trying to teach me, my generation, your children? That commenting publicly your hatred opinions is right? Is ok? Because its not. And you wonder why this kind of stuff (shootings) happen. Dammit, it’s not the guns. Listen to yourselves! We are living in a world of negativity! You against me! Come on everyone…teach me more. Teach me how to hate, teach me how to frown on my neighbors…then ask me why I’m so unhappy.

I really hope everyone starts to see where the underlying problem to our society is. Where’s the dignity, respect and self control? Are you teaching your children this in a positive way? You let your kids play Modern Warfare and Black Ops? Or do you show them the fun world of Super Mario Brothers? Do you ever heard the kids talk when they are playing these new war games!? A friend told me the other day that some 10 year old made some pretty messed up beheading threats! HE’S F**KING 10!!!!! How does he know to talk that way!!!! If that kid did something as horrific as this elementary shooting, after knowing this, would you still blame the guns? Hey everyone…these are your children!!!! Pay attention!!!!!

That is all. Just got really saddened by all this nonsense everyone is throwing around about who the bad guys are. Please wake up.

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COMING SOON : "Stick to your Guns" Fundraising Dinner CALGARY. March 29, 2013 at the Blackfoot Inn. Be there!

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THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

The CSSA is the voice of the sport shooter and firearms enthusiast in Canada. Our national membership supports and promotes Canada's firearms heritage, traditional target shooting competition, modern action shooting sports, hunting, and archery. We support and sponsor competitions and youth programs that promote these Canadian heritage activities.

To join or donate to the CSSA, visit : http://www.cdnshootingsports.org/membership.html
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CANADIAN SHOOTING SPORTS ASSOCIATION / CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION
116 Galaxy Blvd, Etobicoke ON M9W 4Y6
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Toll Free: 1-888-873-4339
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