Just in case it's taken down.....
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Transcript
22/03/00
Anti-gun campaigners apalled by NRA adverts
KERRY O'BRIEN: American television viewers have been treated to an apocalyptic vision of Australia as a land where citizens cower indoors while criminals run riot in the streets.
The video, produced by America's National Rifle Association, chose emotive pictures of a law and order rally in South Australia to make the case that tough new gun control laws, in the wake of the Port Arthur massacre, have left citizens in Australia unable to defend themselves from a veritable crime wave.
Today, Attorney-General Daryl Williams wrote to NRA President, former screen star Charlton Heston, to protest against what he described as a misleading campaign.
But, as North America correspondent Craig McMurtrie reports, the video is only the latest salvo in what's become an increasingly vitriolic showdown between the White House and America's powerful gun lobby.
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION VIDEO: If you follow politics at all, you know a lot of people in Washington DC want to take away your right to keep and bear arms.
The truth is, they've got the whole world on their side.
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION VIDEO: It's disgusting that almost every day we learn of another person being terrorised, robbed and attacked in their home.
VICTIM: And they jumped on me and knelt on my chest and grabbed me around the throat, because I immediately started calling out 'Help'.
ADVERTISEMENT: If you want to preserve your right to keep and bear arms --
CRAIG McMURTRIE: What you are watching is an infomercial paid for by America's gun lobby, a piece of National Rifle Association propaganda that paints a picture of Australia most Australians would hardly recognise.
REPORTER: Cold hard facts the anti-gun forces can no longer escape.
Armed robberies have skyrocketed, up 69 per cent; assaults involving guns rose 28 per cent; gun murders increased 19 per cent; and a new phenomenon -- home invasions jumped 21 per cent.
CRAIG McMURTRIE: Where they got those figures from isn't clear.
Puzzled Australian statisticians say firearms-related crimes are down across Australia.
The National Rifle Association isn't saying.
A spokesman described them as "official government numbers", but no-one was willing to be interviewed.
No-one, that is, accept Adelaide's Keith Tidswell, from the Sporting Shooters Association, a group that's received $10,000 donations from the NRA on at least two occasions.
KEITH TIDSWELL, AUSTRALIAN SPORTING SHOOTERS ASSOCIATION: From what I've seen of their comments, I think they do accurately reflect the feelings of the firearm-owning community.
I believe there may be some concern about the statistical data.
CRAIG McMURTRIE: As it happens, the NRA film crew was filmed in South Australia by the ABC last year -- their producer Ginny Simone.
GINNY SIMONE, TELEVISION PRODUCER: We are just here documenting what you see going on, which is a huge problem, not only here, but we are experiencing the same thing that you are experiencing.
And time and time again I've asked people here, "What is your message to the American public?"
And they say, "Don't do what we did.
Don't sit silent, because it can happen to you just as it has happened to us."
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION VIDEO: Gun laws that have backfired, and Australians who have been forced to hide behind bars and deadbolts.
Some are even installing extensive security systems because the firearms they still own that haven't been banned have to be locked up, unloaded and unavailable.
DARYL WILLIAMS, FEDERAL ATTORNEY GENERAL: The simple fact of the matter is that dangerous firearms were removed from the community.
Now, if the National Rifle Association thinks it's good to promote ownership of automatic and semiautomatic firearms in the community, in the suburbs, then I think they've got another thing coming.
TREVOR GRIFFIN, SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ATTORNEY-GENERAL: Generally around the world, among the thinking communities who know about Australia and SA, they recognise that crime is not out of control in Australia and that it is most unreasonable and unfair, and even offensive, to compare the position in Australia, and SA in particular, with the position in the USA.
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION VIDEO: Think about it, who but the NRA can fight on every front --
CRAIG McMURTRIE: Every few minutes in the infomercial Americans are invited to join up or send a donation.
They're told over and over again that there's a global conspiracy to take their guns.
And the blitz on television and on the Internet is working.
Membership of the National Rifle Association has swelled to 3.5 million, and with that kind of ammunition, with that kind of money, the NRA has rounded on the real target, the Clinton White House.
On 29 February, there was another school shooting in America.
There have been many, only this time the victim was a six-year-old girl, her name Kayla Rolland.
The gunman -- he was also six -- was a classmate.
The incident gained national headlines and the attention of the President, who decided to use it to try and break a deadlock in Congress over new gun control measures.
BILL CLINTON, US PRESIDENT: I ask all Americans to join me, because I think these things are reasonable.
This won't effect anybody's right to hunt or sports shoot or anything, but it will save kids' lives.
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION ADVERTISEMENT: When a six-year-old in a crackhouse finds a stolen gun and shoots his schoolmate, the President doesn't demand gun theft prosecution or busting drug dealers -- he demands safety locks.
Mr Clinton, when what you say is wrong, that's a mistake.
When you know it's wrong, that's a lie.
CRAIG McMURTRIE: And that was just the start.
The NRA's executive vice-president: WAYNE LA PIERRE, NRA EXECUTIVE SECRETARY: I mean, I've come to believe he needs a certain level of violence in this country.
He's willing to accept a certain level of killing to further his political agenda -- and the Vice-President, too.
I mean, how else can you explain this dishonesty we get out of the administration?
JOE LOCKHART, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The executive vice-president of the NRA made personally -- just sick charges -- levelled sick charges against the President last week.
CRAIG McMURTRIE: It's rhetoric that has some of the gun lobby's political supporters in Washington ducking for cover.
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION VIDEO: I would say that within 5 to 10 years, the restrictions on gun owners in America will be similar to what happened in Australia.
SECOND SPEAKER: Don't trust your politicians -- get in there, keep on their backs.
Be a member of the NRA, be a member at your local gun club.
THIRD SPEAKER: Be part of the NRA.
CRAIG McMURTRIE: But in the year when most US law-makers face re-election, it seems the NRA has decided anyone, anywhere is fair game.
NRA MEMBER: I think the Americans have to be very, very careful because their rights will be quickly eroded, as ours have, and we don't have a chance in hell of getting those rights back.
DARYL WILLIAMS: One gets somewhat outraged when an organisation based in the US, where there are something like 11,000 firearms homicides in one year, is telling us our gun laws fail.
© 2000 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
email: 7.30syd@your.abc.net.au
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As an aside, the Antis twist the TRUTH & LIE everday regarding Statistics...
If the NRA gets a figure of 19% incorrect
THEY'RE suddenly the BAD guys ?
With the spate of IN HOUSE attacks against ELDERLY people (mostly Female) way on the RISE, & drive by bag snatchings being the "In Thing", & last but not least the shooting up of a Sydney POLICE STATION....
A 19% increase may actually be TOO LOW!
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