Indianapolis, IN –-(Ammoland.com)- This week was no less busy than any other week, but I did have a significantly disturbing event that took place this past Wednesday dealing with a phone interview with an Indianapolis reporter about the pre-emption law in Indiana and the recent news accounts and lawsuits filed about those who are openly carrying their firearms in public.
More about that later. First I want to remind everyone that this Saturday will be our Patriot meeting. We will have as a guest Mike Winge, owner of Alliance Armament, and he will have some of the firearms that his company is building and will talk about his facility.
Also, don’t forget that we will not have our October meeting on the last Saturday of that month, but instead, it will be on November 3rd due to the Sportsman’s Club having their Halloween party. We will also have our regular November meeting on the 24th, last Saturday as always. That meeting will be the last one for this year so we hope that you will try to attend these last three meetings if possible.
You may have seen a report about the Center for Biological Diversity suing the EPA to force a ban on traditional ammunition made with lead components. I don’t have to tell the last nail in the coffin effect that will have on firearms and firearm owners. You can read the article and I hope you will call your U.S. Senator. https://www.nssfblog.com/call-your-u-s-senators-and-urge-them-to-support-the-sportsmens-act-of-2012/
Now about that reprehensible interview that took place Wednesday. Over the past 15 months or so I have accepted countless and I mean countless interviews with the media, radio, TV and printed, about SB 292 (preemption). In every occasion I asked the reporter to present the story in the manner it was given and not once has that ever occurred. Out of frustration, I decided that I will no longer do interviews about that law. Nevertheless this past Wednesday my press assistant called me to see if I would do an interview with a reporter from Indy about the recent lawsuits concerning individuals carrying their firearms openly. Against better judgment I accepted.
I think it’s safe to say that most folks know my position in this matter. I know it’s legal, but I am holding to my belief that the approach that some have been taking with this and risking a change in the law that provides for our citizens to have their guns in places they couldn’t before is heading us all for a predicament will not recover from.
The interview was pleasant and lasted about 10 minutes or so. I am very selective with my words when doing an interview and also very explicit. This interview was no exception.
Nonetheless, what was printed was beyond belief. I have wrestled over the weekend whether to write in this letter what the reporter attributed to me, but I just can bring myself to do so because I don’t want to give it any life. I will discuss it at our Patriot meeting, but I just don’t want this thing on the internet.
The reporter’s stories link to newspapers all across Indiana and by late Wednesday night one of our Patriots called me to tell me that he read the story online which was a paper out of Terre Haute. He couldn’t believe what he read and wanted to confirm that I did not say what was reported. I told him it was absolutely false. By the way, the statement in the article was not in quotation marks which points out that it was the reporter’s words and not mine.
Margie and I had to leave for Indianapolis the next morning at 3:30 AM so I could make a committee meeting that morning. The senate news staff was waiting for me when I walked into the Statehouse. This thing will take up more space to write about that what I have time for, but I can tell you that we had much discussion. I asked for a retraction and the good folks with the senate media staff went to work. Throughout the day there was calls made and the reporter involved admitted to what she had done. She even asked if she could come to my office and apologize in person, which she did.
She pulled the article off the wire before it went to all the papers, however some did pick up the story. She has written a retraction of 600 words and I must say it is a very impressive correction. She apologized multiple times to me in my office and we went through the entire interview again with a meeting of the minds in the presence of my staff and a voice recorder.
We will see what her editor does with the retraction and she is still going to print the story with the rewrite. If this article would have made it to newspapers, especially in my area. it would have been very difficult to overcome and would surely have been used against me.
This kind of illustrates my position about the incidents taking place and being reported. I found myself in a difficult situation because of the action others are taking. This reporter asked me not to discontinue doing interviews, she truly felt bad about the whole affair.
I have never turned down a request from the media yet, but I will not do any more interviews about gun owners who intentionally place themselves in controversies where there was no need to do so. The keyword is intentionally.
As for the meal on Saturday, Margie is not here as I write to say, but unless I’m told differently I’d say bring what you like best. Thanks.
Jim and Margie2nd Amendment Patriots
STAY UNITED
www.2ndamendmentpatriots.org
About Second Amendment Patriots
The Second Amendment Patriots are a local group of citizens dedicated to preserving the rights, freedoms, and civil liberties of every American by educating the American public of the founding and history of this country and its founding fathers by explaining the role, functions and purpose of the U.S. Government; and by teaching the need and importance of an armed American public, in order to allow for a more prosperous and respectful country consisting of American citizens with a pledge of allegiance to their country and who will at the same time, voice their demand to take back the present overwhelming power of the U.S. Government and deliver it into the hands of the people to which it belongs. Visit: www.2ndamendmentpatriots.org
