Ken Schramm gets 90 seconds of air time twice a week at the end of the 1730 and 1830 local ABC news broadcasts.
I'll bet that at least one of the people mentioned in the second commentary are ARF people!
This was his Sept 9th commentory:
The NRA And Political Weasels
September 9, 2004
By Ken Schram
SEATTLE - Face it, if the NRA had its way, people would be able to own machine guns.
And the more fanatical NRA members would be yammering about how the 2nd Amendment allows it.
At the moment however, all the NRA can do is kill an assault weapons ban that a vast majority of Americans think is necessary and worthwhile.
In fact, most congressional Republicans and Democrats also believe the weapons ban should be extended, but they're political weasels.
They've allowed the NRA to intimidate them into ignoring what the nation needs, in favor of what the NRA wants.
Contrary to popular belief, I support the 2nd Amendment.
What I don't support is the NRA's iron-fisted labeling of every reasonable effort to curb gun violence as a diabolical plot to take guns away from law-abiding citizens.
By any and all measures, the ban on semi-automatic assault rifles -- along with magazines with more than 10 rounds of ammunition -- has had a positive impact in the 10 years since it was passed.
But the NRA doesn't care.
The NRA's fantasy is that extending this particular ban would lead to bans on other guns -- "The Boogeyman will getcha" argument.
The NRA has gone from influencing government, to controlling it.
Some say they can live with that.
But how many others will die because of it?
And this is his response after a week of responses:
Ken Schram's Commentary: I Need To 'Get A Clue'?
September 16, 2004
By Ken Schram
SEATTLE - I've learned, once again, that if I don't support the NRA 100% of the time, on 100% of the issues,
I am effectively relegated to the status of 'commie-pinko-bedwetter.' My commentary in support of extending the ban on assault rifles is such an example.
Joan Stovall's message was short and direct: "You are an idiot."
Mark Townsend made his position clear: "You can't support half of (the 2nd Amendment). It's all or nothing."
Rod Willsey took exception to my saying I support the 2nd Amendment: "(People like you always say that) immediately before explaining why the 2nd Amendment should be obliterated. (You) should sit down, shut up, and be deeply ashamed...for...telling lies."
Don Childers writes: "The NRA simply responds to the will of its 4 million members...By slamming the NRA you are slamming democracy in action."
Tammie Ott: "You need to get a clue on gun control. It isn't the gun. It's the person behind it."
Mike Lubrecht's comments echoed others that came my way: "The whole premise of the ban was based purely on (a gun's) cosmetic features; (features) that have nothing to do with function or lethality."
Well, as a so-called 'commie-pinko-bedwetter,' I still disagree.
But I honestly appreciate the emails.
Want to share your thoughts with Ken Schram? You can e-mail him at
[email protected]