September 1, 2011
Anti-Gun Survey Continues to Make the Rounds; Retailers Heed Industry’s Caution
Over the last two months, NSSF has cautioned federally licensed firearms retailers in deciding whether to respond to a survey they may have received from Dr. Garen Wintemute and his colleagues at the University of California at Davis. Dr. Wintemute is a leading anti-gun researcher. It seems retailers throughout the country are continuing to heed NSSF’s caution because Dr. Wintemute has been forced to send multiple letters urging retailers to reconsider their rejection of his survey.
Dr. Wintemute serves as the director of the Violence Prevention Research Program at UC Davis and is perhaps best known for authoring the anti-gun report “Ring of Fire: The Handgun Makers of Southern California.” Dr. Wintemute and his team conducted “undercover operations” of gun shows for their report, “Inside Gun Shows: What Goes on When Everyone Thinks Nobody is Watching.”
Given Dr. Wintemute’s history, it is clear that this firearms retailer survey will be used as a tool to justify and support legislation to curb the lawful commerce of firearms and the individual rights of law-abiding Americans. As such, NSSF is continuing to urge extreme caution should retailers decide to participate in this survey.
Categories: Government Relations