July 13, 2011

Retailers Heeding Industry’s Caution of anti-gun survey

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Last month NSSF cautioned federally licensed firearms retailers that anti-gun researcher and activist Garen Wintemute and his colleagues at the University of California at Davis were encouraging retailers to participate in a survey to better understand “the unique perspective of firearms licensees on important social issues and the firearms business itself.”

We explained that 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.” We also noted that Dr. Wintemute and his team conducted “undercover operations” of gunshows for their report, “Inside Gun Shows: What Goes on When Everyone Thinks Nobody is Watching.”

Well, it appears that retailers have heeded NSSF’s caution.  Apparently Dr. Wintemute has been forced to send out repeat invitations  to America’s firearms retailers urging them to reconsider their rejection of his survey.

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.

Read the cover letter and survey.

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Categories: Government Relations, Top Stories