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| National Writing Project |
Rationale
During the last 50 years, governments have enacted restrictive legislation targeting South Africa's law-abiding gun owners. Meanwhile, the criminal use of firearms has been relatively ignored. Responsible gun owners are being discouraged from owning firearms and are being driven from their shooting sports for no just cause. They have been subjected to campaigns of bureaucratic red tape, constant hurdles, endless courses, mindless regulations, and exorbitant fees. It is clear that the intent is to harass, restrict, prohibit and disarm the entire civilian population of South Africa.
To justify their social engineering agenda, the government and anti-gun groups have fabricated their cases on bogus polls, inflated statistics, flawed surveys, rare emotional tragedies and fraudulent research. They have created the false impression that licenced guns are a major cause of crime in South Africa. They are not. They have created the false impression that gun owners are a major threat to South African society. They are not. Sensationalised reports in the media have duped the public into believing that violent crime can be solved by gun control. It cannot.
Since these are just some of the false assumptions underlying South Africa's new gun laws, Firearms Control Bill B34-2000 is fatally flawed to the core and must be struck down.
South Africans are generally ignorant of gun laws with probably less than 200 citizens knowing the present laws. Therefore, how can the public be expected to express meaningful opinions on the need for stricter gun laws, if they have no idea of present ones?
In summary, there is an urgent need to inform the public about South Africa's Firearms Control Bill. Critical tools in this battle will be the printed word, computers and the Internet.
Objectives
The objectives of the National Writing Project are:
| National Writing Project |
To protect the freedoms, rights and property of South Africans, The National Writing Project has been developed. The NWP is designed to inform all citizens about the truth on gun control and to alert them to the inherent dangers in Bill 34-2000
There are 3 million gun owners who need to be awakened. There are 30 million South Africans who need to be informed. It is obvious that a massive body of communicators is needed to reach the general public. It is hoped that the NWP will be one of several significant advances in influencing public opinion on gun control and similar legislation.
Implementation Procedures
There are several preferential strategies for implementing the NWP. These are:
1. Small Group: One leader forms a small group of 5 -10 friends who are opposed to B34-2000 now Act 60-2000 and are willing to do something about it. At a home meeting, topics are identified. Each person is assigned to write an article of personal choice. To help the writer with ideas, members brainstorm each topic. The writer jots these ideas down on paper. Those with computer skills help the rest. One skilled writer edits and proof-reads. Newspapers and magazines in the local print media are identified and letters are sent. If letters are not published, inquiries are made to the person in charge of Letters to the Editor. Congratulate those who get published. Post articles immediately on the Internet at the South African Firearms Forum http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SAFirearmForum
More information on the SAFirearForum
It is highly recommended that gun owners make the technological leap to the super information highway by finding a way to communicate by email. It saves so much time, costs and energy when submissions do not need to be retyped. Do not worry about being identified, as the print media require your name and city anyway. Besides, we are fighting for our freedoms. It is high time we demonstrated that South African's do have spines and refuse to be intimidated. If anyone is subjected to coercion, please inform us and we will fly to your defense.
2. Gun Club/Organisation: Where appropriate, the preceding implementation strategies can be applied at the gun club, hunting or wildlife association or shooting federation levels. Of critical importance here is having a core of dedicated leaders, who have the resolve to implement the NWP plan. It is recommended that club executives call meetings during which action teams of 5-10 writers are formed. They identify topics, brainstorm ideas and complete first drafts of letters. Focus should be directed toward: holding members of parliament and local politicians accountable; the impact of B34-2000 on small businesses (hotels, restaurants, outfitters, stores, etc.); the benefits of tourism, hunting and fishing; the impact of anti-rural legislation on the local community; and persuading non-gun owners to support the repeal of B34-2000.
It would simplify matters if a designated person forwarded the names of writers and their published articles, at periodic intervals and in bunches, to the web site. Postings could be organised to display each club’s contribution.
3. Individual: For reasons of time, distance and personal considerations, many gun owners will prefer to write and publish articles individually. Since it will take considerable time and effort to record each person and each article on a web site, please consider options one and two, first.
At the individual member level, it is recommended that gun owners join the South African Gun Owners Association, sporting and hunting organisations of personal choice. These groups must vigorously defend your shooting sports at the national, provincial and local levels. At the organisational level, it is recommended that gun clubs and hunting associations join and support the National Firearms Forum. This firearms organisation will supply the essential knowledge needed to help you write these articles and defend your cultural heritage.
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Developed from the CILA/ICAL NFWP
Copyright © 2001 Crimefree South Africa, all rights reserved.