>>> "T. Hintopoulos" <hint@northnet.org> 08/05/99 09:54PM >>>
At 12:40 PM 8/5/99 -0700, Antoine Compin wrote:
>However, as I read your comments, I cringe when I read
>generalizations concerning the "dovish" Democrats, the Clinton
>Administration, the NRA, the theft of national secrets, the gays
>in the military etc.... None of that belongs here...
>expressing these views is downright dangerous, as it fosters in
>the "non-milveh-collector" reader's mind the notion that we ALL
>are right-wingers, and ALSO a bunch of gun-toting crazies that
>should be deprived of their toys... Well, it's a free country
>and probably some of us are just that, but it would be
>irresponsible to associate the entire MVPA membership of this
>club to "a fringe element, a radical right wing militia group
>bent on owning tanks".
OK, I can see that, the harshness.
>I am convinced that restoring and owning Military Vehicles has
>nothing, but NOTHING to do with the right to bear arms. I
>believe that associationg ourselves AS A GROUP, OR CLUB with the
>politics of the NRA is dangerous and irresponsible: the option
>to support or not the NRA lobbying efforts is best left to the
>individual in the membership, acting personally.
>
> I, personally, favor some sort of reasonable gun control, as
>opposed to the intransigeant and alienating demands of the NRA.
>That does not get in the way of my collecting mil-vehs at all. I
>am a Democrat also: that does not mean I get in a tizzy every
>time I see olive-drab...MANY European MVPA club members would
>probably also share the view that military firearms and military
>vehicles are strange bedfellows.
I'm afraid I have to stop here. Until this decade, I had the privlege
of voting as an Independent. Today, I am labeled as a right winged
extremist by merely disagreeing with the Democratic Party. I had no =
choice,
I had to re-registered Republican. We both did, wife as well. I also =
became
a Life-Member of the NRA. All this since 1994.
Funny, we (wife and I), have the same view of the Democratic Party
that you have of the NRA. We have been fortunate to have traveled
to Europe. We clearly see why Europeans share those views. Neither of us
labeled them as leftwinged extremists. We loved the stay, respected those
we meet while overseas and simply accepted the fact that we are not
Socialists. We appreciate even more what we have here in the States.
Reasonable gun control ?, how much more before confiscation. Yes, this can
happen; but talk about responsibility and I'm a rightwinged extremist. =
=20
>Finally, "How can any intelligent, informed citizen honestly
>expect" to believe that the Form-6 related difficulties within
>the BATF are anything more than pure administrative gridlock?
>Look at our numbers... The administration has a lot bigger fish
>to fry than to deal with us collectors of military vehicles.
We are not interested in being fried. When an administration is in place,
there is a definite trickle down of ideology. The big administrators
are busy cooking the Big fish, while the little administrators are looking
to make their marks. Works this way in the business world to.
It is important to me that we, MVPA, work effectively to change these
Form 6 difficulties. Have you not met folk that simply could not understand=
why we would want these machines, that they should be outlawed?
This issue was important for you to respond, and yes, our political
dissertations probably do not belong in this forum, but I would fight for
your right to express your views without the personal labels.
My apologies to the Mil-Veh master and my fellow listers.
Best wishes Antoine.
(Like your collection.) =09
>
>1943 Willys MB & '44 MBT
>1942 Harley WLA
>1942 Harley XA (two)
>MVPA 14803 - MVCG (France)
>http://www.freehomepages.com/antoine=20
Ted Hintopoulos 1705 MVPA
hint@northnet.org=20
=3D=3D=3D
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