President George H. W. Bush's Resignation Letter to the NRA...

As NRA President Wayne LaPierre's comments about what we should do about the gun violence issue, a letter from former President George H. W. Bush has surfaced from the mid 1990's. This seventeen year old letter is very interesting to review...

Letter of Resignation Sent By Bush to Rifle Association...

May 3, 1995

I was outraged when, even in the wake of the Oklahoma City tragedy, 
Mr. Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of N.R.A., defended his attack 
on federal agents as "jack-booted thugs." To attack Secret Service agents or 
A.T.F. people or any government law enforcement people as "wearing Nazi bucket 
helmets and black storm trooper uniforms" wanting to "attack law abiding citizens" 
is a vicious slander on good people.

Al Whicher, who served on my [ United States Secret Service ] detail when I was 
Vice President and President, was killed in Oklahoma City. He was no Nazi. He was 
a kind man, a loving parent, a man dedicated to serving his country -- and serve it 
well he did.

In 1993, I attended the wake for A.T.F. agent Steve Willis, another dedicated officer 

who did his duty. I can assure you that this honorable man, killed by weird cultists, 
was no Nazi.

John Magaw, who used to head the U.S.S.S. and now heads A.T.F., is one of the 
most principled, decent men I have ever known. He would be the last to condone the 
kind of illegal behavior your ugly letter charges. The same is true for the F.B.I.'s able 
Director Louis Freeh. I appointed Mr. Freeh to the Federal Bench. His integrity and 
honor are beyond question.

Both John Magaw and Judge Freeh were in office when I was President. They both 
now serve in the current administration. They both have badges. Neither of them would 
ever give the government's "go ahead to harass, intimidate, even murder law abiding citizens." 
(Your words) 

I am a gun owner and an avid hunter. Over the years I have agreed with most of 
N.R.A.'s objectives, particularly your educational and training efforts, and your fundamental 
stance in favor of owning guns.

However, your broadside against Federal agents deeply offends my own sense of decency 
and honor; and it offends my concept of service to country. It indirectly slanders a wide array of government law enforcement officials, who are out there, day and night, laying their lives on the 
line for all of us.

You have not repudiated Mr. LaPierre's unwarranted attack. Therefore, I resign as a Life 
Member of N.R.A., said resignation to be effective upon your receipt of this letter. Please 
remove my name from your membership list. 

Sincerely, [ signed ] 

George Bush
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This letter was written in response to a fundraising letter sent out by the NRA in the weeks 
that followed the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19th, 1995. 
The letter, written by Wayne LaPierre, who was the NRA Executive Vice President. LaPierre 
writes, "It doesn't matter to them that the semi-auto ban gives jack-booted 
government thugs more power to take away our constitutional rights, break in 
our doors, seize our guns, destroy our property, and even injure or kill us." And 
continues, "It goes on: "Not too long ago, it was unthinkable for federal agents 
wearing Nazi bucket helmets and black storm trooper uniforms to attack law-abiding 
citizens." 

At the heart of the NRA's discontent had been the (then) recent signing into law of a ten year 
ban on assault weapons. Senator Robert Dole commented after LaPierre's letter was released 
that "the NRA needs a little image repair job." 

Which sounds vaguely familiar in current times, eh?

Source:

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/11/us/letter-of-resignation-sent-by-bush-to-rifle-association.html

http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/NRA-Defends-Vitriol-Toward-Federal-Agents-3034757.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Assault_Weapons_Ban