The Second Amendment Foundation is launching a nationwide television advertising effort, calling attention to “Guns Save Lives Day” on Dec. 15, in conjunction with Bill of Rights Day.
SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb announced the campaign, noting that the organization has bought “hundreds of thousands of dollars of air time” on Fox News, DISH TV, and Glenn Beck’s Blaze Network. He has also purchased air time on national conservative radio talk shows, SiriusXM satellite radio and major radio stations.
“Our message points out that guns do save lives,” Gottlieb said, “and that it is not in the interest of public safety to create so-called ‘gun-free zones’ where people are defenseless against violent criminal attack.”
Viewers will be directed to the toll-free telephone number (800-970-0998) that they can call to voice support for their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. People can also visit the GunsSaveLivesDay.com website to sign a petition in support of gun rights and the fact that guns do save lives.
“While others will exploit national tragedies to push an agenda of victim disarmament,” Gottlieb observed, “those of us involved in ‘Guns Save Lives Day’ have a different message that the public has a right to hear. The proper use of firearms in emergency situations can make a difference to the safety of would-be victims, whether they are night-shift grocery clerks, single moms, senior citizens or small business owners.”
He was especially critical of Organizing for Action, the group created from the Barack Obama campaign organization, and Moms Demand Action, for exploiting the Sandy Hook tragedy, while trying to silence firearms rights groups.
“There have been meetings in the White House to coordinate how gun prohibitionists can use the Newtown anniversary to push their political, anti-rights agenda,” Gottlieb said. “While they have criticized the ‘Guns Save Lives’ effort, these organizations have hypocritically worked with the Obama administration to dance across the graves of the innocent in a campaign to destroy the Second Amendment.”
Americans protect themselves from violent crime with firearms up to two million times annually, by some estimates. Nearly half of those incidents occur away from home, demonstrating the effectiveness of concealed- and open-carry laws. In the majority of those cases, a shot is not even fired, but the presence of the firearm serves as a deterrent to violence.
“Nobody should have the right to prohibit another person from exercising his or her right of self-defense,” Gottlieb said. “This notion that ‘gun free zone’ decals or signs will prevent a violent crime is at best delusional. Criminals and crazy people pay no heed to such restrictions on law-abiding people, and in fact they take advantage of such situations.
“Our television effort will provide an opportunity to millions of Americans to express their support for a fundamental civil right,” Gottlieb said. “At the same time, we will send a message to the gun prohibition lobby that Americans will not sacrifice their right to self-defense on the altar of political correctness.”
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
