From: Kevin Langston <langston@convex.COM>
Subject: Re: NRA excludes Libertarian
Followup-To: talk.politics.guns
Originator: langston@eugene.convex.com
Reply-To: langston@convex.COM (Kevin Langston)
Organization: Convex Computer Corporation, Technical Operations
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 13:54:33 GMT
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

lairdb@crash.cts.com (Laird P. Broadfield) writes:
>Leroy.Pyle@f223.n143.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Leroy Pyle) writes:
>
>>-> From: cavasin@convex.com (Vince Cavasin)
>>->
>>-> This sort of policy is EXACTLY what keeps Joe Average American ignora
>>-> the LP and its views.  And Joe Average American includes a hell of a lot
>>-> owners who have never heard of the LP and would probably be quite
>>-> enthusiastic about our cause if they were exposed to it.
>>->
>>Why do you think it is the NRA's responsibility to publicize the LP and
>>its views? You think the policy stinks because NRA membership monies
>>are not used to promote the LP? You blame the NRA and its policy for
>>the LP's lack of exposure?
>
>Mmmm, I think you're being unfair here.  Vince's complaint is not that the
>NRA should be publicizing the LP, but that the NRA is engaged in irresponsible
>reportage.  It's debatable, but (at the risk of putting words in Vince's
>mouth) how about: "To report on the positions of only the two-party candidates
>when significant alternatives exist in many races is as much a disservice
>as Election News Service's rounding-up of the vote numbers to allow non-
>reporting of alternative party results.

    You're putting words in Vince's mouth that even Vince doesn't believe.
    Notice how he said "This sort of policy..keeps Joe Average American
    ignora[sic] the LP and its views." He didn't say "this is the kind of
    policy that keeps Joe ignorant of alternative candidates." See, Vince
    is a Libertarian first, and is only trying to get the NRA to recognize
    the LP candidates as viable alternatives, not get them to report on
    pro-gun candidates.

>Under the same logic, it's also arguable that the feature should also note 
>that the American Nazi Party candidate is pro-control, the ACP candidate
>is pro-control, etc. 

    He has no interest at all in seeing other third party candidates'
    positions recognized. He thinks that's up to their supporters.

    The two major problems I have with Vince's articles are, first, that
    he is trying to get people outside the NRA (who have NO legitimate say
    in what gets reported by the NRA to it's members) to try and influence
    NRA policy. Second, he doesn't care about other minor party candidates,
    only HIS minor party candidate. That has nothing to do with the pro-gun
    outlook, it's purely politics,  and we already have enough political
    strife within the NRA.

-- 
----      Kevin Langston               Convex Computer Corporation
------    WORK: langston@convex.com    Technical Operations
--------  AKA:  langston@frontier.lonestar.org
"We find comfort among those who agree with us - growth among those who don't"
Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns