In light of the recent developments of the President appointing Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge to the newly created Cabinet-level post of the "Office of Homeland Security", we offer the following observations and concerns.

We have a deep and alarming fear regarding the appointment of Tom Ridge to this very visible and powerful position in our government. We fear, with Tom Ridge's record on gun rights and civil liberties that he is the wrong man for this job, and we are concerned that our liberties will be in jeopardy.

We all need to support the President in these very serious times foisted upon us by the attacks on America with the killing of thousands of American citizens in the destruction of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the heroic actions by passengers who lost their lives on flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania at the hands of the the world wide terrorist movement. However, we believe that he has made a critical mistake in appointing Tom Ridge to this cabinet level position.

We must maintain constant vigilance were our liberties are concerned, and it must begin when Tom Ridge takes office. Remember, the words of Benjamin Franklin in 1787, which is etched in a wall next to the steps leading into the Pennsylvania Capitol building,

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety"

If asked, even I could have come up with a better list of Americans that would have been better suited for this job. The novelist Tom Clancy, I believe, has a better understanding of terrorism than Tom Ridge.

Keep in mind, in 1994 Tom Ridge was the pivotal vote for the so-called "Assault Weapons" ban while serving as the Congressman from the 21st District in Pennsylvania. In 2004 this ban will expire, and there are those in the Congress who will be all too willing to work to make it permanent. Also, this could be the perfect launching pad for Tom Ridge to replace Dick Cheney as the President's choice for Vice President in 2004. We have known for sometime that Ridge's aides have been leaving and taking jobs in the Bush Administration to prepare the way to Tom Ridge to serve in some capacity. There have been rumors that he would resign before the end of his term for some time now.

We have been tracking Tom Ridge's record since he became Governor in 1995. We invite anyone who is interested to read Tom Ridge's record on firearms and civil rights issues as Governor of Pennsylvania by visiting the following web sites.

Firearm Owners Against Crime's Analysis of the Ridge Record on Firearms and Rights. http://www.hhi.com/foac/ridge/Ridge_new_982.html

Gun Registry Law Suit - ACSL et. al. vs. Tom Ridge
http://www.nauticom.net/www/acsl/register/registration.html

NRA-ILA Staffers Keep Silent on Gun Legislation?
(Ridge's Refusal to fund Compliance Audit on Pennsylvania Instant Check System to protect State Police registry)
http://www.nauticom.net/www/acsl/alerts/alert_no_2_SB%201444.htm

If anyone has any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Kim Stolfer
(412) 221-3346 Home Phone
(412) 257-1099 Home Fax
Firearms Owners Against Crime
http://www.hhi.com/foac/
Allegheny County Sportsmen's League, Inc.
http://www.nauticom.net/www/acsl/

Mike Slavonic
Legislative Chairman of the ACSL and Secretary of FOAC
acsl@nauticom.net
(412) 882-9115