A recent report (and its subsequent fallout) concerning a looming but clandestine agreement between American gun manufacturers and the anti-Constitution United Nations has sparked gun manufacturer Sturm, Ruger to issue a press release promoting support for the right to keep and bear arms. We have received numerous emails copied to Ruger, Glock and Berretta in which gunowners have expressed disapproval of these companies' making pacts with the UN, and we know of other organizations who've encouraged criticism of these manufacturers, as well -- including UTGOA and Gun Owner's Alliance of Texas.

I have placed a call to Ruger's representative who issued the press release and look forward to reporting his responses to the following questions:

1)  What is the nature of the agreement Ruger and other gun manufacturers are discussing with the anti-Constitution United Nations?

2)  May we publish the current version of the agreement, in its entirety, so our members and visitors -- many of them your loyal customers -- can assess their future relations with your company?

3)  What good reason can there be for your firm to engage in friendly relations with a non-American entity whose commitment is to disarm the world's citizenry, including your own longtime customers?

4)  What other gun manufacturers are engaging in negotiations with the United Nations?

5)  Does Ruger understand and support the true meaning of the Second Amendment -- as a check against government tyranny?  If so, will you commit Ruger to immediately extricating itself from any negotiations with the United Nations?

6)  Who began these negotiations, when did they begin, and under what pretense were they begun?

I will be pleasantly surprised if I am able to extract answers to these questions from Ruger, or any other manufacturer for that matter -- and I will be thorough in my reporting of what information comes back to me.

One thing in the Ruger press release does merit attention.  Says the report,

"Any implication that Sturm, Ruger in any way supports international gun control or civilian disarmament is absolutely contrary to the truth."

When the high capacity magazine ban was working its way to the congress, Bill Ruger himself was most helpful in assuring its passage.  That was and is "civilian disarmament."  Thus, I have additional questions, should I receive my return phone call from Ruger's representative:

7)  Are we now to understand that Ruger no longer supports any high capacity magazine ban?

8)  What is Ruger's position on the so-called "assault weapons ban"?

9)  Where does Ruger stand on the closing of the so-called "gun show loophole"?

The answers to these questions will help Real Americans assess the authenticity of the above statement in Ruger's press release, dated July 16, 2001.