textfiles/politics/GUNS/fazio.txt

Date:     Mon Apr 11, 1994  2:08 pm  PST
From:     Peter Nesbitt / MCI ID: 376-5414
Subject:  Vic Fazio Town Hall Meeting
 
        On March 29 I received a phone call from a fellow who wanted me to 
attend a town hall meeting with him the next day with Vic Fazio.  I did not
personally know the guy who was inviting me, however we have spoken several
times on the phone in the past.  I did not have any info on Fazio at the 
time either, so I declined.

        The next morning when I returned from the meeting with the Fairfield
Chief, there was a pleading message for me to attend the meeting with him
once again.  I gave in and went along.

        My "friend" works at the Vacaville High School where the meeting was
to take place, so when we walked in, the teachers all recognized him and just
nodded to me as we walked through the doors and into the assembly area.

        There were around 200-300 high school kids in the auditorium, and only
a few adults along the back and side walls.  I asked him if this was really
a public meeting or one for the students.  He said it was public. (NOT!) I had
a bad feeling about this and was just going to sit tight and see what happened.

        Fazio came out and gave an introduction about himself, then started in
on health care and then crime.

        When the crime topic was being discussed, my "friend" became quite 
anxious to ask a question.  His hand was thrust up into the air, he was dying
to ask a question.  Fazio only called on the students around him, and it was
quite apparent that this was a "student only" function.

        Suddenly he jumped up out of his seat and shouted, "...buy why are
you always voting to take away our gun rights!!!"

        The meeting came to a grinding halt.  I buried my face in my notepad
and began writing notes as quickly as possible, trying to look uninterested.

        Fazio says, "Oh...we have a couple of NRA members here!!!  Let's just
stop the meeting and see what the NRA has to say."

        My "friend" says, "Yes sir!  And here's the local leader of the NRA
and he has a couple of questions to ask you!", as he elbows me in the side
to get my attention.

        All eyes and ears were focused on me as I crawled out from underneath
my rock.  Dressed in my suit and "I'm the NRA" button, I asked the following
question: "Sir, you mentioned earlier that Americans have rights that they
never exercise.  You also mentioned that Americans have rights which other
countries do not have, and that it was important to exercise our rights. One
of the most important of these rights, is a right which keeps this country 
free.  That is the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms.  Why do you
consistently support and vote for legislation that further restricts the 
rights of gun owners?"

        There was a pretty good round of applause, but then Fazio turned to
the audience and proceeded to tell EVERY HCI lie that we have ever heard or
read about.  "...these cop killer bullets...teflon coated bullets...machine
guns...assault weapons...penetrating bulletproof vests...injuries at home...
uzis...drive by shootings...have your gun taken away...blah...blah...blah..."

        He went on for quite a while, and when he finished, there was a 
THUNDEROUS applause.  These students AGREED with him!

        I stood standing to make an attempt at refuting some of the lies, but
he turned to me and said, "I think that we've heard enough from the NRA!"

        I looked at my "friend" and said, "Thanks!"

        Just then a teacher comes over to me and asks if I had been invited to
the school, and if I had signed in at the office.  I told her that I had been,
but was unaware that I was required to sign in.  She looked at my "friend"
who works at the school, and proceeded to chew him out, then threatened to
have me arrested! (This was all very quiet, noone else heard)

        I told her that I was leaving, and asked to speak to her outside.  She
grabbed two other male teachers and followed me outside where I explained how
I had been "invited" to a "public forum" to meet Vic Fazio, and that today
was the first day that I had personally met my "friend".

        Finally, she turned and walked away.

        I went home and called the school principal IMMEDIATELY.  He had 
already heard about the events of the morning and sounded a little upset.
After I explained what had hapened, the meeting of my "friend", and the
misunderstanding on "public" -vs- "student only" meetings, he calmed down
and said that it sounded like a mistake or a misunderstanding to him.
        He said not to worry about the events of the morning, and that he
appreciated my calling to set things straight.

CONCLUSION

- Never attend a meeting with someone you don't persoanlly know unless
that person is well know in the community, or comes on a recommendation from
another person whom you personally know and trust.

        - As was proven in the Hamburg Town Hall meetings, PRE-PLANNING works!
Get together with your partner or your group before the meeting and discuss
how you will act, who will do what, who will ask what, alternative questions,
what to do if things go bad, where to sit, how to dress, etc.

        - Call and find out as much about the meeting place before the meeting
actually takes place.  I did this for the meeting with my Chief, Hannigan,
and Hamburg.  We were able to check out the meeting hall before, decide where
to place our camera, and to get an idea of how many people might be present,
and just get a mental picture of where we would be operating.

        - If it doesn't feel right (and this one didn't!), don't get involved.
Sit quietly, take notes, or leave.  

        - This "friend" could have (may have?) caused a considerable amount
of damage by dragging us into an unfriendly environment where we were 
outnumbered by the enemy, and where Fazio definately controlled the battle.
We didn't stand a chance, and he stompped on our little fire with little
ease.  There was noone else to bring up reinforcements.

        - Mistakes will be made.  We learn from these mistakes, I know that my
learning curve has been on the upswing lately!  Hopefully we can all learn
from each other's mistakes.  Press on and do well, don't get discouraged 
because you screwed up.

        - I apologized to the principal, telling him that Mr. X was not a 
true representation of gun owners, and that I was embarrassed that the whole
thing happened.  I did not call or write to Fazio to offer my apologies. 
I thought it might be best to let that just die and go away.

PDN