GOA: Things to Celebrate This Thanksgiving!

My fellow Americans, let us keep this Thanksgiving Day sacred. Let us thank God for the bounty and goodness of our nation. And as a measure of our gratitude, let us rededicate ourselves to the preservation of this: the land of the free and the home of the brave.” -- Ronald Reagan, Thanksgiving Address (1985)

Calls increase for Holder’s ouster

The opposition continues to reverberate inside the Beltway, as more than 50 congressmen -- and one Presidential candidate -- are now demanding that Attorney General Eric Holder resign.

Gov. Rick Perry became the first presidential candidate to call for Holder’s ouster. Pointing to the Fast & Furious debacle, Gov. Rick Perry said this week that, “It is high time for Mr. Holder to step down. If he refuses to resign, Mr. Obama must fire him immediately.”

Operation Fast & Furious is the gun-running scheme where the Justice Department approved (and in some cases, helped fund) the purchase and smuggling of firearms into Mexico -- all with the apparent intent of using the increased violence south of the border as a pretext for more gun control in this country.

In October, Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL) became the first congressmen to publicly call for Holder’s resignation. Two weeks after Walsh “broke the ice,” Arizona Representative Paul Gosar organized a press conference where more than three dozen congressmen announced they were joining the call for Holder’s ouster.

“From what we’ve seen – lying to Congress in his dictations and prior comments – the audacity of this egregious injustice on American citizens as well as Mexican citizens, he’s got to go,” Gosar said.

In addition to Operation Fast & Furious, the Justice Department continues to engage in activities that target or demonize gun owners. U.S. News & World Report informed their readers last week that the Obama Administration has just put millions of acres of public lands off limits to hunting and target practice.

It’s actions like these which demonstrate the clear animus that President Obama has for gun owners. Stay tuned for more updates as these stories continue to develop. Click here to help GOA spread the word to more and more gun owners.

GOF wins in the VA Supreme Court

Earlier this month, Gun Owners Foundation won a Supreme Court case in defense of a gun owner in the Old Dominion. Russell Ernest Smith had been wrongfully convicted of “willfully and intentionally” making a false statement on his 4473 form when purchasing a firearm. But GOF believed that the government’s argument against Smith was specious.

So Gun Owners Foundation prepared its amicus brief and submitted it on behalf of Mr. Smith. GOF was the only group making the case that Smith's conviction should be overturned. After waiting several months for the verdict, the Virginia Supreme Court announced its verdict on November 4 … and Smith emerged victorious.

What’s both interesting and exciting in this case is that, in overturning Smith’s conviction, the judges used an argument that GOF had made -- an argument which his own lawyer did not even make. GOF is making an impact upon the courts in defense of gun owners’ rights!

There’s much more to be thankful for -- as the above is just the tip of the iceberg. Despite the many battles we have ahead, we enjoy unparalleled freedom as compared to most places in the world.

So with that in mind, we at Gun Owners of America hope that you will spend a safe and thankful holiday with your family and friends.

Happy Thanksgiving!