C. Heston to step down

[powerstrk]

Heston stepping down as president of NRA
Mike Schneider, Associated Press

Published April 25, 2003 HEST25


ORLANDO, FLA. -- Charlton Heston is making his last appearance as president of the National Rifle Association (NRA) this weekend, after using his movie-star prominence to amplify the group's gun-rights message and help elect supporters to the White House and Congress.

As the NRA's public face for five years, Heston helped steer the organization through difficult times -- including fallout from the Columbine massacre in 1999 -- and even won opponents' grudging respect.

"It helped the NRA immeasurably to have Charlton Heston president of the NRA," said Wayne LaPierre, the group's executive vice president. "Here's a figure the public really does love. . . . It brought a built-in microphone."

Heston's most famous sound bite as NRA president -- when he raised a rifle above his head and said, "From my cold, dead hands" -- still burns in the memories of many gun-control advocates.

Heston, 78, who announced last year that he has symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease, will be succeeded as president by Kayne Robinson, former chairman of Iowa's Republican Party.

The NRA's annual convention in Orlando this weekend will include a tribute to Heston on Friday featuring country music singer Toby Keith.

Heston, who starred in "Ben-Hur," "The Ten Commandments" and "Planet of the Apes" during a 50-year film career, wasn't available for comment Thursday, an NRA spokesman said.

He became president of the NRA in 1998, at a time when the 4 million-member group was at odds with the Clinton White House. Heston campaigned vigorously for George W. Bush in 2000 and for Republican candidates in 22 states last year.

Heston's work has earned him respect even from political opponents such as leading gun-control advocate Sarah Brady.

"He's a very worthy opponent," she said. "I still disagree with him philosophically, but I respect what he has done for his fight on the issue

 

[dance varmint]

He has a farewell address printed in American Rifleman, and I like the last line which he borrowed from his last scene in The Ten Commandments, "Go forth and proclaim liberty throughout the land and to the inhabitants thereof."

And if I could address the Million Morons, I would borrow from Planet of the Apes, "damn you all to hell!"

 

[keyhole]

Hate to see him go, and wish him well.

 

[Tropical Z]

God speed Mr.Heston

 

[Standing Wolf]

He's been a great president.

 

[Jeeper]

I hate to see him go also. It is very necessary to have someone that is a public person as our president. I think it really helped to have someone that everyone knows. I would love to see Tom Seleck or Nolan Ryan.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I agree that Tom Selleck should be NRA president. I've always wondered if he'd been questioned about it.

My boyhood hero was and still is Charlton Heston. Larger than life, he always has been the man I would most want to greet before I die. When he became NRA president, I was thrilled. When he became ill with the same disease that claimed my father, I was shattered. A true giant among men. Kayne Robinson has very large shoes to fill. I pray he's up to the task.

I also pray for the Heston family, that the road they are traveling be smoother than ours was.

 

[COHIBA]

ted for pres.

 

[Justin]

Much as I like The Nuge, the guy would make a horrible NRA president. He has a bad habit of neglecting to engage his brain before flappin' his lips.

 

[COHIBA]

not PC, you mean.?
at least we would see him making statments like "from my cold dead hands" w/ an FN instead of a flintlock.
i think the time for the 70 year old NRA crowd to let the younger more progressive minds take a lead.
focus on the issues. the issues are ...
national CCW
AWB
AW import regulations
the NRA has spent the last 10 years NOT making waves.
if we dont make a stand then the right will be relegated to a privelidge and bred out of us.
eddie eagle is fine, but we need hardcore, hold the line, in your face reps who are gonna stand up for the rights of ALL gun owners not just the O/U DU crowd.

 

[Edward429451]

Well said cohiba.

Ted for Pres.

 

[Rembrandt]

I first met Heston 8 years ago, worked with him on a number of events and projects. I remember all our conversations as though they were yesterday...his passion for the second is as deep as anybodys on this board. His special gift as an actor enables him to communicate these messages in a way few can match. He has given our cause much...I only hope we all support him and his family to the same extent in his remaining years.

The last time I saw him was about two months ago and he was looking a little tired. He's lived a remarkable life, have had many conversations together about his experiences growing up hunting and shooting, and some of the moments that shaped his "conservative" views.

...Heston is a man who reached the top of his profession, stepped forward to become a leader in many different arenas and could have sat back saying...."I've done my part, now it's time for others to lead"....but he didn't.

He came forward when asked to lead the NRA...became the target of ridicule and attacks from people he worked with his entire career, mocked...made fun of...blackballed on a number of movie projects. Undaunted he volunteered his name, reputation, and services to the NRA for all the right reasons..."belief in the 2nd ammendment". To the general public who know nothing of gun rights, Heston (in his eloquence), has shown the non-shooting public the importance of the 2nd Amendment in a very dramatic and classy way.

One of the most impressive stand he took was when "Ice T" was making big money and controversy with his cop killer songs. Since Chuck owned some shares of Time Warner, (Ice T's record producers) he decided to attend the share holders meeting and asked to speak. Like most gatherings he attends, his presence was an event. On stage sat the board of directors....Heston goes to the microphone and pulls out a piece of paper and began reading the lyrics to Ice T's song about Cop Killers....he read every four letter dirty word, when he finished, he turned and sat down. Time Warners directors were in shock, they were looking down at their shoes squirming in their chairs. The rest of the audience sat in stunned silence....a short time later Ice T's record contract was cancelled.

For those that don't know who Kayne Robinson (next NRA President) is, you will be impressed. He's one of the most politically savy guns rights activists I've ever met, none finer...

 

[Jeff Thomas]

Mr. Heston has shown great courage and wisdom ... we were fortunate to benefit from all his work.

I wish him great peace and happiness in the remainder of his life.

Regards from TX

 

[twoblink]

As much as I love "The Nuge" we need to not only bring the fresh issues to the table, but also someone who's respectable who will think before firing from the lips.

Tom would be great!

As for the Hess man... I've met some people who've met him, and they all told me the same thing; Larger than life, even in real live.

He was great. Missed but not forgotten.

 

[COHIBA]

when the opposition is comprised of people who condon the slaughter art WACO and the murders at ruby ridge, who call fellow americans gun freaks and militan for owning semi rifles, who try to impose 1000% taxes on the ammo, who keep law abiding home owning mothers and fathers from being able to protect thier families , people who say " the only people who need handguns are the police" and then arm thier body guards and ride around in bulletproof limo's at the expense of the very people they subjugate and relegate to being victems of violent crime...
when these people come to the table to "discuss" MY RIGHTS ...
I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT BEING RESPECTFULL, much less PC.
THIS IS A WAR FOR YOUR FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS.
our army HQ is the NRA. who do you want for a general????

 

[JohnBT]

Who? Someone who knows how to win a battle, not someone who only knows how to pick a fight.

God Bless you Mr. Heston. Thank you for everything you've done.

John

 

[COHIBA]

not tring to take anything away from CH, i just dont see how the last 15 or so years of dues has done anything but lost me...
#1 ability to purchase forign made semi-auto rifles.
#2 ability to purchase standard capacity mags for less than $90
#3 ability to buy a real AR for under $1400
ect...
ect...
ect...
we still have no national CCW
we can only buy 10 rd mags or pay exessive prices for HC's
we can only buy neutered AR's
we cant buy new HK rifles designed for mags over 10 rd.'s
we are closer than ever to registration
gun companies have been pressured into "smart gun" BS
handguns are ballistic fingerprinted as SOP
we still have anti gun lawsuits pending
i am ready to try a different approach.
hell, if it has to come to open aggression i'd just as soon do it now while i am still young enough to fight.
20 more years of this and americans wont even see gun ownership as a RIGHT!

 

[Edward429451]

We've been in a state of "TO ARMS" For arguably the last 70 years and certainly the last 15. Mr Heston, god bless him, is an army of one and did what he could do to eventual failure, not necessarily a personal failure, he just didn't win the war or seemingly any battles because of the magnitude of the enemy in which he and we face. They won't let it come to open aggression just yet because they are out numbered at the present time and need to do more disarming before they feel comfortable to show their teeth. Better sooner than later like you say and I'm there but I'm no leader and no NRA is ever going to be able to get us our so called rights back, and anybody who has the least bit of faith in the polls is a fool in this day & age. Even if a thousand of us got together and marched on D.C., they'd squash us like a grape. Drop a smart bomb on us and blame it on a terrorist, they win. We're in a full state of declared war (if you read the law) but they are not following conventional rules of engagement. They only effective way to combat these tactics is on an individual level so the message filters back up the chain but everyone is either too scared or oblivious to the reality. We do need a public representitive and a good one with attitude and no compromise, but then they'd probably find him suicided shot himself 15 times in the back. We're doomed as a nation, they will reconfigure America into regions (10) doing away with the conventional state borders, and since no more states, no more Constitution of the states.

What the heck did the Nuge' say to tee you guys off at him? I musta missed that one.

Scuse please, I think I hear someone at the door...

 

[Stevie-Ray]

What did "the Nuge" say? Just watch any of his interviews. He's way too much like me to be NRA president. I personally don't give a rip about PC. Sorry, but in a position like that, you have to, or you become fodder for the anti-gun media. In a debate with Chuck Schumer, I could probably hold my own, but the media would have a feeding frenzy with their "I told you sos." Tom Selleck, however, could probably make old Schu feel like the liberal anti-rights moron he really is. I know he made Rosie O'Donnell look like a putz, and even the media thought so. (1 for us) Sorry, but Ted is from my own state, and though I value his contribution in the board of directors, I don't think he'd make a very good president.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Thank you Chuck and let's hope for Tom or Ted.

 

[12GA]

While I am a big fan of the Nuge, I'm not sure he's the man for the job. Some of his viewpoints seem a bit, um... polarizing.

Nuge at Northwestern

Nugent stirs campus with hard-line views
College Republicans' speaker weighs in on drug and alcohol usage, Native Americans, gays

By Jerome C. Pandell
February 24, 2003
Conservative activist and rock star Ted Nugent saluted "the attitude, the spirit and gargantuan kahunas for inviting Uncle Ted to share in this educational jihad campfire" with about 600 Northwestern students at Ryan Family Auditorium Friday night.

"Unlike Jerry Garcia," said Nugent amidst cheers from the mostly male audience, "I'm here tonight because drugs, tobacco, alcohol and way too much fast food is for *******s."

Nugent, who was brought to campus by College Republicans, commanded the audience to work hard toward the "American dream, because there's no such thing as a French dream."

"There is a Mexican dream," Nugent said. "It's to get the hell out of Mexico and come to the United States where you're paid for your work."

Nugent -- who often hunts with the native peoples of North America and Africa -- said the American dream is "full of holes" because American Indians "wanted Ted Nugent to teach them how to kill a buffalo with a stick."

"When Indians are abusing substances and dying through intentional misconduct, I suppose you would have to call the Motor City goofball to set them straight," he said. "Today, you bust your *** in America 'til the Fourth of July to pay for the ******* lifestyles of pimps, whores and welfare brats."

College Republicans President Katie Althen said last week the group was bringing Nugent to campus to talk about guns in America -- a topic he only briefly touched on Friday.

"I didn't know what to expect," said Althen, a Weinberg senior, after the event. "He raised a lot of discussion, and he's the most exciting speaker I've seen on this campus."

During his speech, Nugent said he never went to college because he was "too busy learning ****." He credited his father for raising him to eschew drugs and alcohol. "My dad would have ripped my head off and **** down my neck if I stepped out of line," he said.

In the 1960s, Nugent turned down drugs from Jimi Hendrix and Jerry Garcia because "there's some good looking pussy out there, and I don't want to mess with my level of awareness," he said. "If you're not smart, horny will do."

About six audience members walked out when he began a tirade that blamed "butt ****ing" for the spread of HIV/AIDS.

"Gays get more tax dollars than boys and girls who have leukemia through no fault of their own," Nugent said. "The word queer, fag or homo can't bother 'em because they're ****ing in the ***. ... If using the term butt ****ing is indecent, then what is butt ****ing?"

Evanston resident Nick Bennett, a former NU student, appreciated that Nugent let him talk one-on-one after the speech.

"He was pretty gracious for letting me argue with him," said Bennett, 21. "A lot of his viewpoints I disagree with, but he presents them well, and to form any kind of argument, you need to get all sides."

In a society too politically correct, Nugent said no one separates symbolism from conduct any more. Using the racial epithet "******" as an example, Nugent told a story of how one of his Motown heroes in the '60s told him at age 13 that if he kept playing the guitar, he might "grow up and be a ****** one day."

"To me the word '******' is a badge of honor," Nugent said. "But if some Klansman with brown spittle dripping out of his mouth said, 'You ain't nothing but some ******,' I'd have to shoot him."

Matt McLaughlin, an usher at the event, said some of Nugent's beliefs surprised him.

"Every other word was '****,'" said McLaughlin, a Medill sophomore. "He took his views to (an unexpected) end of the spectrum."

Before he left, Nugent charged the audience to "challenge operating procedures" because "the status quo sucks."

Nugent stayed to chat -- and in some cases argue -- with students after his speech. He also offered his own assessment of his performance:

"I feel the speech was a 10, and I came to cause disruption and make people think."

 

[Edward429451]

OK, I concur that we need a more polished speaker than Ted.

But, ROTFLMAO ya gotta love that speech. The tone may have been off but the sentiment was on. (flame suit on) He was wrong about the gays propagating the HIV/Aids virus. It was introduced into the gay community in new york through newspaper ads offering free Hepatitus B shots to gays which were tainted with the US Govt. virus, Africa also. Its all very well documented with reproductions of the documents from the library of congress in Leonard Horowitz's book, 'Emerging Viruses-Aids & Ebola-Accident or Intentional?' (try the college library if the regular library don't have it.) It cost em 10 million dollars over 5 years and the main man was Dr. Robert Gallo. Good read.

But I digress. We need a strong speaker like Ted, but more polished. Nobody's perfect. Hope the new guy (forget his name) has an attitude.