Tennessee Firearms Assoc. Inc.

http://lastcar.blogspot.com/

Campfield has responded to this:

It's all true, except when it isn't
You see a lot of funny things from the media. You see things you know are not true stories that say things that are half stories just to try and drive wedges between people or to make it look like some things that have support look like they doesn't.

This story is just one example, http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/apr/2 ... ns-campus/ . If you read the headline and look at the picture it looks like half the power Republicans in the state came to a big press release saying they were against my bill.

Well, I hate to let some people down but that's not the case.

I looked close at the picture and realized there was no such press release that was attended by anyone. It was a picture from months ago being used to perpetrate a false perception.

Today after session Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey came over to my desk and let me know that he DOES SUPPORT the handgun owners on college campuses bill. He said he was more then happy to vote for it or do anything he could to help move it along. He said he was just asked by a reporter if it was a top issue to him and he said no. He had plenty of other big issues he was working on and more or less didn't have time to mess with it but he did support it. He also said he did not care if I brought it forward or not. That the decision was totally up to me and if I wanted to move it that I should go for it.

I figured it was a media ginned up false story even before I talked to Ron. Sadly (For some medias credibility), I was right.

This also puts me in mind of another similar situation on my election of judges bill. A story came out a few weeks ago that Speaker Beth Harwell was against the election of judges bill. John J Hooker who has been a leader on this issue for years spoke to Beth and was assured it was a similar situation. She supported it and was ready to help make sure it passed. Some people loose credibility story after story.

Interesting. I just got off the phone with Lt. Gov. Ramseys office to ask them to put the weight of his office behind the parking lot bill but I also expressed my disapointment in his opposition, (as indicated in a press release) to the campus carry bill.

This is just a prime example of how the media gets things all stirred up. I think they do it by design to bolster circulation. Obviously they feel that their need for circulation out weighs any responsibility they may have to actually accurately report the news.

Got this reply (around noon) from an email I sent Ramsey's office this morning...

Thank you for writing. As is often the case these days, it seems the media has misconstrued my words and given a false impression of my position on Sen. Stacey Campfield's bill which seeks to protect second amendment rights on college campuses. I would put my record on second amendment rights against any other legislator serving currently in the Tennessee legislature. In 1997, I carried the bill that allowed Tennesseans to obtain a handgun carry permit and I have always supported pro gun legislation. I personally hold a handgun carry permit and take the exercise of second amendment rights seriously. I do not oppose Sen. Campfield's bill and would happily vote for it given the opportunity.

We have made great strides in the past session of General Assembly on second amendment rights and while there is still work to do we are in the midst of an economic crises and we have before us an opportunity to reform education in a revolutionary way. Education and jobs are my current priorities in this session of the General Assembly. It is on these important issues that I have trained my focus and which occupy my time. So while it may not be at the top of my agenda at the moment, Sen. Campfield's bill is a fine bill and I look forward to its passage, if not in the current General Assembly, then one in the very near future.

Sincerely,

Ron Ramsey
Lt. Governor

Here is the editorial this morning in the Daily Newsless Journal (Murfreesboro):

http://www.dnj.com/article/20110429/OPI ... |FRONTPAGE

Will try to prepare a response when I have time.