One thing the general public may not be aware of is that vocal gun control activists often face harassment, threats and hate from some gun rights activists. It especially is true of survivors (those of us who have lost a loved one to gun violence) that speak out. That might seem unbelievable, that we would be targets. These opponents often accused us of just wanting 15 minutes of fame, or of seeking to ‘blame all gun owners for the actions of one lunatic, or of trying profiteer from our advocacy, or of, as some said, ‘dancing on the graves of our our loved one in order to take away the gun rights of law abiding citizens.’
But, in reality, I think they detested us because we were a threat: they realized that we were just ordinary people who made other ordinary people that gun violence could also impact them.
I especially faced the wrath of one extremist gun group—the Tyranny Response Team (TRT). At a couple of early gun control meetings they stood outside and taunted me, calling out my name and challenging me to a debate. What they often did was take photos of me and other activists in public places, usually in uncomplimentary poses, and post them on their website, along with derogatory taunts.
I describe two particular incidents in detail in my book. One incident happened at a church, where TRT members crashed a meeting of the Million Mom March and harassed those of us there. In another incident, a TRT member went too far in threatening me, getting the attention of the FBI; he was arrested and spent time in jail.
In 2001 the TRT’s web site included a posting with my photo that announced that I was “Wanted for: Crimes against civil liberties.” It said said secondary charges are “for conspiring with fanatical Nazi style groups” and “for fraudulent profiting from the death of his son.”
The material was put onto a poster that went on to say that I got “violently angry,” was “anti-American,” and that I “made thousands of dollars off of memorial scams.” The poster advised people that “any help in this matter is strictly confidential” and that if I was seen, “contact local officials or contact us online.” In early October, just after I spoke at a gun control workshop, the posters were placed on telephone poles in the Columbine area and in my immediate neighborhood.
Late in 2001 a colleague gave me a heads up that the TRT posted online that they were going to protest at my house on Bill of Rights Day–December 15th. I couldn’t believe they would do such a thing during the Christmas season. I thought it was ridiculous, but I had to do something.
I couldn’t be sure there would be no trouble, so I alerted the Sheriff’s Office, just so they were aware. But I did not contact the media. I delivered fliers to my neighbors so they were informed, though I advised them to ignore these extremists, and I did likewise with my gun control colleagues. My neighbors demonstrated their feelings on the night of the protest: many turned off their Christmas lights, some placed their trash cans out to block the sidewalk, and some parked their cars on the street so the protesters couldn’t park close by.
I never contacted the TRT to complain. I didn’t want a confrontation and wouldn’t give them the pleasure of thinking I was alarmed. I took my family out to dinner that evening to avoid them. On my front lawn I placed a framed photo of Daniel and shone a lamp on it.
Only eight TRT members showed up. Perhaps the attendance was low when it became obvious there would be no confrontation, counter-demonstration or media coverage. The TRT demonstrators held what they called a “candlelight vigil” in front of my house to ‘grieve the death of the Bill of Rights at the hands of Tom Mauser.’ A TRT member tried to engage and take pictures of teens hanging out in a driveway next door, but weren’t very successful. The teens were concerned buy didn’t engage them.
The sheriff’s office sent some unmarked cars to our area in case there was a problem. The TRT members first gathered in the parking lot of a nearby strip mall. An officer ticketed Duncan Philp, a TRT leader, for a few traffic offenses. Philp later challenged the traffic charges in court, claiming they were invalid because his violation was on private property (the strip mall). Prosecutors eventually dropped the charges.
Philp then sued the two Jefferson County deputy sheriffs who ticketed him, claiming he was being harassed by police simply for exercising his First Amendment rights to free speech and assembly. The county offered to settle rather than have the case drag on. Philp accepted their offer of $20,000.
Philp wasted no time in gloating about his victory, sending me an e-mail the day after the settlement, on Oct. 10, 2002, writing “…thanks for the twenty thousand Tommie, I will use it to by a brand new Barret .50 cal. [high caliber rifle] See ya at the next rally Tommie. I win you lose.”
Daniel Mauser Memorial Website 