http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/knau/local-knau-964181.mp3
Phoenix, AZ – The proposal being pushed by the Colt Manufacturing Co. would give the designation to that firm's single action Army revolver. That provoked an angry reaction from Rep. Albert Hale who said that amounted to celebrating an instrument of destruction, a weapon often used against members of his Navajo nation and other Native American tribes.
(They have been at the other end and have suffered and felt the pain of mass destruction at the other end of this instrument that we are going to celebrate and that we are going to honor. Does that mean we honor and celebrate the killing of my relatives?)
Rep. Eddie Farnsworth did not address Hale's comments about the killing of Indians. Instead, he said the honor has to do with how the gun has helped law-abiding citizens protect themselves.
(This particular gun played a tremendous role in defending families that were trying to do what was right. It played a tremendous role in trying to bring peace to Western towns. It played a tremendous role in trying to make sure that those who were trying to be law-abiding were not taken advantage or destroyed by those who would destroy them, whether it was by gun or some other mechanism.)
The last word on the issue will belong to Gov. Jan Brewer. For Arizona Public Radio this is Howard Fischer.