Santa Claus places a semiautomatic rifle as a gift next to a crèche in the midst of several presents beneath a Christmas tree in a card sent to recipients this year by gun dean John M. Snyder.

"People need and want guns of various kinds for self-defense and other worthy purposes," Snyder said here today.  "Many good people appreciate semiautomatic firearms," he added, "and even Santa recognizes this.  Despite anti-gun proposals by some, the individual Second Amendment civil right to keep and bear arms, including semiautomatic firearms, is as American as apple pie."

The Yuletide message "for self-defense and the battle against evil" features the proclamation by Jesus Christ that "the man without a sword must sell his coat and buy one" from Luke 22:36.  The card notes, "In today's world, Santa prefers today's firearm."

The card wishes addressees "Merry Christmas."  Santa's message went out to numerous people, including the President, Vice President, Senators, Representatives, Supreme Court Justices, and others.

A practicing Catholic, Snyder has been named "the dean of Washington gun lobbyists" by the Washington Post and New York Times, "a champion of the right of self-defense" by the Washington Times, the "gun dean" by Human Events, and "the senior rights activist in Washington" by Shotgun News.

He holds AB and MA degrees in government from Georgetown University.  He has been an NRA magazine editor and official of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and Second Amendment Foundation.  He directs Telum Associates, LL.C, and serves on boards of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, Council for America and American Federation of Police & Concerned Citizens.

Contact: John Snyder, gundean@gmail.com, www.GunRightsPolicies.org