Northwest Philadelphia's Charles Jones stepped down as the head of the National Rifle Association's state affiliate in October, after an episode of bureaucratic infighting, so he does not speak for the NRA. But Jones' position on the Second Amendment hasn't changed. He remains one of the premier (and lonely) firearms advocates in Philadelphia. We caught up with him to ask whether the vice president's hunting error meant anything for his cause.

City Paper: What does a high profile hunting accident like this mean for the NRA and gun advocates in general?

Charles Jones: I don't think it means anything. I don't think there will be any change. Those that are pro-gun will make excuses for [Dick Cheney], and those that are anti-gun won't change, either. It might mean increased sales in over-under shotguns [the type of gun Cheney was using].

CP: Even though the gun was used in an accident?

CJ: Yeah, that's how people think. After all, it's not the gun's fault. It's the idiot behind the gun. I've been chasing that type of gun, and that type of gauge, for a couple of years now—though I'm not going to go out and buy a $23,000 gun.

CP: I take it you think the vice president did something wrong.

CJ: He did. He violated certain firearms safety principles—he consumed alcohol before going out into the field. And you don't point the muzzle of a gun at anything that you don't intend to harm. It's being called an accident. I don't call it an accident, I call it negligence.

CP: Some of the vice president's supporters have been taking the angle that this sort of thing happens all the time. I'd think that's not an argument gun lovers would want to hear made.

CJ: It's not, and I don't believe that to be true. I think these gun games and gun activities are some of the safest activities around. Contrast them to basketball and football, the number of injuries that occur in those.

CP: But the gun injuries are so much more serious!

CJ: Well, death is serious no matter from what cause it comes. But we have football deaths every year. I notice that [shooting victim] Mr. [Harry] Whittington left the hospital [last Friday], looking quite chipper, I might add.