Momentum growing for federal action on gun control
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| A contingent from Northern Virginia at a march for gun control in Washington, D.C., Jan. 26. [Photo by Sue Langley.] |
With the Virginia legislature unlikely to pass more
restrictive gun bills this session, gun control advocates are urging their
constituents to focus on Congress.
restrictive gun bills this session, gun control advocates are urging their
constituents to focus on Congress.
The speakers at a panel discussion on gun violence at Temple
Rodef Shalom in Falls Church Jan. 27 urged members of the audience to call and
write letters to their congressional representatives to urge them to support President Obama’s proposals
to ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and
require background checks for all gun buyers.
Rodef Shalom in Falls Church Jan. 27 urged members of the audience to call and
write letters to their congressional representatives to urge them to support President Obama’s proposals
to ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and
require background checks for all gun buyers.
If federal legislation is passed, the states will follow,
said Josh Horwitz, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV). “The Newtown massacre
might have well tipped the balance.”
said Josh Horwitz, executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV). “The Newtown massacre
might have well tipped the balance.”
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| Many participants at the march for gun control carried the names and photos of victims of gun violence. |
Whenever there’s a mass shooting, like the ones in Tucson,
Ariz.; Aurora, Col., Oak Creek, Wis., and most recently at Sandy Hook
Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., “ the families are irreparably damaged
forever. We owe it to them to do something about this,” he said. “We can’t sit
here and do nothing.”
Ariz.; Aurora, Col., Oak Creek, Wis., and most recently at Sandy Hook
Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., “ the families are irreparably damaged
forever. We owe it to them to do something about this,” he said. “We can’t sit
here and do nothing.”
Another panelist, Christian Heyne of Thousand Oaks, Calif.,
spoke about how his life was forever changed by gun violence. His father was
injured and his mother was shot to death by a man who had a restraining order
against him and had been discharged from the military because he had problems
with authority.
spoke about how his life was forever changed by gun violence. His father was
injured and his mother was shot to death by a man who had a restraining order
against him and had been discharged from the military because he had problems
with authority.
“It’s not just the person who is killed, it’s the whole
network of that person’s family and friends who will never be the same,” said
Heyne, who now works as a lobbyist for the CSGV.
network of that person’s family and friends who will never be the same,” said
Heyne, who now works as a lobbyist for the CSGV.
Omar Samaha, who also works for the coalition, told the
group how he and his family were totally devastated when his sister, Reema, was
killed in the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007. The shooter, who gunned down 32
people that day, had been adjudicated mentally ill but was never put into the
national database.
group how he and his family were totally devastated when his sister, Reema, was
killed in the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007. The shooter, who gunned down 32
people that day, had been adjudicated mentally ill but was never put into the
national database.
After the massacre, Samaha went on a nationwide tour with
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s organization, Mayors Against Illegal Guns,
and appeared on an ABC news report showing how easy it is to buy guns in
Virginia. The show’s producers gave him money and sent him to a gun show in
Richmond, where he was able to buy 10 guns in an hour. Even before he got in
the front door, a man in the parking lot sold him the same type of Glock
handgun used by the Virginia Tech shooter.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s organization, Mayors Against Illegal Guns,
and appeared on an ABC news report showing how easy it is to buy guns in
Virginia. The show’s producers gave him money and sent him to a gun show in
Richmond, where he was able to buy 10 guns in an hour. Even before he got in
the front door, a man in the parking lot sold him the same type of Glock
handgun used by the Virginia Tech shooter.
Legislation to close the gun show loophole, which allows private dealers at gun shows to sell weapons without requiring a criminal
background check, failed to pass during the current session of the Virginia
General Assembly.
background check, failed to pass during the current session of the Virginia
General Assembly.
State lawmakers also killed several other gun control measures, including
bills that would have banned the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines, allowed people
to sue gun owners whose weapons are stolen and used in a crime, and repealed a
state law that prohibits localities from banning guns on public property.
Bills to allow teachers to have concealed weapons in schools was defeated,
but bills to fund armed police officers, known as school resource officers, in elementary schools are still on the table. Fairfax County high
schools already have SROs.
Virginia actually has strong laws on background checks, Horwitz
said, but there are many loopholes: You can buy guns on the Internet, at gun
shows, and through private sales without going through a background check.
said, but there are many loopholes: You can buy guns on the Internet, at gun
shows, and through private sales without going through a background check.
David Chipman, a former agent with the Bureau of Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (AFT), said, “If our nation cannot require
criminal background checks, everything else is pretty meaningless.” Eighty
percent of criminals get their guns from private sales.
criminal background checks, everything else is pretty meaningless.” Eighty
percent of criminals get their guns from private sales.
Provisions against the sale of guns to mentally ill people
also need to be strengthened. Chipman said only 10,000 potential gun buyers
have ever been rejected under the mental health provision in the Brady bill,
which requires a legal finding of mental incompetence.
also need to be strengthened. Chipman said only 10,000 potential gun buyers
have ever been rejected under the mental health provision in the Brady bill,
which requires a legal finding of mental incompetence.
“A lot of people say the problem is too big and nothing can
be done. That’s not true,” Chipman said, noting that even 70 percent of NRA
members think background checks are reasonable.
be done. That’s not true,” Chipman said, noting that even 70 percent of NRA
members think background checks are reasonable.
Gun control advocates are now stronger than ever and will be
able to counter the NRA, Horwitz asserted. “NRA strength is a myth,” Chipman added.
“The debate is now more balanced. Newtown was a game changer.”
able to counter the NRA, Horwitz asserted. “NRA strength is a myth,” Chipman added.
“The debate is now more balanced. Newtown was a game changer.”
Regarding the Second Amendment, Horwitz said the Supreme
Court has ruled that people have the right to have a handgun for self defense
but there are many areas where guns can be regulated.
Court has ruled that people have the right to have a handgun for self defense
but there are many areas where guns can be regulated.
Jason Abend, a former Secret Service officer who now works
for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said the Second
Amendment guarantees people the right to defend themselves, and people should pursue a “middle
ground” where the objective is “not merely a matter of seizing firearms,” but
of keeping guns out of the hands of felons, drug dealers, and the mentally ill.
for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said the Second
Amendment guarantees people the right to defend themselves, and people should pursue a “middle
ground” where the objective is “not merely a matter of seizing firearms,” but
of keeping guns out of the hands of felons, drug dealers, and the mentally ill.
Horwitz called for assault weapons like the M16, which was
used in three of the most recent mass shootings, including Newtown, to be
more restricted. The Tucson shooter fired off 33 rounds in less than 20
seconds, so banning high-capacity rounds could be crucial in saving more lives.
used in three of the most recent mass shootings, including Newtown, to be
more restricted. The Tucson shooter fired off 33 rounds in less than 20
seconds, so banning high-capacity rounds could be crucial in saving more lives.
As an ATF agent, Chipman said he was assigned 15 rounds.
“Why does someone need 30 rounds? It doesn’t seem reasonable.” A shooter who
has to stop and reload can be more easily subdued.
“Why does someone need 30 rounds? It doesn’t seem reasonable.” A shooter who
has to stop and reload can be more easily subdued.
Despite the high-profile mass shootings, Abend noted that
violent crime rates are down 15 percent since 2007. Assault rifles are not as
big a problem as gun control advocates charge, he said. Only about half of 1
percent of firearm deaths are caused by assault rifles. The 300 million pistols
in the United States are a far bigger threat, he said.
violent crime rates are down 15 percent since 2007. Assault rifles are not as
big a problem as gun control advocates charge, he said. Only about half of 1
percent of firearm deaths are caused by assault rifles. The 300 million pistols
in the United States are a far bigger threat, he said.
During the question and answer period, a member the audience
asked if anything can be done to shut down a gun store on Broad Street in Falls
Church [NOVA Firearms]. That would not be a good idea, Horwitz responded. “We want
people to go to a gun store and get a background check.”
asked if anything can be done to shut down a gun store on Broad Street in Falls
Church [NOVA Firearms]. That would not be a good idea, Horwitz responded. “We want
people to go to a gun store and get a background check.”
Maybe its time to call stupid people out when they either make stuff up or do't bother to know anything. Horrwitz wants more restrictions on an M16, ok sure lets look at the facts. They're already tightly regulated and cost as much as a car to buy because they're fully automatic. You'd need to fill out paperwork with your local law enforcement, get their approval, then do the same with the ATF. I know he means AR-15, but I wonder how much research a person has done when they are too lazy to even bother to know what they are talking about. I guess Wikipedia or Google did all the work for him.
The confusion about the type of gun might have been an editorial error.
Educate yourself. http://www.assaultweapon.info/