“Every day in our county, 32 Americans are killed by gun-wielding criminals — that’s a Virginia Tech-scale tragedy happening every single day,” said coalition co-chair and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. “Enacting these 40 recommendations will save lives — and each can be done administratively, without action by the Congress. America’s mayors look forward to working with the Obama Administration to better enforce the laws already on the books.”
This is one of the pro-gun crowd's concerns. The fact that no Congressional action would be required worries them, I suppose because proposals like that may be easier to implement. But, haven't the same gun folks complained that enacting new laws is wrong when we already have so many on the books? Haven't I heard frequent overtures from them that we should just enforce the laws we have?
... 96 percent of NRA members and 94 percent of gun-owners surveyed agreed that “Criminals who possess, use, and traffic in illegal guns should be punished to the maximum extent of the law.” The full survey results are available on the Mayors Against Illegal Guns website.
Since its inception in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from just 15 mayors to more than 450 members.
Are the opposing sides of this argument really so different from one another? When talking about punishing violent criminals aren't we all on the same page?
What do you think about the growth of the MAIG? In spite of those attempts on the part of pro-gun people to focus attention on some of the members who'd gotten themselves in trouble, it looks like the organization as a whole is thriving. Do you think Bloomberg will take over from the Brady Campaign as the leading organization in the gun control movement?
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
I've been reading the blueprints. So far there hasn't been much in it that targets criminals, just stealing states' athority and giving it to the federal level.
ReplyDeleteThere's a few gems in there, but they are deeply hidden under garbage that doesn't help anyone (excluding the aforementioned feds)
Kevin, Thanks for your comments. I was wondering if one of the reasons gun control laws often target the law-abiding is because that's where the guns start out. As you yourself say, there are plenty of laws against criminal activity already, we don't need more of them, but maybe the problem of guns in the hands of criminals can be attacked indirectly by targeting the law abiding.
ReplyDelete"As you yourself say, there are plenty of laws against criminal activity already, we don't need more of them, but maybe the problem of guns in the hands of criminals can be attacked indirectly by targeting the law abiding."
ReplyDeleteAnd that is why gun control fails. Removing guns from the law abiding does not take them away from the criminals.
"Do you think Bloomberg will take over from the Brady Campaign as the leading organization in the gun control movement?"
He already has more members than Brady. But wait? I thought he wasn't about "gun control", just illegal guns?
Oh yeah, Bloommberg is a liar and a hypocrite.
Of course NRA members will support efforts to punish criminals, but that is NOT what MAIG is all about.
ReplyDeleteMAIG is a gun-control group advocating banning guns. Plain & Simple.