America Is Turning A Corner

Many of us in the gun violence prevention movement are excited about the year ahead.

America is turning a corner on the gun issue, because the people are finally being heard.

Today, President Bush signed into law the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 - what some have called "the first major new gun control bill in more than a decade."

The President and Congress are to be congratulated for this achievement. They know that Brady background checks are designed to prohibit the dangerously mentally ill, felons, and domestic abusers from getting guns legally. They also know, however, that at present only an estimated 10-20% of the records of the dangerously mentally ill are in the system.

What's more, fully 25% of felony records have yet to be added to the system. This is unacceptable.

Brady background checks have stopped an estimated 1.4 million people from legally buying guns since 1994, but background checks are only as good as the records in the system.

What we've been doing isn't working, and the President and Congress have taken meaningful action to do better.

Most of the credit for today's achievement, however, goes to the victims of gun violence everywhere, especially a member of Congress and the surviving victims and families of the Virginia Tech massacre. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, the lead sponsor of this bill in the House, and the Virginia Tech families know what it means to lose family members to gun violence.

Together, they have fought intensely since that terrible day in April to do everything in their power to prevent another dangerously mentally ill person from getting high-powered weapons and taking more innocent life.

Mrs. McCarthy lost her husband 14 years ago in the Long Island Rail Road shooting. Her passion to strengthen America's weak gun laws compelled her to serve in Congress. In 2002, after yet another tragic shooting (in the Our Lady of Peace church in Lynbrook, New York) Rep. McCarthy and Sen. Charles Schumer introduced a bill similar to the one the President signed today.

Almost six years later, due to the hard work and dedication of gun violence victims, our elected officials finally took action. It is difficult for politicians to stare victims in the eye and say that nothing can be done to prevent yet another tragedy - especially when workable and necessary solutions are ready to be enacted.

Particular thanks go to Rep. McCarthy, Rep. John Dingell, Sen. Schumer, Sen. Patrick Leahy and Sen. Edward Kennedy, for their efforts to get this legislation adopted.

The NICS Improvement Amendments Act - now Law - is an important victory. The work of the Virginia Tech families has been vindicated, and the country has been made safer because of it.

This victory is just one reason I am optimistic about the future of our cause in this new year.

Another reason is the number of leading politicians across the country in 2007 who supported our efforts to reduce gun violence. Prominent examples at the state level include Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in California, who stood with the police and signed landmark microstamping legislation into law. Gov. Jon Corzine in New Jersey is fighting to ratchet up the penalties for straw purchases and require lost and stolen guns to be reported to the police. Gov. Ed Rendell in Pennsylvania personally appeared before the legislature to limit bulk purchases of weapons. Gov. Tim Kaine in Virginia is fighting to close the gun show loophole, as is Gov. Jim Doyle in Wisconsin.

These and other elected officials are ignoring the schoolyard bullying and slippery slope arguments of the gun lobby. They're heeding the people's common sense, instead. Most of us want to make it harder for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons.

Most people are willing to tolerate a little red tape if it helps prevent more yellow tape at crime scenes.

Law-abiding Americans have nothing to fear from common-sense gun laws that will reduce the toll of 30,000 gun deaths every year in this country.

• Law-abiding Americans have nothing to fear from preventing suspected terrorists from walking out of a gun store or a gun show fully armed.

• Law-abiding Americans have nothing to fear from getting a background check for every single gun purchase they make, including at gun shows (this is closing the gun show loophole).

• Law-abiding Americans have nothing to fear from strengthening Brady background checks to make sure that "prohibited purchasers" like felons, the dangerously mentally ill, and domestic abusers are denied guns at the point of sale.

• Law-abiding Americans have nothing to fear from reporting lost or stolen guns to the police in a timely manner.

• Law-abiding Americans (who aren't in the legal gun business) have nothing to fear from being prevented from buying large numbers of guns in bulk purchases.

• Law-abiding Americans have nothing to fear from keeping military-style assault weapons out of most civilian hands, reserving them for military and law enforcement use only.

By wide margins, most Americans want these policies. We're working hard to enact them into law.

These issues are winnable. As I look ahead, I'm optimistic for the future of the gun violence prevention movement.

The important victories of 2007 have helped our elected officials hear the majority of Americans in their call to strengthen our country's tragically weak gun laws. While we have a lot of work to get done, we also have much reason to be optimistic about the future.

America is turning a corner on the gun issue, and I want you to be a part of what could be an historic moment for our country.

I ask you to join us in helping make 2008 a safer year for all Americans.

Happy New Year to everyone.

(Note to readers: This entry, along with past entries, has been co-posted on bradycampaign.org/blog and the Huffington Post.)

Comments

[mike101]

"Law-abiding Americans have nothing to fear from keeping military-style assault weapons out of most civilian hands, reserving them for military and law enforcement use only."
Paul Helmke

"Germans who wish to use firearms should join the SS or the SA - ordinary citizens don't need guns, as their having guns doesn't serve the State".
Heinrich Himmler

Hmmm........................

We've been over this Paul. There is nothing "military style" about the weapons you wish to ban. The military uses fully automatic weapons, and you know this. These weapons you want to eliminate are semi-automatic, and used in less than 3% of all crime involving guns (according to the FBI). You are trying to confuse people who know nothing about guns, because you can't gain any support with the truth.

Law-abiding Americans have nothing to fear from other law-abiding Americans who own semi-automatic rifles. They also do not come with silencers, nor can they be "spray fired from the hip", as the BC claims on your website.

I agree that we are turning a corner, Paul. People are finally seeing that "gun free zones" are seen by mass murderers as "target rich environments". It seems that every time there is a well publicized murder, gun sales increase in the area immediately thereafter (Pettits).

The whole world just witnessed just what a difference an armed citizen can make. If that church in Colorado had been a gun free zone, who knows how many people would have died?

In March (hopefully), the Supreme Court hears the Heller case. Then we will turn the final corner.

[DMeadows]

Every American should fear having liberties taken away without due process, as is represented by having gun rights taken away simply by being put on a list of "suspected terrorists". This has been said many, many times before: if the government views a person as a "suspected terrorist", then the government should investigate them, arrest them, give them a fair trial, air the evidence, and seek a conviction of a crime. That is due process, that is the American way, and the Brady Campaign's position on this, since it circumvents due process, is quite stunningly wrong.

There is nothing to fear about law-abiding Americans purchasing guns with the current background check processes in place. The area of lacking is in investigating and enforcing the current laws against rogue dealers and illegal purchasers.

There is nothing to fear about law-abiding Americans not reporting lost or stolen guns. So why make a law directing law-abiding people to do so? The law should make it a crime for someone who acquires or possesses a gun ILLEGALLY to not report it lost or stolen to the police in a timely manner.

There is nothing to fear about the quantities at which law-abiding Americans buy guns. Law-abiding people make their buying decisions based on legitimate personal reasons, and quantity is just one factor which varies.

There is nothing to fear about law-abiding Americans owning any firearm, "military-style" or otherwise. Focus on CRIMINALS owning ANY firearm.

There was great progress on a sensible law that focuses specifically on CRIMINAL access to guns. Why does the Brady Campaign turn that into optimism that their wacky ideas of broad, overreaching regulation into areas infringing on law-abiding citizens will be accepted?

[NYCexile]

What this 'law-abiding' citizen has to fear is you, Paul.
You're out to take away everyone's guns, whether they're an Olympic target shooter or just a hunter looking for some meat to put in the freezer.

You keep trotting out the same half-truths and outright lies, and expecting it to be believed.

I tell you what: try speaking the unvarnished truth for a change. I won't hold my breath, though, as I will undoubtably die from anoxia whilst waiting.

Think about it, Paul: you're crowing about a law that wouldn't exist in any form if it weren't for the support of the NRA. Josh Sugarman over at VPC sure noticed that. How come you cannot?

[shedances]

It's easy to see that the problem of guns in our society is a highly-charged political battlefield for the progun crowd. I'd imagine, too, that they'd even deny there is a problem with gun violence/gun crimes in this country.

The reality is, however, that most Americans are concerned & want a safer place in which to raise their families. They want to flourish, & their respective communities to flourish ~ without threats of gun killings/gun fire ... such as we've seen in this country recently. I'm thrilled to see such concerned politicians as Rep. McCarthy & several others ~ whom Paul has already noted above ~ who are taking action & fighting for important limits/controls.

Guns are highly dangerous weapons, & ought to be considered as such ~ not only by concerned gun control advocates, but by everyone who's expressed interest in other's safety. They are not simply tools for one group's (eg. the progun's) amusement ~ though it may certainly seem like it.

[kaveman]

Well here's a hoot.

The Brady Campaign has gone so far off the deep end that the VPC is now critical of it.

I love it.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-guns9jan09,1,6849462.story?track=crosspromo&coll=la-headlines-nation&ctrack=1&cset=true

[SensibleLaws]

continued:

"I don't even own a gun & have been shot at no less than 2 times in public due to nuts having guns and fighting amongst themselves. One time in my car in Miami, and another time on a kid's playground in Ft. Lauderdale. Don't my rights include being able to walk around with having to duck?"
You got what you wished for when you re-elected the same "feel good" politicians, you are able to walk around with having to duck! Those illegally armed gangs are always fighting amongst themselves, maybe they were shooting in your direction because your kid is a gang member? In the commission of these crimes, all accompliances (the whole gang) needs to be prosecuted. Will this ever happen? NO, because parents like MichelleH will plead with the politicians that their armed gang member children are innocent, and will prevent the police from eradicating these criminals. Criminal activity is good for governments, people always vote for bonds for crime fighting, even if it is similar to the ones that were approved in previous years. There will be another one next year, with the same results-nothing but increased spending. During the elections, do you want to allow these pro crime politicians to continue in their career?

[SensibleLaws]

MichelleH is right about homicides rates being up thanks to our liberal gun laws. These "feel good" laws affect only the law abiding.

"You know what we want: not to have to look at the face of a 1 year old in the morning paper who was blown away by her own mother, not to hear about teenagers paralyzed by drive bys, not to hear about the 7 cops shot to death last year (one just a day ago)." There are already existing laws broken for each of the above, but no serious penalties for the criminal.

There is an easy solution for this-restrictions on the first amendment.
"The gun industry has made a profit". The media is making an even bigger profit by reporting tragedies, helping to "make people famous, and assisting terrorists. Gruesome pictures sell, the more, the better. Want to be famous? The media makes sure to accurately spell your name, publish your life story, and even come up with reasons to justify your actions. This story will go on for a week. There will be details so you can be in next week's news. What about the victims? How many of them, that is all.
Are you a terrorist? Your name will be spelled correctly also, so you can get credit. There will also be articles on your poor treatment. People will try to get you released. What about the victims? Not news.
For 9/11, help Osama pass his message to his agents-who wears a watch on the outside of his sleeve to let his people know "it is time". All terrorists re-broadcasts always make sure the audio is clear, and the text on the posters in the background are clearly readable. If there is a failed attack on our troops, CNN will immediately broadcast the correct location of out troops, and what distance and direction the missiles should have been launched.
First amendment restrictions, and prosecution of terrorist sympathisers will reduce a lot of these incidents.

[molonlabe]

"Law-abiding Americans (who aren't in the legal gun business) have nothing to fear from being prevented from buying large numbers of guns in bulk purchases."

Except that "bulk purchases" means more than ONE at a time.

So as a collector, I cannot buy consecutively-serialed weapons anymore.

[Melodyl]

Nice little rant Paul, I guess I can not blame you for the lies you purport. As your embarrassment of an organization continues major defeats and beatings at every turn, you just can not win can you Paul? That the majority of American does not agree with your contentions, that the Bill of Right is a collective. Further that 2008 most likely will conclude with large set backs for your little hate group.

I will for the record tell you one more time, because a Firearm look like a military firearm does not mean it is bad. Assault weapons have been illegal in the USA since 1934. And you really need to stop showing you ignorance as well as making a total fool of yourself.
Paul you further need to recognize that concealed carry is a winner. Crime has gone down dramatically every time a state has offered the freedom of ccw. And your hysteria about Blood in the streets was just Lies.

I know that you will not publicly admit you"re over whelming failures. That you have little or no support anywhere or even here on your own blog, but cheer up Paul you can be a pitchman on some infomercial selling little gadgets at 3:00 am.

Happy New Year

Melody

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[molonlabe]

Remember, when guns are banned, only criminals will have, er, knives?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080109/ap_on_re_us/school_stabbing;_ylt=Aph_WhClQm_6Hk9XVjfZdtpH2ocA

Lesson: criminals and delinquents will use any means necessary to settle disputes and to perpetrate crime.

Let's see if we can predict the future...

Knife weilding juvenile gets sentenced to probation, only to kill someone later on in life. Then the Paul Helmke's will ask how these criminals had access to guns. When we should be asking why these criminals were not put behind bars for a VERY VERY LONG TIME.

[dragn1]

No gun law has ever done anything to help gun crime read the reports Paul and stop lying to the people. You lied about CCW , "the streets will run red shootouts over nothing" and it has not happened. You want to remove all guns from the Law Abiding Americans because you want subjects not citizens in this greatest country of all.
Shame on you!

[molonlabe]

I see a different trend- the anti-right campaign trying to claim "victories" when in fact the gun control tide is turning towards the pro-freedom side...

Like Bryan Miller from CeaseFire NJ, http://blog.nj.com/njv_bryan_miller/2007/11/first_crack_in_pas_wall_of_unr.html, Paul uses the Ed Rendell tirade in front of the PA House Judiciary Committee as an example of his perceived "turning tide." What Paul fails to mention is that immediately after Rendell's speech, HB 22 and HB 18 were SOUNDLY defeated in a DEMOCRAICALLY CONTROLLED legislature. HB 29 (reporting stolen firearms) was tabled. Why? Because the "will of the people" prevailed. Opposition to these gun control policies were 100:1 in PA.

With high profile shootings occurring more and more in "gun free zones" people are starting to question the effectiveness of gun control legislation which targets only the implement and not the criminal. Any proposed ban on so called "assault weapons" or regulation of purchase quantities are being questioned by "the people." "The people" are starting to realize the repeated failures of gun control, and are starting to ask why our politicians are not targeting criminals. When you flip through the newspaper and see that it is criminal recidivists who are prepetrating crime because our ineffective judicial system cannot keep them off the streets, and not implements magically jumping up out of gun cabinets doing all of the killing, you have to start asking why we are not focusing our finite resources on stopping CRIMINALS.

This spring there will be a landmark victory for those of us who are tired of having our rights infringed upon, and the anti's are afraid. That is why you are seeing a wave of emotional pleas from people like Paul and Bryan and the rest of the anti's. They are afraid.

I don't need to regurgitate statistics. Go and see for yourself the real turning tide of America. An America which wants criminals behind bars, and rights where they belong; with the law-abiding.

[benEzra]

Most of what you just proposed is aimed SQUARELY at the law-abiding.

You promise to outlaw the most popular civilian target rifles and defensive carbines in America--more people own them than hunt--even though all rifles combined account for only half as many murders as shoes and bare hands.

Small-caliber civilian rifles, even those with modern styling, are not a crime problem in the United States and never have been.

[searandhammer]

Exactly who is a terrorist under Senator Lautenberg's bill? Apparently the decision is at the whim of the Attorney General. A "law-abiding" citizen needs never be convicted of a crime to fall on the "suspected terrorists" list. How many "law-abiding" citizens have been denied the right to fly on airlines because of the draconian enforcement by Homeland Security?

You say, "Law-abiding Americans have nothing to fear from reporting lost or stolen guns to the police in a timely manner." However, the requirement in the law in Connecticut is 72 hours. What happens if a person is gone for a week vacation? Even an "unintentional failure to report a lost or stolen gun" can result in a Class D felony, a $5,000 fine, and five years in prison. Gee, nice to know we have nothing to fear...

You tell us that we have nothing to fear from being kept from buying guns in bulk purchases. Fine. What is a "bulk purchase"?10 a month? 5 a month? 2 a month? 2 a year? And what's to keep a "reasonable law" like this from being amended later to limit even further how many guns a law-abiding citizen can own?

And let me say that law-abiding Americans would really like you to define EXACTLY what a "military-style assault weapon" is. Is it something that fires a 7.62mm round like you claim on your website? Don't you realize that that round is used in other applications ( http://www.searandhammer.com/2007/12/762mm-is-evil.html )?

And let's get one more thing straight. It's not "gun crime" any more than it's "knife crime", "brick crime" or "fist crime" - it's crime. Don't focus on disarming, harassing, and further restricting the law-abiding Americans. We're tired of taking off our shoes, getting frisked, our belongings searched, being placed on endless "watch" lists, and being harassed. A free nation does not make its citizens into prisoners to remain free.

We will not join you because we do indeed have much to fear in what you propose.

[jbuist]

It is nice to see the NRA and Brady Campaign supporting the same legislation for a change.

[AsaNisMasa]

its nice to hear that our democratically controlled congress is able to get SOMETHING done with all the grid-lock and veto-threats. Kudos to them all. Even President Numbnuts on this one.