tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51483059736954997352024-03-05T10:57:26.677-08:00New England Coalition to Prevent Gun ViolenceUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-5540612325652981402010-04-16T09:17:00.000-07:002010-04-16T09:17:50.173-07:00Patriot or Paranoid?Patriot – A person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interest.<br />
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Paranoid - Exhibiting or characterized by baseless and extreme fear or distrust of others.<br />
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On Monday, April 19th, the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing, two rallies will take place in and around Washington, D.C. Those attending the Second Amendment March will gather on the grounds of the Washington Monument. While those going to the Restore the Constitution rally will meet first at Ft. Hunt National Park in Virginia and then travel to the banks of the Potomac River, about a mile from the National Mall, so they can “step up to the edge” of D.C. with their openly carried handguns and military-grade rifles. <br />
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While these two events are being organized by different groups, they share a common viewpoint of the role of guns in our society. Both see themselves as part of a people’s militia, one that is arming itself to, if necessary, “rise up and overthrow an oppressive, totalitarian government.” They see themselves as protectors against tyranny in government. They believe that filling their homes with Glock handguns and AK-47s is necessary for the security of a free state. They are gathering in our nation’s capitol to “rattle their sabers”, to tell the government that they are out there, prepared to “overthrow them under certain conditions.” And to underscore the notion that this uprising will come not through the peaceful means of the ballot box but from the barrel of a gun. <br />
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Are these self-appointed militia members patriots or paranoid?<br />
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These groups claim that their “God-given Constitutional right to keep and bear arms” is under attack. They see the Second Amendment as an absolute right, one that cannot in any way be questioned. They are outraged that a heavily armed protest across the street from The White House is prohibited and view this as “the local and federal governments complete trample of the Second Amendment rights of her citizens.” They see any effort to pass laws intended to keep guns out of the hands of criminals as a movement to ultimately take away all guns. Patriots or paranoid?<br />
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In 2008, the Supreme Court, for the first time in sixty years, ruled on the Second Amendment. In District of Columbia v. Heller, the Court ruled that “like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose.” The ruling made it absolutely clear that the right to have a gun in your home for protection exists side by side with the right to regulate the purchase, possession and carrying of guns. <br />
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But this ruling is not good enough for the organizers of the Second Amendment March and the Restore the Constitution rally. These self-appointed militia members have decided that they should be the ones to determine when and where it is appropriate to use a weapon when they are out in public. They have determined that they have the judiciousness and prudence to be able to establish when they may fire a gun and end another person’s life. They have decided that they have the right to say when the government is a tyranny simply because they lost to the majority. And they are gathering in D.C. to tell elected officials that they need to be accountable to them and that “their jobs and their very lives depend on it.” <br />
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We have laws regulating the sale, possession and carrying of guns for a reason. Every year in this country guns kill more than 30,000 people. An additional 70,000 people are shot and injured, leaving physical and emotional scars that can last a lifetime. More than 350,000 people are victims of armed robbery or aggravated assault with a firearm annually and countless others are threatened and intimidated with guns—all too frequently by so-called loved ones. There are endless examples of crimes, even murders, committed by people with concealed weapons permits. Every day people do stupid, reckless things with guns and innocent people end up being shot. We have gun laws for a reason. We don’t want any gun, anywhere, anytime, for whatever purpose. <br />
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April 19th is the anniversary of the start of the American Revolutionary War at the battles of Lexington and Concord. But it is also the anniversary of the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City. It is the day chosen by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols to carry out the most destructive act of domestic terrorism on American soil. McVeigh and Nichols killed 168 people, including 19 children under the age of 6, and wounded more than 680 in order to drive home their anti-government message. It is not a coincident that this is also the date chosen by the Second Amendment March and the Restore the Constitution Rally. These demonstrations fan the flames of violence, intimidate state and federal government, and send the message that armed Americans should challenge and defy our sense of public order and the rule of law. Therefore, we must ask, are these groups patriots or just paranoid?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-91914656611681023542009-12-14T11:29:00.000-08:002009-12-14T14:41:16.944-08:00NRA's Push to Weaken Gun Laws<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A recent </span></span></span><a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hPr7XMxucKdLX90GDUlz3ELLBXMQD9CHIB9G6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Associated Press story</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> highlighted the push by the NRA to loosen gun laws across the country. </span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Kowtowing to the pressure of the NRA, legislators in a number of states have passed laws that work against the interests of public safety and well-being. </span></span></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">For example:</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Arizona, Florida, </span></span></span></span></i><st1:state><st1:place><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Louisiana</span></span></span></span></i></st1:place></st1:state><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and </span></span></span></span></i><st1:state><st1:place><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Utah</span></span></span></span></i></st1:place></st1:state><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> have made it illegal for businesses to bar their employees from storing guns in cars parked on company lots. </span></span></span></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Perhaps if these legislators had read a study published in the American Journal of Public Health they would have voted differently. The article, </span></span></span><a href="http://ajph.aphapublications.org/cgi/content/full/95/5/830"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">“Employer Policies Toward Guns and the Risk of Homicide in the Workplace”</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">(2005) concludes:</span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In this study, the risk of a worker being killed at work was substantially higher in workplaces where employer policy allowed workers to keep guns: workplaces where guns were specifically permitted were 5 to 7 times more likely to be the site of a worker homicide relative to those where all weapons were prohibited.</span></span></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></blockquote><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><div>And more guns in cars will mean more guns stolen from cars. A murder trail is currently underway in Florida where the defendant is accused <a href="http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20091208/NEWS0102/912080321/1010/news01/Updated-Second-day-of-sometimes-graphic-testimony-ends-in-Hoffman-trial">of stealing a .25-caliber handgun from a car at his workplace and using it to kill a 23-year-old acquaintance.</a> </div><div><br /></div>The article goes on to report that </span></span></span></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Alabama</span></span></span></span></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, </span></span></span></span></span></i></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Arkansas</span></span></span></span></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, </span></span></span></span></span></i></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Louisiana</span></span></span></span></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, </span></span></span></span></span></i></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">South Carolina</span></span></span></span></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and </span></span></span></span></span></i></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Virginia</span></span></span></span></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> have made some or all handgun permit information confidential.</span></span></span></span></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><p></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"></span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Times New Roman';"><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Maybe legislators did this because they are embarrassed by whom they are giving concealed weapons permits to and want to hide this information. Consider some of the crimes concealed weapons permit holders have committed in these states in just the past few months:</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul><li><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">An </span></span></span></span></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Arkansas</span></span></span></span></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> concealed weapons permit holder was unhappy when a car tailgated his. </span></span></span><a href="http://www.sherwoodvoice.com/articles/2009/09/05/maumelle_monitor/local_news/nws01.txt"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> In response, he pulled out his loaded 9mm handgun and pointed it at the other driver.</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> He even followed the other car into a Wal-Mart parking lot, went over to the driver and again threatened him with his gun. </span></span></span></span></span></li><li><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A </span></span></span></span></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">South Carolina</span></span></span></span></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> concealed weapons permit holder faces charges of voluntary manslaughter after getting into a fight at a McDonald’s drive-thru. The man felt the car in front of him was taking too long at the drive-thru window and so started yelling. </span></span></span><a href="http://www.wciv.com/news/stories/0709/645094.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In the fight that ensued he pulled out his gun and shot and killed the 38-year-old father of three.</span></span></span></a></span></span></li><li><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://www.wciv.com/news/stories/0709/645094.htm"></a>And in Alabama, a concealed weapons permit holder armed with a small arsenal that included a handgun, two assault rifles, and a shotgun, </span></span></span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/03/10/2009-03-10_alabama_shooting_spree_suspect_michael_m.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">shot and killed his mother, his grandparents, his aunt and uncle and then drove around town spraying bullets</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. In all, 10 people died before he turned a gun on himself. </span></span></span></span></span></li></ul><div><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The article further reports that </span></span></span></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tennessee</span></span></span></span></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and </span></span></span></span></span></i></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Montana</span></span></span></span></span></i></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> have passed laws that exempt weapons made and owned in-state from federal restrictions</span></span></span></span></span></i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">These laws say that guns manufactured in-state and sold to people who intend to keep them in-state are exempt from federal gun laws and regulations. Both </span></span></span></span></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tennessee</span></span></span></span></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> and </span></span></span></span></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Montana</span></span></span></span></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> only have state laws prohibiting felons from possessing guns. This means, under this new law, the other federal categories of persons prohibited from owning guns would not apply. This includes those who have been committed to a mental institution, dishonorably discharged from the military, are a fugitive from justice, an illegal alien, have been convicted of a domestic violence offense, or are currently subject to a restraining order. </span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In addition to opening up firearm possession to people who should clearly not have a gun, it should be noted that </span></span></span></span></span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tennessee</span></span></span></span></span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="apple-style-span"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> is home to Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, the maker of the .</span></span></span><a href="http://www.50caliberterror.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">50-caliber sniper rifle</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">. </span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.50-caliber guns are designed for battlefield use to attack armored vehicles and are used to destroy targets from long distances. </span></span></span></span><st1:state><st1:place><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">California</span></span></span></span></st1:place></st1:state><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> considers these guns so dangerous they have banned them. Yet </span></span></span></span><st1:state><st1:place><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tennessee</span></span></span></span></st1:place></st1:state><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> has just made a move to make these weapons easier to obtain.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Gun violence has real world results that, sadly, are measured in injury and death.</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Shame on these legislators who have moved to put more guns into our communities and onto our streets. The results will predictably be more gun injuries and more gun deaths. </span></span></span></span></div><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-fareast-Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: AR-SAfont-family:";font-size:12.0pt;color:black;"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#330033;"> </span><br /></span></span></span><p></p></span><p></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-65970225578715634582009-10-23T12:37:00.000-07:002009-10-23T13:22:03.979-07:00Say what? How many defensive gun uses?<p class="MsoNormal">This month’s cover of the National Rifle Association’s magazine <i>America’s 1<sup>st</sup> Freedom</i> shows a young, petite, blue-eyed, blond woman staring coldly ahead, a handgun held tightly in her outstretched arms.<span> </span>The cover story asks “Who is the Armed Citizen?”<span> </span>A side bar in this story is titled “Defensive Gun Uses Per Year”.<span> </span>Here the reader is fed, once again, the lies and distortions of the gun lobby.<span> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The sidebar highlights one of the gun lobby’s favorite pieces of research – a 1995 study by Gary Kleck and Marc Gertz that reported an astounding 2.5 million defense gun uses each year in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span> </span>But for some curious reason the author neglected to mention the numerous, peer reviewed, refereed, academic articles that have been published over the last decade that clearly refute Kleck’s astronomical claim.<span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span>Read some of them for yourself:<span> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul><li>“The gun debate’s new mythical number: How many defensive uses per year?” <i><a href="http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/49840/issue"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Journal of Police Analysis and Management</span></a></i>, 1997<span> </span></li><li>“The myth of millions of annual self-defense gun use:<span> </span>A case study of survey overestimates of rare events”<span> </span>Chance - <a href="http://www.amstat.org/publications/chance/articleIndex.cfm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">American Statistical Association</span></a>, 1997 </li><li>“Defensive Gun Uses: New Evidence from a National Survey” <a href="http://www.springerlink.com/content/t3hxm3vr4gmt/?p=7d4df938308d45f096d0cb992781d9ff%CF%80=45"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Journal of Quantitative Criminology</span></a>, 1998<span> </span></li><li>“The Relative Frequency of Offensive and Defensive Gun Uses:<span> </span>Results from a National Survey”, <a href="http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/springer/vav/2000/00000015/00000003"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Violence and Victims</span></a>, 2000 </li><li>“Myths about Defensive Gun Use and Permissive Gun Carry Laws”<span> </span><a href="http://www.bmsg.org/pub.php"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Berkeley Media Studies Group</span></a>, 2000</li><li>"Comparing the Incidence of Self-Defense Gun Use and Criminal Gun Use" <a href="http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/research/hicrc/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Harvard Injury Control Research Center</span></a>, 2009</li><li>And the list goes on.......</li></ul><p></p>But perhaps the most egregious part of this article is the reference to the work of researchers Phillip Cook and Jens Judwig.<span> </span>In a 1997 article in the National Institute of Justice Research in Brief titled “Guns in America: National Survey on Private Ownership and Use of Firearms”, Cook and Ludwig conclude “The NSPOF-based estimate of millions of defensive gun uses each year greatly exaggerates the true number, as do other estimates based on similar surveys. Evidence suggests that this survey and others like it overestimate the frequency with which firearms were used by private citizens to defend against criminal attack.”<span> </span><span> </span>Yet in the sidebar article the NRA inexplicitly claims “researchers Cook and Ludwig confirmed the results of the Kleck/Gertz study.”<span> </span><div><br /></div><div>It’s bad enough that the gun lobby continues to put forth this dubious and inflated number on defensive gun use, but to totally misconstrue and pervert the research of distinguished academics is disgraceful.<span> </span>Just how low will the gun lobby go? <p></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-90942210063082306542009-09-29T08:12:00.000-07:002009-09-29T08:56:55.426-07:00More Guns Equals More Gun Accidents<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The gun lobby is in the middle of an intense campaign to push guns into every corner of our society. Protestors are showing up at Obama rallies with handguns in side holsters and assault rifles slung on their backs. The Senate just passed an amendment to the transportation bill forcing Amtrak to allow guns in checked luggage or face the loss of funding. Tennessee just passed a law allowing concealed weapons in bars. Montana passed a law allowing the open carry of firearms without a permit and barring hotels from prohibiting firearms on their premises. A recent failed effort in the U.S. Senate sought to relax concealed weapon carry requirements across the country. Kansas passed a law allowing guns or ammunition in vehicles in correctional institution parking lots. Utah passed a law that prevents any private institution from prohibiting firearms in cars in their parking lots. Congress approved legislation that will force guns into the safest and most tranquil parts of our country - our National Parks. <i>This is all part of the number one priority of the National Rifle Association - sell more guns. </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Hidden amid all the bravado about the 2nd Amendment and the scare tactics about President Obama wanting to take everyone's guns away are news stories the gun lobby hopes you will ignore. Stories that point to the fact that more guns equals more gun accidents. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>A recent gathering of gun extremists at a Michigan beach, organized by Michigan Open Carry, ended when a man <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/news-35/125389021153910.xml&coll=7">accidentally fired his semiautomatic handgun while attempting to unload the gun. </a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>This past weekend <a href="http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/145004">a woman was shot at a gun show in Mesa, Arizona</a> when a gun vendor unintentionally fired one of his guns. In Utah, a woman returning from target shooting with friends <a href="http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-fatal-accident-after-gun-falls-and-discharges,0,4226982.story">tragically died when a gun fell out of her car and discharged</a>, hitting her in the stomach. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>These three unintentional shootings are just the most recent examples of stories from across the country. Consider this sampling of stories from just the past six months:</p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul><li>A 12-year-old <a href="http://search.battlecreekenquirer.com/sp?skin=100&aff=1174&keywords=HOMER%20--%20A%2012-year-old%20boy%20died%20from%20a%20single%20gunshot%20wound%20from%20a%20gun%20his%20father%20was%20cleaning.">boy in Homer, Michigan is killed by a single gunshot to the head from a gun his father is cleaning</a>. </li><li>A Bronx man is <a href="http://www.blogger.com/.%20http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/04/27/2009-04-27_shows_off_gun_pal_shot_dead.html">shot and killed by a friend who is showing off his new handgun</a>. </li><li>A <a href="http://www.wnem.com/news/19387415/detail.html">concealed weapons teacher accidentally shoots one of his students in the face</a> during a class in Michigan. </li><li>A Missouri man trying to teach his girlfriend <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/laworder/story/B17178AEA7305C38862576390008DCA6?OpenDocument"> about gun safety fatally shoots himself in the head.</a></li><li>A Phoenix, Arizona <a href="http://www.abc15.com/content/news/phoenixmetro/central/story/Phoenix-PD-Mom-cleaning-gun-accidentally-shoots/f2VzGC9xYUyRXaZr3yWAcg.cspx">mom unintentionally shoots her daughter while cleaning her gun</a>. </li><li>A security guard in Arizona leaving for work, <a href="http://www.glendalestar.com/shared-content/search/index.php?search=go&o=0&q=Man+injured+in+accidental+shooting&d1=6-19-2009&d2=6-21-2009&s=relevance&r=Subject,Author,Content&l=20">places his gun in his holster and accidentally shoots himself in the buttocks.</a></li><li style="text-align: left;">A soldier from Olympia, Washington, about to deploy to Afghanistan, is <a href="http://www.blogger.com/.%20http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1169980/Soldier-accidentally-shot-dead-wife-gave-gun-lesson.html">accidentally shot and killed by his wife as he gives her a lesson on how to handle a gun</a>.</li><li>And the list goes on..................</li></ul><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Remember these stories the next time you hear someone talking about why we need to push guns into every corner of our country. Think about them the next time your legislator is asked to vote on a bill that will make it easier for more people to carry more guns into more parts of our society. Is this really the world we want to live in?</div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-5757539892675464542009-08-12T08:25:00.000-07:002009-08-12T08:33:29.967-07:00Do we really want open carry of firearms?<p class="MsoNormal">President Obama came to <st1:place><st1:city>Portsmouth</st1:city>, <st1:state>NH</st1:state></st1:place> on Tuesday to talk about his health care plan and how best to care for the well-being of our nation’s citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Hundreds of people lined the road leading to the high school where Obama spoke.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Some came to catch a glimpse of our 44th President.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Some to show their support for Obama’s efforts to reform our health care system.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And some came to protest Obama’s policies.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">One protester, William Kostric of <st1:place><st1:city>Mancester</st1:city>, <st1:state>New Hampshire</st1:state></st1:place>, held a sign that read “It is Time to Water the Tree of Liberty.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This line was in reference to a quote by Thomas Jefferson, “And what country can preserve its liberties, if its rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.” </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Kostric also carried a loaded 9mm handgun in a holster strapped to the outside of his pant leg.</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">According to news reports Kostric had left Arizona because it was “becoming too restrictive with gun laws” and moved to New Hampshire, “a ‘live free or die’ state.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A proponent of openly carrying firearms, Kostric chose to wear a gun to where the President was speaking in order to make a political statement. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The unbelievable thing is that what Kostric was doing was not against the law.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That's right...it's perfectly legal in <st1:state><st1:place>New Hampshire</st1:place></st1:state> to openly carry a firearm. Unbeknownst to most Americans, <b>some form of open carry is legal in approximately 43 states</b> and gun extremists want you to know it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>According to the <st1:city><st1:place>Portsmouth</st1:place></st1:city> police, because Kostric was protesting with permission on private property belonging to a local church they could do nothing to stop him.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This action was just the latest in a <a href="http://opencarry.com">push by gun extremists</a> across the county to ramp up their efforts to normalize abnormal behavior by encouraging citizens to openly carry firearms.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There have been a growing number of public events designed to get the gun crowd to come out of the closet so to speak in the hopes of intimidating the public into accepting their dangerous worldview. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Is this the world we want? Would you be willing to sit with your kids at a local fast food restaurant while a fellow patron openly displays a gun at the table next to you? Would you want to stand in line at a bank to make a deposit as two men enter wearing guns on their hips? Would you want to board a crowded bus with upwards of 5 other passengers openly carrying guns? </b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">If we allow a man to carry a loaded gun outside of the venue where the President of the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> is speaking won’t we also permit all those other displays of firearms?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What else will we consent to?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At President Obama’s next speech will we let someone stand outside with an assault weapon strapped to their back?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>How about ten protesters with handguns?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In one media interview, Kostric cited research done by John Lott over a decade ago that erroneously pointed to a link between an increase in guns and a decrease in crime.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But he failed to mention the numerous studies that have followed debunking Lott’s study and, if anything, suggesting just the opposite, that more guns equals more crime.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Every year in this country guns kill over 30,000 people. 70,000 people are shot and injured, leaving physical and emotional scars that last for years.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>More than 375,000 people are victims of armed robbery or aggravated assault with a firearm and countless others are threatened and intimidated with guns, sometimes by so-called loved ones.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In contrast to gun lobby rhetoric, guns provide a false sense of security and cause much more crime and injury than they prevent.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Flooding our communities with guns and arming ourselves at all times only adds to the problem, it is not the solution.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Unless we wake up to the growing threat of any gun, anywhere, anytime and demand that guns laws effectively address the inherent dangers associated with carrying guns in public places, the seemingly far-fetched examples of every day outings turned into repeated encounters with armed people will become all too real. After all, leaving decision-making about where and when to use a gun to folks packing heat in churches, restaurants and parks is a frightening prospect.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Sally Slovenski, Director, <a href="http://freedomstatesalliance.org/">Freedom States </a><st1:city><st1:place><a href="http://freedomstatesalliance.org/">Alliance</a></st1:place></st1:city></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Cathie Whittenburg, Director, <st1:place><a href="http://necpgv.org">New England</a></st1:place><a href="http://necpgv.org"> Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-64022499192433359422009-07-23T12:55:00.000-07:002009-07-23T13:02:51.526-07:00Victory! Senate Rejects National Hidden Handgun Amendment!<p class="MsoNormal">In a <b><i>great victory </i></b>for gun violence prevention advocates, the U.S. Senate rejected dangerous legislation that would have forced states to accept concealed weapons permits issued by other states, even if those other states have far weaker laws.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">NECPGV applauds the thirty-nine Senators who stood up for public safety and voted to successfully defeat the Thune Amendment. </span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Senate voted to defeat the Thune Amendment (No. 1618) to the Defense Authorization bill (S. 1390) co-sponsored by Senators John Thune (R-SD) and David Vitter (R-LA).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The amendment would have reduced concealed carry permit regulations to the lowest common denominator and <i>would have had an extreme impact on the three </i><st1:place><i>New England</i></st1:place><i> states that do not have reciprocity agreements with any other state. </i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:state><st1:place>Connecticut</st1:place></st1:state>, <st1:state><st1:place>Massachusetts</st1:place></st1:state>, and <st1:state><st1:place>Rhode Island</st1:place></st1:state> have very strict requirements for issuing concealed weapons permits and do not recognize permits from any other state.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Individuals wishing to carry concealed weapons must apply directly to these states for a permit.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The Thune Amendment would have gutted these safety laws.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">It should be noted that </span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Connecticut</span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">, </span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Massachusetts</span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">, and </span><st1:state><st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">Rhode Island</span></st1:place></st1:state><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"> have some of the lowest firearm death rates in the nation. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">It was extremely frustrating to listen to the debate in the Senate as Senators Thune, Vitter, and others kept referring to ten and twenty-year-old research in an effort to validate their erroneous claims.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">They were quick to cite these old studies but neglected to reference the numerous studies that followed and drew into question the original claims.</span></span> </i><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Gary Kleck’s claim of 2.5 million defensive gun uses a year has been totally and thoroughly discredited (for one example see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Survey Research and Self-Defense Gun Use: An Explanation of Extreme Overestimates</i>, David Hemenway, Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 1997) but that didn’t stop the Senators from repeatedly throwing out this bogus number.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Ten years later research papers are still be written debunking John Lott’s writings on concealed carry laws (January, 2009, Journal of the American Institute for Economic Research, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Yet Another Refutation of the More Guns, Less Crime Hypothesis</i>, Ian Ayres and John Donohue).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;">But a decade of research on why Lott’s numbers don’t work was meaningless to Senators Thune and Vitter who continued to cling to the old, dusty, disproved material. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b>Jeers to the three New England Senators who, once again, continued to tow the line for the gun lobby.</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Senators Snowe and Collins from <st1:state><st1:place>Maine</st1:place></st1:state> and Senator Gregg from <st1:state><st1:place>New Hampshire</st1:place></st1:state> all voted to gut and trample states’ rights and force communities to accept hidden, loaded guns in family-friendly places, putting our law enforcement officials and our communities at greater risk of violence.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><b>Three cheers for the rest of the Senators from </b><st1:place><b>New England</b></st1:place><b> who had the courage to stand up to the gun lobby and voted for our public safety.</b><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Many, many thanks go to Vermont Senators Leahy and Sanders, New Hampshire Senator Shaheen, Rhode Island Senators Reed and <st1:place><st1:city>Whitehouse</st1:city>, <st1:state>Massachusetts</st1:state></st1:place> Senator Kerry, and Connecticut Senators Lieberman and Dodd.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-69870894101265501112009-07-12T19:08:00.000-07:002009-07-12T19:13:37.915-07:00Stop the National Hidden Handgun Bill<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; "><div><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:130%;">States currently have the authority to determine their own carry concealed weapons (CCW) policies. Most New England states show great care and caution when issuing concealed weapons permits. They also limit which out-of-state visitors can carry concealed handguns. But the gun lobby is trying to change this.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:100%;"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><div> </div><div><br /></div>Legislation now pending in the U.S. Senate would force our communities to permit untrained individuals from other states to carry loaded, hidden handguns in public. <u>It would allow out-of-state visitors to carry concealed firearms even if those visitors have not met the standards for carrying concealed weapons in the state they are visiting.</u> </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:100%;"><div><br /></div><div> </div><span style="font-size:130%;">It would also permit residents who don't meet the ccw requirements in their own states to obtain a permit from a state with lower standards, thus circumventing and undermining their local requirements. <br /></span><br /><strong>S. 845</strong>, the "Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2009," <strong>could dramatically increase the number of individuals carrying concealed loaded handguns in public in your state.<br /></strong><br /><strong><em>The practical effect of this legislation would be reduce concealed carry permit regulations to the lowest common denominator.</em></strong> This is particularly dangerous as many states have weak laws and issue individuals permits after only a simple computerized background check-through a database that is missing millions of disqualifying criminal and mental health records.<div> </div><div><br /></div><div>Just how dangerous is this proposal? In 2009, there have already been three MASS shootings by concealed carry permit holders - including the murder of three police officers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.</div><div><br />The gun lobby is still gloating over their success with pushing concealed weapons into our National Parks. This legislation goes even further, undermines state authority and would allow armed individuals from virtually any other state to cross state lines with their deadly weapons and carry loaded guns in public. </div><div><br /> </div></span><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:100%;"><strong>The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on S. 845 as early as Monday, July 13. We need your help NOW to tell the Senate to stand up and say "NO" to the gun lobby and "NO" to more concealed handguns in our communities.</strong></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div> </div><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:130%;">Please, call your U.S. Senators today and tell them <strong><u>to vote NO on S. 845 in any form,</u></strong> whether it is offered as a stand alone bill or an amendment to another bill. </span><div><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:130%;"> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:130%;">To find your Senators visit: </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; "> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:130%;"><a href="http://www.senate.gov/">http://www.senate.gov/</a></span></div><div><span><a href="http://www.senate.gov/"></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:130%;"> or call</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:130%;"> 202-224-3121</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; "> </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:130%;">and ask to be connected to your Senators' offices. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia;font-size:180%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 18px; "> </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:130%;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><u>THANK YOU for caring and for your time and energy.</u> </span></span></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-58643805864900091972009-06-22T08:32:00.000-07:002009-06-22T08:36:08.005-07:00Recap of the First Session in Augusta<p class="MsoNormal"> As the Legislative session draws to a close in <st1:city><st1:place>Augusta</st1:place></st1:city>, let’s take moment to look back at some of the actions our legislators took to protect the public health and safety of the people of <st1:state><st1:place>Maine</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Legislators voted to keep the ban on the sale of fireworks.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Concerns were raised about the dangers of fireworks and the lack of oversight in the proposed legislation.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Because of concern of house fires and carbon monoxide poisoning, legislators passed a law requiring all homes sold in <st1:state><st1:place>Maine</st1:place></st1:state> have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Legislators tightened up regulations dealing with retail tobacco and liquor licensing laws.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It should be noted that during debate on this bill, no objections were raised over the requirement that anyone who sells tobacco and liquor must obtain a license to do so.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Because of ongoing concerns about the dangers of smoking and second hand smoke, legislators passed a law that prohibits smoking on state beaches.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>These are all laudable measures and will, no doubt, save lives.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Given all the concern shown for <st1:state><st1:place>Maine</st1:place></st1:state>’s public health and safety, one has to wonder what happened when legislators were given a chance to legislate gun sales in <st1:state><st1:place>Maine</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Two bills were considered this session in Augusta that would require all gun sales, including private gun sales at guns shows and through publications such as Uncle Henry’s, be subject to an FBI instant criminal background check.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Because a private individual cannot access the FBI background check system, sales would be processed by a licensed gun dealer who would run the check.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Other states have processed private gun sales this exact way for years.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Both of these bills failed to even make it out of committee.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Why is it that legislators who show such concern in general for our public health and safety routinely turn a blind eye when it comes to easy, unquestioned access to firearms?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><st1:state><st1:place>Maine</st1:place></st1:state> allows for the private sale of guns where there will be no criminal background check run, no records kept, no questions asked. There is no doubt that convicted felons and others who should not possess guns have taken advantage of <st1:state><st1:place>Maine</st1:place></st1:state>’s weak laws and obtained guns. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yet despite this evidence, legislators continue to kowtow to the gun lobby.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">But look at what the gun lobby is telling their members.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The National Rifle Association sent out an alert that stated, “These bills would effectively dismantle gun shows as well as ban the private sale of firearms in <st1:state><st1:place>Maine</st1:place></st1:state>.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The reality is these bills would do neither and for proof one need look no further than <st1:state><st1:place>California</st1:place></st1:state> which has had similar laws in place for twenty years.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You will still find gun shows and private gun sales in <st1:state><st1:place>California</st1:place></st1:state>, sales that are facilitated by licensed dealers who run a criminal background check.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Yet person after person who spoke in opposition to these bills talked about how this was just a trick to ban guns, to close down gun shows, to prevent people from selling their guns, and would lead to the government at their door looking to confiscate their firearms.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">And they talked about the Second Amendment.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Without, it seems, having taken the time to fully read last year’s Supreme Court decision.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In the Heller decision the Supreme Court ruled that while there is an individual right to own a gun “like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The court make it absolutely clear that the right to own a gun exists side by side with the right to regulate the purchase, possession and carrying of guns.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">It is the job of our legislators to look past the rhetoric, the misinterpretations, and even the lies of those who try to influence their opinions.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It is their job to look at the facts, to read the full Heller decision, to examine the court documentation of private gun sales that lead to gun crimes, and to look beyond the line of people who are simply parroting back the lies that have been feed to them.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">No one said the job of a legislator was an easy one, but the public health and safety of the people of <st1:state><st1:place>Maine</st1:place></st1:state> are depending on them.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-69243913451657508502009-05-26T11:28:00.000-07:002009-05-26T11:35:08.141-07:00Congress Caves to the NRA<p class="MsoNormal">Our national parks are our national treasures.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Our system of national parks was the first of its kind in the world and was set up to preserve, protect, and share our natural wonders and cultural heritage.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Every year millions of people seek out the tranquility and beauty of national parks to retreat from the bustle of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There they find places of spectacular scenery and abundant recreational opportunities.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They also find safe places with few serious crimes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Given the safety and tranquility of our national park system one has to ask why Congress would vote to allow deadly loaded hidden guns into our national parks.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In a chest thumbing, “gotcha amendment” pushed by the National Rifle Association to prove their power, Senator Coburn of Oklahoma took advantage of the credit card reform bill that was designed to protect Americans from spurious credit card fees and cynically attached an amendment that allows for loaded guns in national parks.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It overturns a policy put in place under President Regan that banned concealed weapons in the parks in order to “ensure public safety and maximum protection of natural resources.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Current regulation allows park visitors to have guns as long as they are unloaded and stowed away.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The amendment that Congress blessed will allow loaded guns to be carried both concealed and openly.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This means it will be perfectly legal for visitors to <st1:place>Acadia</st1:place> to ride the park buses, attend ranger-led hikes and sit around campfires with a semi-automatic AK-47 strapped to their backs.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And because Maine law does not require a concealed weapons permit for guns carried openly, it also means that anyone can pick up an Uncle Henry’s, pick out the handgun or assault rifle of their choosing, buy the gun through a private sale where there will be no background check run and no questions asked, strap the gun on and head for a stroll up Cadillac mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Allowing loaded guns in our parks will raise the risk of opportunistic poaching and expose park visitors to the risk of accidental, negligent and illegal firearm discharges.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A concealed weapons permit does not guarantee safety.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Consider these two incidents in just the past two weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In <st1:state><st1:place>Michigan</st1:place></st1:state>, a concealed weapons teacher accidentally shot a student in the face during a demonstration.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And in <st1:state><st1:place>Texas</st1:place></st1:state>, a concealed handgun instructor shot and killed his wife and then exchanged gunfire with police during a two hour standoff.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The gun lobby claimed that the prohibition on concealed weapons in national parks violated their rights.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But last year’s Supreme Court ruling on the Second Amendment made it absolutely clear that the right to own a gun exists side by side with the right to regulate the purchase, possession, and carrying of guns.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Senator Coburn stated that “Visitors to national parks should have the right to defend themselves.” But our national parks are some of the safest places in the country. In 2007, over 270 million people visited our national parks and there were only nine criminal deaths across the park system.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Compare this to what happens outside of our parks.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In 2007, in our country of 300 million people there were over 18,000 homicides, of which almost 13,000 were committed with guns.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The NRA is in the business of selling guns and one of their best marketing tools is fear.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They tell their members to be afraid of the government coming to take their guns, they tell them to be afraid of everything and to arm themselves against this fear, and they tell legislators to be afraid of being targeted if they don’t vote the right way. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Is Congress afraid to say no to the NRA?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Do they believe that their reelection depends on continuing to kowtow to their extreme agenda?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Association of National Park Rangers, the Coalition of National Park Service Retirees, the Humane Society, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Parks Conservation Association, and the U.S. Park Rangers Lodge are just some of the organizations opposing this change in regulations.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> V</span>oters, especially those heading off to a national park this summer with their families, should be outraged that Congress didn’t listen to them instead.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">........................</p><p class="MsoNormal">See how your representative voted. A "yea" vote is a vote to appease the NRA and allow hidden, loaded guns in our national parks.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Senate vote: <a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=s2009-188">http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=s2009-188</a></p><p class="MsoNormal">House vote: <a href="http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2009-277">http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2009-277</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-5001235942926430322009-04-30T08:07:00.000-07:002009-04-30T10:36:11.492-07:00State Legislators Are Playing With Fire<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>There’s a new and extremely dangerous crop of gun bill springing up around the country.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This bill is specifically designed to go after the federal authority to regulate guns.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The goal is to get the new law into the courts, and ultimately before the Supreme Court, to challenge the federal authority to regulate guns through interstate commerce laws. These legislators, egged on by gun extremists and anti-federal government devotees, are playing with fire.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Here’s how it works:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><st1:state><st1:place><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/04/29/us/AP-US-Montana-Gun-Rights.html?_r=2&scp=6&sq=gun&st=nyt">Montana</a></st1:place></st1:state><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/04/29/us/AP-US-Montana-Gun-Rights.html?_r=2&scp=6&sq=gun&st=nyt"> has just passed legislation</a> that says guns manufactured in <st1:state><st1:place>Montana</st1:place></st1:state>, and sold to people who intend to keep these guns in <st1:state><st1:place>Montana</st1:place></st1:state>, are exempt from federal gun laws and regulations. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This means licensed gun dealers do not need to run background checks on people buying these specially stamped “Made in <st1:state><st1:place>Montana</st1:place></st1:state>” guns.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And because <st1:state><st1:place>Montana</st1:place></st1:state> has very few state laws pertaining to gun possession, many of those exempt from owning a gun under federal law will be free and clear to own guns under this new state law.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This includes people who have been convicted of domestic violence offenses, those currently subject to a restraining order, and children as young as the age of 14. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And of course, because state borders are open and unguarded there is little to stop people from taking these “Made in <st1:state><st1:place>Montana</st1:place></st1:state>” guns to other states.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Wow, talk about creating a system ripe for abuse.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>But <st1:state><st1:place>Montana</st1:place></st1:state> is not the only state looking to make it legal for dangerous people and children to buy guns.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Similar legislation has been introduced in <st1:state><st1:place>Alaska</st1:place></st1:state>, <st1:state><st1:place>Texas</st1:place></st1:state>, <st1:state><st1:place>Colorado</st1:place></st1:state>, and <st1:state><st1:place>Tennessee</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This week, a <a href="http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20090428/NEWS01/904280322">Texas House committee held hearings on a bill </a>that would not only exempt Texas-made firearms, gun accessories and ammunition sold within the state from federal gun regulations but would also add the provision that the Texas Attorney General’s office defend any Texans who are prosecuted by the federal government because of this law.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Putting aside the fact that exempting guns from federal regulations is an incredibly bad and recklessly dangerous idea, these bills fly in the face of everything this country stands for.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They are meant to undermine our federal system of government.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If states can exempt themselves from federal gun laws what else can they opt out of? </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> Let's hope the courts act quickly and decisively to shut down this clearly unconstitutional law. Shame on legislators for supporting these bills that are not only dangerous, but blatantly anti-American.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-6492573853008137562009-04-16T12:31:00.000-07:002009-04-16T12:34:27.040-07:00Laws and regulations designed to protect the public health and safety work<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial;font-size:13px;"><p>Laws and regulations designed to protect the public health and safety work.<span> </span></p><p>A driver’s license teaches road safety, vehicle inspections keep dangerous cars off the roads, speed limits safely control the movement of cars.<span> </span>Consumer product safety standards work to ensure that our food is free from poisons, cribs are safe for babies, radiation doesn’t leak from our microwave ovens.<span> </span>Building codes protect the integrity of the homes we live in, the roads we drive on, the elevators we ride in.<span> </span></p><p>Every day, in ways too numerous to mention, policy makers have worked to protect the safety of our communities through laws and regulations.<span> </span>But there is one area where the public is left vulnerable, one industry that our legislators fail to regulate:<span> </span>firearms. </p><p>Holes in our gun laws allow for the private sale of guns with no background checks run and no records kept.<span> </span>Weaknesses in our regulations allow anyone to obtain military-style assault rifles, guns designed specifically to kill as many people as possible in a short amount of time.<span> </span>Lack of oversight allows for these guns to be equipped with high capacity magazines that hold 20, 30, 50 rounds and more.<span> </span>Amendments slipped in yearly to appropriations bills keep the ATF under funded, hide crime gun trace information from our police officers, and prohibit the Center for Disease Control from talking about gun control.<span> </span></p><p>Legislators at both the federal and the state level have been bullied and beaten into submission by a powerful special interest lobby.<span> </span>It is understandable why the gun lobby acts the way they do. <span> </span>Their goal, after all, is to sell guns.<span> </span>What is not understandable is why our policy makers are content to sit back in silence while every year in the United States 30,000 people die from firearms; 70,000 people are shot and injured, leaving physical and emotional scars that last for years; over 300,000 people are victims of armed robbery or aggravated assault with a firearm; and countless others are threatened and intimidated with guns, sometimes by so-called loved ones.<span> </span></p><p>Our legislators need to be held accountable for their failure to protect the public health and safety.<span> </span>They have abdicated their responsibility and have helped create a system that allows for easy, unquestioned access to firearms by felons, domestic abusers and others prohibited from owning guns.<span> </span></p><p>Every time a Dylan Klebold or a Seung-Hui Cho walks into a classroom and kills our innocent children we must hold our legislators to blame for their failure to pass the laws and regulations that would prevent these dangerous individuals from getting guns.<span> </span></p><p>On this, the tenth anniversary of the killings at Columbine High School and the second anniversary of the massacre at Virginia Tech, let us honor these, and all victims of gun violence by working to enact laws that will prevent guns from falling into the wrong hands and prevent future tragedies.</p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-88116318497197925812009-03-31T09:38:00.000-07:002009-03-31T11:27:25.110-07:00After North Carolina Nursing Home Massacre That Killed 8, Arming Nurses Is NOT the Answer<p class="MsoNormal">When Robert Stewart barged into a <st1:state><st1:place><a href="http://www.ncwanted.com/ncwanted_home/story/4841927/">North Carolina</a></st1:place></st1:state><a href="http://www.ncwanted.com/ncwanted_home/story/4841927/"> nursing home and started shooting</a> elderly Alzheimer patients, local police officer Justin Garner went to work.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Garner confronted the well-armed intruder and told him to put his weapons down.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Stewart responded by shooting at Garner, hitting him with buckshot pellets in the leg and foot.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Despite his injury, Officer Garner managed to fire one round, <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-03-29-nursinghome-shooting_N.htm">hitting Stewart in the chest and ending the shooting spree</a> that left eight people dead. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Now that’s police work and we should all be grateful for the long hours Officer Garner put in training to do his job.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">But good police work is apparently not good enough for Grass Roots North Carolina (GRNC), a local gun extremist group.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-2698-Charlotte-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m3d30-Pinelake-Health-and-Rehab-More-killings-in-gun-free-zones">GRNC wants to arm nurses. </a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Armed nurses in an Alzheimer unit?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Really?</o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">GRNC, and gun fanatics across the country, are seriously out of touch with reality.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The reality is shootings happen quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They can start and end before anyone even realizes what is going on.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">The reality is that even highly trained police officers <a href="http://pqx.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/9/3/331">hit their intended targets less than 20%</a> of the time.<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The reality is that these highly stressful situations set off an array of involuntary physiological responses, including trembling hands, tunnel vision, loss of hearing and even loss of bowel control.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">The reality is that adding more guns to a shooting incident will lead to more chaos, more chance for innocent people to be hit and greater confusion for law enforcement in sorting out who the criminal is.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">But GRNC doesn’t just want to arm nurses, they want to override the ability of private companies in <st1:state><st1:place>North Carolina</st1:place></st1:state> to regulate firearms as they see fit on their private property. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>GRNC is currently supporting legislation that would force privately owned bars and restaurants to allow hidden, loaded guns.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">All across the country gun extremists are pushing this extreme agenda.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The goal of the gun lobby is to eliminate any restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Current legislation includes: <span style="mso-list:Ignore"><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul><li><span style="mso-list:Ignore"><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span>a <st1:state><st1:place>Montana</st1:place></st1:state> bill to do away with the need to obtain a concealed weapons permit<br /></li><li> a <st1:state><st1:place>New Mexico</st1:place></st1:state> bill to allow concealed weapons in bars;<br /></li><li> an <st1:state><st1:place>Arizona</st1:place></st1:state> bill to force privately owned business to let workers keep guns in their cars;<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /></li><li> a <st1:state><st1:place>Texas</st1:place></st1:state> bill that would give permission for college students to keep guns in their dorm and carry guns into the classroom. </li></ul><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This is just a partial listing of bills being considered in state legislatures.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Unfortunately, there is no lack of legislators willing to sponsor and vote for these dangerous bills, despite the fact that the majority of Americans want tougher, not weaker, gun laws.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But as long as legislators continue to be bullied by gun extremists while the majority of Americans remain quiet, these laws will continue to be introduced and even passed.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Do we really want to be so dependent upon the judgment of ordinary citizens as to when and where is the right time to use a concealed gun? </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-85299130737209117122009-03-09T14:51:00.000-07:002009-03-09T15:35:20.797-07:00For His 18th Birthday He Bought Himself Two Assault Rifles, Several High Capacity Ammunition Clips, and More<div><br /></div><div>Last week, in the middle of the night, <st1:state><st1:place>Massachusetts</st1:place></st1:state> police pulled over a driver on 495.<span> </span>The truck was allegedly swerving in and out of lanes. <span> </span>Luke Huizinga, the 18-year-old behind the wheel, said he was headed from his home in <st1:place><st1:city>Danbury</st1:city>, <st1:state>Connecticut</st1:state></st1:place> to a wedding in <st1:state><st1:place>Maine</st1:place></st1:state>.<span> </span>After spotting a gun case the police searched the vehicle.<span> </span>They found:<br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtG8YqvasqVpMXwXEc_HeXWpGHNVbB1Wrt97YYDgDHWq8V9TczSK84UE6_QHGukqBxwpuryhMGwXEgQizYvqpUY_mBnwkxYKef4chfaulB-hfzh35XWi6PmZrcKzBEfohKROB_Qvfr9yg/s1600-h/Luke+guns.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 201px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtG8YqvasqVpMXwXEc_HeXWpGHNVbB1Wrt97YYDgDHWq8V9TczSK84UE6_QHGukqBxwpuryhMGwXEgQizYvqpUY_mBnwkxYKef4chfaulB-hfzh35XWi6PmZrcKzBEfohKROB_Qvfr9yg/s320/Luke+guns.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5311317286088605826" /></a><br /><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span>a 16-inch Bushmaster assault rifle with a night scope<span style="mso-list:Ignore"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span>a 12-guage shotgun with a pistol grip</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span>7 30-round high capacity ammunition clips</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span>several boxes of additional ammunition</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span>six knives</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span>brass knuckles</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops:list .5in"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">-<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span>a bullet-proof vest with an armor plate</p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal">According to police, both guns had been modified. </p><p class="MsoNormal">Huizinga told police he bought the guns to celebrate his 18<sup>th</sup> birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>His mother describes him as a “sportsman and gun enthusiast” and said that he just wanted to show off his new guns to his friends in <st1:state><st1:place>Maine</st1:place></st1:state>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.newstimes.com/latestnews/ci_11843867">She told the Danbury News-Times</a> that Luke “did something stupid.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I hope he does not get two years in jail.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’m sure it will be all right, because I’m not in control, God is in control.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>God help a mother who gives her blessing for her son to buy himself a mini-arsenal, complete with bullet-proof vest, for his 18<sup>th</sup> birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He may never “have been in trouble of any kind before” but he’s certainly heading down a dangerous road.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And the sad part is, he purchased all these guns legally.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span> </o:p></p><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-76425245670112433632009-01-28T12:21:00.000-08:002009-01-28T12:38:06.410-08:00Two Killed, Seven Others Injured in Weekend Shooting<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; ">“Two killed, seven others injured in weekend shooting,” read the headline in papers across the country.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">But the articles were not about the same incident.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Two killed, seven others injured,” is a story that took place in three separate cities last weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Two killed, seven others injured in a shooting outside a neighborhood store <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/870159.html">in northwest </a><st1:place><st1:city><a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/870159.html">Miami</a></st1:city><a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/870159.html">, </a><st1:state><a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/870159.html">Florida</a></st1:state></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A gunman, using an assault rifle, opened fire on a group of teenagers playing dice.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Two killed, ages 16 and 18, seven others injured.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Police have no suspects in custody.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Two killed, seven others injured in a shooting during a wake at a home in <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1000135.html">southeast </a><st1:place><st1:city><a href="http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1000135.html">Wichita</a></st1:city><a href="http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1000135.html">, </a><st1:state><a href="http://www.kansascity.com/637/story/1000135.html">Kansas</a></st1:state></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Two killed, ages 22 and 66, seven others injured as someone fired shots from outside the house.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Police have no suspects in custody.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Two killed, seven others injured in a shooting outside a nightclub <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/01/erik_ayala_a_student_of_concer.html">in </a><st1:place><st1:city><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/01/erik_ayala_a_student_of_concer.html">Portland</a></st1:city><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/01/erik_ayala_a_student_of_concer.html">, </a><st1:state><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2009/01/erik_ayala_a_student_of_concer.html">Oregon</a></st1:state></st1:place>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Two killed, ages 16 and 17, seven others injured.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The 24-year-old gunman took his own life.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>According to news accounts the gunman had displayed troublesome behavior in high school and had been hospitalized for depression and attempted suicide.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In a note to his roommate, the gunman gave information about his special PS3 gaming system, describing possible ways to sell it, but gave no motive for the shooting.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Six of the victims in the <st1:city><st1:place>Portland</st1:place></st1:city> shooting were foreign exchange students.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>According to Portland Police Chief the incident “echoes most Europeans’ fear about gun violence” in <st1:country-region><st1:place>America</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Six people killed and twenty-one others injured in three separate shootings would have sparked national debates in most other countries but here in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> the stories barely made out of the local papers.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Why do we passively accept such levels of gun violence?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Why do we sit back and watch quietly as gun violence prevention measures are struck down in state houses across the country?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The National Rifle Association is a big part of the answer. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">The NRA is a reactionary, fringe organization.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It just ran an unsuccessful campaign against President Obama that <a href="http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/the_rifle_associations_true_story.html">FactCheck.org</a>, a nonpartisan project of the <st1:place><st1:placename>Annenberg</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Public</st1:placename> <st1:placename>Policy</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Center</st1:placetype></st1:place>, called "one of the worst examples of lying" that "distorted Obama's position on gun control beyond recognition." </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Former <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16324652">NRA lobbyist Richard Feldman</a> has called the NRA a "cynical, mercenary political cult" and admits that the organization "isn't interested in actually solving problems, only in fueling perpetual crisis and controversy." </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">The NRA survives by selling fear.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It profits from polarizing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Legislators that seek and accept the endorsement of the NRA are, in effect, condoning an organization that is fueled by stoking fear in its membership and bullying and threatening legislators who dare to go against it. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">We need a new kind of politics.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In this new “era of responsibility” we need legislators who want to be cooperative, not those who embrace organizations that incite battle and combat.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We need to work together to find ways to end the needless cycle of gun violence in our country.</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">We should never have to pick up our local paper and read the headline “two killed, seven others injured in weekend shooting.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-80091220280204859232009-01-12T14:44:00.000-08:002009-01-12T15:07:22.659-08:00Gun Dealers Target of Thieves<div><p class="MsoNormal">Twice in the last four months <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09007/939994-85.">gun dealers have been robbed</a> on their way home from gun shows at the <st1:place><st1:placename>Valley Forge</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Convention Center</st1:placetype></st1:place> in <st1:state><st1:place>Pennsylvania</st1:place></st1:state>.<span> </span>Thieves have made off with more than 70 high-powered weapons and handguns.<span> </span>Both robberies occurred when the gun dealers stopped for a meal on the way home and left their trucks unattended.<span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">In September, a <st1:state><st1:place>New York</st1:place></st1:state> gun dealer had 45 handguns stolen from his truck.<span> </span>In December, a<st1:city><st1:place>Pittsburgh</st1:place></st1:city> gun dealer had 26 guns stolen from his truck.<span> </span>14 of these guns were fully automatic machine guns like the ones pictured below.<span> </span></p></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi025XOg3G1phNHs9pwBrs5GoUSw2u4i2xLgP5T8FZXrP-u8_-Q6qMiPOiOgBw4IeYuqwSmBEdYGYVKLmr5OQoT10fPV61SoiWXdz0WVqty3bK4H4EMYtMWVWJ4cHVyHuN-tI1eoxZtEkk/s1600-h/20090106atf_germanmgfortytwo_500.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 156px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi025XOg3G1phNHs9pwBrs5GoUSw2u4i2xLgP5T8FZXrP-u8_-Q6qMiPOiOgBw4IeYuqwSmBEdYGYVKLmr5OQoT10fPV61SoiWXdz0WVqty3bK4H4EMYtMWVWJ4cHVyHuN-tI1eoxZtEkk/s320/20090106atf_germanmgfortytwo_500.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290542377070303794" /></a><p class="MsoNormal">Last week a gun dealer in <st1:state><st1:place>New Hampshire</st1:place></st1:state> returned home to find his entire inventory of 73 handguns, rifles, and shotguns stolen.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Fortunately, the guns were recovered a few days later at the home of an ex-employee.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Stolen guns are a major source of firearms used by criminals and the cause of untold gun violence in our country, yet only nine states require gun dealers to use security measures to reduce the risk of firearm theft.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Gun dealers are a tempting target for thieves and should be held to a strict security standard.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There is no excuse for the theft of 14 machine guns from a pickup truck left unattended outside a restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-29613846894552989472009-01-09T11:57:00.000-08:002009-01-09T13:51:27.065-08:00Great Britain vs. United States in Gun Deaths<p class="MsoNormal">Last year there were 42 gun-related deaths in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Great Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This number includes homicides, suicides and accidental deaths.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In 2005 (the latest year for which numbers are available) there were 30,364 gun-related deaths in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This number includes homicides, suicides, and accidental deaths. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">True, the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> has more people than <st1:country-region><st1:place>Great Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region> so you can’t really compare these two numbers.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><st1:country-region><st1:place>Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region> has about 61 million, while the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> has about 296 million, which gives the <st1:country-region><st1:place>U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> about five times the population of <st1:country-region><st1:place>Great Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region>. So, a better comparison of the numbers would be to multiple the British gun deaths by five. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">42 x 5 = 210</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>Now we can compare the numbers. </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Gun-related deaths for <st1:country-region><st1:place>Great Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region> (if given a population equal to the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>) = 210</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Gun-related deaths in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> = 30,364. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">210 vs. 30,364<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Wow.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-39106113819712291772008-12-03T08:25:00.000-08:002008-12-03T08:33:47.398-08:002008 Election Results: NRA is the big loserThe 2008 elections results are in and the National Rifle Association is the big loser. The NRA declared that it intended to spend $40 million on the 2008 elections. Much of this money was specifically targeted toward efforts to defeat Barack Obama. The NRA sent out mailings and ran radio and television ads, warning that Obama would be “the most anti-gun President in American history.” They spent heavily in swing states that, despite their alarms, went decisively for Obama including Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Mexico, Florida, Nevada, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.<br /><br />As the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/opinion/02tue3.html?_r=1">New York Times pointed out in their December 1st editorial</a>:<br /><br />"The gun lobby has long intimidated politicians with its war chest and its trumpeted ability to deliver single-issue voters, especially in tight races. After this year’s election, those politicians should be far less afraid and far more willing to vote for sensible gun-control laws."<br /><br />The editorial went on to point out:<br /><br />"In Congressional races, the N.R.A. endorsed candidates in 20 of the 25 races where Democrats picked up seats from Republicans. We will not miss Florida’s Tom Feeney and Ric Keller, Idaho’s Bill Sali, Michigan’s Joe Knollenberg, Ohio’s Steve Chabot, Colorado’s Marilyn Musgrave and Pennsylvania’s Phil English — willing champions of an extreme agenda.<br />On the Senate side, the N.R.A. spent considerable sums to help Senator Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and Bob Schaffer, the Republican Senate candidate in Colorado. Both were defeated."<br /><br />The NRA also had a very poor showing in New England in both congressional and state house races.<br /><br /><strong>In Massachusetts and Rhode Island every single winning candidate for the U.S. House and Senate received an “F” rating from the NRA.</strong> An “F” rating is given to candidates that, according to the NRA, are “true enemies of gun owners’ rights.”<br /><br />In New Hampshire, “A” rated and NRA endorsed incumbent Republican Senator John Sununu lost to Democratic challenger Jeanne Shaheen. Shaheen is also considered a “true enemy” of the NRA having received an “F” rating. <strong>Connecticut appears to be overrun with “true enemies” with 58% of the winning state Senators receiving an “F” rating from the NRA.</strong><br /><br />In Maine the two seats that the Democrats picked up in the state Senate were both seats where the NRA endorsed the losing Republican incumbent candidate. Five of the seats the Democrats picked up in the state House were also seats where the NRA endorsed the losing incumbent Republican.<br /><br />The NRA did better in Vermont, endorsing the winning candidates for both Governor and Congress. But even in Vermont, a state where no concealed weapons permit is needed to carry a gun, thirty percent of the winning state house candidates didn’t even bother to return the NRA’s election questionnaire. According to the NRA, failure to answer their questions is “often an indication of indifference, if not outright hostility, to gun owner’s rights.” How important can the endorsement of the NRA be when so many candidates didn’t take the trouble to return the questionnaire?<br /><br />The NRA likes to scare legislators with the myth that they can turn out a significant block of single-issue, pro-gun voters. <strong>In the 2008 elections the NRA failed to deliver.</strong> And if you look back to the 2006 mid-term elections you will find that the NRA spent 80% of its money on losing candidates. Again, the NRA failed to deliver.<br /><br />Americans want stronger gun laws. Survey after survey shows this. The majority of Americans believe it is possible to protect an individual’s right to own a gun while at the same time regulating the purchase, possession and carrying of guns. As President-elect Obama has said, “don’t tell me we can’t uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals.”<br /><br />The NRA doesn’t want you to look at how poorly their endorsed candidates did in this election. Instead, they want to continue pushing fear and pushing guns. But it is time for our elected officials to understand that Americans want to move beyond the fear tactics of the NRA. It is time for legislators to take a stand, join us, and support meaningful, common sense gun laws.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-17035888899251662302008-10-27T09:19:00.000-07:002008-10-27T10:15:29.788-07:00Tragedy at Massachusetts Machine Gun ShootI think machine gun shoots are pathetic events. Basically, it’s a bunch of guys who get together and blow things up. They are drawn by the chance to shoot a variety of fully automatic weapons at targets like cars (probably some sort of road rage release) and other things that look “cool” when they get shot and blow up. While these gatherings strike me as both sad and silly I understand that they are legal and that there are men who get a thrill from the destructive power of firearms. These events will, no doubt, continue to take place across this county.<br /><br />This past weekend the Westfield Sportsman’s Club held a machine gun shoot. The event was billed as “Cocked, Locked, and Ready to Rock” and promised targets that included vehicles, pumpkins and “other fun stuff.” Children under 16 were admitted for free and there was <strong>no age limit</strong> or license required to shoot a machine gun. <br /><br />A tragedy occurred when an 8-year-old boy accidentally shot himself in the head. The boy was allowed to shoot a fully automatic Uzi machine gun and according to the police statement “the force of the weapon made it travel up and back toward his head, where he suffered the injury.” The child died at the Springfield hospital. <br /><br />The average 8-year-old stands just a little over four feet tall and weighs a scant 55 pounds. Even with two hands such a child would not have enough strength to control the recoil of an Uzi. While it’s one thing for grown men to get their jollies off shooting big, bad guns, it’s quite another thing to give a fully automatic machine gun to an 8-year-old. That is just irresponsible.<br /><br />I hope that organizers of these pitiful events take a long hard look at what happened in Massachusetts and stop the foolish, immature, and reckless practice of allowing children to participate in machine gun shoots. If the adults at these events can’t exercise some common sense then policy makers should consider intervention. Next time the guys want to get together and blow things up they would do best to leave the kids at home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-37959268032727796262008-09-29T10:35:00.000-07:002008-09-29T11:51:02.074-07:00The Ayes and the Noes of "Second Amendment Enforcement Act" House VoteNECPGV would like to give a big HURRAH to all those members of Congress who had the courage and the fortitude to <a href="http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll601.xml">vote NO </a>on the "Second Amendment Enforcement Act", a bill to override D.C.'s gun laws. In this election year all too many members of the House are kowtowing to the gun lobby and voting to protect guns instead of voting to protect the health and safety of the public.<br /><br />We wish to thank all the House members from Southern New England who stood up to the NRA. Our deepest appreciation goes to Representatives Larson, Courtney, DeLauro, Shays and Murphy from Connecticut; Representatives Olver, Neal, McGovern, Frank, Tsongas, Tierney, Markey, Capuano, Lynch and Delahunt from Massachusetts; and Representatives Kennedy and Langevin from Rhode Island.<br /><br />It is unfortunate that we must give a big RASPBERRY to all the House members from Northern New England. None of them had the courage to say no to the NRA. NECPGV sent the following letter to Representatives Allen and Michaud from Maine; Representatives Hodes and Shea-Porter from New Hampshire; and Representative Welch from Vermont:<br /><br />Dear Representative ,<br /><br />It is incredibly distressing to note your recent vote in favor of the National Rifle Association's latest sham the "Second Amendment Enforcement Act." Not only did you vote to override the democratic rights of the residents of the District of Columbia you voted to ignore the concerns of the District Police Department. This dangerous and irresponsible bill will gut D.C.'s gun laws, repeal the District's handgun registration process, destroy safe storage requirements, and legalize high-capacity assault weapons. It will also infringe on the D.C. Council's ability to enact firearm regulations in the future.<br /><br />It should be noted that your vote defies logic when considering that in April 2008 two polling firms, the Democratic firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research and the Republican firm The Tarrance Group, conducted a <a href="http://mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/media-center/pr006-08.shtml">national survey on behalf of Mayors Against Illegal Guns</a>. Some of the key findings of the survey include:<br /><br />· <strong>Stopping gun violence is a top goal for most Americans</strong>. 71 percent believe that stopping gun violence is a "very important" goal.<br />· <strong>60 percent of Americans favor stricter gun laws</strong>. 33 percent think that gun laws should be kept the same and <u>only 7 percent believe that they should actually be made less strict</u>.<br />· <strong>87 percent support requiring all gun sales be subject to a Brady background check.</strong><br />· <strong>70 percent support requiring every gun owner to register each gun they own as part of a national gun registry</strong>.<br /><br /><strong>The result of this survey clearly demonstrates that many Americans overwhelmingly favor common sense gun laws.</strong> While many Americans also support the right to own a gun they see this as <u>compatible</u> with gun laws that target illegal guns and fight gun violence. This is, in fact, the essence of the recent Supreme Court decision in <em>District of Columbia v. Heller.<br /></em><br />The <em>Heller </em>decision clearly states that while the Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm in the home for self-defense, the right is not unlimited. Justice Scalia, writing for the majority, held that "like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose." And while the court was split 5-4 on whether the right granted by the Second Amendment is tied to militia service, <strong>all nine Justices agreed that a wide variety of gun laws are presumptively lawful.<br /></strong><br />Next time you are faced with a key vote on the gun issue, please keep in mind that <u>the majority of your constituents do not own a gun</u>. <strong>The majority of your constituents favor stricter gun laws, including constituents who own a firearm.</strong> Despite this fact, you have disappointingly chosen to kowtow to the extreme wishes of the gun-pushers at the National Rifle Association. As one newspaper editorial put it: <em>"This bill tramples on the district's right to govern itself and makes it harder for the police to protect streets traveled by local residents, government officials, diplomats and dignitaries. Voters also should remember this vote when their elected representatives piously declare their devotion to curbing the influence of rich lobbyists."<br /></em><br />Who else supports the Second Amendment Enforcement Act? People on the Internet with tag lines that read: "The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives should be a store, not a government agency" and "I'm a Patriot, modern day Minute Man, and devout Enemy of the Left. There are way too many wasted bullets in this country. If you listen carefully you can hear the Angels sing and trumpets sound with each rebirth of another AK-47. Therefore I know I'm doing the Lord's work."<br /><br />Hopefully, in the future, you will reclaim your courage by standing up to the gun lobby and vote to protect the safety and well-being of your constituents over guns.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-85247924282812735362008-09-11T09:51:00.000-07:002008-09-15T16:12:10.401-07:00Live Free or Die (Except if you live in Washington, D.C.) H.R. 6691 - A Bad IdeaI’ve always admired the New Hampshire motto <em>Live Free or Die</em>. It calls forth ideals of independence and self-government. Which begs the question, why are both of New Hampshire’s congressional representatives trying to strong arm and overrule the Washington, D.C. City Council? Don’t the residents of D.C. have democratic rights?<br /><br />Both Congressman Paul Hodes and Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter are cosponsors of H.R. 6691, a bill that would repeal D.C. gun laws, overturning provisions enacted by the District of Columbia City Council and endorsed by the residents of Washington, D.C. This bill is a shameless attempt by the gun lobby to interfere with local city rule and to push the NRA’s irresponsible and dangerous agenda. The D.C. Council does not need the NRA to draft their new gun regulations.<br /><br />In June the Supreme Court overturned D.C.’s restrictive gun laws in the landmark decision <em>D.C. v. Heller</em>. While the Court ruled that the D.C. laws went too far in restricting access to handguns and that an individual right to bear arms is protected under the Second Amendment the court also ruled that this right is <u>not</u> absolute and that gun regulation <u>is</u> constitutional.<br /><br />In response to this ruling and to bring the city into compliance with <em>Heller</em>, the D.C. Council passed an emergency resolution allowing the registration of handguns. They are currently working hard on crafting permanent gun legislation that will best provide for the public’s safety.<br /><br />But the gun lobby is not satisfied with the D.C. Council’s efforts and is taking this opportunity to encourage Congress to meddle in local legislation. They are pushing hard for H.R. 6691, a bill that would not only repeal D.C.’s current gun regulations but also prevent the D.C. City Council from enacting any gun-related legislation in the future. It is an obscene attempt to prevent the residents of Washington, D.C. from governing themselves. How ironic that the only two congressional cosponsors from New England come from the state with the motto <em>Live Free or Die</em>.<br /><br />H.R. 6691 has many dangerous provisions that go far beyond the requirements of the Heller ruling. H.R. 6691 would:<br /><br />- Repeal D.C.’s ban on semi-automatic weapons, including assault weapons like the Tec-9 assault pistol and AK-47s.<br /><br />- Allow D.C. residents to cross state lines to buy handguns in neighboring states. Current federal law bars gun dealers from selling handguns directly to out of state buyers because of the high risk this creates for interstate gun trafficking.<br /><br />- Repeal D.C.’s registration requirements for firearms.<br /><br />- Repeal D.C.’s safe storage laws.<br /><br />- Prohibit D.C. from passing future gun regulations.<br /><br />At a recent hearing on H.R. 6691 law enforcement officials testified that the bill would even permit people to carry loaded semi-automatic rifles such as AK-47s lawfully on the streets of D.C.<br /><br />“Imagine how difficult it will be for law enforcement to safeguard the public, not to mention the president at the inaugural parade,” said Chief Cathy Lanier, chief of the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department.<br /><br />D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty has asked Congress to demonstrate their "commitment to the democratic process" by allowing the city government to work on its own to comply with the <em>Heller</em> decision.<br /><br />So why are Representatives Hodes and Shea-Porter so anxious to not only interfere with D.C. lawmakers but to enact legislation that will make it harder to protect residents and visitors of Washington, D.C.? Are they afraid that in this election year the NRA will work against them if they don’t cosponsor this legislation? Do they not understand the <em>Heller</em> ruling when it states “like most rights, the Second Amendment right is not unlimited. It is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose.” How sad to see both New Hampshire representatives supporting this irresponsible and dangerous NRA agenda.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-23639457830513578632008-09-03T15:05:00.000-07:002008-09-03T15:41:20.266-07:00Man arrested for having gun at Obama rally<p class="MsoNormal">I just read a <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08244/908415-57.stm">news article</a> about a man who was arrested outside of a Barack Obama rally.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The man had come to the rally to pass out fliers on the right of Americans to carry guns.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The article didn’t say whether or not he was bitter and clinging, but he was carrying a bible and wearing a holster on his hip complete with a Glock handgun. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Before the rally he posted his intentions on the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association web site.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He said he wanted to test what would happen if he showed up at a rally for Obama openly wearing a gun.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Although he did admit that he probably would not “get within a mile of the rally” he nonetheless claimed his constitutional rights were violated when he was arrested.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Say what?!?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A violation of his constitutional rights?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Seriously?!?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">In an effort to try and understand this thinking I went to the Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association website. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I found a lively discussion of the incident in the “Concealed and Open Carry” group.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Support for this open carry bravado was overwhelming with little to no acknowledgement of the need to protect candidates, the threat posed by guns, or the history of political assassinations.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Instead the comments read:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><o:p> “you're fucking kidding me, right? tell me the rally was in a school or state park or something. seriously, i may not have had the balls to do what he did, but that's just me. some will say he did us a disservice by proving we're a bunch of gun toting bible thumping yahoos. that may be. but it doesn't excuse the fact that what he did, was in all likelihood, perfectly legal.”</o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><o:p> “The only crime committed was by local law enforcement. False arrest illegal search and seizure, and last but not least interrogating some one with out a lawyer present. This makes me sick and these assholes will not be held accountable for their actions, and that is the saddest part of it all.”</o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><o:p> “dont you wish things where how they used to be back in the old west when 90percent of the people were carrying incuding the politicians....”</o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><o:p> “In the founders time, this would have been considered an act of war. There is absolutely no question that the disgusting acts perpetrated by the officers involved are in direct violation of the Constitution. The Constitution does not get suspended for anyone, not even Obama. Period.”</o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><o:p> “I just don't know the words to express my outrage over this incident. An obvious violation of this mans rights.”</o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><o:p> “In the future, I think it would be a good idea to show up OC'ing (open carry)in numbers and organized... at least several dozens, if not hundreds... including our women and children in hand... guns, Bibles, and all... in order for a TRUE message to be sent.”</o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><o:p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; "><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">“This is just a small taste of what will come if the Obama regime moves into </i><st1:street><st1:address><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Pennsylvania Ave.</i></st1:address></st1:street><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">”</i></span></o:p></i></p> <p class="MsoNormal">But the comment that really stood out was the one that referred to the bystander, John Atkinson, who notified police that there was someone with a gun.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; ">“I hope he successfully sues the shit out of those who arrested him, and OASN, I sincerely wish that John Atkinson has a long, dragged out, excruciatingly painful, bout with stomach and colon cancer, and dies without pain medication.”</span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-76675504581260222582008-08-15T10:01:00.000-07:002008-08-15T10:10:10.273-07:00Open Democratic Platform Meeting<p class="MsoNormal">The message from the Obama campaign was exciting:<span style=""> </span>Every four years, the Democratic Party assembles a platform that outlines the party's position on a number of issues. Traditionally, the drafting of the platform is not open to ordinary people. This year, that's going to change. For two weeks in July, people all across <st1:country-region><st1:place>America</st1:place></st1:country-region> will hold Platform Meetings in their own communities to discuss the issues and share their input. The outcome of these meetings will be reviewed by the Drafting Committee as it creates the final Platform.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Members of New England Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence, States United to Prevent Gun Violence, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, Ceasefire New <st1:place>Jersey</st1:place>, Gun Free Kids, and Freedom States Alliance met to draft a Democratic Platform statement on gun violence prevention.<span style=""> </span>We are extremely proud of our Platform statement and share it with you here.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>………………………………..</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The Democratic Party believes that all Americans have the right to be free from gun violence in our homes, schools, places of work and on the streets of our communities. Easy access to firearms by terrorists, felons, domestic violence offenders, violent teens, the mentally ill and many others who we all agree should not possess guns continues to put tens of thousands of Americans at risk every year for death or injury due to gun violence.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This significant ongoing threat to the safety of our communities across the country is due in part because more than 500,000 guns are sold or transferred each year without the simple and beneficial performance of background checks on the purchasers. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>More than 30,000 Americans are killed each and every year with firearms. This is a staggering sum. In addition, guns wound and injure more than 70,000 citizens every year. Unregulated guns sold to unauthorized people are used daily to rob, intimidate, wound and kill law abiding Americans. It is the illegal trade in firearms that fuels the criminal market.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Without doubt, the devastation caused by gun violence and the illegal gun trade is a critical public health, safety, social and economic issue costing thousands of lives and billions of dollars every year. The Democratic Party can and must do more to prevent this tide of violence against law abiding Americans. Safe and secure barriers must be placed between firearms and terrorists, criminals and unlawful people who seek to possess guns. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The recent Supreme Court decision, <i style="">District of Columbia v. Heller</i>, supports this view and confirms that sensible regulation as to who may possess firearms, what kinds of guns may be possessed and other life-saving restrictions are acceptable under the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The decision clearly states that, while the Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm in the home for self-defense -- the right is not unlimited.<br /><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Maintaining our current patchwork of local, state and federal laws and regulations leaves too many loopholes for terrorists and criminals to exploit. These loopholes grant too many opportunities for guns to get into the wrong hands. We must work to ensure that only law abiding Americans possess weapons, and that terrorists and criminals cannot utilize the current lax and unregulated secondary sales market for weapons to get their hands on guns.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Nothing herein is intended to restrict the law abiding American who has passed a Brady background check from possessing a weapon if he/she wishes. <span style=""> </span>Therefore, we resolve to:<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-<span style=""> </span>Strengthen the national Brady background check system to incorporate all necessary records including criminal, domestic violence, and mental health records from all 50 states and all territories.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">- Institute a universal background check system to ensure that all gun sales in all 50 states and territories are subject to a Brady background check.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-<span style=""> </span>Fully fund the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms so that it can conduct regular and frequent inspections of Federal Firearms Licensed Dealers to prevent unlawful sales.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-<span style=""> </span>Require that all persons who sell guns of any kind through employment at a gun manufacturer or through a Federal Firearm Licensed Dealer pass a Brady background check.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-<span style=""> </span>Strengthen programs designed to trace crime gun purchases to shut down unscrupulous dealers. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">- Remove the Tiahrt restrictions on the ability of local law enforcement to access important gun trace information and give police officers across the nation the tools they need to solve gun crimes and fight the illegal arms trade.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-<span style=""> </span>Institute a national ballistics program to initiate microstamping technology on all weapons manufactured or sold in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>, so that crime guns and casings can be traced quickly to the original sale.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">-<span style=""> </span>Support manufacturers who voluntarily develop and sell childproof handguns.<br /><br />-<span style=""> </span>Strengthen and make permanent the federal Assault Weapons Ban and the ban on large capacity ammunition magazines and clips.<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Georgia;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-8112165551719308132008-07-31T07:23:00.000-07:002008-07-31T07:30:11.546-07:00The Spy Who Came To All Our DinnersThe headline from Mother Jones is quite disturbing: <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2008/07/mary-mcfate-sapone-gun-lobby-nra-spy.html"> There’s Something About Mary: Unmasking a Gun Lobby Mole. </a>The story details Mary McFate, a prominent member of the gun violence prevention movement who, as it turns out, is also a spy for the NRA. <br /><br />On an intellectual level I understand these things happen all the time. I even take some pride in thinking the organizations I am involved with are such a threat to the gun lobby they will pay someone to spy on us. And I hope they paid lots, and lots, and lots of money to their mole. I hope this duplicity cost them dearly. <br /><br />But on an emotional level I am devastated. I have worked with Mary McFate for years. I go back over our encounters with the new knowledge that every interaction I had with her was a lie. I shake my head thinking of some of our conversations, remembering her probing questions, and wonder what really happened on her lobbying trips to Capital Hill supposedly on behalf of gun violence preventions groups. <br /><br />This revelation has sent a shiver through many of our groups. Our coalition work requires a basis of trust and openness with each other. We will not let the likes of Mary McFate poison this foundation but we will look at new members with the seasoned eye of someone who has been terribly wronged. <br /><br />I echo the words from the Mother Jones article: <em>the McFate operation, says Miller, "would confirm for me the way that the gun lobby works, which is no rules, no question of fairness or honesty. Anything that they can do they will do to protect the profits of the gun industry."</em>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-57673241935993918532008-07-28T18:30:00.000-07:002008-07-31T07:23:38.332-07:00All liberals should be killedOn Sunday, Jim Adkisson, a 58-year-old self-described “loner” walked into a church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He was carrying a guitar case and wearing a fanny pack. In the guitar case was a shotgun and in the pack more than 70 shells for the gun.<br />Adkisson targeted the Unitarian Universalist Church because of its liberal teachings and his belief that “all liberals should be killed because they were ruining the country, that Democrats had tied this country's hands in the war on terror and they had ruined every institution in America with the aid of media outlets."<br />Adkisson’s plan was to shoot until police arrived and shot him. "He certainly intended to take a lot of casualties," said Knoxville Police Chief Sterling Owen.<br />Fortunately, soon after Adkisson opened fire in the crowded church he was tackled by three church members who forced him to the floor. But not before his shotgun blasts had left two church members dead and several others wounded.<br />An acquaintance described Adkisson as someone who hates "blacks, gays and anyone different from him.” A 2000 Protection From Abuse order against Adkisson told of a threat he made to his wife to “blow her brains out and then do the same to himself.” A friend described an incident where Adkisson had been drinking heavily and then put a gun to his wife’s head.<br />Adkisson was a hateful, violent, dangerous man. Yet nothing in U.S. gun laws prevented him from obtaining the shotgun he used to kill two people on Sunday. How can that be?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5148305973695499735.post-49549265464324630602008-07-14T13:57:00.000-07:002008-07-14T14:24:37.850-07:00Guns on campus? No, thank you.<p class="MsoNormal">There are more and more news stories about efforts to change state laws and allow concealed weapons on college campuses.<span style=""> </span>Currently, <st1:state><st1:place>Utah</st1:place></st1:state> is the only state that specifically allows concealed weapons at public universities but bills to allow concealed handguns on campus have been introduced in 17 states.<span style=""> </span>Thankfully, they have failed in 15 of these states (and have not been resolved in the remaining two).<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Who are these undergraduates who harbor cowboy fantasies of triumphing in the big OK Corral shootout?<span style=""> </span>They worry about being in campus “gun free zones” and grump about how they need their gun in order to protect themselves and feel safe.<span style=""> </span>In reality, the guns these boys carry will never be used to stop a mass-shooting, chances are they will never be used at all.<span style=""> </span>And if they are used, statistics show that they will almost certainly be used to harm the gun owner or someone he knows, not some faceless criminal.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>There is no evidence that concealed weapons laws have made states safer.<span style=""> </span>In fact, the evidence points the other way.<span style=""> </span>Where there are more guns, there are more homicides.<span style=""> </span>And as for the fantasy that one of these pistol packing pupils will stop another Virginia Tech from happening - adding more guns to a shooting incident will lead to more chaos, more chance for innocent people to be hit and greater confusion for law enforcement in sorting out who the criminal is.<span style=""> </span>Highly trained police officers have a hard enough time hitting their targets in a gunfight, barely trained students would be a danger to everyone.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>More guns on campus would undoubtedly lead to more gun suicides on campus.<span style=""> </span>An in-depth study by Allan Schwartz in the May 2006 Journal of American College Health found that the suicide rate for college students has declined dramatically in the last 50 years, a direct result of “firearms having been effectively banned from campuses.”<span style=""> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p></o:p>Guns are not conducive for an atmosphere of open learning, most teachers and students would feel intimidated, not safer, knowing there was someone in the classroom with a concealed weapon.<span style=""> </span>The presence of a gun may escalate an incident, especially when alcohol is involved. A September 2002 study in the Journal of American College Health stated: "Given that alcohol is widely thought to contribute to violent behavior generally and to a majority of college student suicides, rapes, and other violent crimes, we find it quite troubling that almost two thirds of students with guns at college report binge drinking." The study also concluded that "gun-owning colleges students are more likely to drink frequently and excessively and, when inebriated, to engage in activities that put themselves and others at risk, such as driving under the influence, vandalizing property, and having unprotected sex." </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>It really is simple – more guns will not make people safer.<span style=""> </span></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /><script type="text/javascript"><br />var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? "https://ssl." : "http://www.");<br />document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + gaJsHost + "google-analytics.com/ga.js' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));<br /></script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com