Listening to the President's remarks , the takeaway instructions were clear : That’s why I need everybody who’s listening to keep the pressure on your member of Congress to do the right thing. Ask them if they support common-sense reforms like requiring universal background checks, or restoring the ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Tell them there’s no legislation to eliminate all guns; there’s no legislation being proposed to subvert the Second Amendment. Tell them specifically what we’re talking about -- things that the majority of Americans, when they’re asked, support.
And tell them now is the time for action. That we’re not going to wait until the next Newtown or the next Aurora. We’re not going to wait until after we lose more innocent Americans on street corners all across the country. We’re not going to wait until somebody else’s father or son are murdered.
So will you be writing your Member of Congress ?
What has your Member done since Sandy Hook ? Visited a school ??? Visited and discussed this issue with law enforcement personnel ??? Researched gun violence ??? Reached out to mental health professionals ???
I am struck by John Kline's reaction as reported four days after Sandy Hook: U.S. Rep. John Kline say there's little evidence that a ban on assault weapons like the one that was in place between 1994 and 2004 would be effective.
"It's not clear -- you'd have to go back and do an in-depth analysis -- that that resulted in a safer America," said Kline, who represents the 2nd District.
Kline, whose Washington office is filled with mounted hunting trophies, said he wants to see hearings on the mental health issues that reportedly afflicted Lanza and past mass shooters.
What he doesn't want to see is legislation right away.
"The sort of knee-jerk reaction to say, 'We just have to pass a bill and make this stop' doesn't work," Kline said. "It really takes a more thoughtful, comprehensive approach to try and do something about the violence in our society."
Kline didn't offer any specific ideas about what such an approach would involve.
Well ... I wonder if Representative Kline read the OpEd : After the ban expired, 37 percent of police departments reported noticeable increases in criminals’ use of assault weapons, according to a 2010 report by the Police Executive Research Forum.
In Virginia, the number of guns with high-capacity magazines seized by police dropped after they were included in the 1994 weapons ban, but then rebounded sharply after the ban expired, according to a 2011 study by The Washington Post. Maryland enacted its own more stringent ban on assault weapons in 1994, and a 55 percent drop in assault pistols from crime scenes was reported by the Baltimore police.
The false statistics comfort members of Congress who fear the gun lobby or their more conservative constituents
Listening to the President's remarks , the takeaway instructions were clear :
ReplyDeleteThat’s why I need everybody who’s listening to keep the pressure on your member of Congress to do the right thing. Ask them if they support common-sense reforms like requiring universal background checks, or restoring the ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Tell them there’s no legislation to eliminate all guns; there’s no legislation being proposed to subvert the Second Amendment. Tell them specifically what we’re talking about -- things that the majority of Americans, when they’re asked, support.
And tell them now is the time for action. That we’re not going to wait until the next Newtown or the next Aurora. We’re not going to wait until after we lose more innocent Americans on street corners all across the country. We’re not going to wait until somebody else’s father or son are murdered.
So will you be writing your Member of Congress ?
What has your Member done since Sandy Hook ?
Visited a school ???
Visited and discussed this issue with law enforcement personnel ???
Researched gun violence ???
Reached out to mental health professionals ???
I am struck by John Kline's reaction as reported four days after Sandy Hook:
U.S. Rep. John Kline say there's little evidence that a ban on assault weapons like the one that was in place between 1994 and 2004 would be effective.
"It's not clear -- you'd have to go back and do an in-depth analysis -- that that resulted in a safer America," said Kline, who represents the 2nd District.
Kline, whose Washington office is filled with mounted hunting trophies, said he wants to see hearings on the mental health issues that reportedly afflicted Lanza and past mass shooters.
What he doesn't want to see is legislation right away.
"The sort of knee-jerk reaction to say, 'We just have to pass a bill and make this stop' doesn't work," Kline said. "It really takes a more thoughtful, comprehensive approach to try and do something about the violence in our society."
Kline didn't offer any specific ideas about what such an approach would involve.
Well ... I wonder if Representative Kline read the OpEd :
After the ban expired, 37 percent of police departments reported noticeable increases in criminals’ use of assault weapons, according to a 2010 report by the Police Executive Research Forum.
In Virginia, the number of guns with high-capacity magazines seized by police dropped after they were included in the 1994 weapons ban, but then rebounded sharply after the ban expired, according to a 2011 study by The Washington Post. Maryland enacted its own more stringent ban on assault weapons in 1994, and a 55 percent drop in assault pistols from crime scenes was reported by the Baltimore police.
The false statistics comfort members of Congress who fear the gun lobby or their more conservative constituents