Gun Violence

[billh58]

America has a problem with gun violence. Our movie theaters, places of worship, schools, streets, and homes are not safe. And it results in more than 32,000 fatalities every year.

Here are the facts: On average, more than 89 people die from gun violence every day. Two-thirds of those gun deaths are suicides which are three times more likely to happen if there is a gun in the home.

But, did you also know more than 90 percent of Americans support the expansion of Brady background checks to all gun sales? However, only 60 percent of gun sales occur with a background check - the other 40 percent happen no questions asked. Furthermore, about 90 percent of crime guns are traced to only 5 percent of dealers. Additionally 1.7 million children live in a home with an unlocked or loaded gun. And yet our elected representatives in Congress fail to act.

The reality is clear: Background checks work. This is due in large part to the enactment of the Brady Law in 1994, which has blocked over 2.4. million prohibited purchases. Keeping guns locked, unloaded and stored properly, even outside of the home, saves lives. It can decrease the chances of an unintentional shooting, as well as eliminating a child’s access to guns.

Gun laws differ wildly from state to state, but it is a fact that those with weaker gun laws on average lead to more gun deaths. Since the tragedy at Sandy Hook, six states have taken action to enact strong, common sense laws. Today eight states have expanded Brady background checks to cover all gun sales. But that’s only the beginning of our bold vision.

http://www.bradycampaign.org/gun-violence

Elect Democratic politicians who will support and enact legislation mandating background checks for ALL gun sales and transfers everywhere in this nation. When the right-wing gun lobby squeals, tell them that they brought this upon themselves by promoting irresponsible gun ownership through their ALEC-inspired "guns for everyone, everywhere" marketing message.

[anoNY42]

1. Here is something I don't understand

"Furthermore, about 90 percent of crime guns are traced to only 5 percent of dealers."

I don't think expanding background checks would do anything about these dealers. Dealers already have to run background checks, right?

Anyway, are these dealers doing something wrong, or are they just so big that their market share ensures they will have many "crime guns" traced back to them?

I'm not against expanding checks, I am just curious about why this stat is mentioned as an argument for expanding checks.

[billh58]

3. The last time you posted

I asked you to read the SOP for this Group. Evidently you never got around to it.

[guillaumeb]

4. Many gun sales occur at gun shows or are private sales.

Background checks should be required of every sale and/or transfer. But even that will not solve the problem of gun violence.

[Waldorf]

6. The last gun show I went to I only saw a few people walking around with rifles that were for sale.

All the tables that had firearms on them were be sold by licensed dealers.

[guillaumeb]

7. I have no idea where you live, but the Chicago Tribune

had a series recently about gun shows in Indiana. Included in the series were reports about the many private sellers working in the parking lots.

[Waldorf]

9. I live in Texas. The venues here have cracked down on the folks

Selling from their trunks since the vendors have to pay for the table space.

[guillaumeb]

10. Excellent to hear, even if the motivation is money. eom

[billh58]

8. Gun Show Loophole

-Snip-

Gun shows also serve another purpose: they allow private gun owners wishing to sell or trade a firearm access to large numbers of potential buyers and traders. In most states, those gun transfers are not regulated by law, a move that is praised by gun rights defenders and decried by gun control advocates who say the “loophole” allows persons who would not be able to pass a background check to illegally obtain firearms.

-Snip-

In 33 states, private gun owners are not restricted from selling guns at gun shows. Buyers who purchase guns from individuals are not required to submit to the federal background checks in place for licensed dealers. Critics say that firearms can be obtained illegally as a result, calling it the “gun show loophole.” Proponents of unregulated gun show sales say that there is no loophole; gun owners are simply selling or trading guns at the shows as they would do at their residence.

-Snip-

In 2009, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, founder of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns group, stirred controversy and stimulated the gun show debate when NYC hired private investigators to target gun shows in Ohio, Nevada and Tennessee.

According to a report released by Bloomberg’s office, 22 of 33 private sellers sold guns to undercover investigators who informed them that they probably could not pass a background check, while 16 of 17 licensed sellers allowed straw purchases by the undercover investigators, a process through which a person prohibited from purchasing a firearm recruits someone to purchase the gun for them.

http://civilliberty.about.com/od/guncontrol/a/Gun-Shows.htm

Gun show parking lots are sometimes busier than the dealer tables. Right-wing gun lobby apologists say that this is perfectly okay because of the Second Amendment, Liberty, and Freedom. The truth, however, is that gun shows are one of the places where criminals and those who could not otherwise pass a background check obtain their guns. As determined by the Bloomberg investigation, this is a prime avenue for gun runners to move guns from lax gun-law states to states where reasonable restrictions are in place.

Yes Virginia, there IS a gun show loophole...

[billh58]

11. Indiana guns: Favorite of Chicago gangbangers

In six years, 3,824 guns taken off Chicago gang bangers that were used in crimes came from our next door neighbor: Indiana. It’s why WGN Investigates took undercover cameras over the border to see why.

Our producer and photographer walked in to an Indianapolis gun show one recent Saturday afternoon wearing undercover camera gear. They listened as one gun dealer showed them a semi-automatic with a 30 round magazine.

-Snip-

It’s so easy here, the dealers joked with our producer and photographer about it. One bragging, “We deal with Illinois residents all the time and we invite them to come to Indiana.”

http://wgntv.com/2014/09/03/indiana-guns-favorite-of-chicago-gangbangers/

According to the gun lobby apologists, the problem is that the laws are too strict in Illinois and Indiana is just filling a need. There's some cheap swamp land in Florida for sale too...

[guillaumeb]

2. Recommended, but I see a storm coming.

When you wrote:

America has a problem with gun violence. Our movie theaters, places of worship, schools, streets, and homes are not safe. And it results in more than 32,000 fatalities every year.

Politicians need money for the constant campaign. And the NRA donates a lot of money.

And gun types will inform you that 2/3 of that 32,000 fatalities are only suicides. That diminishes the family suffering caused by suicides in an attempt to minimize the horror of gun violence.

SO the majority of US citizens who want gun control are outweighed by the minority of frightened gun owners and the gun manufacturers who are so ably represented by the gun-whores at the NRA.

[billh58]

5. I believe that the

"minority of frightened gun owners and the gun manufacturers" have overplayed their hand with the general American population, including responsible gun owners, and more and more people are calling for tighter gun regulations. Universal background checks are a no-brainer as a first step, and are only a part of the solution.

The carnage caused by guns in this country compared to rest of the civilized nations is outrageous, and the other countries have proven that the gun problem can be successfully addressed. Like the Republican Party, the right-wing gun lobby is losing its influence over Americans with critical thinking skills, and public opinion about gun control is changing.