Why President Obama Should Handle Gun Law Reform Sooner Rather Than Later
The tragedy that unfolded in Newtown, Connecticut shook America to its core. When 20-year-old Adam Lanza went on a shooting spree at Sandy Hook Elementary School claiming 27 lives, for once, the nation had the same one thing in mind: gun law reform.
Lanza brought three firearms into the school—two handguns (a Sig Sauer and a Glock) and a Bushmaster .223 assault rifle—and shot his victims with the latter. All three weapons were registered in his mother’s name.
This massacre, the second deadliest shooting in America’s history, has fired up a new concern for the state of gun reform.
California Senator Dianne Feinstein made a pledge that she would introduce new gun-control bill at the beginning of next year’s congressional session. It is aimed at taking war-like weapons off city streets. “It will ban the sale, the transfer, the transportation and the possession,” she said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “And it will ban the same for big clips, drums or strips of more than 10 bullets.”
Mayor Bloomberg unveiled a new campaign called Demand a Plan, which asks political leaders to tighten up gun regulation. He urged President Obama to take immediate action in tightening up gun regulation, not just promising to look into it.
“It’s time for the President, I think, to stand up and lead. And tell this country what we should do,” he said on “Meet the Press.” “Not go to Congress and say what you guys want to do. This should be his number-one agenda.”
Here are a few reasons why President Obama should look into establishing stricter gun laws sooner rather than later.
Lanza brought three firearms into the school—two handguns (a Sig Sauer and a Glock) and a Bushmaster .223 assault rifle—and shot his victims with the latter. All three weapons were registered in his mother’s name.
This massacre, the second deadliest shooting in America’s history, has fired up a new concern for the state of gun reform.
California Senator Dianne Feinstein made a pledge that she would introduce new gun-control bill at the beginning of next year’s congressional session. It is aimed at taking war-like weapons off city streets. “It will ban the sale, the transfer, the transportation and the possession,” she said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “And it will ban the same for big clips, drums or strips of more than 10 bullets.”
Mayor Bloomberg unveiled a new campaign called Demand a Plan, which asks political leaders to tighten up gun regulation. He urged President Obama to take immediate action in tightening up gun regulation, not just promising to look into it.
“It’s time for the President, I think, to stand up and lead. And tell this country what we should do,” he said on “Meet the Press.” “Not go to Congress and say what you guys want to do. This should be his number-one agenda.”
Here are a few reasons why President Obama should look into establishing stricter gun laws sooner rather than later.
Too Frequent, Too Consistent
The massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary was the 19th mass shooting the country has seen within five years. In 2012 alone, 12 were killed in a movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., 6 were killed in a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis. and 6 more were killed at the hands of an ex-coworker at their job in Minneapolis. All guns used in the aforementioned were legally purchased.
The massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary was the 19th mass shooting the country has seen within five years. In 2012 alone, 12 were killed in a movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., 6 were killed in a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis. and 6 more were killed at the hands of an ex-coworker at their job in Minneapolis. All guns used in the aforementioned were legally purchased.
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A day after the Sandy Hook shooting, Von Mayer was arrested for allegedly threatening to "kill as many people as he could" at an elementary school near him. The Indiana resident owns 47 guns.
Whether he was serious or not, each gun-related tragedy the country sees appears to encourage other gunmen to be "bigger and better" than the last. With no federal laws in place preventing ownership of personal firearms, the likelihood of larger scale shootings is still possible.
A day after the Sandy Hook shooting, Von Mayer was arrested for allegedly threatening to "kill as many people as he could" at an elementary school near him. The Indiana resident owns 47 guns.
Whether he was serious or not, each gun-related tragedy the country sees appears to encourage other gunmen to be "bigger and better" than the last. With no federal laws in place preventing ownership of personal firearms, the likelihood of larger scale shootings is still possible.
Protective Gun Laws Expired
On September 13, 2004, a law banning certain kinds of semi-automatic guns expired, making the ownership of such weapons legal once again. The Federal Assault Weapons Ban (effective in 1994) prohibited the possession and further manufacturing of semiautomatic assault weapons capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The law stipulated that the ban would be in effect for only 10 years.
On September 13, 2004, a law banning certain kinds of semi-automatic guns expired, making the ownership of such weapons legal once again. The Federal Assault Weapons Ban (effective in 1994) prohibited the possession and further manufacturing of semiautomatic assault weapons capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. The law stipulated that the ban would be in effect for only 10 years.
A Boost in Sales
President Obama's re-election drove a spike in gun sales. Black Friday gun sales especially set a new record. The FBI fielded 154,873 calls from firearms dealers seeking background checks around the annual shopping holiday. Customers may have purchased guns out of fear that lawmakers would soon enact tougher gun-control laws.
President Obama's re-election drove a spike in gun sales. Black Friday gun sales especially set a new record. The FBI fielded 154,873 calls from firearms dealers seeking background checks around the annual shopping holiday. Customers may have purchased guns out of fear that lawmakers would soon enact tougher gun-control laws.
