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CONTACT: Gun Violence Prevention Groups Peter Hamm, Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, 202-898-0792, phamm@bradymail.org or Ladd Everitt, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, 202-701-7171, leveritt@csgv.org |
National Gun Violence Prevention Groups Express Outrage That in Wake of Shootings, U.S. Senate Is Poised to Consider Amendment to Dramatically Weaken State Concealed Handgun Laws
WASHINGTON - July 17 - America's major gun violence prevention organizations-the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Freedom States Alliance, Legal Community Against Violence, States United to Prevent Gun Violence, and Violence Policy Center-today issued the following joint statement expressing their outrage that an amendment is scheduled to be considered on Monday, July 20, in the U.S. Senate that would dramatically weaken state regulations concerning the carrying of concealed handguns in public:
"Amendment No. 1618 to the defense authorization bill (S. 1390), introduced by Senator John Thune (R-SD), would create a national system for the carrying of concealed handguns, commonly referred to as CCW (Concealed Carry Weapon) licenses. The amendment would allow individuals with state-issued CCW licenses to carry their handguns in any state that issues concealed handgun licenses-today the vast majority of states.
"It is an outrage that in a year thus far defined by gun violence-from massacres, to the murder of police, to hate crimes-the U.S. Senate is preparing to consider an amendment that would dramatically weaken federal and state gun laws. The practical effect of the amendment would be to reduce concealed carry permit regulations to the lowest common denominator. Currently, many states have weak laws and issue residents permits after only a simple computerized background check.
"This year, there have already been three confirmed mass shootings committed by concealed carry permit holders. In April, Richard Poplawski ambushed four Pittsburgh police officers, fatally shooting three and injuring one. In March, CCW holder Michael McLendon killed 11 people, including the wife of a deputy sheriff, before taking his own life following a gun battle with police in Alabama. In February, CCW holder Frank Garcia killed four people in a shooting rampage in upstate New York.
"Concealed carry laws do not, as their proponents argue, aid police and enhance public safety. Instead, they threaten law enforcement and arm criminals. States should be acting to repeal these laws instead of Congress moving to expand their deadly reach.
"Research by the Violence Policy Center found that from 1996 to 2000, Texas concealed handgun license holders were arrested for weapon-related offenses at a rate 81 percent higher than that of the general population of Texas, aged 21 and older.
"In 2007, the 'Florida Sun-Sentinel' conducted an exhaustive review of the operation of Florida's concealed carry law-the model for most permissive state concealed handgun laws. The paper found more than 1,400 people who had pleaded guilty or no contest to felony charges yet qualified for concealed carry licenses because of a loophole in the law.
"In December of last year, authorities in Tennessee reported that 200 state residents who have permits to carry concealed handguns could have their permits revoked or suspended because they have active restraining orders against them.
"Under the Thune Amendment, people who obtain a CCW permit under such flawed systems would be free to carry their guns in any state that issues concealed carry licenses.
"In the midst of an epidemic of gun violence, the American people require serious efforts to reform our weak gun laws, not misguided attempts to appease the powerful gun lobby. The Senate Judiciary Committee should commit today to holding a hearing on real measures to reduce gun violence-like closing the gun show loophole in the Brady background check system, which allows criminals to buy guns from private sellers at gun shows."
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4 Comments so far
Show All"Under the Thune Amendment, people who obtain a CCW permit under such flawed systems would be free to carry their guns in any state that issues concealed carry licenses."
Heaven forbid I can carry a handgun in multiple states - especially if there's a 'gun violence' 'epidemic' (Newspeak is so nauseating) I should be unarmed. That makes me safe.
The Antis just come up with terms and frame things so it enables themselves to spread anti-gun fear and paranoia among people who are not knowledgeable about guns and gun laws. This press release is nonsense.
I guess after these wizards stamp out 'gun violence' they will turn their noble eforts to eliminating 'knife violence,' 'tire iron violence,' 'rolling pin violence,' 'baseball bat violence,' 'broken bottle violence' and, of course, 'fist violence.' That, I'd love to see!
Gun control is a bugaboo of some on the left. They seem to think that the US can be turned into the UK or Europe with more gun and weapon laws despite the fact that this is a fundamentally lawless nation (with the worlds highest incarceration rate) and a huge percentage who would not obey such laws, would not enforce onerous ones (including the military) and who would regard such laws as treason.
Its essentially silly
Also as for this law -- its supported by the 2nd amendment (Right to bear shall not be infringed, yada yada ) 9th, 10th and 14th as well.
Heck its in the body of the text
Article 4.
Section 1
Full Faith and Credit shall be given in each State to the public Acts, Records,
and judicial Proceedings of every other State. And the Congress may by general
Laws prescribe the Manner in which such Acts, Records and Proceedings shall be
proved, and the Effect thereof.
The "81 percent higher" mentioned by Violence Policy Center (VPC) isn't correct. VPC has a history of distorting statistical information to make their case. One reason that Texas keeps and publishes the statistics on the CHL web site was the study by VPC mentioned above. I think that it was Will Rogers that said "There are three kinds of lies: Lies, damned lies, and statistics." VPC is a dependable source for all three.
I would suggest that anyone really interested in facts download the actual conviction rates for concealed handgun license holders by going to:
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/administration/crime_records/chl/convrates.htm
The information hasn't been published for 2008 yet but the years before that are available as pdf files.
Probably the best study so far can be found here:
http://www.txchia.org/sturdevant.pdf
According to that study, the violent crime rate for CHL holders is considerable less than that for the population in general.
Regarding the three "mass shootings" by CHL holders this year. None of them involved the use of a concealed handgun. Even if a concealed handgun had been involved, that would be three out of millions of CHL holders.
Does anyone seriously believe that anyone willing to commit mass murder would balk at violating some gun law? If I was in a group of folks targeted by a would-be mass murderer, I can only hope that someone in the group is capable of stopping him. Trying to assure that everyone except the criminal is defenseless isn't going to save lives.
Concerning the proposed law. I don't see that it is necessary. States can work out reciprocity agreements with other states without getting the federal government involved. I think that Texas has reciprocity agreements with 28 of the United States. I don't think that the federal government was intended to have the authority to regulate firearms in the several states. That is up to the states.
Thanks for pointing that out! I knew they were full of it, even though I didn't know exactly how. Just more of the same from the anti-gun crowd.