March, 24 2009, 12:36pm EDT
Brady Campaign Urges Stronger Laws To Curb Guns To Mexico: Enforcing Existing Laws Is Not Enough
WASHINGTON
Brady Campaign President Paul Helmke today urged U.S. leaders to
help reduce the horrific gun violence devastating the Mexican people by
strengthening U.S. laws to make it harder for Mexican criminals to arm
themselves with U.S. firearms.
"Our polices help enable this cross-border violence," said Helmke at
a news conference in Washington D.C. "For too long, we have been
putting our own citizens at risk by making it so easy for criminals to
get guns. Now our neighbors are threatened as well, and our national
security is at risk. We must do more to keep dangerous weapons away
from dangerous people."
Helmke also announced the release of a report by the Brady Center to
Prevent Gun Violence, Exporting Gun Violence: How Our Weak Gun Laws
Arms Criminals in Mexico and America. The report documents how Mexican
drug gangs have exploited weak American gun laws and corrupt American
gun sellers to amass arsenals of high-powered guns that have killed
thousands, and pose an increasingly grave security threat to Mexico,
and the U.S. The report is available at www.bradycampaign.org/xshare/pdf/reports/exporting-gun-violence.pdf.
"Mexican criminals, and traffickers who supply them, cannot get the
guns they need in Mexico because of Mexico's strong gun laws," said
Helmke. In the United States, however - especially in the border
states of Texas and Arizona - virtually non-existent gun laws enable
access to a ready supply of guns including assault weapons and .50
caliber sniper rifles.
"The same weak gun laws that are enabling the supply of Mexican
criminals are supplying criminals in the U.S. as well," Helmke
continued. "Existing laws are so weak that even one of the most
notorious dealer supplying the cartels, the owner of X-Caliber gun shop
in Phoenix that allegedly supplied 700 guns to Mexican drug gangs, had
all criminal charges brought against him dismissed recently. As the
X-Caliber case shows, 'enforcing the laws on the books' will never be
enough: we need stronger laws, and strong enforcement of those laws."
Brady United formerly known as The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and its legislative and grassroots affiliate, the Brady Campaign and its dedicated network of Million Mom March Chapters, is the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence. We are devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities.
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