After hearing about the alarmingly high number of school shootings, 74 in 2014 alone, I decided to write a letter to my congressman, Chris Smith.
Smith has refused to co-sponsor a federal bill, H.R. 1565, for expanded background checks on firearms. This bill would help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, and I wanted to know why he hasn’t supported it publicly.
Due to NRA-influenced politicians, much of the Brady Bill has become irrelevant. So, by stating two decades-old support of the Brady bill, Smith’s response is also irrelevant.
What is relevant is that America leads developed nations in homicide by gun, suicide by gun, mass shootings, accidental death of children by gun, school shootings, and women shot by domestic abusers. Where is Smith’s current support for gun sense?
New Jersey gun laws are strong, but our neighboring states have weak laws and criminals go to those states to acquire weapons. New Jersey is the No. 1 importer of illegal guns in the nation.
These illegal guns ravage our cities, endanger our police, and are used to kill our civilians, as evidenced in recent events, including in Jersey City and West Orange this summer, as well as the Short Hills Mall shooting last holiday season. Federal law is important for New Jersey.
Smith should stop hiding behind what he did in 1993 because it has no impact on today.
Congressman Smith’s constituents overwhelmingly support expanded background checks on firearms. He should too.
Francee Tendler
Manalapan
6 comments:
I'd rather see the accounting and methodology for gun violence be more accurate and reflect the actual statistics. We should report this similar to Europe and the Commonwealth. If we did, 70% of our 'gun violence' would vanish so it's never gonna happen.
I'm more upset and concerned that more children are having children. That is the true travesty and crime today
The number 74 is misleading here is a link: http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/jun/13/everytown-gun-safety/have-there-been-74-school-shootings-sandy-hook-clo/
There is an instant background check in use now.
Anon 9:51,
The stat may be misleading but it isn't wrong either as Politifacts noted. Every Town for Gun Safety used a broader definition of what a school shooting actually is.
I recommend reading Politifacts full explanation. Instead of a mostly false grade I would say it was either slightly false or slightly depending on whether you're a glass half empty or half full type of person.
Bottomline , gun violence is getting out of control an guns have no place at, in or near schools or college campuses unless they are being carried by law enforcement personnel.
There is an instant federal background check in all of America. Guns are smuggled into the country along with illegal drugs, for example the Chinese company Norinco is not allowed to sell any guns in the USA because they were caught more than once smuggling full auto Ak47s into the country.
Heroin is totally illegal in our nation there is no legal use for it in America, yet we have an epidemic of it in NJ.
More gun control laws won't work, we need to control those with mental illness.
Anon 6:55,
Yes, that is why we need universal background checks to ensure that the mentally ill can't purchase or use handguns.
There are universal background checks. The problem is health records are treated as confidential. Most of the forms you sign when admitted to the hospital are about insurance a close 2nd are about releasing your medical records. If the police were to ask a doctor if a applicant seeking a gun permit has mental illness the doctor would be breaking the law to inform them. The right to privacy seems to trump common sense.
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