Showing posts with label Arizona gun deaths. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arizona gun deaths. Show all posts

Friday, September 9, 2011

Enough is enough. It’s time to challenge the 2nd Amendment-Part 2


In Part 1 of this series, I commented on how gun rights advocates had amassed so much power under the 2nd Amendment, and their constant whining over their rights under its protection.  But even with an improvement in gun violence, there are daily reports in the media about shootings using handguns, with the responsibility clearly on the 2nd Amendment’s interpretation that allows states like Arizona to pass ridiculous weapons laws.



As an example, in Arizona you need no permit to purchase a handgun, nor do you need a permit to carry a concealed weapon.  No background check in some cases, no gun education classes, just walk in and buy whatever you want and walk out the door.  You might choose a handgun like Jared Loughner used in his Tucson massacre, a Glock 19 with a high capacity gun clip.  It’s all available throughout the state of Arizona, and you can even carry a gun in a bar if you don’t drink.

Texas requires no permit to buy a handgun, but at least they had the sense to place some provisions on concealed carry.  A background check is required and the person must attend classes on firearms education.  They were one of the states, along with Arizona, to reject a guns on campus bill.  In Texas a person can carry a concealed, loaded weapon without a permit while heading to their car.

In comparison, more reasonable states with rational gun laws like California, Illinois and New York make Arizona and Texas look like what they are.  The untamed, backward old west.  More on this later.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Another shooting death in Arizona…So what the hell


I am almost convinced that no matter how many deaths are caused by guns, nothing will be done about it.  I say almost because I still believe in those people who talk about reasonable gun control, and just the one-in-a-million chance they will eventually get the right gun legislation in place.  The laws that are currently on the books obviously don’t work.  A 30-year-old Mesa, AZ, man was gunned down recently.  He got into a fight in a convenience store parking lot and was shot by his opponent.  If nothing else, the public has a right to know:

  1. If the gun was registered, did the assailant have a concealed-carry permit?
  2. Did the gun come from a gun show where anyone can make a purchase?
  3. Did the killer obtain the gun in Arizona?

Based on the ridiculously lax weapons laws in Arizona, these three questions could provide significant input into how to fix the gun laws.

In February of this year a truckleft New York City with a billboard of the running tally of Americans killed by gun violence since the January 2011, Tucson, AZ, massacre by Jared Loughner, which severely injured U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords and killed 6.  As the billboard left Times Square for a 2-month swing through 25 states, the tally of gun violence deaths was 1,300, with 24 more added shortly thereafter.  The driver was Omar Sheeha, whose sister was killed in the April 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech.
 Since Arizona’sgun-death rate is among the worst in the country, the feds should start by analyzing this state’s extremely lax gun laws and pass federal legislation to correct the problem throughout the U.S.  Among those factors to consider are concealed carry, required gun education, background checks, and where firearms can be taken, like bars and schools.  The momentum seems to be building and maybe, just maybe, we could all be surprised

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