Tag: gun control

Posted on

New Zealand Parliament Bans Assault Weapons

Less than a month after a white supremacist loon shot up two mosques killing 50 people, New Zealand's lawmakers have banned most automatic and semi-automatic weapons.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern

Less than a month after a white supremacist loon shot up two mosques killing 50 people, New Zealand’s lawmakers have banned most automatic and semi-automatic weapons.

Additionally, components that modify existing weapons were prohibited as well.

From NBC News:

All but one member of New Zealand’s parliament voted Wednesday to change gun laws, less than a month after shooting attack targeting two Christchurch mosques that killed 50 people.

The gun reform bill passed 119-1 after its final reading in Parliament. It must now receive royal assent from the governor general before it officially becomes law.

Brenton Tarrant, 28, a suspected white supremacist, was charged with 50 murder charges after the attack on two mosques on March 15.

Around 250,000 people in New Zealand own a total of about 1.5 million weapons.

Posted on

News Round-Up: February 27, 2019

Bruno the wonder dog

Some news items you might have missed:

• It’s the one year mark since Bruno the wonder dog crossed over the rainbow bridge. I’m celebrating his life today. My remembrance of The Brun here. He was the best dog I’ve ever worked for.

• The United Methodist Church on Tuesday voted to strengthen its ban on gay and lesbian clergy and same-sex marriages stating that “the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.”

• Results of a new survey indicates if you watch more porn on a regular basis, you’re more likely to be bisexual.

• Openly gay jujutsu fighter, William Seth-Wenzel, just became a world champ as his boyfriend cheered him on.

• Handsome gay college football player Cy Hicks shares with Outsports how coming out made him feel empowered.

• The House passed what many say is the most significant gun control measure in more than two decades on Wednesday when it approved the first of two bills aimed at strengthening the federal background check system for firearms purchases.

• “Call Me Maybe” singer Carly Rae Jepsen proves she’s soooo not a one-hit-wonder dropping two new tracks today: “Now That I Found You” and “No Drug Like Me.”

Check out the totally banging dance track “Now That I Found You” below, and click here for “No Drug Like Me.”

Posted on

Fox News Poll: Voters Support Commonsense Gun Measures By Wide Margin

A new survey by Fox News finds – by a wide 13-point margin – voters place a higher priority on protecting citizens from gun violence than protecting the rights of gun owners with 53% support and 40% opposing.

The poll also found strong support for specific measures to reduce gun violence, including:

• 91% support requiring criminal background checks on all gun buyers

• 84% support requiring mental health checks on all gun buyers

• 72% support raising the age to buy all guns to 21

• 69% support putting armed guards in schools

• 69% support banning assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons

So,  a poll that “leans conservative” finds 91% support FOR background checks on all gun buyers – why wouldn’t lawmakers at the very least do that?

Oh, right. The NRA will take their money from their congressional pawns if that happens.

Now, how does Donald Trump spin this as “fake news” since it’s a poll done by his favorite TV network?

Posted on

Trump: “Take The Guns First, Go Through Due Process Second”

During a meeting with Democratic and Republican lawmakers, Donald Trump surprised many when he suggested taking people’s guns away – whether or not it was legal.

From HuffPost:

For years, the National Rifle Association has been warning gun-loving Americans of a president who will take away their firearms, no matter what the Second Amendment says.

On Wednesday, that conservative nightmare became a reality when the current Republican U.S. president, Donald Trump, proposed taking away people’s guns, even without the legal right to do so.

“Take the guns first. Go through due process second,” Trump said at a meeting with Democratic and Republican lawmakers at the White House. “I like taking the guns early.”

Trump said law enforcement officers should specifically have taken the firearms possessed by Nikolas Cruz, the suspected gunman in the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.

“I think they should have taken them away, whether they had the right or not,” he said.

Imagine if President Obama had said out loud, “Take the guns.”

So, umm, Trumpers – how do you feel about the Trumpeter wanting to “take guns first; do due diligence second?”

Trump surprisingly shamed lawmakers on the age of buying an assault weapon at 18 but not having legal rights to a hand gun until 21 years-old.

“You don’t address it… you know why? Because you’re afraid of the NRA, right?” Trump said today.

Posted on

Walmart Raises Age To Purchase Guns To 21

Via press release retail giant Walmart says they will voluntarily raise the age restriction for buying firearms and ammunition to 21 years of age.

In light of recent events, we’ve taken an opportunity to review our policy on firearm sales. Going forward, we are raising the age restriction for purchase of firearms and ammunition to 21 years of age. We will update our processes as quickly as possible to implement this change.

In 2015, Walmart ended sales of modern sporting rifles, including the AR-15. We also do not sell handguns, except in Alaska where we feel we should continue to offer them to our customers. Additionally, we do not sell bump stocks, high-capacity magazines and similar accessories. We have a process to monitor our eCommerce marketplace and ensure our policies are applied.

We take seriously our obligation to be a responsible seller of firearms and go beyond Federal law by requiring customers to pass a background check before purchasing any firearm. The law would allow the sale of a firearm if no response to a background check request has been received within three business days, but our policy prohibits the sale until an approval is given.

We are also removing items from our website resembling assault-style rifles, including nonlethal airsoft guns and toys. Our heritage as a company has always been in serving sportsmen and hunters, and we will continue to do so in a responsible way.

Posted on

Poll: 70% Of Americans Support Stricter Gun Laws

Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz

In the aftermath of the tragic gun massacre in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 dead, a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS shows increased support for stricter gun laws at its highest level in almost 25 years.

From the survey:

• 70% say they support stricter guns laws; only 27% oppose stricter laws

• The intensity of support is also deepened as 52% of those says they “strongly” support stricter gun laws

• 57% of those who in live in gun-owning households support stricter gun laws

• 57% say they are concerned they or a family member will be a victim of gun violence

• 87% support keeping guns out of the hands of convicted felons or those with mental health issues

• 71% support preventing those under 21-years-old from buying any kind of gun

• 63% support a ban on the sale and possession of high-capacity ammunition magazines

• 46% have a favorable view of the National Rifle Association; 49% hold an unfavorable view – that’s the worst rating for the NRA since 1995

A recent poll by Quinnipiac shows similar results:

• 66% of American voters support stricter gun laws

• 97% support universal background checks for all gun buyers

• 67% support nationwide ban on the sale of assault weapons

• 83% support a mandatory waiting period for all gun purchases

Posted on

Florida Gov. Rick Scott Proposes Raising Minimum Age On Assault Rifles

Florida Gov. Rick Scott

Governor Rick Scott of Florida proposed today changing Florida gun laws to require all individuals purchasing any firearms to be 21 or older

It’s worth noting that 21 is the minimum age in Florida to be able to buy a handgun.

So, deadly military-style rifles have been A-ok for 18-year-olds but not handguns?

The proposed change in Florida gun laws could have prevented Nikolas Cruz from killing 17 people at his former high school in Parkland, Florida, last week.

Scott also said he would support banning “bump stocks,” which can enable a semiautomatic rifle fire even faster, and request $500 million for mental health and school safety programs which would include requiring at least one armed police officer per 1,000 students in public schools.

Donald Trump announced Thursday that he supports raising the legal age from 18 to 21.

Trump has also proposed arming teachers with concealed guns and giving them a “bonus” for protecting students in violent gun situations. Scott has openly opposed that idea.

It comes as no surprise, though, that the National Rifle Association opposes any changes to gun safety laws.

(source)

Posted on

Jimmy Kimmel Gives Tearful Appeal For Common Sense Gun Legislation After Deadly Las Vegas Massacre

Jimmy Kimmel was overcome with emotion last night as he addressed the horrific shooting in Las Vegas, his own hometown, which saw 59 people killed and 527 injured while attending a country music concert.

Choked up from the beginning and eventually breaking into tears, his opening monologue became a searing condemnation of the country’s leaders who have done nothing in the aftermath of mass shootings over the years.

“There are a lot of things we can do about it. But we don’t, which is interesting. Because when someone with a beard attacks us, we tap phones, we invoke travel bans, we build walls, we take every possible precaution to make sure it doesn’t happen again. But when an American buys a gun and kills other Americans, then there’s nothing we can do about that. And the Second Amendment, I guess, our forefathers wanted us to have AK-47s is the argument, I assume.”

He also noted the incredibly high amount of support there is across the country for commonsense action regarding guns.

Watch Kimmel’s heart-wrenching appeal below.

Posted on

Washington: State Lawmakers Propose Bringing Guns Into Sports Stadiums

Because, what could possibly go wrong?

From The Guardian:

Conservative legislators in Washington state have proposed a bill that would allow fans to bring guns into stadiums. The bill was proposed by Republican representatives Matt Shea, David Taylor and Bob McCaslin and would prevent stadium operators from stopping members of the public with licenses to carry concealed firearms from entering their venues with weapons.

Stadiums affected would include the Seattle Mariners’ Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, the home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks and MLS’s Seattle Sounders. The Sounders won their first MLS title on Saturday night with victory over Toronto FC.

On Sunday, the NFL told the Washington Post it would oppose the bill. “We haven’t seen the proposed legislation but we have a policy forbidding carrying a weapon into NFL stadiums,” Brian McCarthy, the NFL’s vice president of communications, said in a statement.

Although US sports do not have the same reputation for violence as some of the more dangerous parts of European and South American soccer, there would be obvious concerns about allow firearms into venues with alcohol and where passions can ignite.

Posted on

Out Music: Well-Strung “21 Guns + Pachelbel’s Canon”

Today, Well-Strung released the music video accompanying their brand new single “21 Guns + Pachelbel’s Canon.”

Intertwining Green Day’s hit song “21 Guns” with Pachelbel’s Canon in D, the music video is meant to shine a light on the epidemic on gun violence in this nation.

With so many tragedies like Orlando and Aurora, Well-Strung wanted to convey a meaningful message through music and story that inspires hope and change, especially with the election this year and the opportunity for that change to make way.

“We came up with the idea to juxtapose 21 Guns with Canon because the Green Day song is somber but poignant and lyrical” said Cellist Daniel Shevlin. “And we thought it would be interesting to pair that with a classical piece that is typically associated with joy and happiness like at weddings” violinist Edmund Bagnell added.

The song is currently available on iTunes here.