Mayors Against Illegal Guns & Scott Baker / OpEd News – 2011-01-19 23:48:33
http://www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/home/home.shtml
Poll Debunks Gun-promoter’s Myth:
Citizens and Gun-owners Support More Controls
Mayors Against Illegal Guns
One of the biggest and most dangerous myths in American politics has just been busted.
After the tragedy in Tucson, we’ve heard the same old argument from Washington and the media that Americans are “hopelessly divided” on the issue of guns. But when you get outside the echo chamber and talk to ordinary people, the consensus on guns is clear.
That’s what Mayors Against Illegal Guns did with our recent poll (1), conducted jointly by a Democratic and a Republican firm. The data (drawn from responses from random calls to 1003 registered voters nationwide) shows that the general public and gun owners agree that we have to take common sense steps to prevent future gun crime.
Check out the polling results below and help spread the facts by forwarding this email to your friends and family.
American Consensus:
Keep Guns Out of Dangerous Hands
≠9 out of 10 Americans and 9 out of 10 gun owners want to get all the records in the background check system designed to stop criminals, drug abusers, the mentally ill, and other dangerous people from buying guns.
≠86% of Americans and 81% of gun owners want all gun buyers to pass a background check no matter where they buy the gun and no matter who they buy it from.
≠91% of Americans and 92% of gun owners want federal agencies to share information about terror suspects and other dangerous persons to stop them from buying guns.
The truth is, Americans overwhelmingly believe that we can respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners while doing more to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people.
Now, we’re counting on supporters like you to help spread the word. Please let your friends and family know where our country stands on guns by forwarding this message and sharing on Facebook and Twitter.
Thanks for getting involved.
(1) Poll conducted jointly by Momentum Analysis and American Viewpoint between January 11 and January 13, 2011. Results of the poll available here (PDF).
Press Release: IN AFTERMATH OF TUCSON SHOOTING NEW BIPARTISAN POLL SHOWS AMERICANS INCLUDING GUN OWNERS SUPPORT TOUGHER LAWS TO KEEP FIREARMS OUT OF DANGEROUS HANDS
• Broad Consensus Among Public Including Gun Owners: Ensure Rights of Responsible, Law-Abiding Americans — and Close Legal Gaps to Keep Guns out of the Wrong Hands
• Overwhelming Support for Many Specific Gun Proposals
• 86% of Americans Including 81% of Gun Owners Support Background Checks for All Gun Sales
(January 18, 2010) — The bi-partisan coalition of Mayors Against Illegal Guns today announced the results of a new poll conducted jointly by Momentum Analysis, a polling firm with Democratic clients, and American Viewpoint, a polling firm with Republican clients.
The poll reveals that Americans and gun owners strongly support a sensible approach to gun laws that protects the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans while also keeping criminals and other dangerous people from accessing firearms.
“The shootings in Tucson have reopened the debate on guns in America,” said Margie Omero, President of Momentum Analysis. “After the events in Arizona, half of Americans now say they support stricter gun laws, only seven percent say that weakening gun laws is the answer, and overwhelming majorities support many specific gun policy proposals to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and other dangerous persons.”
“Large majorities of Americans agree with the 2008 Supreme Court ruling that the Second Amendment confers an individual right to own guns — and Americans strongly oppose efforts to ban handguns,” said Bob Carpenter, Vice President of American Viewpoint. “But Americans and gun owners also strongly support requiring a background check for every single gun sale, and improving the way background check data is collected, shared, and used. Most Americans view these goals — protecting gun rights for the law-abiding and keeping guns from criminals — as compatible.”
“This poll shows that, particularly in the wake of yet another tragic mass shooting, Americans and gun owners agree with our efforts to fix our federal background check system and close loopholes,” said coalition co-chair and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.
“If the tragedy in Tucson was not enough to ensure that Congress finally takes action, we hope this clear call for reform from the public will add to the groundswell of support.”
“This poll only reinforces what more than 550 mayors have known all along,” said coalition co-chair and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. “That we can support the rights of responsible, law-abiding people to own guns and at the same time do much more to keep illegal guns out of the hands of criminals, drug abusers, the mentally ill and other dangerous people.
The Supreme Court has answered the Second Amendment question on the rights to own a gun but Americans are tired of Washington’s failure to produce laws and policies that reflect their consensus on responsible gun ownership.â€
Nine out of Ten Americans Support Efforts to Connect the Dots and get Every Record Into the Gun Background Check Database
90 percent of Americans and 90 percent of gun owners support fixing gaps in government databases that are meant to prevent the mentally ill, drug abusers and others from buying guns.
91 percent of Americans and 93 percent of gun owners support requiring federal agencies to share information about suspected dangerous persons or terrorists to prevent them from buying guns.
89 percent of Americans and 89 percent of gun owners support full funding of the law Congress passed unanimously and President George W. Bush signed after the Virginia Tech shootings to put more records in the background check database.
Americans Broadly Support Closing Loopholes and Gaps in Background Checks
86 percent of Americans and 81 percent of gun owners support requiring all gun buyers to pass a background check, no matter where they buy the gun and no matter who they buy it from.
89 percent of Americans and 85 percent of gun owners support a law to require background checks for all guns sold at gun shows.
Americans Overwhelmingly Believe the Second Amendment Protects a Responsible, Law-abiding Individual’s Right to Own Handguns
79 percent of Americans and 90 percent of gun owners believe the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to own guns and is not limited to protecting the rights of state militias.
80 percent of Americans and 90 percent of gun owners oppose a law that would ban the sale of all handguns.
The survey of 1,003 registered voters was conducted by Momentum Analysis, a polling firm with Democratic clients, and American Viewpoint, a polling firm with firm with Republican clients.
Interviews were conducted from January 11 through January 13, 2011. The margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points. The survey is demographically representative of registered voters across the country.
About Momentum Analysis
Momentum Analysis is a Washington, DC-based polling firm serving Democratic candidates and progressive organizations. Its clients include the Democratic National Committee, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, EMILY’s List, the National Education Association, and candidates for office from City Council to US Senate.
In 2010, the firm’s bipartisan work on Walmart moms defined and describe that swing voting bloc. President Margie Omero is also a Huffington Post/pollster.com blogger.
About American Viewpoint
American Viewpoint is one of the most widely respected public opinion research and strategic message consulting firms in the United States. Founded in 1985 by Linda DiVall, the company has established a national reputation for outstanding quantitative and qualitative research in politics, corporate affairs, public policy and government relations.
American Viewpoint has advised Republican campaigns and groups, including McCain-Palin ’08, Bush-Cheney ’04, the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Senator Roy Blunt and Senator Johnny Isakson. Corporate clients have included AT&T, CBS News, International Paper and Pfizer.
About Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Since its inception in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 mayors to over 550. Mayors Against Illegal Guns has united the nation’s mayors around these common goals: protecting their communities by holding gun offenders and irresponsible gun dealers accountable, demanding access to trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat illegal gun trafficking, and working with legislators to fix gaps, weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other prohibited purchasers to get guns.
ACTION
Contact:
Mayor Bloomberg’s Press Office. (212) 788-2958
Mayor Menino’s Press Office. (617) 635-4461
Learn about the coalition’s efforts to close the Terror Gap. Visit www.TerrorGap.org
Time to Create Stricter Gun Control Laws
Scott Baker / OpEd News
(January 14, 2011) — In the wake of the horrible Arizona shooting that claimed 6 lives and 13 other injuries, including brain-injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D), is it time to finally restrict gun ownership? The gun that was used held a 31-bullet clip (or, 33 rounds), something banned in 6 states. Does anyone need that many bullets to stop a burglar? 

One thing is frightfully clear, the greatest number of shootings, per capita, occur in states with the weakest gun laws, according to the CDC.
Arizona is #5 on this list, but the list is from 2004, when gun laws were stronger. The New York Times says:
”Like most states, Arizona does not regulate the use of large-capacity 
ammunition magazines, like the one used in Saturday’s shooting. A 
federal ban expired in 2004, and only a handful of states now limit 
magazines to a maximum of 10 rounds, in most cases.”

The Second Amendment (one version, anyway) reads: 
”A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be 
infringed.”
For the uninitiated, it’s worth watching this short clip to see just how fast a Glock 19 fires bullets:
What does this mean to you? What should it mean today? How do we stop from being one of the most dangerous countries on Earth?


Yes, ban all guns for everyone
Yes, ban guns except for legally recognized law enforcement
Yes, ban the most extreme forms of guns with more than 8 rounds of ammunition
Yes, but only ban guns from people who’ve failed an extensive background check
Yes, but only ban guns from people convicted of a crime
No, as long as the guns and ammo are registered with law enforcement
No, anyone, anywhere in the U.S. has the right to any gun, anytime
No, because I’m a member of a “free-standing militia”, just like everyone else
