Gun Grabbers: In Their Own Words

Transcription

1 Gun Grabbers: In Their Own Words It is our aim to ban the manufacture and sale of handguns to private individuals the coalition s emphasis is to keep handguns out of private possession where they do the most harm. Recruiting flyer distributed by The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, formerly called The National Coalition to Ban Handguns We re going to have to take one step at a time, and the first step is necessarily-given the political realities-going to be very modest So then we ll have to start working again to strengthen the law, and then again to strengthen the next law, and maybe again and again Our ultimate goal-total control of handguns in the US-is going to take time.the final problem is to make the possession of all handguns and all handgun ammunition except for the military, policemen, licensed security guards, licensed sporting clubs, and licensed gun collectors totally illegal. Pete Shields, Chairman Emeritus, Handgun Control, Inc. ( The New Yorker, July 26, 1976) Handguns should be outlawed. Our organization will probably take this stand in time but we are not anxious to rouse the opposition before we get the other legislation passed. Elliot Corbett, Secretary, National Council For A Responsible Firearms Policy We are at the point in time and terror where nothing short of a strong uniform policy of domestic disarmament will alleviate the danger which is crystal clear and perilously present. Let us take the guns away from the people. Exemptions should be limited to the military, the police, and those licensed for good and sufficient reasons. And I would look forward to the day when it would not be necessary for the policeman to carry a sidearm. Patrick V. Murphy, former New York City Police Commissioner, and now a member of Handgun Control s National Committee, during testimony to the National Association of Citizens Crime Commissions The Brady Bill is the minimum step Congress should take we need much stricter gun control, and eventually should bar the ownership of handguns, except in a few cases. U.S. Representative William Clay, Democrat (quoted in the St. Louis Post Dispatch on May 6, 1991) Banning guns is an idea whose time has come. Page 1 of 5

2 U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden Banning guns addresses a fundamental right of all Americans to feel safe. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Associated Press, Nov. 18, 1993 We re here to tell the NRA their nightmare is true! We re going to hammer guns on the anvil of relentless legislative strategy. We re going to beat guns into submission! Rep. Charles Schumer, NBC Nightly News Nov. 30, We have to start with a ban on the manufacturing & import of handguns. From there we register the guns which are currently owned, and follow that with additional bans and acquisitions of handguns and rifles with no sporting purpose. U.S. Representative Owens, Democrat This is not all we will have in future Congresses, but this is a crack in the door. There are too many handguns in the hands of citizens. The right to keep and bear arms has nothing to do with the Brady Bill. Craig Washington, Dem. If I could have gotten 51 votes in the Senate of the United States for an outright ban, picking up every one of them: Mr. and Mrs. America, turn em all in, I would have done it. I *could not* do that. The votes weren t here. U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), CBS-TV s 60 Minutes, 2/5/95 We urge passage of federal legislation and meanwhile, in its absence, the partial remedy of state law to prohibit, with few and narrowly drawn exceptions, the private ownership and possession of handguns, much the way existing laws prohibit machine guns, grenades and cannons. Adopted by American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Board of Directors in September 1976; see national ACLU policy #47, Gun Control My experience as a street cop suggests that most merchants should not have guns. But I feel even stronger about the average person having them most homeowners simply have no need to own guns. Joseph McNamara, HCI spokesman, and former Chief of Police of San Jose, California Yes, I m for an outright ban (on handguns). Page 2 of 5

3 Pete Shields, Chairman emeritus, Handgun Control, Inc., during a 60 Minutes interview There is no reason for anyone in this country anyone except a police officer or a military person to buy, to own, to have, to use a handgun The only way to control handgun use in this country is to prohibit the guns. And the only way to do that is to change the Constitution. Michael Gardner, president of NBC News, in USA Today, January 16, Only the police should have handguns. B.J.Clinton I m personally all for taxing guns to pay for health care coverage. Hillary Clinton, Nov. 4, 1993 New York Times No, we re not looking at how to control criminals we re talking about banning the AK- 47 and semi-automatic guns. U.S. Senator Howard Metzenbaum, Democrat The only thing a rifle scope is good for is assassination. U.S. Senator Ira Metzenbaum, Democrat The national guard fulfills the militia mentioned in the 2nd amendment. Citizens no longer need to protect the states or themselves. Sen. Diane Feinstein, Democrat I don t want to go for confiscation, but that is where we are going. Daryl Gates, Police Chief of Los Angeles, California The Second Amendment has a profound influence on the entire gun control debate That s because of an erroneous interpretation that the Second Amendment grants every American the right to bear arms. And thus any gun control legislation would interfere with that supposed right. But the truth is the Second Amendment only grants the right to bear arms to Americans serving in a militia Page 3 of 5

4 a leading textbook publisher recently corrected the misinformation about the Second Amendment[that it give people the right to bear arms] previously included in its publications. And the newly written textbooks will soon be used in 11 state school systems. During this next year, we will be communicating with every major textbook publisher we will expand this campaign to include reference works, government publications and other materials. By making real the threat of civil damages against gun dealers who engage in reckless conduct, we are starting to provide a powerful incentive for dealers to reevaluate the cost of doing business. Here are seven more examples from the horses mouths: 1. Dianne Feinstein on 60 Minutes the week after the passage of Brady Bill. if I thought I could get the votes I d have taken them all, That s right Mr. and Mrs. America, turn em all in. 2. Charles Krauthammer. April 5 l996 Washington Post. The Brady Bill s only effect will be to desensitize the public to regulation of weapons in preparation for their ultimate confiscation. 3. Pete Shields, founder of Handgun Control, Inc. New Yorker Magazine, June 26, 1976, pg. 53. We ll take one step at a time, and the first is necessarily -given the political realities very modest. We ll have to start working again to strengthen the law, and then again to strengthen the next law and again and again. Our ultimate goal, total control of hand guns, is going to take time. The first problem is to slow down production and sales. Next is to get registration. The final problem is to make possession of all handguns and ammunition (with a few exceptions) totally illegal. 4. W. Clay, Dem. Rep. St. Louis Post Dispatch., May 8, 1993, pg. A1. Clay said the Brady Bill is the minimum step Congress should take. We need much stricter gun control and eventually we should bar ownership of handguns except in a few cases. 5. Senator J. Chafee, Minneapolis Star Tribune, June , pg. A13. I will introduce legislation banning the sale manufacture or possession of hand-guns except in a few cases. 6. M. Gartner, then President of NBC News, USA Today, Jan 16, 1992, pg. A9. I now think the only way to control handgun use is to prohibit the guns. And the only way to do that is to change the Constitution. Page 4 of 5

5 7. T. Winship, Editor Boston Globe, in Editor and Publisher Magazine, April 24, 1993, pg. 24. Investigate the NRA with renewed vigor. Print names of those who take NRA funds. Support all causes the NRA opposes. The Times-Herald is right. The work a day guy doesn t envision total confiscation, but many with the real power to sway public opinion and effect change in America do. Page 5 of 5