Last week brought news of yet another school shooting, this time from Marysville, Washington. This latest tragic event resulted in five victims, with two killed and three seriously wounded. Because the shooter took his own life, it may appear that there can be little in the way of an immediate and direct response to the shooting. Ironically, however, there is an opportunity next week to take one small step toward gun safety in Washington and, at least symbolically, in the nation.
The ballot in Washington will allow a vote on a referendum, I-594, requiring a background check for all gun sales in the state. It is a modest measure, and there is no claim here that had the law been in effect it would have prevented the Marysville shooting. (It has not been reported where and how the gun used by the Marysville shooter was obtained.) Nevertheless, it would demonstrate the ability of a public, weary of gun violence, to take action to rein it in. For that reason, the referendum is being strongly supported by the gun-control organization founded by Mayor Bloomberg, Everytown For Gun Safety. Inevitably, it is vigorously opposed by the NRA.
An email message from Everytown seeking financial support asserts that passage of the referendum would “send shockwaves through the leadership ranks of the NRA. They know that if they lose in Washington, the national tide will turn against them.” That may be a touch hyperbolic, but the essential message is accurate: that passage of the referendum will have positive ramifications far beyond the borders of Washington State. Everytown explained that funds raised would be expended to support the following activities:
$15 will provide walk lists and clipboards for organizers to knock on more than a hundred doors tomorrow
$35 will cover the cost of 50 pieces of mail about I-594
$50 will help volunteers make more than 500 phone calls to voters
$100 will help keep ads on TV and online in critical markets in Washington State
RINOcracy.com has made it a practice not to support solicitations of funds for particular candidates or causes. This cause, however, we believe merits an exception. If you agree, please consider contributing to Everytown and their referendum campaign here.
Recently I sat next to fellow I have known for a few years. We discussed gun ownership and he revealed that he had a “house full of guns”. I had no idea since up till then I did not know anyone who owned a gun. He is a “lifetime member” of the NRA and with a smirk said that “We are winning. We are more organized and have more money than the anti-gun folks”. Interestingly, my grandson works for Bloomberg’s Everyone for Gun Safety program doing research and writing papers. My friend happens to be a very conservative Republican.
Thanks for the invite. I will give $50.00 and pray that some gun happy NRA member becomes so enraged he shoots up the headquarters and severs Wayne’s spinal cord. I don’t believe in murder but wounding this bum is legit.
I live in Washington where all voting is by mail and have already voted for I-594. The best argument that I saw against this very modest proposal for background checks at gun shows and in private transactions with non-family members was the ambiguity of the law which could allow it to be applied more broadly. I can’t imagine that in practice the authorities in the state would attempt to enforce the law more broadly but I fear that the NRA can be counted on to challenge the law, if passed, in court and might well be successful because of the ambiguity. How can there be any rational argument against background checks?
Doug, this is a rare occasion when I am delighted to be asked to make a contribution. Thanks for addressing this national menace.
Please, please read this http://wagunresponsibility.org/about-594/
At the bottom of the above linked page is a link to the actual proposed Initiative 594. You can find the text here: http://1.usa.gov/17C5Qd5
After you have slogged through all the legalese in this initiative, you undoubtedly will see that it only serves to add a law that as always, complicates life for the law abiding but does nothing to stop the target crime of criminals shooting in schools and public places.
In the case of the Marysville shooting, the shooter used a legally purchased weapon (as reported by the local news media). He also specifically targed his victims by texting them (all friends or relatives of his) to meet him at the school caferteria. Also (again as reported by the local media) he texted or emailed his parents moments before he shot his victims and himself. He apparently told them what to do with his body.
I do not agree that an outside of Washington State outfit like Everytown should take donations to line their own pockets and agenda and especially should not be promoted by Rinocracy.
I absolutely agree. I have been a hunter and gun owner since I was 15 and never thought that registration and background check laws interfered with my rights to either own guns or to hunt. The NRA which is a lobbying group for the gun and munitions industry has done a great job pretending to be a defender of so called second amendment rights and coning the public into to believing that the goal of regulators is confiscation. A good part of their strategy is to promote fear, distrust of government and to promote anarchy. How many more children must die before we as a nation see the truth? I am afraid a great deal more.
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