Florida "Shoot First" Task Force Has Little to Conclude

The GVP Report - November 27, 2012
In The News ► A task force commissioned by Florida Gov. Scott to review the "Shoot First" (aka Stand Your Ground) law held its final meeting and has indicated the law is mostly fine as is.  "I really didn't expect anything," said state Sen. Braynon. "It was a Republican-dominated commission and it was full of people who supported Stand Your Ground to begin with."      ► Seattle, Washington King5 investigates the origin of area crime guns and also looks at NIBIN, National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, and why police departments aren't submitting guns for ballistics analysis.      ► Denver Post, Gun violence can be solved with science, public health expert say. "Guns are where tobacco was in the 1950s," said Garen Wintemute of California at Davis School of Medicine. "There's a little bit of science and a great deal of reluctance to do anything with the results."      ► Boulder Daily Camera, No students move following University of Colorado dorm segregation for gun owners. Since establishing a residential area for students with concealed weapons permits not a single student has asked to live there.      ► Washington Post, Missouri man accused of plotting 'Twilight' attack bought guns despite being committed 3 years ago. Blaec Lammers is accused of plotting attacks at a movie theater. He was able to legally buy guns despite being committed for stalking a store clerk he said he intended to kill.  Take Action         ► Tell NBC to air important new documentary about gun violence in America. Contact your local NBC affiliate to make sure they air Trigger: The Ripple Effect of Gun Violence.  Click here to watch a trailer of the documentary.       Community Support ► Media Matters, The Hill Echoes False Republican Talking Points on UN Arms Trade Treaty. The article relied on an unverified Republican House Resolution and failed to note that the U.S. has the ability to unilaterally veto any proposed arms embargo.       ► Nina E. Gonzalez, After Policeman's Death, Can Obama Finally Answer Gun Law Questions?  Office Arthur Lopez, who guarded the president, was shot dead with an illegal gun. While our nations' leaders continue to refuse any meaningful discussion on guns, Americans are paying the ultimate price.       ► Daniel W. Webster, Special to CNN, Give Gun Owners What They Want. 80% of gun owners favor requiring background checks in private gun sales. When states require background checks for all handgun sales and have strong regulation of licensed gun dealers, far fewer guns are diverted to criminals.       ► A church in suburban Moorestown, New Jersey puts up a display to bring awareness to the record number of homicides in nearby Camden.The crosses carry the names and ages of this year's homicide victims.      ► David Hemenway, Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Don't Ignore the Evidence: Stand Your Ground Is Bad for Florida. The best available research evidence indicates that "Shoot First" laws are dangerous, with few redeeming benefits to society.      ► Christopher Evans, The Plain Dealer, How To Buy Guns, Cheap, visits an Ohio gun show to look for unlicensed private sellers. They're easy to spot. Shabby, small-time operators who haunt the shadow of the federally licensed dealers. What the Gun Lobby is Doing ► Media Matters, NRA Lashes Out at "Dim Journalist" For Shattering Electoral Powerhouse Myth. Despite the fact that less than one percent of the nearly $12 million spent by the NRA on recent elections went to races where NRA-backed candidates won, the group is still claiming victory. ► Gawker.com, Gun Shop Owner Takes Out Full Page Ad in Local Paper Warning Obama Voters to Stay Away from His Store.  A gun store in Pinetop, Arizona tells customers "If you voted for Barack Obama your business is not welcome here." ► Guns.com, Nine Things the NRA Wants for Their 141st Birthday. The list includes some form of national concealed-carry, more gun owners and more guns.		Blogs WalmartShootings.blogspot.com, a new blog highlights cases of shootings and other gun-related crimes on Walmart property. Joan Peterson, Common GunSense, Thanksgiving Shopping Shooters Daniel Gross, Brady Campaign, The NRA Behind the Curtain Art on Issues, Gun Rights Fatal Flaw: Attacking American Diversity Cathie Whittenburg, OhhShoot blog, Two injured at University of Colorado when staffer with concealed weapons permit unintentionally fires gun Advocacy ► Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence honored Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and U.S. Rep. Bob Dodd at their 30th Annual Lincoln Awards Luncheon. ► Paul Soglin, mayor of Madison, Wisconsin and member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, op-ed Close loophole that caters to criminals. ► Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence new report Gun Laws Matter 2012: Understanding the Link Between Weak Laws and Gun Violence. ► The 5K Motion, a short film about girls' and women's roles in violent crime held a movie premiere in New Haven, CT.  The film was produced by Stop Handgun Violence and others.  Worst of the Week 63-year-old Salvatore Perrone, of Staten Island, New York was arrested and charged with systematically killing three shopkeepers as they worked alone in their clothing stores in Brooklyn.  The first killing took place July 6th.    Police found a duffel bag at Perrone's girlfriend's home that contained a Ruger 10-22 carbine sawed-off rifle that ballistic tests have linked to all the homicides. Police have no motive for the shootings. There were similarities in the deaths and the locations of the shops form an equilateral triangle with addresses that contain the number eight. According to the NYPD commissioner, "I think it's reasonable to assume that he was going to continue doing this, and, by arresting him, we saved lives."