The GVP Report - October 29, 2013 | ||||||||||
► A new study presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics, U.S. Childhood Gun Violence - Disturbing Trends, found over 7,500 children annually are hospitalized for gunshot wounds, including over 500 in-hospital deaths. There was a significant relationship between the percentage of household gun ownership and the percentage of gunshot wounds occurring in the home. ![]() ► Joshua Dubois, White House Spiritual Advisor, What President Obama Did In Secret in Newtown. Two days after the Sandy Hook shooting, the President met with families of victims. For hours, person after person received an engulfing hug then the President would sit and listen as parents told him about their lost beloved. ► Think Progress, Rhode Island May Join Growing Number of States Divesting From Gun Holdings. The state's general treasurer is pushing to sell the state's pension fund's holdings in equity funds that own stakes in a gun distributor. ► Metropolitan News-Enterprise, California Rejects Second Amendment Challenge to Assault Weapons Ban. The Fourth District Court of Appeals upheld the constitutionality of California's ban on assault weapons. ► Attorney General Eric Holder, speaking at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference, warned that "active shooter" incidents rose dramatically in the last few years. In the past four years the total number of people shot and killed in these kinds of shootings is up nearly 150%. ► Wall Street Journal, Guns in the Parking Lot: A Delicate Workplace Issue. 22 states have passed laws that limit property owners' ability to ban firearms in vehicles in parking areas. A 2005 study showed that workplaces that allowed guns were five times more likely to have a worker get killed on the job. ![]()
► Laura Shin, SmartPlanet, Can We Crowdfund Gun Control? Gun By Gun is using crowdfunding to finance gun buybacks. The first campaign was launched in July and the first gun buyback was in August in San Francisco. ► Jeff Nisbit, U.S. News,Studying Gun Violence...Or Just Arguing About It. Hard statistics either don't exist, aren't current, aren't readily available or can't be researched nationally under the usual rules. There can be no harm in knowing how many people die each year from firearms and where those pockets of gun violence are. ► Monte Frank, The Guardian,Stand Against Stand-Your-Ground Laws. Do We Really Want to be a Nation of Dirty Harrys? We have created a society where ordinary citizens can feel and act like Dirty Harry, and get away with it. And we give them immunity even when they are wrong, and when retreating and calling for the police would be a viable option. ► Josh Brodesky, My San Antonio, Mass Shooting Shouldn't Be New Normal. We don't have to accept shootings as part of normal life, or dismiss efforts to curb them as assaults on freedom. ![]() ► Rabbi Joel Masbacher, NY Daily News, End The Paralysis on Gun Violence. 40% of the guns bought every year from manufacturers are purchased by the U.S. government. Taxpayers should use that leverage to insist guns only be purchased from manufacturers who agree to make some simple changes. ► Vicki Walker, Arizona Central, Lax Gun Laws Make Domestic Violence Worse. The presence of a gun in a domestic-violence situation makes it five times more likely that the woman will be killed. ► Effdot, Daily Kos, It's Time to Reframe the Debate About Gun Ownership in the U.S. Is there a civic duty for owning a gun? Once you realize the answer to this question is yes then smart policy can flow. It's time for us to take up the mantle of civics and citizenship again.
► Media Matters, Gun Researcher John Lott Offers False Firearm Statistics Days Before Congressional Appearance. Lott falsely claimed that "over 99 percent" of individuals who fail background checks are law-abiding citizens, despite convincing evidence that the vast majority are prohibited by law from owning a gun. ►San Jose Mercury News, California Gun-Control Votes Trigger Recall Attempts. Emboldened by the recall in Colorado last month, California gun-rights activists will seek to recall several state legislators. ► Slate.com, Dallas Gun Rights Advocates Hold Rally at JFK Assassination Site. Although the organizers said they were well aware of the historical significance of the site where JFK was assassinated, they insist they chose the location because it was a high-profile space. ► Miami Herald, How the NRA's Role in Florida Extends Way Beyond Gun Lobbying. In addition to helping craft legislation, the NRA enjoys a role as a state-sanctioned gun educator. |
► Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence took part in a community summit "God Before Guns". ► Protect Minnesota hosted a gun violence prevention summit. Sessions included policies in Minnesota and grassroots lobbying. ► More than 100 Seattle businesses have joined Washington Ceasefire's campaign and have posted signs proclaiming they are "Gun Free Zones" ► Andy Pelosi, Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, Outlook: The Assault on Campus Weapons Bans. ► Violence Policy Center and Moms Demand Action team up to promote the report When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 2011 Homicides and bring attention to guns and domestic violence. ![]() ► New Yorkers Against Gun Violence Education Fund's Annual Benefit & Silent Auction drew approximately 400 people. The event supports youth and community education programs. ► Gabby Giffords, Americans for Responsible Solutions, op-ed A New Model for Background Checks at Gun Shows. ► Ann Braden Gun Sense Vermont is promoting modest firearms legislation as a matter of public safety. ► Brady Campaign 2013 National Summit. Join with fellow advocates for three days of education, inspiration & empowerment. Nov. 11-13th. ► Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, What Can the Gun Policy Debate Learn from Cigarettes, Seatbelts, and Climate Change. Register now for the Nov. 14th forum.
Sign the petition asking Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to not allow gun sales without a background check.
56-year-old Michael Guzzo, of Phoenix, Arizona, shot and killed four of his neighbors and their two dogs before returning to his apartment and killing himself. Police believe the confrontation may have been touched off by loud barking. The victims were Bruce Moore, 66; his daughter, Renee Moore, 36; her husband, Michael Moore, 42; and Renee's son, Shannon, 17. There was no indication that Guzzo had a violent past. |
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
7,500 children hospitalized for gunshot wounds each year
7,500 children hospitalized for gunshot wounds each year
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
The Cost of a Bullet
The Cost of a Bullet
The GVP Report - October 15, 2013 |
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► The Columbus, Ohio Dispatch, Kids Shooting Kids: Teens at War. On average, one Columbus teen is a victim of gun violence every day, and about half are assaulted by other teens. ► Wisconsin State Journal, Theresa Terrace Shooting Victim: "A Gun Destroyed Me" Theresa was shot when a stray bullet fired by a 15-year-old boy pierced her abdomen and shattered her life. ► Reddit, Mass Shootings in 2013, a crowd sourced mass shooting tracker. A Mass Shooting is four or more people shot in one event. ► New Scientist, What Do We Know About Gun Violence? Garen Wintemute, professor at U.C.-Davis, discusses gun violence research, which is intentionally underfunded but shows some clear patterns, and why it is so hard to make inroads. ► California Governor Jerry Brown signs 11 gun-related laws, vetoes seven others. Brown approved a ban on lead hunting ammunition and other bills designed to tighten controls on ownership, storage and types of weapons available in California. ► MediaMatters, After Years of Support, NBC Sports Will Not Sponsor Nation's Largest Gun Show. "It does not make business sense for us at this time," said an NBC Sports spokesperson. ► Quinnipiac University poll: 9 in 10 Americans STILL support gun background checks. The poll also showed strong support, 66% to 23%, for Starbuck's request that customers not bring their weapons into the stores.
► ► Jeffrey Swanson & Marvin Swartz, Change Mentality on Guns. A history of violence is a far better predictor of future violent behavior than having a mental health diagnosis. ► Janell Ross, Gun Violence's No. 1 Target: Black Children. Between 1963 and 2010, nearly 60,000 black children and teens have been killed by guns. That is more than 17 times the total number of black Americans lynched between 1862 and 1968. ► Timothy Johnson, 3 False Claims About Guns from Wash. Time's Emily Miller. In her book, Miller advanced the NRA conspiracy theory of gun confiscation and offered false information about the incidence of mass shootings and the capabilities of assault weapons, while distorting academic research on gun violence. ► Adam Gopnik, A Few Simple Ideas About Gun Control. What we can learn from Canada is how to legislate common sense without violating anyone's liberty. ► Santa Fe New Mexican editorial, Small Steps Matter with Gun Safety. Surely we can agree that people who call themselves responsible gun owners should lock weapons up to stop guns from getting to bad guys. Start by keeping guns out of the hands of car burglars. ►
► The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, the Second Amendment Foundation and Defend Gun Rights, planned to join together to sponsor Guns Save Lives events on Dec. 14th, the one year anniversary of the Newtown shooting. The event has now been pushed back to Dec. 15th. ► Colorado gun rights advocates plan another recall. The target is state Senator Evie Hudak and this time the control of the entire Senate hangs in the balance. ► Newsweek, Calculated to Alarm. The next battle over gun laws is coming to a Walmart near you as gun owners push their right to bear arms anywhere, anytime. ► MediaMatters, The Secret Fears of the Gun Lobby and What They're Planning Next. Inside the 2013 Gun Rights Policy Conference. |
► Jeri Bonavia, Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort, was named one of the Women Who Roar, and Care about Milwaukee and Wisconsin. ► John Rosenthal, Stop Handgun Violence, Cerberus Capital: Profiting from Guns and Gun Violence. Profits before people seems to be the Cerberus Capital way. ► Washington Ceasefire and other backers of Initiative 594 delivered 250,401 signatures to the WA Secretary of State for a state initiative to require background checks on all gun sales. ► Mayors Against Illegal Guns have updated their report Analysis of Recent Mass Shootings. The report finds that only 15% of mass shootings happened in "gun-free" zones. ► Oklahoma Gun Sense held a panel discussion on gun violence at the All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa. ► Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah annual Daffodil Planting event in remembrance of those who have suffered from acts of gun violence. ► Brady Campaign 2013 National Summit. Join with fellow advocates for three days of education, inspiration & empowerment. Nov. 11-13th.
A South Carolina judge, citing the state's Stand Your Ground Act, granted immunity from prosecution to a man charged with shooting and killing an unarmed bystander. 17-year-old Darrell Niles was killed when Shannon Scorr fired his gun in response to an SUV filled with teenage girls who had followed his daughter home. |
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
What about the children?
What about the children?
The GVP Report - October 1, 2013 |
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► For children who witnessed Newtown shooting, fear and nightmares line path to recovery. Hundred of children at the school that day survived the shooting, but the horrors have been especially difficult to overcome for some of the 6- and 7-year-olds who witnessed the bloodbath. ► During a memorial ceremony for victims of the Washington Navy Yard shooting, President Obama called for transformation in the nation's gun laws, saying the fight for stronger gun laws "out to obsess us." ►A new poll by United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection shows a huge majority thinks Washington can reduce gun violence. But there are sharp divisions over which policies would work best. ► The National Physicians Alliance and the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence have issued a new report, Gun Safety & Public Health: Policy Recommendations for a More Secure America. ► In the third report from the UC Davis' Firearm Licensee Survey, Garen Wintemute, professor of emergency medicine, reports gun retailers support denying gun purchases for mentally ill and criminals. ► A report from Third Way and Americans for Responsible Solutions, What a Difference a Law Makes: Online Gun Sales in States With and Without Background Checks, finds online private sales are far more prevalent in states that do not require criminal background checks than among states that do. ► ► A new report from Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Felon Seeks Firearm, No Strings Attached, looks at how dangerous people evade background checks and buy illegal guns online. A sample of prospective buyers on Armslist.com found one in thirty had a criminal record that should prohibit them from buying a gun.
► The two Colorado state Senators recalled in the recent special election speak out: John Morse - Rampage. Regret. Repeat. Can we ever stop the cycle? How one lawmaker lost his job fighting for gun control. And why he'd do it again. Angela Giron - We can beat the gun lobby - we already have. While extremist groups have a hard time making their case to general-election voters, they have far more control in low-turnout special elections. ► Josh Sager - White Privilege and the 2nd Amendment. Our society's perception of gun owners who are exercising their "2nd Amendment rights" is often linked to the color of their skin. ► Benjamin Hart - Gun Control Advocates Urge Patience in the Wake of Navy Yard Shootings. Despite the media coverage saying Americans may have accepted mass shootings as a fact of life, gun control advocates expressed optimism that they are making real progress - slowly but surely.
► Katrina vanden Heuvel, Washington Post, The Case for Gun Liability Laws. Knives. Automobiles. Cold medicine. Alcohol. Cigarettes. Coffee. What do these items have in common? They're all held to a higher safety standard than firearms. ► Nina Strochlic, The Daily Beast, I've Written 51 Obituaries for Gun Victims in 18 Months. The day after the Aurora tragedy was a Saturday. I complied everything I could find about each of the 12 names and I didn't stop crying until I sent the story to my editor four hours later. ► Jonathan Merritt - Will Rick Warren Lead a Christian Movement for Gun Control? After the CNN interview about their son's suicide and other issues, many wonder whether the religious power couple might lead a Christian movement for gun control. ► Jay Kirell, Take My Guns, Please. Nothing about my outward appearance would send up a red flag. Likewise, nothing in my background would send a warning to anyone trying to sell me a firearm. And that's the problem. Because I shouldn't, by any reasonable measure, own a firearm.
► Timothy Johnson, Media Matters, NRA Bemoans Domestic Violence But Lobbies for Policies that Arm Abusers. Their new-found concern for domestic violence ignores both the lethal consequences of armed domestic abusers and the NRA's lengthy history of blocking measures to keep guns out of the hands of abusers. ► Massoud Hayoun, Aljazeera America, How the NRA Tried to Stop a Member from Conducting Gun-Control Research. The NRA reportedly advised its members against participating in a study that show a majority of gun sellers want tougher background checks for gun buyers. ► David Edwards, The Raw Story, 'Armed Citizen Project' Giving Homeowners Shotguns Near Where Trayvon Was Killed. The group plans to give away shotguns to homeowners in Florida. Members have gone door-to-door in Orlando passing out fliers to advertise the free firearms. |
► Shaina Harrison, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, is profiled in The New Yorker, Red Hook Postcard, Community Guns. ► Moms Demand Action applaud Starbucks Coffee CEO Howard Schultz' request that customers please leave your guns at home. ► Mayors Against Illegal Guns ended their 25 state "No More Names" tour with a rally on Capitol Hill. "Moments of silence don't mean anything unless they're followed by action."
► Violence Policy Center annual report When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 2011 Homicide Data. ► Monte Frank, Newtown Action Alliance and Senator Richard Blumenthal op-ed, The 'Connecticut Effect' Cannot Be Stopped. ► Stephen Dunlop, Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence, Tighten gun laws to honor fallen police officer. ► Toby Hoover, Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, told the Toledo Blade that the recent open carry march bothered people. "People don't want their families around guns, whether they are openly carried or concealed." ► Shira Goodman, Ceasefire Pennsylvania joined with gun control activists from across the state for a meeting in Harrisburg, swapping ideas for maintaining their cause's momentum and persuading lawmakers to support stronger gun laws.
43-year-old Josephine Ruckinger and her husband, Jeffrey, plotted to kill Josephine's family at their home in rural Pennsylvania. Josphine shot and killed her mother, Roberta Frew, 64, when she answered the door. At the same time, Jeffrey shot and killed her brother, John, 47. Her father, John Sr., retrieved a handgun and, not realizing who the attackers were, shot his daughter in the head. When Jeffrey shot at him he returned fire. Both Josephine and Jeffrey were killed. John Sr. was not injured and called 911 when the shooting stopped. |