Court allows church challenge to Wal-Mart

CeasefireUSA: The GVP Report - December 9, 2014
In The News ► A federal judge ordered Wal-Mart to let shareholders vote on a proposal submitted by Trinity Episcopal Church to force tighter oversight of its sale of guns with high capacity magazines. Click here to read more about the shareholder proposal from Rev. Dr. James Cooper. ► Politico Magazine, The Gunfight in Cyberspace. With no help from Congress, gun violence prevention groups are forcing businesses to take a position on guns. ► CNN investigative report "Hired Guns" found that despite the image of safety, armed security guards often themselves pose a threat to the public due to lax laws, minimal oversight and almost no accountability. ► Carolyn McCarthy, who put a human face on the tragedy of gun violence, is leaving Congress after two decades. Back in the day she said "I was the only one who would go on TV" to discuss guns. But now, McCarthy says the gun violence prevention movement is stronger than ever. ► Calling out the NRA for its opposition, public health professionals are making a last-ditch effort this week topressure the Senate to confirm Surgeon General nominee Vivek Murthy. ► NY Upstate Medical University study shows New York's new SAFE Act may be encouraging the mentally ill to seek help. Many mental health providers predicted the reporting requirement of the law would make people reluctant to seek mental help, but the survey's findings suggest just the opposite may be true. ► Four Sandy Hook teachers talk about what they heard and saw on December 14, 2012 and what they are doing to make certain this sort of tragedy never happens again. "We're at a tipping point" on guns laws. ► Toys, deadly weapons difficult to distinguish. Not all toy and recreational guns have an orange tip, and many are manufactured to look and feel exactly like their lethal counterpart. ► The CNN Guns Project.  Tries to track every shooting incident in a 24-hour period. These aren't the stories that tend to make national headlines. These are the stories that happen every day in America. 2014 National Vigil for All Gun Violence Victims This week people across the country will remember the second anniversary of the tragic Newtown shooting and honor all victims of gun violence. To attend the Thursday, December 11th vigil at the National Cathedral in D.C. click here. To find an event in your state click here. Community Support ► American Photo, Kathy Shorr Photographs Gun Violence Survivors. Shorr has photographed more than 30 people in her portrait series. "You rarely hear about what's happened to the people who have to put the pieces together and continue with their lives." ► Bipartisan group of 200 legislators in all 50 states form nonpartisan gun violence prevention coalition.  The group is holding a national policy summit in D.C. to discuss options to prevent gun violence at the state level. ► Hayley Fox, TakePart, Doctors want to talk to parents about this, but more states are making it illegal. In Florida a lot of people have swimming pools, so Dr. Petery regularly speaks with patients about how to keep children safe from drowning. But there's one thing he's not allowed to ask about: guns. ► Matthew Yglesias, Vox, We shouldn't talk about Ferguson without talking about guns.  This case is a straightforward consequence of America's approach to firearms. Widespread gun ownership creates a systematic climate of fear on the part of the police. ► Twin Falls, Idaho Times-News, Editorial, Remember Schuldies, Cox by Fixing Gun Laws. George Salinas never should have had a gun when he murdered two people. But thanks to Idaho's legal system, where gun rights trump safety, he did. ► U-T San Diego, A personal look at gun culture. Author Craig Collins' own shooting informs "Thunder in the Mountains." His book, is part memoir, part genealogy, and part exploration of the forces that have made guns such a part of American culture. ► Beth Kassab, Orlando Sentinel, Will more guns make campuses like FSU safer? No. Guns and students are a bad combination.  Police worry that guns don't mix with alcohol-fueled student parties. ► Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Heath seminar series, Challenges and Opportunities to Enforcing Maryland's Gun Laws. Panelists include MD Attorney General Brian Frosh, State Police Capt. Dalaine Brady and Prof. Daniel Webster. What the Gun Lobby is Doing ►  Think Progress, The Florida Supreme Court is hearing a case that could make Stand Your Ground/Shoot First even worse. The case hinges on which party has to prove self-defense, defendants or prosecutors. ► New Missouri gun rights amendment put to test by felon. A convicted drug dealer cites the new law as a reason why his former felony shouldn't disqualify him from carrying a gun. ► Guns.com, Editorial, 20 rules for winning gun fights. Rule #2 - Have plan to kill everyone you meet.  Rule #17 - Don't be a wuss. ► Kalashnikov's new slogan: Weapons of Peace. The maker of the AK-47 has unveiled a new logo and a new slogan.		Blogs Irwin Arieff, States United to Prevent Gun Violence, In Our America, We Want Safer Schools Joan Peterson, Common GunSense, Gun safety = talking about where the guns come from Armed With Reason, Shooting Down the Gun Lobby's Favorite "Academic": A Lott of Lies Cathie Whittenburg, Ohh Shoot Blog, 3-year-old unintentionally shoots & kills his mother Advocacy ► Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and Arizonans for Gun Safety held a protest outside a Phoenix "bad-apple" gun dealer. ► New Yorkers Against Gun Violence free community forum Guns and Domestic Violence: A Lethal Combination. ► Moms Demand Action delivers a petition to Fred Meyer asking the chain to ban open carry of guns inside stores. ► Fritz Walker, CeaseFirePA, Accidental child shootings are needless tragedies. Nearly all of these so-called accidental shootings are entirely preventable. ► #TopDocNow Day of Action, Generation Progress, medical professionals and students, and other partners spread the word about why we need Dr. Murthy as Surgeon General.  ► Washington Center for Gun Responsibility announced its goals for the next legislative session, including holding adults responsible for keeping guns away from children. ► Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence display a Memorial to the Lost, made up of more than 40 t-shirts with the names of those killed by gun violence in the last two years. ► Coalition to Stop Gun Violence celebrated its 40th anniversary. Guest speakers included State Senator A. Donald McEachin and author Kitty Kelley. ► Arizonans for Gun Safety is hosting a public meeting to introduce local residents to the National Violent Death Reporting System. ► North Carolinians Against Gun Violence hosts Crucial Conversation: Gun politics after Sandy Hook. Dr. Kristin Goss will join the discussion. ► Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence Picture Peace. A project for Ohio children of all ages to learn strategies to prevent gun crime and be the change they wish to see in the world. Worst of the Week 39-year-old Jody Lee Hunt, of Monongalia County, West Virginia shot and killed four people before turning the gun on himself. The victims included 45-year-old Douglas Brady, a towing operator who was involved in a business feud with Hunt, and 39-year-old Sharon Berkshire, Hunt's ex-girlfriend and two of her friends. Police report that Hunt, a convicted felon, purchased the 9mm gun used in the killings from a private gun sale on Facebook.