Good News from the States

CeasefireUSA: The GVP Report - May 12, 2015
In The News ► Progress is being made from coast to coast. In a landmark victory, Oregon Governor Brown just signed a bill to expand background checks to nearly all gun sales. In Vermont, Gov. Shumlin signed a bill that would ban gun possession for people convicted of certain serious crimes.   In Washington, Governor Inslee signed a bill to allow families to request notification when police return guns to loved ones. Also in Washington, a federal judge threw out a lawsuit challengingparts of the state's new expanded background check law. ► A new study in Preventive Medicine by Harvard Professor David Hemenway and UVM Professor Sara Solnick, The Epidemiology of Self-Defense Gun Use, looks at data from the National Crime Victimization Surveys and concludes there is little evidence that using a gun is uniquely beneficial in reducing the likelihood of injury or property loss. ► A new study in the American Journal of Public Health by University of Southern Mississippi Professor Michael Anestis et al, The Association Between State Laws Regulating Handgun Ownership and Statewide Suicide Rates, finds that states with strong handgun laws exhibit lower overall suicide rates and suicide by firearms rates and a smaller proportion of suicides in such states result from guns. ► International media focuses on Aurora theater shooting trial. The interest of foreign media is exceptional, highlighting a particular aspect of the case: to some it appears an all-American atrocity, part of the American "gun disease." ► A member of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's security detail and a member of Speaker John Boehner's security detail both left loaded firearms in bathrooms on Capitol Hill. An 8-year-old visiting the Capitol with his parents found one gun in the bathroom of the Speaker's suite. ►Four police officers have been shot and killed in the line of duty in May. 25-year-old Brian Moore of the New York City Police Department was shot in the face while on patrol in Queens.  43-year-old Sgt. Greg Moore of the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Police Department was shot when he stopped to check on a man walking down a dark street.  25-year-old Officer Liquori Tate and 34-year-old Officer Benjamin Deen of the Hattiesburg, Mississippi Police Department were shot during a traffic stop. Community Support ► Stacey Newman, Missouri State Representative, Celebrating Mother's Day and the 15th Million Mom March. I'll always remember the masses of people covering the Capitol mall for endless blocks. And today I keep working to motivate voters to use their power on election day and insist that their elected officials not be bought by the gun lobby. ► Mary Plouffe, Maine Voices, Portland Press Herald, Concealed Guns Conceal Emotions. In a simple research study in a college campus lab, subjects expose to a gun showed increased testosterone and increased their aggressiveness response to three times the non-gun exposure group. Is that reactivity what we want in our streets and our restaurants and our businesses? ► Robert Spitzer, New York Times, Stand Your Ground Makes No Sense.The result of ten years of Stand Your Ground/Shoot First laws, according to the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, is hamstrung investigations and legal protections greater than those afforded to police officers. Not only have these laws failed to increase public safety, they have also turned the clock back to the mythologized mayhem of the Wild West. ► Jorge Rivas, Fusion, Trayvon Martin's mother: 'Collectively we have a problem'  "Prior to this happening to my son I didn't know anything about 'stand your ground,' and I think people are more aware of these types of laws and racial profiling and the disparities we have here in the United States." ► Sidney Burris, GunSense, No, Johnny, Gandhi wouldn't have supported the American gun lobby. Maybe you've seen the quote that misrepresents Gandhi's position on guns, and does so intentionally. But in truth, Gandhi felt that armed resistance was one step above outright cowardice, and nothing more. ► St. Louis Post-Dispatch Editorial, Too many guns, too many killings, too many excuses. Leaders in St. Louis and Kansas City looked at strategies to combat violent crime. Kansas City tried something different and got good results. St. Louis chose to "do what we've always done." Everything hasn't worked out. ► Joel McNally, Express Milwaukee, The Republican Failure on Gun Violence. After the tragic shooting at Newtown, Republicans all over this country proved once and for all just how pro-life they truly were. Which was not at all. ► Dave Perry, Aurora Sentinel, Aurora theater shooting trial fires holes right through reckless gun rights arguments. Watch the gut-wrenching testimony from victims of the shooting and tell me again how Holmes could have unleashed this kind of terror with a switch blade or a chain saw. ► Radio Diaries, From Bullets to Balance Sheets. As a teenager, Kamari Ridgle was a drug dealer and a drive-by shooter until a near-death experience led him to his true love ... accounting. What the Gun Lobby is Doing ► New NRA Conspiracy Theory Claims Obama Will Ban All Ammo. Wayne LaPierre claims that President Obama will move to ban sales of all firearm ammunition before he leaves office, thus making "the very real nightmare of every single gun owner in this county" a reality. ► Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam signs a bill that "prohibits the use of any public funds, personnel, or property to enforce any federal law or regulation that regulates the ownership, use, or possession of firearms, ammunition, or firearms accessories." ► Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed into law an unprecedented statute to dismiss a third party lawsuit against gun manufacturers and retailers. Some wonder if the new law violates due process rights. ► Knives are the new guns in lawmakers' Second Amendment expansion. Legislatures that relaxed gun laws after the gun lobby's decades-long push are now loosening restrictions on switchblades, dirks, daggers and poignards.		Blogs Joan Peterson, Common GunSense, Million Mom March, moms and guns Josh Horwitz, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, Baltimore and Grants Pass: A Tale of Two Uprisings Shannon Watts, Moms Demand Action, Unacceptable: An unintentional child shooting every 36 hours National Gun Victims Action Council, NRA uses Baltimore Riots as PR for the Second Amendment Cathie Whittenburg, Ohh Shoot Blog, Sheriff's deputy unintentionally shoots mother during wedding ceremony in local church Advocacy ► Jennifer Thorne, Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence, speaks out against a bill that would allow people to carry loaded, hidden guns in public without a permit. ► Amanda Gailey, Nebraskans Against Gun Violence, discusses the importance of prosecuting negligent gun owners. ► Washington Ceasefire sponsors a public safety presentation on the ASK (Asking Saves Kids) campaign. ► North Carolinians Against Gun Violence strongly oppose a bill that would loosen state gun laws calling it "this year's worst gun legislation." ► Violence Policy Center launches a new website, Concealed Carry Killers. The website provides easily accessed state-by-state information. ► Mark Walsh, Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, takes part in a program sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Lake Forest/ Lake Bluff area. ► Andy Pelosi, Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus, thanks everyone who worked hard to defeat guns on campus legislation in Florida. ► William Harwood, Maine Citizens Against Handgun Violence, criticizes Maine's governor for signing on to an amicus brief challenging California's concealed handgun permit law. ► Brady Campaign new video Jim and Sarah Brady: American Heroes. ► Paul McQuillen, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, op-ed, Legislation would allow more guns to enter New York. ► Liane Sorenson, Delaware Coalition Against Gun Violence joins with Gabby Giffords, American for Responsible Solutions in support of a bill to strengthen rules for firearms after issuance of a protection from abuse order. ► Miranda Viscoli, New Mexicans for Gun Safety tells public radio she is mostly pleased with legislative session. ► Everytown for Gun Safety releases a new report, A Census of Domestic Violence Gun Homicides in Arizona. Worst of the Week The Stoffell family of Menasha, Wisconsin were out on a family bike ride, pedaling across a bridge when a man upset over a fight with his ex-fiancee opened fire in a random attack. The gunman shot and killed 33-year-old Jonathan Stofell and his 11-year-old daughter, Olivia. Erin Stoffell was struck three times but managed to guide her two other children to safety. Another man was also killed before the gunman shot and killed himself.