Why We Need An Assault Weapons Ban

Posted by Seth Kramer on Monday, April 16th 2007 at 9:30pm




As I type this I am watching the news which has wall-to-wall coverage of a shooting at Virginia Tech. Apparently in the early morning hours a gunman shot down a woman in her dormitory, her RA, and later in the day went on a killing spree, ruthlessly murdering another 30 people, and wounding a couple dozen more before apparently turning the gun on himself.

At this time there isn't much actionable information about the shooter, the weapons used, the dead, or the wounded. It has apparently earned the ignominious title of "worst school shooting in American history". And while I hate to turn the death of so many people into a political blog, it seems to me the only thing I can do keep the wounded and dead in my thoughts, and do what I can to ensure this sort of thing never happens again.

So to that end I couldn't help but remember back to September of 2004, when the Republican Congress allowed the Federal Assault Weapons Ban to sunset, against the vehement pleas of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Sheriffs' Association, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, et. al.

I don't know that this crime was committed with an assault weapon; I doubt the law would make much of a difference in this case, where the killer is likely dead, ergo not prosecutable, but the Federal Assault Weapons Ban gave law enforcement another tool to put away assholes like this. When their sleezeball attorneys get them off the hook for murder on a technicality, it's nice to know that Johnny Law can put him away for a little bit based on the AWB.

I'm not anti-gun. I live in the rural Midwest, but I do think there are certain restrictions on reasonable personal protection. Rare are the individuals who need the "magazine outside grip" of a MAC 10, a TEC 9, or an AK-47, or a "large capacity ammunition feeding device" (aka a clip carrying more than 10 rounds.) Maybe it's draconian of me to think that forcing someone to reload after firing 10 rounds isn't unreasonable, but that's the way I feel.

Anyway while it was shameful of the Republicans to trade away our safety for a handful of votes from Charleton Heston's followers, what is more shameful to me is the inaction of the Democrats on this issue. In February Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy sponsored a bill reinstituting the ban. It has since died in committee, as has it's Senate counterpart just a month ago.

In their zeal to appear more centrist the Democratic party has decided this is the sort of thing likely to get them painted as anti-gun liberals by the radical right. Well if I had to pick between special interest groups led by "Bright Eyes" from Planet of the Apes and the police officers of this country, I'll take the cops any day.

Back in 2004 when the Assault Weapons Ban was about to sunset the President was asked by the media if he would sign a renewal. He pledged he would do so, safely knowing the Republican majority in both houses meant he would never have to make good on his promise. Well times they are a-changin'. The Democrats now have a majority and they should produce an Assault Weapons Ban for Mr. Bush's signature. Call his bluff. Let's see if in the wake of this national tragedy he will be a man of honor, or if he will equivocate and mislead again.

I'm feeling sad
I'm spinning Arlo Guthrie - City of New Orleans
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