In the wake of the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. many organizations, government officials and businesses are rethinking and challenging America’s policy on gun control.
Local Rep. Kathy Castor is calling for a limit on high-capacity magazines and assault weapons; former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said there needs tougher background checks and even Walmart and Dick’s Sporting Goods are curtailing their sales of assault weapons.
In St. Pete, one council member is seeking a resolution to ask city lobbyists to pressure state officials in Tallahassee to have a discussion on stricter gun laws in Florida.
“I think the two things for sure that need to happen, No. 1, an assault weapons ban,” said council member Steve Kornell. “That and tightening up the laws that allow you to prosecute someone for purchasing a gun for someone that can’t buy one legally.”
He said "assault weapon" is too loosely defined, too easy to obtain and just too dangerous to do any good.
Council will discuss the proposed resolution, which was submitted by Kornell this week, at the Jan. 10 council meeting.
While his new business item is about having a gun control discussion, Kornell insists his action was not a knee-jerk reaction to the shootings in Connecticut that left 27 dead.
“That was a horrific tragedy. My heart and prayers go out to the families,” Kornell said. “But, I’m also concerned with what’s happening right here.
“Since the elementary school shooting, we’ve had the guy in Clearwater Beach found with a cache of guns and we had a shooting (yesterday) morning at a hotel in Kenwood,” Kornell added.
Kornell, who is also a school social worker at Dixie Hollins High School, tried to bring a similar gun control resolution before council in June 2011. However, his proposal was rebuffed by half of the council out of fear of legal repercussions from Gov. Rick Scott.
A new Florida law prohibits municipal governments from passing laws pertaining to state gun law. Those who do, face legal action from the state.
For Kornell, this is part of the problem.
“Tallahassee is so beholden to the NRA, they don’t want to hear anything from the people,” Kornell said on why cities hands are tied in making gun laws. “The NRA has stopped representing gun owners and hunters and really started representing gun manufactures that pump millions of dollars into these lobbying efforts.
“To continue to bury our heads in the sand and let the NRA write gun laws and influence policy, I don’t think it’s going to have a positive result for the people of St. Petersburg,” Kornell added.
I'll stop there. My comment above addresses that issue. Let me propose a hypothetical, but very possible scenario for you. Suppose you and/or your family are home alone and you can tell there are 3 thugs with unknown weapons who are obviously intending to break in your home. They either don't think anyone is home (burglary), ''or'' they don't care (home invasion and burglary). It is very likely they are heavily armed. Even with no guns on them, 3 thugs could easily kill you. Even if you are lightly armed. You have 3 guns in your home. One...a ''legal'' small handgun. The other, an assault weapon that has been stored aside now because it is now illegal. You still have ammo, etc for it. Which one are you going to want to use? I ''know'' the answer to that question.
I can't finish the article until i vent about this.
''Why do you think you are so special that you have the right to define what type of weapon we should have the freedom to choose to protect ourselves?'' Huh? Tell me. How many examples do you need to wake you up to why citizens need equal fire power to what they might encounter? As far as that goes...who says I want ''equal'' power? Even if 3 thugs with Saturday Nigh Specials, they probably can barely use, are at ''my'' house to do harm to me and/or my family...I ''don't care'' if my ''assault rifle'' or my semi-auto deer rifle (which is virtually the same weapon) ''way'' overpowers what ''they'' have...then so be it. I still want to shoot them dead, and have a magazine with extra rounds to chase them down and be sure I get them all...and kill them. I don't want to wound them. I want them dead. I don't exercise compassion to 3 thugs who were ready to break into my house and do harm to me and/or my family. Don't call me a hater. I'm not. Don't call me too harsh. ''Harsh'' is what ''they'' were intending to do...''not'' what I would do to them instead with the weapon of my own choosing. Do you really think I want to ''wound'' 3 thugs...them possibly not dying...then they go to prison...and get out later...and then I have to worry about them the rest of my life? Be serious. I want them dead.
I don't agree entirely with the NRA position that is being taken out of context and exploited that we put an armed policeman in every school. I have issue with that for several reasons. 1-it's too expensive 2-it's a lot to ask of any patrolman to be assigned to a task like that. He would likely be killed, and killed first. It is very probable any attacker would simple shoot the officer from a hidden position from a distance without the officer ever knowing there was even a bad guy around. 3 how about a ''better idea''. For example...go into schools and first see which teachers would be willing to be on call and armed while still teaching a class? Don't require ''all'' teachers to arm themselves, but allow the ones who want to, to do so. But for the teachers who volunteered to become part of the organized armed group...have them take turns on a schedule by the week. Pay them more those weeks for being armed. Then if doors are shot open, like this guy did, and alarms sound, then armed teachers trained to respond tactfully, will have a very great chance of taking out a shooter first.
Semi-Autos are not Automatic Rifles. Automatic Rifles and "Assault rifles" are banned by NFA1934 and GCA1968. This law is in effect already. These words and feel good knee jerk crap is ridiculous. You guys can say what you want, but Chicago is the Utopia of Gun Control Laws. If you want stricter gun control move to Chicago. Also CT has an "Assault Rifle" ban and the ban states that it is illegal to sell or transfer an "Assault Rifle" in the state of CT. CT Law Chapter 943 Sec 53-202c Possession of an "Assault Rifle" Prohibited. It lists by name the Bushmaster as a banned weapon. So tell me how that ban worked in Newtown?
Apparently 10 years and $250000 is something he is not aware is the law, so maybe he should be aware of what laws exist before telling us that we need more, abd stating that we need laws that are already on the books. http://www.dontlie.org/FAQ.cfm