Excerpt
Senator Christopher S. Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, is haunted by many things that emerged from the investigation of the December mass shooting at a Newtown elementary school. Among them is the nagging question of what prompted the gunman, Adam Lanza, to put down his rifle after killing 20 children and pick up the pistol he used to end his own life.
“We do know that historically in these instances, amateurs have trouble switching magazines,” Mr. Murphy said, referring to the high-capacity ammunition feeding device used by Mr. Lanza to shoot scores of bullets in seconds. “I believe, and many of the parents there believe, that if Lanza had to switch cartridges nine times versus two times there would likely still be little boys and girls alive in Newtown today.”
It is that conviction that has helped put fresh scrutiny on the size of magazines as Congress debates new gun laws.
While influential lawmakers in both parties view a proposed ban on assault weapons as politically toxic, lawmakers seem increasingly open to a ban on high-capacity magazines, like the 15- and 30-round devices that have been used in shooting rampages from Aurora, Colo., to Tucson, where Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head, to Newtown.
Constitutional lawyers, including many conservatives, generally believe that limiting magazine size falls well within the boundaries of recent Supreme Court decisions on gun rights, and evidence suggests that a ban on large magazines would have reduced the number of those killed in mass shootings.
A growing number of lawmakers say they see a distinct difference between limits on magazine sizes, which they would support, and an assault weapons ban, which they would not. “I see them as separate,” said Senator Angus King Jr., independent of Maine. “It’s the difference between appearance and functionality. High-capacity magazines have contributed to a lot of these tragedies.”
Even Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the majority leader who has long stood with the National Rifle Association and remains firmly against an assault weapons ban, has shown receptiveness to a magazine size limit for civilian gun owners. “I think it is something we ought to discuss,” he said.
"After Newtown, Gun Control Debate Spurs Political Action Across the Nation" PBS Newshour 2/18/2013
Excerpt
SUMMARY: After mass shootings in Columbine, Blacksburg, Aurora and Newtown, the conversation on enacting new gun control legislation has moved beyond the nation’s capital. While gun control activists are pushing for stricter laws, gun sales have increased as some gun owners fear tighter restrictions in the future. Gwen Ifill sat down with NewsHour’s political editor Christina Bellantoni to discuss the politics of gun control.
With the spotlight on gun control across the country, Bellantoni said many state legislatures are eager to join the debate.
"The Gun Debate" PBS Newshour
(25:33)
COMMENT: When I was very young my uncle was showing me a handgun (my first) that he brought back from WWII, but before he even let me hold it, he gave me his own gun safety talk....
- ALWAYS assume a gun IS loaded, even if Jesus Christ hands it to you, until YOU check it
- NEVER point a gun, loaded or unloaded, at something you are NOT willing to kill
- Guns are NOT toys, they are not to 'play' with
- Respect guns, be aware that they are very dangerous
.....he then went on to teach me how to properly hold and operate a gun.
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