VIDEO: Martin Luther King III and Others Remember the Loved Ones They’ve Lost to Gun Violence

Background check required.

Posted by Susie Weatherly at 7:05pm, March 7, 2011

I will never forget Sunday morning several years ago when my best friend (since we’re eleven years old) called and said “I can’t see you, Carol was shot, my grand-daughter is dead” Clearly, it’s not negotiable. No Way. it’s time to “:Stop It Now.”

Posted by Joan K. Levine at 11:37am, March 4, 2011

34 per day That is 34 LIVES that ended much too soon.. GUN Violence must be stopped the right to bear arms comes with a responsibility to allow others to enjoy LIFE Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We must employ better licensing and crack down on illegal sales and possession, Background checks must be done thoroughly. In memory of those gone too soon join us in honor of their loved ones who carry on with the hole in their hearts forever, Sign the petition ..take action stop the violence!!!

Posted by Donna Kukura at 6:52pm, March 1, 2011

Please stop the slaughter!

Posted by Winifred Burton at 6:02pm, March 1, 2011

STOP the gun violence in the world. STOP the manufacture of guns and ammunition. Guns should not even be used for sport. Animals deserve the right to live. Listen to the workd and see how this is spreading all over.

Posted by Barbara Stein at 12:46pm, March 1, 2011

Very moving…..as it should be…whatever it takes to stop this violence…

Posted by Denise Ayotte at 9:58am, March 1, 2011

It is a sad commentary on the American political system controlled by special interest lobbyists that we have not been able to fix this problem. In fact, we seem to be making it worse as laws are passed enabling more and more people to carry concealed weapons.

Posted by Rich DiGeorgio at 4:23pm, February 28, 2011

As a former Marine Law Enforcement Officer in the USCG, it’s time to Fix Gun Checks…

Posted by Rixar13 at 9:41am, February 28, 2011

Besides Loughner, as stated in news accounts, there were at least two other people at the scene in Tucson who carried guns that day. Neither one of them stopped Loughner.
  

Posted by Charlotte Kelly at 3:21pm, February 27, 2011

Of couse there should be background checks for all gun purchases and lists of all those prohibited from ownership.

Posted by Leslie Apollo at 12:27pm, February 27, 2011

I am a gun owner – my husband is a hunter. I have never understood the argument that to regulate the sale of guns equates to an assault on 2nd Amendment rights. I have never understood why anyone should have the “right” to own a lethal semi-automatic or automatic weapon capable of putting out tens of rounds in a matter of minutes. The debate in this country has become nonsensical due to the massive amounts of money and power behind the gun lobby. It’s time to talk sense. I am grateful for Mayors Against Illegal guns and hope that we can make some progress before another wave of tragedies strike.

Posted by Heather at 11:36am, February 26, 2011

It is simply inconcievable to me how the congress could change a law allowing 40 shells per clip instead of 10. How is that guaranteed in the constitution? How is even legitamate to cloak it in the constitution when the guns at the time of the writing of the constitution were flint-lock, single shot guns?

Posted by Gary at 11:09am, February 26, 2011

Responsible gun-owners are needed to make this happen. I believe many of them are reasonable people, and will do the right thing. So let’s recognize them as responsible and reasonable, and not belittle or insult them. I wanted to send all of my hunting family and friends to this site, but chose not too when I saw comments calling all gun-owners idiots. @ L. Dwight Dickerson, Ph.D, Not very smart.

Posted by Joe at 2:11am, February 26, 2011

My brother could have been 1 out of the 34 people killed each day from gun violence. Luckily, my brother survived the shooting but at a heavy, heavy cost.
My brother’s shooter was able to purchae a gun, though she had a history of mental illness. The background check system process needs dramatic improvement and gun shops/dealers need to be held accountable for selling illegal guns. My brother was victim of a terrible tragedy and a victim of the holes in the current background check system. I sincerely apprecriate what this coalition is working towards; think of the lives that could be saved.

Posted by JHart at 11:26pm, February 25, 2011

trying to stop gun ownership by those we find to be less than normal will never stop anything! time and time again people who are “suspect” but not over the line show it with an act of insanity. the only sane way of stopping or slowing down this insanity is to restrict the ownership of all weapons whose only purpose is to kill people. this may be a mistake to expose this knowledge to the NRA but we are not allowed to own hand grenades, or howitzers or other tools of warfare whose only purpose is to kill people. it’s time to take stock of what we allow and tell the nuts and idiots who think they are going to “defend” us all that they are the problem.

Posted by red woolley at 8:27pm, February 25, 2011

I own guns. I enjoy target shooting. I don’t hunt. I live alone and feel safer having a gun close at hand. When I travel I take a gun with me. I will not be a victim if I can help it. The crime rates in this country are astronomical. I’m not a big fan of the NRA but am planning to join because too many people in this country want to take away my right to own guns. I am in favor of strict gun control laws. I believe it is way too easy for the wrong people to acquire them now. What so many don’t realize is that illegal arms trading is a big business and the bad guys will always be able to get guns. The gun shows should be strictly regulated. It’s absurd to have background checks and waiting periods to own a gun, when people can just go to a gun show and get what they want, no checks, no waiting. I have no problem with getting a thoroug background check and having to wait a specified time period to get a gun. I having nothing to hide. Target shooting is something I enjoy, as do many others. I don’t hunt, I don’t understand why people take pleasure in killing animals, but realize with the encroachment of people into areas populated by deer and other herd animals, that is some types of hunting are necessary to keep the populations down.
And for the person who thinks that saying guns don’t kill people, people kill people, try your example of pointing a finger and replace the finger with a knife. If someone wants to kill, they will find a way to do it. Many serial killers don’t use guns. The simplistic solutions submitted by many here just don’t work. This country is huge and what works in some of the much smaller countries just won’t work here. Perhaps stopping illegal immigration from any country should be a higher priority. I also believe that “if guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns”, as I’ve seen on bumper stickers. Stop trying to blame crimes on guns. If there were no guns, people killing other people wouldn’t stop. Criminals and people inclined to kill would find other ways.

Posted by Barbara at 2:40pm, February 25, 2011

Gun control is crucial to end senseless deaths in this country. I agree that people should have to wait to purchase a gun. I would further add that evidence of gun safety instruction and restrict purchase of bullets could further restrict or curtail the number of deaths occurring. My daughter’s fiance would still be here if there were
tighter controls on gun purchases and that background checks and waiting periods were enforced in every state.

Posted by Carla Miller at 1:27pm, February 25, 2011

Everyone could hand in their guns and the bad guy will still have his . We should have a strong back ground checks !

Posted by Paul A at 11:57am, February 25, 2011

I have never understood why some people feel the need to own a piece of equipment whose only purpose is to kill and/or maim another human being; it is absolutely SENSELESS! When Ohio passed their Conceal/Carry Permit law for handguns, my gun-nut father had to run out and get one; this bothered me for several reasons: first, because I grew up in a violent household where each and every time he got mad at a neighbor, a co-worker, even my mother, he would go and grab a loaded gun and go after these people. Second, my father is on several antidepressants and antipsychotic medications and he has absolutely NO BUSINESS owning ANY GUNS whatsoever. I made several phone calls to different agencies, asking for help in taking his guns away from him because of his mental health status, but because he’s never been convicted of a crime, there is nothing I can do! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!! My father is mentally ill and it is only a matter of time before he kills himself or someone else with one of his cherished guns. I have not spoken to my father since he got his conceal/carry permit, about 5 years ago. We WILL read about him someday, and the most sickening thing about it is, I tried in vain to do something before a tragedy occurs, but I was thrown right into a brick wall. Oh, and he gets all of his guns at, you guessed it, GUN SHOWS!

Posted by Monte G. Binns at 11:55am, February 25, 2011

I always think that to the rest of the world, we must look like fools for allowing people to have such easy access to guns.

Posted by Margaret Cusack at 11:11am, February 25, 2011

How shallow and crase have some of our citizens become that they cling to guns as if they were some savior? Guns should not be worshipped as some savior. There is a place for them , buty not before the welfare of our society.

Posted by Donald Burnison at 10:17am, February 25, 2011

I simply do not understand why, after Ronald Reagan was wounded, why the Republican party (for the most part) has continued to block ANY sort of regulation and control of sale of firearms.

Posted by Joseph P. Iacone at 9:50am, February 25, 2011

Thank you for allowing the victims’ families to share the emotional pain in the aftermath of these gun tragedies. It takes courage and fortitude to stand up to the gun lobby which represents a small percentage of Americans gun owners.
I pray that most Americans will never know the suffering felt by those in this video clip who shared their stories.

Posted by Alice Mountjoy at 8:49am, February 25, 2011

I think our country needs to be ashamed of itself, especially the NRA. I can’t believe they continue to say foolish and stupid things like guns don’t kill people, but that people kill. Try this…get very angry at someone, point your finger at them and hit them with your finger – do they die?! Try it with a gun and pull the trigger. This is a ridiculous argument – when will we learn. I live in a state where people from other states come to get guns (VA.). We must stop this – Wake up, gun lobby! This is not what our constitution meant when it said the right to bear arms. That meant that when threatened by another – like country – we had the right to defend ourselves. How many children today get angry with a friend and pick up a gun to settle the argument! NRA… Stop! Listen! To this video and these suffering people who have lost a loved one.

Posted by Joan M. Brown at 7:21am, February 25, 2011

Big thanks for taking on the pro-gun people. Heaven knows most politicians won’t. My only regret is that you are only talking about tightening registration laws. I guess it takes baby steps, but for something that is only meant to kill, why not just rip off the bandage, and severely ban ownership and manufacture of guns for the general public. Otherwise, guns will still be out there in the good guys hands who might have a bad day, or recycled in the “black market” to the bad guys.

Posted by rose at 7:06am, February 25, 2011

Nothing — NOTHING — has had a more negative effect on civilization than the gun. The ownership of a gun is concrete proof of two things: 1) The owner is living in fear — of something; and 2) the owner is a complete and total IDIOT! And this means YOU — if you own a gun!

Posted by L. Dwight Dickerson, Ph.D. at 5:54am, February 25, 2011

Another method to prevent firearm deaths is to control the sale of any type of ammunition, regardless of type of firearm/weapon. Every person licensed to sell ammunition/firearms must comply with State and Federal Government regulations before making a sale of any type of ammunition. The same method can be utilized as for the sale of firearms/weapons. This process certainly would lower the rate of deaths by firearms. Criminals would still be able to obtain firearms and ammunition on the black market, but these processes would have a positive effect on the number of deaths by firearms.

Posted by Ammunition control. at 12:49am, February 25, 2011

I think the proper method of gun control is multifolded: 1) Every person wanting to purchase a gun has to fill out a “Request for the purchase of any type of firearm”, this 2) includes having finger prints taken, as well as, 3) having to wait for three working days to have a background check made and 4) have a valid State or Federal Identification card and 5) a verifiable home address, including a witness to confirm person’s identity, all prior to actually receiving the firearm. If the person doesn’t want to wait for this process to take place, he or she doesn’t get the firearm, period……….

Posted by Gun control at 12:37am, February 25, 2011

It is frustrating to realize the need for stronger gun control laws and see the NRA fight against them. We have become a slave of the lobbyists in this country. They have made a mockery of representative government. But what gets me even more is when someone says the Constitution of this country guarantees the right of every citizen to own a gun. In Texas there are state representatives who believe college students and professors should be allowed to bring guns to campus. I never knew a more unstable bunch in my life. I can see the suicide rate jump. Beer bashes would turn into wild west shootouts. Even trained police officers make mistakes but let’s put our colleges in the hands of gun-toting 18 to 22 year olds. This world gets crazier all the time.

Posted by Hal M at 12:32am, February 25, 2011

Here in my state of Texas, the insanity is greater: senator Lamar Smith and his conservative cohorts are trying to pass a bill to allow guns on campuses. No one was clamoring for such action, it’s just part of the force-fed conservative stupidity that we live with here.

Also, closing the gun show loophole would be a good idea. Any idiot can buy a gun there, with no check of any kind.

Posted by philip krumm at 11:38pm, February 24, 2011

I don’t believe the right to form a militia is the same as the right of any citizen to own a gun. The 2nd ammendment is about militia to defend the country against attack…as in the days of Paul Revere. Why any citizen should be able to own automatic weapons, like the glouck (sic) that shot the Representative in Az. is beyond me.Yes guns don’t kill people; PEOPLE WITH GUNS kill people. I
Thanks finally for politians with courage for taking this on.

Posted by Barbara Measelle at 11:36pm, February 24, 2011

My heart aches for those who have lost a loved one for no other reason than the fact that too many Americans believe they need a gun to hide behind instead of using their brains and intelligence to defuse situations. I personally thank all of those that are fighting to bring sanity to this country. I challenge all NRA members to bring sanity to their organization by putting aside greed and power hunger.

Posted by Rebecca T. Davila at 4:52pm, February 24, 2011

The gun culture in which we are immersed has created a climate in which all phases of American life are saturated. Violence, the bravado of gun-toting actors and actresses, the nightly body count emanating from TV screens, the militarism of American foreign policy…all strengthen the hands of the mentally impaired, the youth, the millions of citizens living on the emotional edge. The country is saturated with guns, legal and illegal and Rambo is the ideal for the unthinking young and old. The streets are increasingly unsafe. It is time to halt this insanity.

Posted by Donald F. Morey at 4:38pm, February 24, 2011

 I agree that something has to be done, I am a FFL, and I have done gun shows and I agree that gun shows are the loop hole.
 FFL’s must have license posted at gun shows
 It is obvious at a gun show who is licensed and who isn’t
The FFL"s are DOING the background checks and paying taxes.
The private seller sells to who’s got the money all they have to do is check ID for residency and identification.
I believe everybody going into the gun show show have to pass a background check to get in.That way every body in the show is legal.
The proprietor of the gun show does not care as long as they have the entrance fee.
FFL’s can and do have the right and are required to stop the sale for various reasons.
Fully automatic weapons are illegal to sell or receive unless you are licensed Class3.
FFL’s are required to at gun shows to follow laws as if in store.
FFl’s are allowed to set up at shows to help STOP the mis-abuse.
The problem is the private seller and the attitude, of if you got the money honey, you got the gun.

Posted by Gary at 4:22pm, February 24, 2011

If better, more effective gun laws would save just ONE life, it is worth it. It’s time to stop putting the rights of gun owners ahead of the rights of everyone to live.

Posted by Todd Anderson at 3:56pm, February 24, 2011

I am a gun owner, and spent most of my adult life working in hospital security, and have seen the endless line of people wounded, killled by guns, and in my 56 years have only known two people to have ever shot someone in self defence, but have seen countless shot down by accident, hate, greed, and myself was robbed at gun point once by a 16 year old boy. My family has been in Amercia since 1750, I am a veteran, and America needs gun control, take for example the west where I grew up, there was no law order, it was not safe for settlers until towns oulawed the carrying of guns on the streets, the historical presidence is that guns uncontrolled bring about murder, crime, and history always repeats it’s self, if gun carrying could be controled on the frontier where outside of towns guns were a matter of survival, then it can and should be controled today.

Posted by jesse stewart at 3:56pm, February 24, 2011

The last time I checked Seung-Hui Cho (V Tech shooter) and Jared Loughner ( Sen Gifford’s shooter) both were able to walk into a store and purchase the guns they used to killed between the both of them 38 people and wound many more. This law would no way stop Americans from getting guns, it would prevent those that should not have them in the first place from getting them LEGALLY! The ONLY people that would be effected by this form of legislation would be felons and mentally instable people. You know the ones out there committing the crimes and actually hurting innocent people. Problem with most “common sense” legislation is most people lack it to truly understand it. This doesnt violate the 2nd Amendment in anyway in fact it HELPS to preserve the sense of security that we dont have at the moment which is why everyone walks around this country with a gun on their hip. Wake up people there is NOTHING wrong with a background check unless your a criminal or mental patient. That has to leave well over 90% of the country with nothing to worry about from this bill……

Posted by Al Adorno at 3:41pm, February 24, 2011

“A well regulated militia” means the government takes control of this issue. Americans act so smug about Ciudad Juarez, but they are NO DIFFERENT.

Posted by ANTONIO at 3:40pm, February 24, 2011

We need gun control here in the US. The guns retrieved from gang member illegals were originally acquired in the US. Mexico does not allow personal gun ownership.

So we sell guns here and then complain when they return to do harm.

My son was shot in the head and didn’t die. However he lives in a hospital subacute and can’t speak, 75% paralized and eats through a feeding tube.

Posted by Esther Medina at 3:34pm, February 24, 2011

There are always some who rationalize that guns are often obtained illegally on the streets. Ask those same people if they would defend our weak gun laws and the NRA’s millions of dollars campaign against strengthening the law and they would cry out Second Amendment rights. If gun violence were to strike their family, would they be so cavalier? They might want to seek retribution using “second amendment rights”. That is not a remedy but a view that we live in a militia society. I cannot support that.

Posted by M E Wilkenfeld at 3:15pm, February 24, 2011

I am old. I have developed a sofisticated crap detector. I can Identiry crap. This is crap. Mayors were not elected nationwide. They were not elected to be an influence on national policy. I object to mayors other than the one I elected purporting to be acting on my behalf because I cannot not vote for them. Any politition should leave the gun issue alone. Gun ownership is a right and should not be infringed in any way. I feel for the loss of those people that are affected. But I’ll bet that if you totaled up the number of deaths caused by departments of transportation failure to install traffic lights untill their set nomber of deaths have been reached, sthe numbers would astound you. In effect, those deathsthat occurred after the first death that would have been saved by a traffic light are goverment sanctioned deaths, And that your efforts to zero out those deaths would save many more lives than any law, rule, regulation, background check, or restriction by any liscensing effort. Ineed to member of NRA now because these jackwagons are out there. bye

Posted by Paul Hauk at 3:06pm, February 24, 2011

unfortunetly you cannot control guns that are being sold on the street by members of gangs and illegals who bring them in from Mexico. A lot of the guns that are used in murders are stolen from legals.in home break ins.

Posted by Leonard Wolfe at 2:36pm, February 24, 2011

When I asked my Japanese students why guns are outlawed in Japan, they answered, “We don’t need them.” Try telling that to the 280 million gun owners in America.

Posted by David Rothauser at 2:31pm, February 24, 2011

What can you really say to these people. Getting a gun in any city or town in this country is just easy. But we are talking about people that don’t go in and buy a gun from a dealer with a store and rules and paperwork to follow the gun.
These are people that get the Mac 10s or a AK 47s behind a bar. Or are gang members who have all the firepower to match the police or better. Testing and filling out forms and waiting 3 days, are people going deer hunting. And they don’t buy Mac 10s to do it. Or at least I hope they don’t! We need to get our heads out of the sand. Report kids that are acting strange, or people that walk around yelling at the air. Thats how you take care of this problem. Not making laws that, and I am sorry to tell you this. Will never stand up in any court in this country! Our founding fathers made sure of that. And sorry again but I think they were right.

Posted by G Wing at 2:12pm, February 24, 2011

Big thanks for taking on the pro-gun people. Heaven knows most politicians won’t. My only regret is that you are only talking about tightening registration laws. I guess it takes baby steps, but for something that is only meant to kill, why not just rip off the bandage, and severely ban ownership and manufacture of guns for the general public. Otherwise, guns will still be out there in the good guys hands who might have a bad day, or recycled in the “black market” to the bad guys.

Posted by rose at 2:12pm, February 24, 2011

I understand that the NRA has made it illegal for the ATF , FBI, and other agencies to compile records of gun sales or to keep a database that can be used by law enforcement or background checks. Records can only be made by hand and not shared..

Posted by jim fling at 2:10pm, February 24, 2011

We’ve got to stop this insanity ASAP! The NRA and their followers are not part of our elected representative in congress and their overstated power should be addressed and exposed for what they really represent; no regulation on weapons that continue to murder our citizens every minute of of every day. I was a member of the NRA in 1950 when they taught gun safety in school and was not a political organization as they are today ; they now condone murder and the only safety they’re concerned about is their relationship with the arms manufactures/dealers for financial gain of each. Stand up and fight them; there are more people who want ridgid laws then don’t!!!

Posted by Rock Colella at 1:54pm, February 24, 2011

I signed the petition, but as far as I’m conserned it does not go far enough. I don’t think the Second Amendment gives us the right to bear arms. I believe it gave us the right for all male to be armed in order to form a militia at a minutes notices.

We do not need automatic and semi-automatic weapon and no one, but no one should be able to own any weapon our military owns for combat. It is stupid and rediculous. I want to ban all guns, rifles, etc., to private citizens. I don’t think that can happen so how about we allow citizens, after thorough background checks to own a 22 or 38 pistol and a hunting rifle. Nothing more.

Posted by Marilyn at 1:54pm, February 24, 2011

People use Guns to Kill People — and that is a FACT.

Posted by Madeline at 1:51pm, February 24, 2011

Sorry …the sad, awful fact is: cash is King. As long as the almighty powerful NRA and their $$$$ lobbyists control the lawmakers, there will be more gun violence and deaths. Chuck Shumer , go after the NRA!

Posted by Ginny Forbes at 1:49pm, February 24, 2011

So sad! A record check is vital and gun shows need to also follow the rules that a store is required to do. Also, automatic weapons should not be allowed.

Posted by judy easterbrooks at 1:46pm, February 24, 2011

My heartfelt sympathies to these families — famous and not famous. Gun maker lobbyist are behind this lack of control. Profits versus people.

Posted by Donna Mollaun at 1:41pm, February 24, 2011

I have never in my life been as moved as I was by this video… PLEASE, America!…it’s time to say “STOP!”…STOP IT NOW

Posted by Chuck Griffith at 1:39pm, February 24, 2011