Posted on 05/28/2014 2:18:36 PM PDT by holymoly
Santa Barbara shooting shows need for federal version of SAFE Act, says New Yorkers Against Gun Violence
Following the shooting rampage in Santa Barbara that took the lives of seven people including the shooter, the group New Yorkers Against Gun Violence is calling for federal laws modeled on New York's own gun control measure, The SAFE Act.
On Friday May 23, 22 year-old Elliot Rodger killed six students in the California city of Santa Barbara, citing a lifetime of rejection and loneliness. His victims included his two roommates and their visiting friend, two sorority girls, and a male student inside a deli. He also injured 13 others.
The father of Chris Martinez, the 20 year-old killed inside a local deli, issued a statement blaming "craven irresponsible politicians and the National Rifle Association" for the death of his son and others. (Watch the video below).
Leah Gunn Barrett, executive director of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, said his anguish is palpable and reflects emotions felt around the country, urging the federal government for stronger gun control laws.
"Sadly it's another example of the weak federal gun laws," Barrett said. "There are three parts to this incident: the need for universal background checks, gun violence against women, and the use of high capacity magazines. Nobody needs to have a magazine that shoots 30 rounds."
Barrett took a moment to defend the SAFE Act, passed by the New York legislature in early 2013 following the Sandy Hook shooting, which claimed the lives of 20 school children and six teachers.
"We think the provisions passed in the New York SAFE Act need to be passed federally," Barrett said. "We have background checks; men with a history of domestic violence can't have guns; and you can't have magazines with more than 10 rounds."
After stabbing his three roommates to death, Rodgers carried out a drive-by style shooting spree with three legally obtained semi-automatic handguns, before killing himself. Before the shooting, Rodger emailed a 140-page manifesto to his family and several mental health professionals in which he outlined the reasons for his rage. The manifesto was filled with misogynistic rants as to why women had not "fulfilled him with the pleasure he rightly deserved."
Family members had originally alerted police after watching YouTube videos of Rodger where he planned a "Day of Retribution."
The shooting at Santa Barbara was the most recent of a series of high profile shootings throughout the country. Federal lawmakers have failed to reach an agreement regarding how to proceed with gun control legislation.
Richard Martinez went on to say in other statements that America has become too accepting of the gun violence displayed during Sandy Hook and the attack that killed his son. Barrett agreed.
"We need to be as loud as the 'pro-guns' and match their passion because the second amendment doesn't trump safety," Barrett said.
California has all these laws, and more (there's a reason Cal. has received an "A-" rating from the Brady Campaign).
California State Law Summary (Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence):
* Requires all gun sales to be processed through a licensed dealer, requiring a background check;
* Bans most assault weapons and 50 caliber rifles, and prohibits the sale or transfer of large capacity ammunition magazines
* Requires all firearms purchasers to obtain a license, after passing a written test;
* Limits handgun purchases to one per person per month;
* Prohibits the sale of “unsafe handguns” not on the roster of approved handguns;
* Imposes a ten-day waiting period prior to the sale or transfer of a firearm;
(View the full list at the above link.)
They lost me right there.
This guy took his own life, while being pursued by police.
He was not a victim. He was the perpetrator.
When you lump the life of a mass murderer in with his victims, you have lost all credibility.
The misogynist murder used a pistol with 10 round magazines, didn’t he? The NY SAFE act restricts you to only 7 rounds. So 3 rounds is going to make a big difference, how? And what about the knife killings?
...the shooting portion of the ‘shooting rampage’ took the lives of three people (murder)...not seven...three victims were stabbed (again, murder...and then the murderer, in my estimation, doesn’t count).
How long before its followed by a FIST act?
And the three he killed in his apartment were murdered with a hammer and a machete.
Thanks for the research, holymoly.
This is another case of the leftists not wanting a tragedy to go to waste. The fact that three of these unfortunate victims were killed by knife or bludgeoning tool has no bearing on the left’s caterwauling. The use of the vehicle is not mentioned in their ‘no guns, no way’ screeds.
The loss of life is tragic. The firearms were NOT the reason these people died. The shooter/stabber/driver was the reason these people died. The use of multiple tools of destruction is indicative of his strong desires to kill people.
The fact that CA already has the most onerous gun control laws in force is merely overlooked by these communist ba$tards. Because, in the final analysis, it isn’t about gun control so much as, simply, CONTROL.
Collectivists, never missing an opportunity to run dead bodies up the flagpole, for The Cause.
Facts be danged; it fits the agenda.
Yep! It is the knife he used to kill his three roomies that needs banning! There go all the cooking shows?
So if someone dies at the hands of a drunk driver, those that do not drive drunk must be held responsible and suffer more restrictions?
And if the law abiding are to suffer more restrictions, why shouldn’t government and law enforcement suffer more restrictions as well. When there is a questionable police shooting, should all police have their firearms restricted?
I take offense when someone makes a blanket statement blaming all gun owners for something that has nothing to do with law abiding gun owners.
The MSM is doing ther best to ignore the stabbings and focus solely in the shooting, which happened deposited getting practically every anti-gun law they have dreamed of passed.
The left knows they can’t call for a ban on knives because they know that knives will never be banned..they want guns banned so they could have complete control over all of us..Remember Hitler’s words “In order to control a nation, one must disarm its citizens.” The fact that three men were slaughtered with knives won’t even be mentioned..our local media calls this a “Mass shooting” I keep on yelling at the TV..THREE MEN WERE KILLED BY A KNIFE..but it doesn’t matter..those three young men’s lives are not relevant to the media because of the weapon that was used to kill them
I believe the 7 rounds was overturned by the courts. IIRC, the judge rather concluded that 7 was (IMOW) stupid.
The perp bought his guns in California. IIRC they have a 10 round limit. Further we don't even know what kinds of guns he used. For all we know these were 5 round revolvers. Nothing in this screed about the knife used or the deadly use of the BMW or his plan to kill people using a hammer.
The decision is at the bottom of the site I posted.
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