D.C. Gun Ban Repeal in Limbo for Now

Fox News ^ | 12 NOV 04 | Kelley Beaucar Vlahos

[Narf]

Washington, D.C. homeowners shouldn’t expect to lock and load anytime soon as an effort to repeal a nearly 30-year ban on handgun ownership (search) in the district has hit a snag despite Republican gains in the U.S. Senate that might draw more gun-friendly lawmakers to Capitol Hill. "It still has an improved chance," said Dan Whiting, spokesman for Republican Sen. Larry Craig (search) of Idaho, who had co-sponsored legislation to repeal the gun ban and had hoped to attach the measure to the 2005 D.C appropriations bill.

But opponents of the gun ban say D.C. residents are wary of turning back the clock prior to 1976, the year the ban on all handguns was put into place and the nation’s toughest gun law was enacted.

"Every day I am witnessing someone who’s been shot or murdered on these mean city streets," said Hannah Hawkins, who runs Child of Mine (search), a center that counsels at-risk youth in the greater D.C.-metro area. "It’s become more dangerous because of non-restrictive gun laws in other jurisdictions, like Virginia and Maryland," just over the border.

Before the election, the move to ease D.C.'s gun law had no strong support among Senate members, who hoped to avoid a fight over gun control right before voters went to the polls. "I don’t want to discount it," said Whiting, who added that hope persisted that Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the author of the District of Columbia Personal Protection Act, would pursue the repeal in the 109th Congress.

[Narf]

It never ceases to amaze me that the residents of the capitol of the greatest nation on the planet are denied the basic right of self defense. D.C. has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country, right up there with NYC, Chicago, and Newark, NJ. Anybody wanna venture a guess as to what those four cities have in common?

[Johnnyboy2000]

It wouldn't be an extremely high murder rate, would it? The idiots who pass these laws never seem to realize that violent criminals do not usually purchase guns legally. I live near D.C., and wouldn't feel safe living there without a gun unless I was protected by the Secret Service. The Democrats have a stranglehold on D.C. politics, so one should expect a general lack of common sense among the city's lawmakers.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

"It’s become more dangerous because of non-restrictive gun laws in other jurisdictions, like Virginia and Maryland," just over the border.

Yeah, a person is a heck of a lot more likely to kick in somebody's door if there is a good chance that the person on the other side is armed. /sarc

[uncbob]

It’s become more dangerous because of non-restrictive gun laws in other jurisdictions, like Virginia and Maryland," just over the border.

So how come they ain't shootin each other over in VA

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

"Every day I am witnessing someone who’s been shot or murdered on these mean city streets," said Hannah Hawkins, who runs Child of Mine

Hannah Hawkins is a flaming idiot. It's been graphically demonstrated that the gun ban doesn't work and, if anything, it has made D.C. a more dangerous place. The liberals' answer to everything is more of the same. If their policies don't work, they think making more rules and being even more restrictive will somehow work. Just unbelievable!!

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I lived in Virginia for 4 years and it was a bloodbath over there. /sarcasm

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[Malleus Dei]

Time to repeal this unconstitutional piece of totalitarianism.

[Hank Rearden]

It never ceases to amaze me that the residents of the capitol of the greatest nation on the planet are denied the basic right of self defense.

It's mostly populated by moronic government parasites.

QED.

[inquest]

When this was being pushed before the election, Frist canned it on the grounds that it's too hot to touch in an election season. Hopefully we won't fall for that lame excuse again. When something needs to be passed, it needs to be passed. If the candidate can't take the heat for it, he needs to get out of the kitchen.

[muawiyah]

Hannah Hawkins says DC has more gun use because of the lack of gun restrictions in Virginia.

She has a hidden agenda ~ maybe a brother-in-law who's an enforcer for a drug crew?

Or, she's simply one of the stupidest people to ever walk the face of the Earth.

Virginia, with few gun restrictions, has a far lower gun crime rate than DC.