Lang!!!!!!!!!!!!!! C#%ks*&k#r
Posted on 11/22/2006 10:06:06 AM PST by kiriath_jearim
BOSTON — New Bedford Mayor Scott W. Lang told state lawmakers yesterday that if they want to get serious about gun violence, they need to approve tougher laws and come up with more money.
Mayor Lang appeared at a Public Safety Committee oversight hearing on youth gun violence with Bristol County District Attorney-elect Samuel Sutter, New Bedford Police Chief Ronald Teachman and Carl Alves, who coordinates an anti-gang grant program for the city.
"In New Bedford, we regard guns as a weapon of mass destruction," Mayor Lang told the committee. "We think they are a weapon of mass destruction throughout our cities and towns throughout the United States."
Sen. Jarrett Barrios, D-Cambridge, who co-chairs the committee, is gathering ideas for an omnibus gun-control bill that will be filed next year. He invited officials from Boston, Springfield and New Bedford, as well as state law enforcement and national policy experts.
Dan Vice, a staff attorney with the Brady Campaign, which advocates for gun control, said Massachusetts needs to establish a statewide registry of legally owned guns. He also urged the state to restrict gun purchases to one per month.
"The good news is Massachusetts has been a model for the nation, but much more can be done," he said.
Mayor Lang called on the Legislature to put some "real teeth" in the state's gun laws. He called for stronger sentences for illegal gun possession that would be served in addition to prison time for the underlying crime. Currently, it can be served simultaneously with another sentence.
He said the Legislature needs to fully fund Gov.-elect Deval Patrick's campaign pledge to put 1,000 new police officers on the street, not "for one year."
Based on the city's population, Mayor Lang said it should result in a 20 percent increase in police officers in New Bedford. "It would be very, very helpful," he said.
He also urged the state to make non-violence programs part of the curriculum in public schools. And he said New Bedford could use help in paying for security cameras in public areas "that will provide a real deterrent to crime in our city."
D.A.-elect Sutter said criminals who attempt to shoot someone, but miss, are currently sentenced to as little as five years in prison. He called for a mandatory-minimum of seven to eight years in prison for attempting to shoot someone, and a mandatory-minimum of 10 years for shooting someone but not killing them. He said the maximum for both crimes should be life.
Mr. Sutter said gun violence was the number one issue with constituents when he campaigned in Bristol County.
"I think the statutes that presently exist with respect to the actual acts of gun violence are deficient," he said. "I think the state sentencing guidelines are deficient. I know, because I've both prosecuted shooting cases and defended shooting cases."
He said the state should also assign a state trooper to each county to coordinate a gun trafficking task force, similar to drug task forces in the counties.
Chief Teachman said the state should make it a felony to possess a gun with the serial number scratched off. And he called for state support for a ballistic fingerprint data base to track guns.
The New Bedford officials were backed up by state Reps. Stephen R. Canessa, Robert M. Koczera and Antonio F.D. Cabral, all New Bedford Democrats. Rep. Cabral said the delegation could end up filing its own gun bill to get its ideas out.
Rep. Canessa filed an anti-gang bill with Sen. Barrios that become law last year. In part, it set up a statewide witness protection program, toughened gun laws and provided $11 million in anti-gang grants to communities.
New Bedford got $1 million in gang prevention grants, which has been distributed to 19 different organizations and agencies in the city.
Rep. Canessa said curbing illegal gun use would be a major topic in the next legislative session. Last year's anti-gang law increased penalties for gang members who share illegal guns.
"We always have to keep in mind the rights of legal gun owners," he said. "What I think we really need to focus on is the folks who are using and possessing firearms illegally. "Those are the folks we need to go after. Those are the folks who are causing the crimes. And those are the folks who are making our streets and our neighborhoods unsafe."
Mr. Alves suggested that more could be done to turn around first-time offenders when they appear in court, before they became career criminals.
"If we can get them young, it's going to stop the pipeline of gang members," he said.
Howard Mabry, who does outreach work with Union Baptist Church in New Bedford, also testified at the oversight hearing. He told the committee gun and drug problems are tied together. In some cases, he said, drug dealers are paid with guns.
"Where there are drugs, there are guns," Mr. Mabry said.
the gubmint answer to all problems:"more money".
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
The mayor sounds like a real tool.
I'm for that idea. Step 1. Buy .45, and then gun laws will have some real teeth.
tougher laws
more money
This is all he wants - that fact that billions already spent over 100's of years has done nothing.
BANG!
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
No, what they need are crime control bills. Put away violent criminals for long terms or even execute them.
Oh, now this idiot is claiming Mass. is a "model" for the Nation. Some model.
He who has the guns makes the laws.
The bad news is that they don't seem to realize they are a model of what NOT to do....
http://www.packing.org/state/massachusetts
Lang!!!!!!!!!!!!!! C#%ks*&k#r
"The good news is Massachusetts has been a model for the nation, but much more can be done,"
Agreed! Massachusetts is a model of what NOT to do about gun violence. IMO, gun registration programs don't stop gun violence. Increased penalties for those who use guns in violent crimes, on the other hand, is effective. The death penalty for murderers is very effective if for no other reason than the end result is one less murderer.
That would be because you're a Liberal who, therefore, has zero regard for the English language. Words are just political tools like everything else.
Guns are WMDs
War protest is Patriotic
Homosexuality is a Family Value
Raising taxes is Compassion
Killing unborn children is a Right
Self-defense is Not
The Constitution is Living
God is Not
Prohibition of prayer is Freedom of Religion
Christians are Extremists
Muslims are Peaceful
Socialism is Progress
American nukes are an Abomination
Iranian nukes are Not
I'm sure the list is not exhaustive...
A valuable life lesson: Be very skeptical of anyone who can't speak in clear, plain language.
Does anyone have a pic of that ridiculous billboard on I90 that they can post here?
The gun nuts are on the loose again.
Seems not a day goes by here on FR without another horror story out of MA. All consrrvatives get out and leave it to the lib loonies!
"Oh, now this idiot is claiming Mass. is a "model" for the Nation".
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