Posted on 02/29/2012 8:01:47 AM PST by marktwain
WASHINGTON -- When Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell decided today to sign legislation that repeals Virginia’s 19-year-old restriction on selling more than one handgun a month, he ignored the pleas of the Virginia Tech families affected by the worst shooting massacre in the history of the Commonwealth and the United States.
Colin Goddard, who survived being shot four times at Virginia Tech and now works as an advocate with the Brady Campaign, was outraged.
"When the Virginia Tech families spoke to the governor on Saturday, he offered sympathy, not solutions. Sympathy alone will not save lives. The governor had a chance to be a leader for our state and for the nation in preventing future gun tragedies, but he chose a different path. As a result, innocent people will die. We will not let Virginians forget his shameful decision."
Lori Haas, whose daughter Emily survived being shot on April 16, 2007, and helped write and deliver a letter to Gov. McDonnell last week, asking him to meet with victims and survivors of the Virginia Tech massacre, saw the governor’s action as pandering. “Gov. McDonnell saw the wisdom of this law as a legislator. In our conversation with him on Saturday, he didn’t offer a single rational explanation for getting rid of it,” said Haas, a spokesperson for Virginians for Responsible Gun Laws. “When gun dealers can sell more guns without limits, they get the cold hard cash and we get more dead bodies. The governor needs to understand that.”
Peter Read, who lost his daughter, Mary Karen Read, during the Virginia Tech Massacre, told the governor during Saturday’s conference call, “I want to be able to say to anyone who asks that our governor is a profile in courage.” Today, in responding to the governor’s acceptance of the repeal, Read said, ”We didn’t get a profile in courage from our governor. We got a profile in capitulation.”
Dan Gross, new president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, was also dismayed at the governor’s unwillingness to put public safety first. “We at the Brady Campaign will continue to work with the families of Virginia Tech and citizens everywhere to let elected officials know that we’re not going away, we’re not backing down. If they make decisions that cost American lives, we will make sure the voices of their constituents are heard.”
The one-gun-a-month limit on handgun sales succeeded in dramatically reducing gun trafficking in Virginia, which 19 years ago was dubbed the “firearms supermarket” and “iron pipeline” for supplying crime guns to cities along Interstate I-95, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. It had the support of the 66 percent of Virginians, according to a poll released Feb. 19 by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
The Virginia Tech families, who since the tragedy five years ago, have become advocates for saving more Americans from the devastation of gun violence, are determined to continue their fight for strong, sensible gun laws.
Family members who requested the meeting with the governor last week included: Lori and Channing Haas, Andrew and Colin Goddard, Peter D. Read, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (Retired), Father of Mary Karen Read, VT '07, and Catherine M. Read, Kevin Sterne, Derek O’Dell, Joe, Mona, and Omar Samaha.
I wonder why the Brady bunch doesn’t come clean, be honest, and tell us how many firearms THEY think we should be able to purchase every month. (I bet that number would be zero)
It would be like asking any liberal how much $$$$ they think we should pay in taxes. They always complain about them not ever being high enough, but never give us a real number.
Neither will passing laws that restrict the freedom of people who don't mass murder.
Their solution is like trying to solve drunk driving by taking cars away from teetotalers.
Gun laws do not catch or stop criminals.
Well, since ALL wealth is created by government it would be more fair (and efficient) for your employer to simply send your entire check to the Ever Beneficient Comrade Obama and we'll just send you whatever we don't need. Or instead, maybe just pay you in kind and just give you vouchers for goobermint cheese.
< is a /s really necessary? >
Hey, even the broomstick is more proactive than cowering behind the First Wideload.
“the First Wideload”
Lol!
And which everyone knows is measured in “axehandles”, not “broomsticks” ;-)
It is sad when so few think they are more important than the rest of us. It was sad that some died, but to try and deny others a right to live life as they see fit, is just so wrong on so many levels. They should get a clue and carry on with their lives and stay out of the rest of our lives.
If they get to chose how many firearms I can purchase. I get to choose what tripe gets to run out of their soup-coolers.
The one gun a month law was in effect for about 14 years before the VT massacre and yet it still happened. What does VT or the victims of it have to do with the repeal?
Oh, I guess she means like the DOJ, FBI, ATF colluded to buy guns illegally in the southern states and GIVE them to criminal Mexicans so they could kill CBPE agents? Those kind of dead bodies? Hmmmm? I don't care one whit about her tragedy. She's a sheep that would give up her life to control someone else's.
This Goddard kid needs to learn that the governor is governor of all the state and not just a select few.
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