Posted on 12/11/2001 11:37:24 AM PST by BCR #226
Attention Holiday Shoppers: 'Don't Put a Handgun Under the Christmas Tree This Year'
MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Citizens for a Safer Minnesota (CSM), a gun violence prevention group, warned holiday shoppers not to put a handgun under the Christmas tree this year. CSM noted that handguns can pose health risks due to inherent defects in their design and fabrication. Additionally, most handguns lack safety devices like trigger locks and load indicators that would reduce the number of accidental injuries and deaths caused by the unintentional firing of guns.
Currently there are no health and safety regulations for handguns. Ironically, teddy bears and toy guns are subject to federal consumer product safety standards and are subject to recall.
"When holiday shoppers purchase virtually any product, they can be assured that their gift has been reviewed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, unless shoppers are buying a gun," said Rebecca Thoman, Executive Director of Citizens for a Safer Minnesota. "When we regulate teddy bears and toy guns more than we regulate a handgun, something is wrong."
Teddy bears are regulated under four criteria: choking (ex. eyes popping out posing risk to children), flammability, sharp edges, and sharp points. Toy guns and other children's toys have similar regulations. In 1997 teddy bears killed no one in the United States, but gun violence took 32,436 lives in 1997 alone.
CSM's Midwest Coalition to End Gun Violence partners, Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence and the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence joined together to educate the public that guns are not regulated as consumer products.
"Two-thirds of Twin City residents and nearly 80% of greater Minnesota residents mistakenly believe that guns are regulated by federal safety standards. It's our job to correct that myth," stated Thoman, referring to a survey recently conducted for Citizens for a Safer Minnesota.
"I think people assume that guns are regulated as consumer products because everything else they buy is regulated. They say, so why aren't guns in the list as well," said Catherine Griffiths, Midwest Regional Director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence.
According to a recent survey, Minnesota residents overwhelmingly support government safety regulations for the design of guns. 75% of Twin City metro residents and 66% of greater Minnesota residents support regulating guns as consumer products.
The Midwest Coalition displayed an array of consumer regulated products including an artificial wreath, Christmas lights, a toaster, a coffee maker, and a remote controlled toy Santa that carried a sign asking why teddy bears are regulated, but guns are not. CSM wants to know the same thing.
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http://tbutton.prnewswire.com/prn/11690X88722438
SOURCE Citizens for a Safer Minnesota
CO: Citizens for a Safer Minnesota
ST: Minnesota
IN:
SU:
12/11/2001 11:30 EST http://www.prnewswire.com
Stay well 0 stay safe - stay armed - Merry Christmas
Stay well - stay safe - stay armed - Yorktown
Back when I was single I put up panty hose by the chimney every year.
Stupid Santa only put candy and stuff in there...
This may be true for imported firearms but it is not true for guns manufactured here. The ATF regulates the firearm industry to ensure that the requirements of federal law are met. Things like serial numbers and minimum barrel lengths etc. Under federal law an individual can even manufacture a handgun, rifle or shotgun (Title 1 firearm) for personal use without a FFL as long as you give it a serial number and it meets legal requirements like barrel length and bore size.
Yea I bet these self appointed it's for the children and a safer world anti-gun clowns think nothing of purchasing hi-powered automobiles for teenagers. Afterall we can't let our child be seen driving anything less than what is the best preformance. The typical teenager with neither the skills nor maturity to handle them. Once a vehice leaves the 60 mph speed range steering becomes more or less aiming on many of our nations hi-ways. Yet their silence is deafening on the matter.
Hand this to the face of the next anti-gun zealot who starts spouting gun death statistics and listen to them choke on their words. Do they propose we all walk too? Bicycles kill as well especially those with gear ratios that allow speeds in above 40 mph. Yep them killer bikes gotta go too.
Merry Christmas Son enjoy your new car.
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
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