Broad Coalition Calls for a Strengthened Assault Weapons Ban (NAGS, CFA, Church groups, others)

Join Together ^ | 5-7-03

[Dan from Michigan]

Broad Coalition Calls for a Strengthened Assault Weapons Ban

5/7/2003

Press Release
Consumer Federation of America
1424 16th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Contact: Susan Peschin: (202) 939-1017

Doctors Against Handgun Injury
1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 1012
Washington, D.C. 20009
Contact: Rebecca Bruno: (202) 232-3319

Groups Representing Consumers, Children, Civil Rights, Health Professionals, and Women call on Senator Feinstein to Support a Strengthened Assault Weapons Ban.

Washington -- Fifty organizations, led by Consumer Federation of America and Doctors Against Handgun Injury, delivered letters to Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) urging her to introduce legislation that would not only reauthorize the 1994 assault weapons ban, but also strengthen it by addressing the limitations in existing law, which the gun industry has manipulated.

The coalition maintains that legislation to reauthorize the 1994 ban must deal with military-style weapons available to the public by clarifying the definition of the term "assault weapon." The term "assault weapon" must include any semiautomatic rifle, shotgun, or pistol that can accept a detachable magazine and includes one listed additional feature such as a pistol grip, fore-end grip, or collapsible stock. This improvement recognizes the features that represent the essence of an assault weapon and would make the law harder for manufacturers to circumvent. In addition, the bill should ban conversion parts kits; regulate "grandfathered" assault weapons and enhance the tracing of such weapons; ban all high-capacity magazines, including imports; and prohibit juvenile possession. The bill should also expand the number of weapons specifically banned by name to include assault weapons, such as the Bushmaster XM15 used by the alleged Washington snipers, that were specifically designed to evade the 1994 law.

The current ban is set to expire in September of 2004 and Congress is faced with the decision to reauthorize the legislation or let it lapse. Although the current ban was a solid attempt to curtail an extremely unregulated industry, it is common knowledge -- among the pro-gun community, the media, and the public -- that the gun industry has successfully evaded the law. The coalition asked Senator Feinstein to use this opportunity to readdress the ban and plug the loopholes that make it easy to manipulate. The coalition looks forward to working with Senator Feinstein and President Bush, who has said he supports reauthorizing the ban.

National Organizations
American Association of Suicidology
Association of Clinicians for the Underserved
Central Conference of American Rabbis
The Consumer Alliance
Consumer Federation of America
Doctors Against Handgun Injury
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association for the Surgery of Trauma
American College of Emergency Physicians
American College of Physicians
American College of Preventive Medicine
American College of Surgeons
American Medical Women's Association
Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma
National Hispanic Medical Association
National Medical Association
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Society of Critical Care Medicine
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Freedom States Alliance
General Board of Church and Society of the United
Methodist Church Hadassah, the Women's Zionist
Organization of America Handgun-Free America, Inc.
Mennonite Central Committee U.S., Washington Office
National Council of Jewish Women
National Organization for Women
National Women's Health Network
Presbyterian Church USA, Washington Office
Union of American Hebrew Congregations
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
Voices for America's Children (formerly National Association of Child Advocates)

State/Local Groups
CeaseFire Maryland
CeaseFire NJ
CeaseFire PA
Champaign County Health Care Consumers (IL)
Chicago Consumer Coalition
Children Now (CA)
Citizens' Committee for Children of New York
Columbia Consumer Education Council (SC)
Consumer Federation of California
Democratic Processes Center, Inc. (AZ)
Florida Consumer Action Network
Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence
Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence
Kids in Common (CA)
Massachusetts Consumers' Coalition
Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition
New Mexico Voices for Children
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence
North Carolina Consumers Council, Inc.
Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence
Oregon Consumer League
Physicians for a Violence-free Society (CA)
Statewide Youth Advocacy (NY)
Trauma Foundation (CA)
Voices for Illinois Children
Voices for Virginia's Children
Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort
Wisconsin Council on Children and Families
Youth ALIVE! (CA

[Travis McGee]

BLOAT!

[Jesse]

On behalf of the physicians who use their brains, I apologize for the left wing, socialist physician groups which support this ban. It is not based on evidence, merely feelings.

You should understand that most national physician organizations are run by doctors who don't have real jobs in the first place...most are academic tenured professors who know as little about firearms as they do about the private practice of medicine.

[Joe Brower]

[jscd3]

Taking a look at the list of organizations in the article, I was struck by the notion that they are probably mostly made up of ugly women. So, I guess that the article title Broad Coalition is probably appropriate...

[ninenot]

Actually, most real-life practicing MD's have 'normal' opinions on the topic. I know one who's a member of NRA, and another who owns a few smaller weapons for critter control.

But the AMA is like the Amer. BAR Assocn: run by leftist wonzos who take the dues money and do what they want. MD's generally regard them as irrelevant idiots.

[bonesmccoy]

DITTOS

[El Gato]

Broad Coalition

Broad like Hillery's ... well you know.

[El Gato]

Let's hope that DiFi, or some other Democrat, succumbs to the pressured from these groups and tampers with the bill.

All ready been done in a House version of the "renewal". H. R. 2038 This was introducted on May 8, and after a quick look, it appears some "named" guns have been added and the "test" for an AW has been expanded to require only one "evil feature", rather than two. Plus definition of "pistol grip" changed to include a thumbhole stock. Also the following would now be "assault weapons" under the bill:

`(J) A frame or receiver that is identical to, or based substantially on the frame or receiver of, a firearm described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (I) or (L).
`(K) A conversion kit.
`(L) A semiautomatic rifle or shotgun originally designed for military or law enforcement use, or a firearm based on the design of such a firearm, that is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, as determined by the Attorney General. In making the determination, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a firearm procured for use by the United States military or any Federal law enforcement agency is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, and a firearm shall not be determined to be particularly suitable for sporting purposes solely because the firearm is suitable for use in a sporting event.'.

[El Gato]

American Academy of Pediatrics
(To keep people from shooting themselves in the foot)

Ummm, Pediatrics refers to treatment of children, not feet. "For the Children" don't you know.

[El Gato]

To the gun-grabbers from the pro arms rights community.

Message follows:

Meaning: I am on fire and have dangerous cargo; keep clear. :)

[Central_Floridian]

It's ironic so many churches support gun-control. The only reference in the Bible to subjects being forbidden to own weapons is when the Philistines were oppressing the Israelites just before Saul became king.

[ninenot]

The AELC, like the United Methodists, and the UCC, have not theological positions on ANYTHING.

That's because these groups have no THEOLOGY. Why waste time on Scripture if you don't have a theology?

[Bars4Bill]

Doctors Against Handgun Injury

As opposed to Doctors For Handgun Injury?