Gun Policy News, 13 April 2000
13 April 2000
Prince George Citizen, Canada
We expect National Rifle Association president and accomplished actor Charlton Heston will receive a warm welcome in Prince George today at the B.C. Wildlife Association's annual general meeting. Perhaps Heston will provide some answers, or at least some hope, for people in this region who find themselves frustrated and angry about gun registration laws in Canada.
Heston's visit (he speaks at the Coast Inn of the North at 11 a.m.) is also an indication of the... (GunPolicy.org)
British Columbia: Heston's Visit Denounced
13 April 2000
National Post (Toronto)
VANCOUVER — Canadian gun control advocates are outraged that Charlton Heston, head of the U.S. National Rifle Association, will speak today at a B.C. Wildlife Federation meeting in Prince George. Wendy Cukier, president of the Coalition for Gun Control, says this is another example of U.S. gun advocates trying to bring their "gun culture" to Canada. But she says that has led to a U.S. homicide rate that is 15 times higher than... (GunPolicy.org)
Feinstein License All Gun Owners
13 April 2000
San Francisco Examiner
WASHINGTON — Sen. Dianne Feinstein announced a tough new gun control proposal Thursday that would require federally approved licensing of all owners of handguns and certain semi-automatic weapons.
Feinstein, D-Calif., said she plans to introduce the legislation next year but is seeking to build support for it now because she expects that federal gun licensing will be "a seminal issue in this presidential campaign."
"There will be a real choice between a candidate... (GunPolicy.org)
Raiders Steal 35 Guns from Army Barracks
13 April 2000
Times (UK)
Thieves stole a large cache of weapons from a Royal Artillery armoury near Salisbury Plain without alerting anyone. Only a routine check in the morning showed that 19 9mm pistols, 13 shotguns and three starter pistols had gone missing overnight. The armoury, in a building that houses 14th Regiment Royal Artillery at Larkhill in Wiltshire, was protected by an alarm system and locked gates, although it was not guarded by soldiers.
Ministry of Defence police, supported by... (GunPolicy.org)
Clinton Administration is at Odds With Smith & Wesson Agreement
13 April 2000
Wall Street Journal
SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts — Additional cracks are becoming evident in Smith & Wesson Corp.'s highly publicized agreement to curb its manufacturing and distribution of handguns.
Smith & Wesson has tried to reassure its wholesalers and retailers by disseminating a far narrower interpretation of the pact than that adopted by the Clinton administration and a group of state and local governments that joined the agreement last month. Under the deal, the governments agreed... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Anger Over Plans to Tighten Laws
13 April 2000
Press Association (UK)
Proposals to dramatically tighten Britain's gun laws triggered a furious reaction from the pro-shooting lobby today, with claims that the restrictions would stifle legitimate shooters but leave criminals unchecked.
The report by a cross-party committee of MPs was criticised by gun sports campaigners because it said children should not be allowed to handle firearms until they are aged 12 or 14.
Enthusiasts said an age restriction would damage Britain's future prospects... (GunPolicy.org)
A Closer Look at Rampage Killings
13 April 2000
New York Times, Editorial
Next week marks the first anniversary of the shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., which left 15 dead and 23 wounded. The massacre, carried out by two Columbine students, generated intense debate about access to guns, the effect of violence in movies and video games, and the failure of schools and families to spot signs of murderous rage in the teenage gunmen. Yet the Littleton incident was only one of 13 rampage attacks last year, and multiple murders... (GunPolicy.org)
Outrage Over Guns Has Limited Impact
13 April 2000
Washington Post
LITTLETON, Colorado — When it comes to the gun issue in American politics, this is ground zero. Almost a year ago, at Columbine High School near here, two students went on a shooting spree, killing 12 of their classmates and a teacher before they took their own lives.
Since then "Columbine" has become shorthand for wanton youth violence, a rallying cry for gun control advocates who see the bloody Colorado incident as a watershed event that will finally break what... (GunPolicy.org)
A Good Shot Against the Gun Lobby
13 April 2000
Wall Street Journal
Michael Barnes rattles off data with the ease of a kid talking baseball. But unlike batting averages or ERAs, the statistics cited by Mr. Barnes are depressing:
Last year, more people were killed by guns in his home state of Maryland than in Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Germany and Great Britain combined.
A child in America is more likely to die from gun violence than from all diseases combined.
Water pistols are regulated by the federal... (GunPolicy.org)
Kayla's Mother Joins Moms' March
13 April 2000
Detroit News
MT. MORRIS TOWNSHIP — In memory of her 6-year-old daughter who was gunned down by another classmate, Veronica McQueen will attend the Million Mom March in Washington, D.C., next month on Mother's Day.
McQueen will march with her husband and two children two days after her daughter, Kayla Rolland, would have celebrated her 7th birthday.
She also may speak before the moms called on to demonstrate at the nation's capital for tighter gun control laws.
McQueen's... (GunPolicy.org)
Colt's Response to Newsweek Article
13 April 2000
Colt News / Newsweek
Errors and factual misrepresentations in your story on Colt, "Unmaking a Gunmaker," (SOCIETY, April 17) do the Company, its employees and your readers a grave disservice. Your writer Mr. Matt Bai, during his visit to Colt, was treated with hospitality and given frank and open answers to his questions, believing that he would tell an unbiased story about the Company. Clearly, he was not up to the task at hand.
Illustrative of the many errors contained in your story are... (GunPolicy.org)
Heston Expected to Denounce Canadian Restrictions on Arms
13 April 2000
Edmonton Journal (Alberta)
Charlton Heston, seen by some as a Moses leading gun owners to the Promised Land, will visit British Columbia today to denounce Canadian laws requiring mandatory registration of firearms.
The speech, the first ever in Canada by the president of the National Rifle Association of America, has irritated Justice Minister Anne McLellan and infuriated Canadian gun control advocates who see it as an intrusion into domestic politics.
Heston's strident views encouraging... (GunPolicy.org)
President Pushes Gun Control Measure
13 April 2000
New York Times
DENVER — With the anniversary of the shootings at Columbine High School a week a way, President Clinton came here on Wednesday to intensify his public campaign for tighter gun restrictions.
"I don't want any future president to have to go to Columbine or to Springfield, Ore., or to Jonesboro, Ark., or to any of the other places I have been," Clinton said at a downtown rally, rattling off some of the sites of recent shootings.
"It is tough enough to comfort the... (GunPolicy.org)
Hundreds Protest at Gun-Rights Rally
13 April 2000
Denver Post (Colorado)
As thousands filed out of a gun-control event led by President Clinton on Wednesday morning, a gun-rights activist tossed a pamphlet to a high school student attending the Downtown rally.
The girl wiped her behind with it and threw it over her shoulder at more than 200 protesters chanting, "Guns Save Lives."
The clashing gun-rights advocates and opponents illustrated the dramatic debate over gun laws in the state at a time when Clinton said "the country is looking... (GunPolicy.org)
Taft's Gun Bill Killed in Committee
13 April 2000
Cincinnati Enquirer (Ohio)
COLUMBUS — Gov. Bob Taft had his bully pulpit kicked out from under him Wednesday, a day after he pleaded with legislators to revive a safe-storage gun bill.
Despite personal appeals from the governor, and a poll showing a majority of Ohioans support the idea, leaders of the Republican-controlled House acknowledged what they had suspected since the bill was introduced.
There weren't enough votes to get the bill out of committee, let alone off the House floor.
By... (GunPolicy.org)
Senate Dems to Push Gun Control
13 April 2000
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Frustrated over gridlocked gun control legislation, Senate Democrats said Thursday they would "consider all procedural and parliamentary options" to restart negotiations, even if it means blocking some legislation.
Democrats said they were angry that the legislation is stuck in a conference committee, with the anniversary next week of the Columbine High School shootings. The measure passed the Senate soon after last year's shootings at the Colorado... (GunPolicy.org)
More Threats at Canada Schools
13 April 2000
Associated Press
TORONTO — Police have charged a 14-year-old boy with threatening bodily harm for saying in class he would bring a machine gun to school.
The incident Wednesday was the third in recent weeks in .
It occurred in the run up to the first anniversary of the Columbine high school shootings in Littleton, Colo., that killed 15 people, including the two teen-age gunmen.
A week after the Columbine killings, a youth armed with a semiautomatic rifle killed one student and... (GunPolicy.org)
13 April 2000
Denver Post (Colorado), Editorial
Blaming President Clinton for the gun-show loophole seems to be a bit of a stretch. But as we have seen in the news in recent days, people on all sides of the gun debate are using whatever firepower they have and then some.
Clinton's Denver visit to support a ballot initiative to close the gun-show loophole drew much ire. A group of Republican state legislators pinned the gap in background checks at gun shows on him, while Gov. Bill Owens lamented his visit as being... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunmaker Clarifies Part of Deal
13 April 2000
Associated Press
SPRINGFIELD — Smith & Wesson has clarified parts of its landmark agreement with the Clinton administration that called on it to crack down on gun dealers.
The company contends, in comments posted on its Web site, that it feels portions of the agreement requiring that it make background checks and impose other restrictions on sales only apply to the sale of the gunmaker's firearms.
It also said that criminal background checks it agreed to for gun-show sales would... (GunPolicy.org)
Clinton Visits 'Ground Zero' in Gun Debate
13 April 2000
Reuters
DENVER — President Clinton Wednesday visited "ground zero" in an increasingly bitter debate on guns, urging Colorado residents to put aside partisan differences and lead the nation by passing a gun-control ballot measure.
Eight days before the first anniversary of the Columbine school Killings in Littleton, Colorado, the national political battle over gun control continued, with Republicans accusing Clinton of exploiting the issue for political gain.
"Reducing gun... (GunPolicy.org)