25 Proposed Gun Laws Are Up in the NJ Assembly On Thursday
We need to take a harder look at what’s really going on. Stop trying to treat the symptoms and treat the cause of the problem. Maybe we should try a little harder to help these kids before they feel so cornered that they turn into monsters.”
– Aaron B. Powell, Unites States Marine that served in Iraq
The new gun bills up for vote Thurday are too many for me, a Political junkie, to fully understand and that says a lot.
As a parent, I was heartbroken after the tragedy in Newton, CT. I hugged my children as soon as they walked in the door from school, and spoke with them at length about what had happened. Among other things, I explained that there are some people in this world with mental problems, and it sometimes makes them do very bad things. I explained that they are safe, and being that I am their Mom, and protector, they believed me. They understood. However, some of our lawmakers does not seem to understand much.
Demonizing the right to bear arms with knee jerk laws will not bring back the poor victims of this horrible day in Newton, CT. New gun laws will only prevent law abiding citizens from the ability to protect themselves, and their families, as we know mentally ill, and criminals, with their illegal guns will not be affected by current or any new laws.
There are over 100 Million law-abiding American Citizens who responsibly own firearms for target shooting, hunting, personal and home defense and collecting. They care deeply about the 2nd amendment, and they are the ones being targeted now.
I believe efforts to impose new restrictions on law abiding citizens and responsible gun owners are misguided. We already have the strictest gun laws in the nation. Well, after NY that is.
Now take bill A588; it prohibits possession of ammo capable of penetrating body armor. This is already Federal law, and simply needs to be enforced…
These 25 gun bills were thrown together within months of the Newton, CT tragedy. I wish the Democrat controlled legislature in NJ would work this hard, and fast when it comes to our budget issues, and our states financial issues. Instead they drag their feet, and stone wall Governor Christie every step of the way.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) argues in a recent press release that violent crimes with fire arms have declined since the Federal Assaults weapons ban, which for a decade restricted sale of semiautomatic rifles, and limited magazine capacity to ten rounds, expired in ’04. The study was conducted by the Dept of Justice.
Camden, NJ is the most dangerous city in the nation. Why is it that NJ cities like Newark, Camden, and Trenton etc. which belong to a state with one of the strictest gun laws in the nation, have the most shootings? Even Mayor Cory Booker of Newark stated that creating new laws will not stop criminals from getting illegal weapons and using them.
It would make sense to me that, by making all these laws, we will only empower and pad the pockets of criminals selling guns on the black market at an even higher monetary, and human cost in the long run.
In my opinion, all this talk of so called assault weapons seem like nothing more than misguided attempts to appeal to, but only serve to fool, the uneducated public about guns. Or maybe it is that the lawmakers of our legislature are uneducated on the issue themselves? These 25 new laws up for vote tomorrow, looks to me like “feel good” bills. It’s pretty much impossible to legislate unstable, mentally ill, and criminal citizens that are looking to do harm to others. They will find a way, and it won’t be through registering any weapons.
For instance: Bill A1387 to impose gun free zones around schools. Does that look effective knowing that every mass shooting in the last 10 years have been carried out in school zone’s? Is a criminal or deranged person going to decide to leave their gun home because it’s a gun free zone? As a Mom, I would prefer my children’s schools have at least one armed guard in the lobby, bullet proof front doors, and windows.
Our legislators focus should be to strengthen mental healthcare in NJ, and improve the quality of data supporting the National Instant Criminal Background check system (NICS). Maybe also work more on enforcing the already strict gun laws we have in NJ.
Locally, our representatives should look at our under reported drug problems, especially among teens but, also among citizens of all ages. Let’s look at how to better manage the mentally ill of all ages.
My final thought to our Dear Lawmakers: when you sit down to vote, please keep in mind that our Founding Fathers made the 2nd Amendment a right, and be careful before you trample on it. You will be up for re-election one day, and the electorate is watching you.
