Tuesday, May 28, 2013

What About the Actual Policy?

This morning, we saw full houses in Carson City and Las Vegas. SB 221 faced its Assembly Judiciary Committee hearing. And we heard plenty from all sides on gun violence.

In Carson City, we heard plenty of testimony. And we heard testimony from people who know guns quite well. David Chipman was one of them.

atdleft: http://t.co/UXB3TlOfmS "This is a crime control problem... No 1 wants loved ones hurt." @DemandAction's David Chipman @ #NVLeg #SB221 #nvp2

He's a former ATF agent. And he now works with the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Demand Action project precisely because he knows personally how dangerous unchecked firearms can be.

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And that's not all. ProgressNow Nevada's Brian Fadie and Teresa Crawford came prepared to the Grant Sawyer Building in Las Vegas to talk about the real facts on SB 221 and gun safety. And they were not alone. In addition, citizen activist Esther Sass reminded the committee of the real world consequences of allowing dangerous weapons to fall into the wrong hands.





Yet when Senator Justin Jones (D-Enterprise) described the scene of the crime of the 2011 Lloyd George Las Vegas Courthouse shooting, a SB 221 opponent in Las Vegas shouted, "So what?!"

Eventually, it was their turn to testify. And here's how that went down.

SteveSebelius: Enforce laws that currently exist? Current law says felons, mentally ill can't have guns. B-ground checks will help us enforce existing law!

And that wasn't all. They even tried feigning concern for LGBTQ families, the mentally ill, and even the working poor! Isn't it funny how the "tea party" and NRA only care about oppressed minority communities when gun safety legislation comes up? Where's their "concern" when our civil rights and well being are actually at stake?

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Of course, we're now seeing plenty of political jockeying on possible life or death for SB 221 and overall gun safety reform in the Nevada Legislature. What about the actual policy? With time quickly running out on #NVLeg #77, who's noticing this?

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