Multiple States Forming Gun Laws, Thousands Rally at Gun Shows Around the Nation

by Ezra Van Auken
State and federal lawmakers are raging to get legislation passed on gun reform and New York may be the first state to achieve that goal. Senate lawmakers and the Assembly leader are expecting to vote on the bill very soon, although the vote never occurred on Monday as they hoped. Sen. Jeffrey Klein told NBC New York and other reporters, “I’m very excited about it. I am very confident we are going to vote on a comprehensive bill that will be agreed on by the governor, the Senate and Assembly.”
Unknown sources told the Associated Press that over the weekend, lawmakers decided and agreed on specifics of the gun reform bill. Overall, the bill would ban “assault” weapons, put a limit on the size of gun clips to no more than seven bullets, and put into play more sophisticated requirements to purchase firearms. Republicans also pushed an amendment that would make it easier to detain any individual with mental illnesses that poses a threat to society.
In addition, NBC New York explains, “Senate Republicans also have included a further crackdown on illegal gun trafficking into New York, the people said. Most New York City gun crimes involve weapons illegally brought into the state, state and city officials say.” The governor, Andrew Cuomo has not yet agreed to the full piece of legislation, but lawmakers remain hopeful for his approval.
*Update* Gun legislation has passed the NY Senate and is headed to the General Assembly. http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/S2230-2013
Other states such as Maryland are doing the same – more gun reform. Gov. Martin O’Malley has started pushing Maryland’s lawmakers to propose legislation, which would again ban “assault” weapons. The Washington Post also details, “Perhaps most controversially, O’Malley will ask the General Assembly to force prospective gun owners to provide fingerprints to state police, complete a hands-on weapon-familiarization and gun-safety course, and undergo a background check to be licensed.”
Differently for O’Malley, Senate Republicans aren’t too keen on gun control. House Minority Leader Anthony O’Donnell said, “The reality is Martin O’Malley is trying to get to the left of Cuomo in New York because he wants to run for president in 2016.”
Notably, one of the deadliest cities in America, with the highest gun homicide rate, Chicago, tastes the gun debate spotlight as well. Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago was in Washington D.C. on Monday supporting new gun measures. My Fox Chicago explained, “Emanuel said last week that he is working on a gun control ordinance for the city after an assault weapons ban stalled in the Illinois General Assembly. He is expected to introduce that ordinance at the next City Council meeting. It will include a call on city pensions and retirement fund managers to review their portfolio of investments and eliminate companies that make or sell assault weapons.”
Yahoo news pointed out also, “The Democratic governors of Connecticut, Delaware and Colorado have also said they will seek tougher laws. Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber said Monday he would support gun control legislation, including an assault weapons ban, if state lawmakers pass it.”
Besides Governors, Mayors and state lawmakers around the country promising to further gun laws, huge numbers came out this past weekend to support gun shows.
For instance, in Daly City, California, gun advocates saw the largest crowd ever for their gun show event over the weekend. San Francisco’s CBS local reported, “A gun show drew a record crowd over the weekend in Daly City. Thousands waited in long lines to buy guns and accessories.” An apparent 10,000 showed up for the show.
Northeast of California, Minnesota saw the same response with thousands showing up for the Minnesota Weapons Collectors Association show. PostBulletin.com commented, “That was the report gun dealers gave Sunday morning as they manned their exhibitor tables at Mayo Civic Center. Association President John Chappuie said, at one point on Saturday, the line to get into Exhibitor Hall stretched the length of the Civic Center’s North Lobby.”
PostBulletin.com went onto say, “About 2,700 people attended the weapons show on Saturday, the MWCA’s Executive Director Gail Foster said. Last year, the show drew about 2,800 for the whole weekend.”
In Saratoga Springs, New York – the locals were out in numbers to purchase, sell and converse with the gun culture. Not only did the gun show produce a huge line of enthusiasts, but also accompanied pro-gun protestors and anti-gun protestors. North County Public Radio explained, “Jay Curtis, a National Rifle Association member from nearby Galway, says the gun show became a rallying point for gun rights activists: “Well, it is a lot more than a gun show, there’s people here that do believe that they do have a 2^nd Amendment right, and there’s people here who believe that right should be infringed, which is exactly the opposite of what the Constitution says”.”
Just under New York is Maryland, and Marylanders saw a huge turnout as well in Timonium. Vendors expected 30,000 to participate throughout the weekend, although numbers have not been released. Baltimore’s local station WBAL talked to a gun seller named Neil Kravitz, “Kravitz said gun owners in Maryland are already subjected to a number of background checks, adding that gun laws in Maryland are some of the most restrictive.  Maryland state law requires a person buying a firearm to get a background check and be subjected to a seven day waiting period.”
Maryland’s neighbor, Virginia, also carried out a gun show in Henrico County! WTVR reports, “Lines stretched for hundreds of yards throughout the parking lot comprised of gun enthusiasts wanting to browse the latest technology or stock up on ammunition.”
So, while gun legislation brews in multiple states, pro-gun advocates are just as active, amassing in the thousands to participate in their inalienable right of owning a firearm. As most anti-gun advocates push the “guns kill” rhetoric, not one person was reported killed over the weekend at each of the multiple gun shows.
Image Reference
http://www.timesunion.com/news/slideshow/Saratoga-Springs-gun-show-55123.php#photo-4021022