With that in mind, I offer up these comments from three groups of activist citizens who will be appearing before the Virginia State Crime Commission tomorrow:
A January 2008 Christopher Newport University poll found that 68% of Virginians believe that requiring "gun purchasers at gun shows to undergo the same background check required for guns purchased at gun shops" should be the highest priority of the General Assembly. ... The Virginia Tech Review Panel also recommended that the loophole be closed, writing, "In an age of widespread information technology, it should not be too difficult for anyone, including private sellers, to contact the Virginia Firearms Transaction Program for a background check that usually only takes minutes before transferring a firearm."The Chairman of the Crime Commission, Del. David B. Albo, told the Washington Post in April, "I'm not one of those Republicans who thinks that this loophole, or whatever it is, shouldn't be changed. I think every person who buys a gun should have a record check."
"We are intent on holding Chairman Albo to his word," said Richmond Million Mom March President Andy Goddard, whose son, Colin, was seriously wounded during the mass shooting at Virginia Tech. "The current double standard in Virginia is ludicrous. Anyone who purchases a firearm from a gun store must undergo a background check, so why do the same rules not apply at a gun show where thousands of firearms are being sold?"
(Full press release after the flip)
In Wake of Tragedy at Virginia Tech, Commonwealth Residents Eager to Close Gun Show Loophole
Even Virginia Crime Commission Chairman Has Acknowledged Loophole's Danger
Members of the Virginia Center for Public Safety (VACPS), Virginia Million Mom March Chapters, ProtestEasyGuns.com (PEG), and the Angel Fund will attend a meeting of the Virginia State Crime Commission tomorrow and ask the commission's members to recommend legislation to close the Gun Show Loophole. The loophole allows private individuals to sell firearms at gun shows without conducting background checks on purchasers.
The Virginia State Crime Commission was tasked with studying the issue earlier this year following the defeat of legislation that would have required criminal background checks on all firearms transactions at gun shows. In voting down this legislation, the Virginia Senate ignored the advice of the Virginia Tech Review Panel, the Virginia State Police, and an overwhelming majority of Commonwealth residents.
A January 2008 Christopher Newport University poll found that 68% of Virginians believe that requiring "gun purchasers at gun shows to undergo the same background check required for guns purchased at gun shops" should be the highest priority of the General Assembly. Support to close the Gun Show Loophole is also strong among law enforcement, civic, and religious organizations in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police -- along with 57 individual Virginia police chiefs across the state -- has signed a pledge of support for closing the loophole. Other notable support comes from the Virginia Parent Teacher Association, the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP, the Virginia Association of Commonwealth's Attorneys, the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, and the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance.
The Virginia Tech Review Panel also recommended that the loophole be closed, writing, "In an age of widespread information technology, it should not be too difficult for anyone, including private sellers, to contact the Virginia Firearms Transaction Program for a background check that usually only takes minutes before transferring a firearm."
The Chairman of the Crime Commission, Del. David B. Albo, told the Washington Post in April, "I'm not one of those Republicans who thinks that this loophole, or whatever it is, shouldn't be changed. I think every person who buys a gun should have a record check."
"We are intent on holding Chairman Albo to his word," said Richmond Million Mom March President Andy Goddard, whose son, Colin, was seriously wounded during the mass shooting at Virginia Tech. "The current double standard in Virginia is ludicrous. Anyone who purchases a firearm from a gun store must undergo a background check, so why do the same rules not apply at a gun show where thousands of firearms are being sold?"
Abby Spangler, founder of ProtestEasyGuns.com, added, "The minor inconvenience of submitting to a background check is part of being a responsible gun owner. These checks work -- and they stopped 2,222 illegal transactions in the Commonwealth in 2007. Virginia has spoken...it is now time for the Crime Commission to act and send a strong recommendation to the General Assembly to close the Gun Show Loophole."
"Requiring background checks on all sales at gun shows is not a Blue or Red issue; it is not a Virginia culture issue; it is not a rural or suburban issue: it is a public safety issue," said Joe Samaha, Director of the Angel Fund and father of Reema Samaha, who was killed during the Virginia Tech shooting. "The only slippery slope that opponents should fear is one that leads to another preventable tragedy when guns get into the wrong hands."
The Virginia Center for Public Safety (formerly known as Virginians Against Handgun Violence) is a statewide organization that was founded in 1992 after a young person was shot outside a school in Hampton Roads. The organization seeks to create a safer Virginia through education, public forums, youth outreach, and work in the public policy arena. VACPS believes that a chief cause of gun violence is the easy access that criminals and youth have to guns in the state.
As the nation's largest, non-partisan, grassroots organization leading the fight to prevent gun violence, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, working with its dedicated network of Million Mom March Chapters, is devoted to creating an America free from gun violence, where all Americans are safe at home, at school, at work, and in our communities.ProtestEasyGuns.com (PEG) is a grassroots protest movement of Americans that emerged in response to the deadliest shooting rampage in U.S. history at Virginia Tech. We are outraged at how easy it is to obtain a gun in the United States and believe it is time to change lax laws that allow criminals and dangerous individuals easy access to guns. Each of the movement's "Lie-In" protests includes 32 individuals (symbolizing the number of students and teachers murdered at Virginia Tech) who lie on the ground for just a few minutes (signifying the brief amount of time it takes to buy a gun in the United States). Our goal is to encourage like-minded citizens to stage their own protests around the country so that we can influence the public discourse and ultimately the legislative process with regard to this critical national problem.
Angel Fund is the family, friends, neighbors and advocates of Reema Samaha, who was tragically killed on April 16, 2007 at Virginia Tech by a lone gunman, along with 31 other students and faculty. There were many complex issues that contributed to the Virginia Tech tragedy: mental illness, campus safety and security, lack of information sharing, privacy and gun laws. We would like to address those policies and laws we felt contributed to the tragedy and to seek practical and reasonable solutions to avoid another similar tragedy. We, therefore, would like to honor Reema's memory by making the world a safer place through education, advocacy and implementing practical solutions.
In Wake of Tragedy at Virginia Tech, Commonwealth Residents Eager to Close Gun Show Loophole
Gee. I guess I had it wrong..I didn't know he bought those guns at a gun show.
The issue here is taking a look at whether Virginia laws need to be tightened to prevent future Virginia Techs, even if this particular change may have made no difference in the actual event.
At least, that's my understanding of the connection. I understand that on a literal level, the two are not connected, but I don't think it is a huge logical leap to see the connection.