Archive for gun laws

VIDEO: Cartoonists Demand Action to End Gun Violence

cartoonists against gun violence

Being a cartoonist myself, I truly appreciate this video and maintain that some of the most effective messaging can be presented in a simple, minimalistic form.

cartoonists against gun violence shoe

You can’t get clearer than this, and for those with short attention spans, it’s hard to take your eyes off the screen:

cartoonists against gun violence finger in dike

Dear Congress:

cartoonists against gun violence Congress asleep(Check out the “Congress for Dummies” book on the sofa.)

Some of the nation’s best loved cartoonists are calling on Congress to not back down and take action to enact common sense gun laws that will prevent violence and save lives.
Sincerely,
cartoonists against gun violence signatures

AUDIO: Gabby Giffords group targets Ayotte, McConnell. Ayotte’s approvals plunge after “no” vote on gun background checks.

gabby giffords mark kelly smile

Americans for Responsible Solutions, the grassroots movement led by Gabby Giffords and her husband Mark Kelly, has launched an “accountability campaign” that focuses on Senator McConnell of Kentucky and Senator Ayotte of New Hampshire:

ARS, founded by Gabby Giffords and Mark Kelly, will begin airing radio ads today in Kentucky and New Hampshire, highlighting Senator Mitch McConnell and Senator Kelly Ayotte’s vote against this sensible solution to keeping our families safe from gun violence.

The ads highlight McConnell and Ayotte’s putting loyalty to the special interest gun lobby in Washington instead of supporting wildly popular sensible policies that would keep their communities safer. In Kentucky, 82 percent of people support background checks; in New Hampshire, 89 percent of residents support them.

Transcripts:

kelly ayotte

Ignored – Ayotte

Woman 1: Remember that ad Kelly Ayotte ran saying she’s one of us.

Woman 2: Oh, where she’s out for a run?

Woman 1: (SFX: Newspaper rustling) Yeah. Well, it sure didn’t take long for her to “go Washington.” Says here Ayotte voted against improving background checks to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Woman 2: Are you serious? 89 percent of the people in New Hampshire support universal background checks. She just ignored us?

Woman 1: Sure did. This was common sense legislation written by a Republican and a Democrat. Supported by law enforcement. And it protected Second Amendment rights. But Ayotte voted against it anyway.

Woman 2: And ignored the will of the people.

Woman 1: Well, I’m calling Senator Ayotte and telling her to listen to the people for a change. You should too. The number is202-224-3324.

Woman 2: Paid for by Americans for Responsible Solutions.

*********

mitch mcconnell

LISTEN

(Montage of News clips from Newtown of the shooting).

Announcer: We watched. We listened. We felt it. Newtown.

But Senator McConnell won’t listen to us.

Eighty-two percent of Kentuckians support universal background checks.

But Senator McConnell voted against them.

McConnell opposed common sense checks to keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Written by a Republican and a Democrat. Supported by law enforcement officers. It was a common sense plan that protected Second Amendment Rights.

But Senator McConnell ignored the will of the people. Making our children and our families less save…. And putting the Washington special interests ahead of Kentucky… AGAIN.

Call Senator McConnell at 202-224-2541. And tell him to start listening to us, for a change.

Paid for by Americans for Responsible Solutions.

And HuffPo is reporting that Ayotte’s approval ratings have dropped sharply since her no vote on background checks. The gun safety issue is not going away, despite misinformation to the contrary being spread by those on the right:

A new poll has New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) down a total of 15 points from her previous approval rating in a survey that followed her vote against requiring background checks for firearms purchases.

Ayotte’s plunge underscores the changing politics around gun control and gun safety. In years past, lawmakers worried that a vote for gun control would bring the anger of the National Rifle Association. In the new reality, votes against gun control also carry a political risk, as the Ayotte poll indicates.

What I will not write about today

frustrated18

Sometimes I get so frustrated and/or disheartened and/or annoyed by some of the news stories of the day that I can’t bring myself to write about them. Here are a few recent reports that made my blood pressure hit the roof. I am avoiding delving into them at length out of concern for my physical and mental health.

  • 15 States Have Loosened Gun Restrictions– Because providing gun manufacturers with more cash, coveting phallic symbols, pretending you can outgun murderers under stress, and endangering more lives is a priority. USA! USA!

See what I mean? So who’s up for a couple of Margs or a trough of wine?

drunk wine crafts corks

“Can we please admit that we need a ‘public safety’ exception to the 2nd Amendment?”

yes of course

Today’s L.A. Times letter to the editor, because our voices matter:

Re “Legal debate swirls around treatment of suspect,” April 21

Now that we know there is a “public safety” exception to constitutional rights like the Miranda warning guaranteed by the 4th, 5th and 6th Amendments, can we please admit that we need a “public safety” exception to the 2nd Amendment?

The families of future school and theater shootings deserve nothing less.

Kathi Smith

Ojai

Video- Peggy Noonan Blames Obama For Congressional Inaction On Guns After Previously Downplaying GOP Obstruction

The word “tool” was invented for Noonan. Via.

Video- The Best Ad Ever for Gun Laws: Guns Have Changed

Saw this yesterday, then lost the link. Thankfully Andrew posted it. Here is their website.

What I will not write about today

frustrated13

Sometimes I get so frustrated and/or disheartened and/or annoyed by some of the news stories of the day that I can’t bring myself to write about them. Here are a few recent reports that made my blood pressure hit the roof. I am avoiding delving into them at length out of concern for my physical and mental health.

Actually, I did write about one of them: Gun background check plan fails in Senate 54-46. Here are statements from NRA, Mayors Against Illegal Guns and VIDEO: #Newtown parent, Obama on failure to pass gun violence law: “Gun lobby & its allies willfully lied about the bill.”

Here are the others that drove me to drink:

See what I mean? So who’s up for a couple of Margs or a trough of wine?

soon to be a drunk mess