Victims' Families Push For New Gun Laws On Capitol Hill

[octoberlib]

WASHINGTON — Family members of shooting victims — including the father of a boy murdered in Newtown, Conn. just four days ago — gathered at the Capitol on Tuesday to push for reform to gun laws.The 40 people who gathered here had family members killed in mass shootings including those at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech University, and the movie theater in Aurora, Colo.


Among them was Andre Nikitchyuk, whose son survived the shooting last week at Sandy Hook Elementary when a teacher pulled him into a classroom and away from the spray of bullets. Nikitchyuk said the shooting has brought the issue of gun control into stark relief for him."Now I believe we need to all speak up," he said. Nikitchyuk, who immigrated 22 years ago to the United States, added, "We are America. We can do it."

Together, the group, along with Democratic Rep. David Cicilline, urged congressional lawmakers to consider reforms that would reduce the number of people who are shot and killed each year"The only place where this is a contentious political debate is this building right behind us," said Dan Gross, the president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. "There's a disconnect."

.Within the Capitol, lawmakers of both parties agreed Tuesday that the topic will merit discussion in the next Congress; however, Senate leaders would not offer details about what shape and direction the debate might take, and advocates of gun control are hoping to capitalize on intense public concern in the wake of Friday's massacre to move legislation quickly.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/rebeccaberg/victims-families-push-for-new-gun-laws-on-capitol

[ellisonz]

1. When the Tucson families went to Capitol Hill last winter...

McCain and Kyle wouldn't even meet with them.

Couple who escaped the bullets can't escape the horrible memories of that day
by Dennis Wagner - Jan. 3, 2012 09:52 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

Yet, two weeks later, he and his wife joined about 10 other survivors visiting congressional offices in Washington, D.C., part of a delegation representing Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Roger, a self-described liberal, says the mission was to change federal law by closing a perceived loophole that allows firearm purchases at gun shows without background checks.

"McCain and Kyl stood us up," he adds, referring bitterly to Arizona's two U.S. senators. (Republican Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl did not respond to requests for comment.) Roger says the group was instead shunted to young legislative aides, including one who kept checking his watch as survivors told their stories: "You're just wrung out emotionally from talking to these guys and reliving it all," he says. "I've become a little more cynical."

The group also appeared at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the proposed firearms bill. Roger says the ranking minority member, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, focused instead on the Arizona gun-smuggling scandal known as Operation Fast and Furious and appeared to send text messages as shooting survivor Patricia Maisch gave emotional testimony.

"Absolutely disgusting," Roger says of Grassley's actions.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news/articles/2011/12/14/20111214tucson-shootings-couple-who-escaped-bullets-cant-escape-horrible-memories.html#ixzz2FRZUjzFT

[octoberlib]

2. This is despicable

What a bunch of sociopaths. Ugh.

[ellisonz]

3. It's sadly par for the course...

The reality here is that the other side will not work with us on these issues. All that's left is to bring the remaining Dems who don't back progressive reform into the fold and then run that ball into the end-zone, otherwise it will perpetually be like Charlie Brown trying to kick Lucy's football.