NPR Examines the Semi-automatic gun ban

[DaveSZ]

National Public Radio (NPR)

SHOW: Morning Edition (10:00 AM ET) - NPR

March 11, 2004 Thursday

LENGTH: 987 words

HEADLINE: Assault weapons ban due to expire in September

ANCHORS: BOB EDWARDS

REPORTERS: LARRY ABRAMSON

BODY: BOB EDWARDS, host:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Bob Edwards.

Gun control advocates won a big victory last week, but it didn't last long. They passed a Senate amendment that would have extended the assault weapons ban. Gun control opponents were so upset that they killed the entire package of legislation. The ban is due to expire in September, and gun control supporters are making its renewal a do-or-die issue. NPR's Larry Abramson reports that people on both sides agree the ban has not worked as intended.

LARRY ABRAMSON reporting:

The Violence Policy Center is one of the more aggressive gun groups in Washington, DC, and analyst Tom Diaz is their assault weapons guy. It's his job to emphasize just how deadly these guns are. So how does he feel about the effort to renew the assault weapons ban?

Mr. TOM DIAZ (Violence Policy Center): If the existing assault weapons ban expires, I personally do not believe it will make one whit of difference one way or another in terms of our objective, which is reducing death and injury and getting a particularly lethal class of firearms off the streets. So if it doesn't pass, it doesn't pass. (Soundbite of car doors closing)

ABRAMSON: To explain why, we have to travel. The District of Columbia's law against assault weapons is even stricter than the federal government's. Virginia's is more friendly, so the Violence Policy Center keeps its samples at a house on the other side of the Potomac.

Mr. DIAZ: Hi, Amy.

(Soundbite of door closing)

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[Romulus]

1. I would point to something else

namely, the Brady background Check law that went into effect in 1994.

I think this has done more to prevent possession by felons than any "ban."

[FeebMaster]

2. I don't.

At best it's going to stop the absolute dumbest of criminals from getting a gun, assuming they're eventually prosecuted, assuming they aren't already prohibited from owning a gun.

If they aren't prosecuted it will delay them until they find another place to get a gun without background checks. If they don't have a criminal record a background check isn't going to stop them. And if they have half a brain they aren't going to try and pass a background check in the first place if they can't pass one.

[TX-RAT]

3. Suicides and crimes of passion.

I don't think its had as much impact on felony possession as it's had on suicides and crimes of passion.

[Narf]

4. Good observation..

Felons, who already know they can't legally get a gun, rarely walk into a gun store KNOWING they will be subject to a background check. They simply steal a gun or buy one from another felon.

[FeebMaster]

5. What impact has it had

on suicides and crimes of passion? How has it made this impact?

[Moderator]

6. DaveSZ, please check your inbox for PM. Thanks! n/t

[Name removed]

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