Virginia scores low on gun control
Wednesday, February 6, 2008; 12:00 AM
Two-thirds of all states received fewer than 20 of a possible 100 points on the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence's annual gun control policy scorecards. With 100 representing the strictest gun control laws, Virginia received a score of 18 points, tying it for No. 14 in the country.

The current version of the cards is revamped, as the campaign now allots points instead of grades. Martina Leinz, president of the Virginia Chapters Million Mom March of the Brady Campaign, said that the change occurred to allow more specification "so that you can really see where states are falling short."

Leinz said she is very disturbed and very disappointed at Virginia's ranking, "particularly in light of what happened at Virginia Tech and the way they've been voting this year so far in the legislature." However, she stated that she was not at all surprised.

"If (the legislature) would have closed the gun show loophole, it probably would have moved Virginia considerably more toward the middle of the pack than one of the lower states," Leinz said. "We would have really improved our standings, because it's a very simple act that can have a significant impact."

The gun show loophole bill, sponsored by Sen. Henry Marsh (D–Richmond), was killed by a 9-6 vote in the Senate's Courts of Justice Committee on Jan. 23. The legislation would have required background checks for all firearm purchases from unlicensed dealers at gun shows.

Mike McHugh, president of Virginia Gun Owners Coalition, said he thought such legislation would not have been the proper response to the Virginia Tech shootings.

"The criminals will always have guns," McHugh said. "They'll either steal them in parking lots or restaurants in Virginia or in campuses, or they'll get somebody to buy it for them on the black market. All this regulation and political legislation does nothing to stop crime. All it does is harass law-abiding citizens."

Abby Spangler, founder of protesteasyguns.com, had a differing opinion on gun laws in response to April 16.

"It's an outrage that Senator Edwards, your legislator there, voted against closing the gun show loophole, which basically is like rubbing salt in the wounds of Virginians, who have been traumatized by this massacre that happened in our very own state," Spangler said. "It's a travesty for all Virginians and our police that the gun show loophole was not closed in this legislative session."

Leinz said there is no legislation that could increase Virginia's scorecard result in this session, but there are bills that could lower the state's standing if passed. One such bill would remove university presidents' current discretion to ban guns from campus.

"At this point, it's mostly playing defense," Leinz said.

Leinz added that the Brady Campaign monitors states' rankings year-round, so any action taken this session will be reflected in next year's rankings. One action that could affect the numbers is the recently introduced national legislation to close the gun show loophole. Sponsored by Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D–N.J.) and Jack Reed (D–R.I.), the bill would override Virginia legislators' decision to deny the loophole bill.

The scorecards grade states across five categories of laws: banning military-style assault weapons, child safety, curbing firearms trafficking, strengthening Brady background checks and making it more difficult to carry guns in public places.

Virginia scored no points for strengthened background checks and banning assault weapons. Out of 20 possible points for child safety, the state scored two. Virginia scored 10 points out of 35 for curbing firearms trafficking and six out of 10 for making it harder to carry guns in public places.

The Brady Campaign used the Legal Community Against Violence's research on gun laws in its publication, "Regulating Guns in America," and on its Web site. Laura Cutioletta, staff attorney at LCAV, said the campaign used the information a little differently than those at LCAV would have.

"I would say overall I was pleased (with the states' rankings), but I have to admit, our two organizations highlight different policy areas, so we wouldn't necessarily have ranked them the same way, but that's simply because we focus on different areas."

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Posted by: Steve at Mar 6 What is wrong with you people! Criminals don't give a crap about laws. A good example were the gun laws in D.C. They did nothing to reduce gun or any other crimes. Tell it like it is. You will only be happy when all guns have been destroyed. Then you'll move on to the next emotional item of the day. No matter if you do manage to (which I doubt) outlaw guns. Criminals will still have them. Or, they will use knives, clubs, bats, any sharp object, any heavy object, just about anything that can end up killing or being about to commit a crime. Why haven't you gone after the auto industry. Car owners kill more people than guns ever will. If you don't go after cars, then you are all a bunch of hypocrites. But, you already know that! Flag Abuse
Posted by: Erin at 4/23/08 Scared teenagers wielding dangerous weapons does not sound like safety to me. Is everyone who owns a gun that great of an aim? Were they all trained to use their guns under the immense pressure and panic those kids were experiencing? What would have happened if half the class pulled out their guns and started shooting? Ban guns from schools and make it harder to get a gun, make a LICENSE necessary, and provide training and education about these powerful killing machines. Flag Abuse
Posted by: DJ at 2/26/08 This is just more of the gun grabbing crap they try to shove down your throat and call it gun safety. If on person on that campus with the right to carry a consealed weapon could have carried their gun things would surely have turned out differently. At least they could have defended themselves. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Seth Price at 2/07/08 Yeah, nice non-partisan, unbiased reporting from the Brady Campaign. The same guys setting suggested dollar amounts based on the number of VT victims even before the totals were in. I remember their website saying "Donate $22, one for each victim in the VT shooting." Then a few sentences later, they comment on how the NRA financially benefits from murder... hmmm.. I think I'll only live in states with a Brady Campaign "F" rating to insure that I am free from the police. Molon Labe! Flag Abuse
Posted by: Ken S. at 2/06/08 Looks like your typical anti/pro-gun discussion. Antis go off saying that pros are taunting victims' families, post videos that prove nothing, and don't listen to/allow other viewpoints. Pros are bringing fact, reason, and just straight up common sense to the picture. Let me address everything in one fell swoop. Gun show "loophole" -- unlicensed dealers sell food and tshirts (not guns), private sales can be done anywhere and have NOTHING to do with gun shows, and if you talk to delegates/senators (I did TODAY, in person, in Richmond) they'll tell you the same. Propose a bill that deals with ALL private sales (not just the ones in a civic center once a month), and you might get somewhere. Oh, and pros support the mental health bills! The lie-in -- NO one was taunting participants (I've seen 20+ videos now, and was there), the laugh was when someone asked (honestly) why everyone was 'lying', and the antis did push through spectators and a policeman talked to one guy about it. Victims’ families -- many families want to see students able to defend themselves, and maybe you should watch the interview where Colin Goddard's Dad says he feels the same (www.concealedcampus.org - video at the top, 8 min in). Even Colin himself says "it was fight or flight, and there was no flight" - what about fight? And there are over 10,000+ students who feel the same way (same website). LISTEN, it takes a true leap of faith to think that a gun can be used for good - it took me 28 years myself, I admit. But look at the Indiana woman who stopped an attacker a few weeks ago - she had no "flight" either, but she fought, and now she’s alive (http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=138185). If you’re against carrying for protection, tell a disabled man or a battered woman that they have to keep being victimized. YOU tell THEM that they must be defenseless. Give the pro side a listen - we've all listened to you (and did on Jan 21!). Fair is fair, and that, the antis have not been. Flag Abuse
Posted by: to bill axel at 2/06/08 You say, "by your own definition, you live in a state that is 70% anti-gun." I don't think so Bill or else this would have passed already in the General Assembly. You also say, "you guys will always be far out of the mainstream until you realize that there is nothing "anti-gun" with wanting to make sure that gun sales involve background checks on purchasers." Bill, we know that anti-gun folks still won't be satisfied if a bill like this does pass. Then you want to pass a another bill to further diminish everyone's right to freedom and individual safety. That is the problem. Actually a correction, you guys can't open your eyes and enforce current laws, and punish criminals properly. Flag Abuse
Posted by: MG at 2/06/08 In response to Tony’s statement: “Not just stupid, but blatantly anti-democratic, because the Founders never endorsed such insurrectionist nonsense (see George Washington's response to the Whiskey Rebellion).” The founders would have told you that they created a Republic, not a democracy. A democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding on what to eat for dinner. At any rate, to claim that the founding fathers, who created a nation through insurrection, didn’t endorse insurrection is absurd. Not only is it your right, it is your duty: “…That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes;” The cause of the whiskey rebellion is an example of such “light and transient causes” that do not warrant insurrection. I’m not very familiar with the VCDL, but I would think the VCDL does not endorse insurrection, but merely the right to arm yourself if it were to ever come to that. “One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them.” -Thomas Jefferson. The second amendment is very clear. It says the right of the People to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Note there is no adjective such as “unreasonable” as there is in the 4th amendment. There is no such thing as reasonable infringement on a law abiding citizens right to bear arms. Fortunately for the freedom loving individual, this right has the added benefit of saving lives and preventing crime. In response to the polls about closing the so called “gun show loop hole”. The wording of the question itself is biased. By definition people think of a loophole as bad, a way to get around something. There is no loophole. If you are a dealer, you are required to perform a background check. If you are a private individual selling a gun, you don’t have to. I wonder if any of the anti-rights people ever stop and think that criminals don’t obey laws. Gun control laws won’t keep guns out of their hands. If you would like to learn more about gun control myths, here is an excellent site: http://gunfacts.info/ Flag Abuse
Posted by: Fred at 2/06/08 Cho didn't get his guns from a gun show. He bought them "legally" under the circumstances of Virginia law at the time from a gun dealer. Besides, if he hadn't had a gun - Cho would surely have found another way to kill a lot of people, e.g. driving a rented truck at high speed down the sidewalk. As the Review Panel report concluded, Cho had psychological impairments, he had bad grades, he had no friends and no job experience. His cocooning in the college environment was set to end in three weeks (from April 16th), so the fuse was lit. If someone _else_ in Norris had had a gun (instead of dutifully obeying the "gun free zone" rule set by Tech), they could have taken Cho out and saved a number of lives. Flag Abuse
Posted by: BK at 2/06/08 vcugrad... Obviously they weren't laughing at those who lost loved ones, but I can't blame them for laughing at the horrible and unwarranted singing, which by the way was started by the anti-gun protesters during a supposed 3-minutes of silence, that until the singing began was observed by the pro-gun demonstrators. If you can stand it, here is a video of the "singing" @ 2m15s. Sounds just like Roseanne, and the pretentious attitude too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KYO08NgWQk And keep in mind again, Cho didn't get his guns from a gun show, and closing the "loophole" will do nothing to stop crime, which adds to the absurdity of the demonstration... Flag Abuse
Posted by: BK at 2/06/08 Here's more on gang activity for you Tony, a study done by the New York State Commission of Investigation. "Connections between MS-13 sets have permitted members in New York to flee to safe houses in Virginia and elsewhere." Page 15. http://www.sic.state.ny.us/Docs/Public%20Reports/pdf/gangs.PDF Flag Abuse
Posted by: BK at 2/06/08 Hey Tony, thanks for letting me get home from work before jumping to conclusions... Here's your evidence, from the DEA, first paragraph: "Virginia cities situated along Interstate-95 are vulnerable to "spillover" drug distribution from traffickers moving between the two major eastern drug importation hubs of New York City and Miami." And further: "Dominican drug trafficking organizations in New York City remain the primary sources for much of the cocaine available in Virginia, but many local traffickers are increasingly reliant on Mexican sources of supply in the southwestern U.S., North Carolina, and Georgia." http://www.dea.gov/pubs/states/virginia.html Satisfied? Or are you going to call the DEA liars? How about the Department of Justice, are they lying too? "Colombian and Dominican criminal groups based in New York City and Philadelphia and, to a lesser but increasing extent, Mexican criminal groups based in Atlanta and Charlotte (NC) transport wholesale quantities of powdered cocaine into Virginia and distribute the drug at the wholesale level. In addition, Virginia-based African American, Caucasian, and Jamaican criminal groups and local independent dealers travel primarily to New York City and also to Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Miami to purchase wholesale quantities of powdered cocaine and return to Virginia to distribute the drug at the retail level." http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs07/797/797p.pdf Just because you don't have the facts or choose to ignore them, doesn't mean there is no truth to what I say. So, back to the gun debate. If NY would keep their criminals and drug trafficers in state (penitentiaries), they wouldn't be getting any guns from Virginia. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Andreas at 2/06/08 There is no such thing as a gun show "loophole." If a person is engaged in the selling of firearms as a business (as opposed to a single, private party sale) he is REQUIRED BY LAW to have a Federal Firearms License. These "unlicensed dealers" are already breaking the law so how would a new law stop anything? Flag Abuse
Posted by: vcugrad at 2/06/08 ..i fail to see how someone singing poorly is reason to laugh at a group of people laying on the ground remembring their deceasd loved ones in that moment. . Flag Abuse
Posted by: Tony at 2/06/08 Pretty much what I thought, BK, you make a claim about NY pushing criminals and drugs into VA and can't come up with even a single example of it happening. I guess that's what passes as "truth" for you guys. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Bill Axel at 2/06/08 Truth, I think you need to wake up and realize something. By your own definition, you live in a state that is 70% "anti-gun." The Virginia Tech Review Panel and the State Police support closing the gun show loophole. A recent statewide poll showed that VA voters' top two priorities for the General Assembly this year were "changing the law to stop people with a history of mental health problems from purchasing guns" (75%) and "Requiring gun purchasers at gun shows to undergo the same background check required for guns purchased at gun shops" (68%): http://universityrelations.cnu.edu/news/2008/01_18_08voters.html. You guys will always be far out of the mainstream until you realize that there is nothing "anti-gun" with wanting to make sure that gun sales involve background checks on purchasers. That is common sense and supported by the overwhelming majority of Virginians and Americans, no matter what label you put on them. Flag Abuse
Posted by: BK at 2/06/08 Yep "Here's VA", the same people that couldn't control their outbursts during the pro-gun rebuttal in the comittee hearing, also couldn't control themselves during the demonstration outside. And Tony, without wasting too much time at work, here's just one example of an MS-13 gang member from CALIFORNIA (Brady's #1 place to be), coming to VA and being involved in 4 known crimes, including 6 shootings and 3 stabbings... http://www.house.gov/forbes/documents/gangtravel.pdf Flag Abuse
Posted by: Truth at 2/06/08 The issue at hand here is as follows: anti-gun people say they want to close gun show loophole. The loophole being that regular civilians can sell guns to other regular civilians without purchaser having to submit to background check. What will that do to stop regular civilian from selling gun to another civilian outside of a gun show? Nothing, but we know that anti-gun folks would subsequently push to pass a law banning civi to civi sales anywhere and we can't have that. Really we know that anti-gun want to get rid of all guns. We won't have that either. By the way, anyone here old enough to remember LA riots where police were unequipped to handle rioters thereby leaving thousands of defenseless civilians covering many, many city blocks in peril. Did anyone see the damage to some of those neighborhoods? Did anyone see how little damage there was in neighborhoods were store owners took up their arms and protected themselves and their property? Now I am not advocating using deadly force to prevent property damage, but we all know that criminals are deterred by good guys with guns and we have tons of proof. So next time there is large civil unrest of riots, anti-gun folks will end up calling anyone they know to see if they can stop by and "chill" until the trouble stops because they will have given up means of protecting themselves. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Here's VA at 2/06/08 Now you guys are claiming that mothers who had lost their children to gun violence were shoving VCDL members who carried loaded handguns on their hips??? Yeah, I'm SURE that happened. Is there any shot that you won't take at these people? Really. Despicable... Flag Abuse
Posted by: Bill Axel at 2/06/08 "Anti-gun groups SEIZED grieving families" to call for the closing of the gun show loophole?? Is this the latest slur from the NRA and VCDL? Implying that people like the Samahas, Goddard, Reads, and others don't have brains enough to think for themselves? Is it really shocking that people who lost their children due to weak gun laws in VA would want to make sure that future purchasers, who could be similarly mentally disturbed, have to have a background check? Not to normal people... Flag Abuse
Posted by: TG at 2/06/08 Wow, Tony. That is really interesting and I would have never guessed that many people get guns from VA. Thanks for the article. Flag Abuse
Posted by: H. Moore at 2/06/08 My only question is why don't we want to background check someone EVERY time they purchase a gun? Even if it is one person to another? If you truly are a law-abiding citizen then why do you care if you have to go through a background check? Flag Abuse
Posted by: BK at 2/06/08 Bill Axel, Those "protest easy guns" videos on YouTube might as well have been edited by Michael Moore himself. Note how they all have their comments disabled so that their can be no rebuttal to their cut/paste video. And the laughing I'm aware of was directed at the screeching, horrible, ala Roseanne Barr rendition of "We Shall Overcome", not to mention the absurd irony of this group trying to suppress our constitutional rights whereas the song historically represents the civil rights movement to restore the rights of the oppressed. Of course, with all those guns present, and that extremely emotional topic being debated, there were no shootings to be heard of. In fact, the only violence I'm aware of came from the anti-gun side shoving and yelling at the pro-gun demonstrators. But I'm sure the video you linked to didn't show that... Flag Abuse
Posted by: Tony at 2/06/08 OK, I'll bite BK...what data do you have on New York criminals committing crimes in VA? Or about New York drugs turning up in VA? Cause I can tell you that 1 out of every 11 guns traced from a crime scene in NY originates from VA: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/20/AR2007082002010.html. VA is the top source of crime guns for most of the states on the Eastern seaboard. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Patrick M at 2/06/08 I'm not even sure why this is really news. The Brady Campaign is a clearly biased group- why not have a column about the NRA’s thoughts on the gun show “loophole?” Much of the criteria for the Brady campaign’s ratings are laughable. The criteria on Ballistic Fingerprinting, Child Safety Locks, and Microstamping are simply measures to make firearms more expensive for law abiding gun owners. Ballistic fingerprinting was used in Maryland for a while, but funding for it has been cut recently since it did not contribute to solving a single crime. Requiring child locks be sold with every purchase, really? What if I don’t have children? Also, microstamping can be easily defeated in about thirty seconds with a fingernail file. The rest of the criteria are written in a sensationalist way that is very misleading, and much of their proposed solutions are a backdoor to draconian gun control laws. As for Mr. Axel’s video he linked showing VCDL members “taunting” protesters, I only heard some laughing in the 10-15 seconds of actual video shown, and it is not clear who it is coming from. Still, if VCDL/NRA member were being jerks, then shame on them. However, most of the video was just a slideshow of pictures, showing VCDL/NRA members holding signs in a counter protest- what exactly is wrong with that? You also sensationalized the fact that the VCDL/NRA protesters were armed; again, what is wrong with that? It is one thing if they were threatening the protesters with violence, but they weren’t- simply because you are afraid of firearms doesn’t mean that they have “zero regard for public safety.” Does that mean police officers who carry handguns (and you can bet they are loaded) have “zero regard for public safety?” And saying the anti-gun protestors “lost their loved ones to guns” is misleading. More accurately, they lost them to criminals and mentally disturbed individuals- that is who you should try to target, not law abiding gun owners. Furthermore, the gun show “loophole” had absolutely nothing to do with the Virginia Tech massacre. This is why I find it offensive that anti-gun groups have seized the massacre and grieving families to use as a vehicle to pass ill-considered legislation through the legislature. Emotion does not make for good laws. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Michael at 2/06/08 Criminals aren't born, they are created. Violent criminals are raised around violence and, in particular, around firearms. If we limit accessibility to guns, we can begin to limit the familiarity and flippancy with which firearms are treated. We can end a culture in which firearms are lauded as the only means to secure freedom. It's a shame that the legislators in Virginia are as brain-washed as the VCDL and the NRA, individuals who claim that Nazi Totalitarianism was a result of gun restrictions, not the blind submission to ideologues... Flag Abuse
Posted by: BK at 2/06/08 "It is my understanding that a large number of crimes in NYC are committed with guns that were obtained in Virginia -- lovely that we supply the criminals out of the trunks of our cars. " It is my understanding that much of the crime in Virginia stems from Drugs and Gang activity that is exported from places like New York. When NY finds a way to keep it's drugs and criminals out of VA, VA will find a way to keep its guns out of NY. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Lydia at 2/06/08 This McHugh guy is an idiot. Lots of kids every year manage to get alcohol--so maybe we should just forget all about laws that restrict kids' access to alcohol? If requiring background checks at gun shows harrasses law-abiding citizens, then requiring background checks at gun shops also harrass law-abiding citizens. What McHugh and his cronies would really like is to do away with background checks...period. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Here's VA at 2/06/08 "Ask a police officer (not an elected sherrif, a real duty officer) what they think about guns in the hands of law abiding citizens." Mike, the VA State Police SUPPORTED closing the Gun Show Loophole because they know it has everything to do with keeping guns away from criminals and other prohibited purchasers and absolutely nothing to do with stopping law-abiding citizens from buying guns. They testified at the hearing in favor of closing the loophole, with one of their number saying, "I'm not even sure why we're debating this." Last I checked, Col. Massengill was also a gun owner and career law enforcement officer. Not sure if you know, but these guys don't start their jobs as chiefs or leadership. They come up through the rank and file, and see it all. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Bill Axel at 2/06/08 Yeah, the VCDL and NRA are the guys that actually taunted and laughed at victims and survivors of gun violence (including many of the VA Tech family members) at a vigil that was held on State Capitol grounds the same day the Senate held a hearing on the Gun Show Loophole. Check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL7g8hbzQzw Just disgusting. It's clear they have zero regard for public safety or for the feelings of people who have lost their loved ones to guns. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Tony at 2/06/08 Totally shameful that the VA legislature failed to close the Gun Show Loophole this year. Who did they side with? The insurrectionists in the Virginia Citizens Defense League, who believe they have a right to stockpile firearms in order to prepare for a fantasized future war with our democratic government, and therefore oppose ANY and ALL government regulation of firearms. The General Assembly has literally turned its back on the Virginia Tech Review Panel, the families, the State Police, and the overwhelming majority of VA residents who supported closing the Loophole, and sided with a group of people who think Timothy McVeigh had a point. Not just stupid, but blatantly anti-democratic, because the Founders never endorsed such insurrectionist nonsense (see George Washington's response to the Whiskey Rebellion). Flag Abuse
Posted by: Mike M. at 2/06/08 Anonymous at 1:04, I can make the same comparison to the cars used in drunk driving were bought at the same place I buy my car. Isn't it lovely that we supply drunks off the lots of our car dealers? And these are licensed dealers! Do you know that any schmuck - baseically an unlicensed dealer - can sell his car to someone WITHOUT A BACKGROUND CHECK?!? Close the car show loophole! And look at how many children die in family swimming pools each year. We should ban the private ownership of pools! The public pools have trained experts to avoid drownings, we should leave this to the experts! Private citizens have no need for their own pools! Flag Abuse
Posted by: Truth at 2/06/08 Many people in this country and in others know how aweful it is to be a victim, especially when a gun is used in the commission of a crime. Unfortunately people who are anti-gun believe the guns are the problem. Let me say this, if all guns were confiscated, gun manufacturing ceased to exist in the US, and the government successfully halted all smuggling we would still have an aweful lot of problems. Would crime decrease? You might say yes, but you might be wrong. Lets examine. Certainly the number of times a gun is used in the commission of a felony (murder, rape, robbery, etc) would certainly fall off. However, that would still leave thousands of murders committed each year with knives or other objects. How about other crimes increasing? Now that criminals know that no law abiding citizens have guns, they are free to use their size and strength to perpetrate home invasions, rape and whatever else as they dominate their weaker victims with ease. I do not want to live in that world. Anyone reading this can start examining some of the stats available through the Dept of Justice, but beware because you might get angry at the federal, state, and local governments not living up to one of the first promises they make, to keep people safe. Tell me if you get mad when you see statistics that show roughly 50% of criminals get additional jail time when they use a gun in the commission of another felony. What about the other 50%? Everyone using a gun for criminal purposes should have lots of extra time added to their sentence. Tell me if you get mad when you see stats that say in 2004 only 70% of those convicted of a felony received jail time. Or that 33% of felons were either rearrested, failed to appear in court, or violated other terms of their pretrial release while awaiting trial. Why are they out on pretrial release in the first place? Pretrial release is something that murderers and rapist get too, is that what we want? In too many instances our government (which is us, we the people) at the federal and state level are letting known violent offenders walk among us. Are jails overcrowded? Do our representatives not know what they are doing and just simply inept? I really don't know, but I know the situation is ridiculous and innocent people pay the price. Finally, remember one thing. Guns are the only equalizer most of us have against a group of criminals or against a criminal that is bigger and stronger than we are. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Anonymous at 2/06/08 "ranks CALIFORNIA first in their list, followed by NEW JERSEY, Massachusetts, Maryland and New York, all ranking above Virginia.... and also all having higher ranking than Virginia on rates of violent crime. " It is my understanding that a large number of crimes in NYC are committed with guns that were obtained in Virginia -- lovely that we supply the criminals out of the trunks of our cars. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Mike M. at 2/06/08 Those of us on the pro-freedom side find this list, when inverted, rather useful in determining which states respect our Constitution. I find folks like Mike and those at Brady to be rather distrustful of their neighbors. Why do they feel that possession of a gun will pervert their fellow citizens' minds and turn them into killers? Ask a police officer (not an elected sherrif, a real duty officer) what they think about guns in the hands of law abiding citizens. They know it deters crime, because they see it every day. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Scott Johnson at 2/06/08 It seems that organizations seeking to curb "gun violence" always focus on guns, but never on violence. If you blame the inanimate object, no individual need be responsible. You can't blame the poor gang-banger because the demon gun made him do it. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Anonymous at 2/06/08 Mike, please move to the gang infested regions of LA and continue running your mouth and see how you like it there. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Bruce Jackson at 2/06/08 Being thought well of by the Brady organization is like being held in high regard by NAMBLA. The lower your score, the better off you are. Flag Abuse
Posted by: Ben Miner at 2/06/08 This Brady Campaign "ratings" are nothing but a platform for fear-mongering and tiresome gun control hysteria. Law-abiding Virginians should be proud that localities are not able to pass their own gun laws and that private individuals can buy and sell guns from each other without meddlesome government interference. If you run a correlation between high and low Brady states and high and low crime rates you get bupkis. Translation: None of the things the Brady Campaign says are important can be shown to have any measurable effect on crime. Flag Abuse
Posted by: BK at 2/06/08 With any luck, next year Virginia will rank last on Brady's useless list. Funny how the Brady Campaign ranks CALIFORNIA first in their list, followed by NEW JERSEY, Massachusetts, Maryland and New York, all ranking above Virginia.... and also all having higher ranking than Virginia on rates of violent crime. So, when deciding which state is safer to live in, which list would you use? Brady's gun control ranking, or the Department of Justice's violent crime ranking, considering their seemingly inverse relationship... Flag Abuse






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