The letter “Ending gun violence” (May 14, TribLIVE) advocated for new gun laws under the guise of the “Common Agenda to End Gun Violence.” It states that the laws are “broadly popular” and “bipartisan.” I believe both characterizations are false.
The bills are supported by the usual anti-gun crowd led by CeaseFirePA, so their popularity outside of that small group is questionable. As to being bipartisan, Adam Garber, executive director of CeaseFirePA, indicated in a news article that if House Republicans support the final versions of the laws, then there might be a bipartisan path forward. Every Republican on the Democrat-controlled House Judiciary Committee opposed the bills when they were reported to the House floor.
Other significant misstatements include that universal background checks on private sales of long guns would close the loophole that allows felons to purchase military-style rifles which are the weapon of choice for mass murders. There is no loophole since felons are already prohibited by existing law from buying firearms. Would another law deter them from obtaining a firearm illegally?
Data from the Violence Project database of the Department of Justice shows that only 13% of mass shooters used firearms they had acquired illegally. The database also shows that handguns were the weapon of choice being used in 77% of the mass shootings.
It’s unfortunate that we cannot have an intellectually honest conversation based on the data, and not CeaseFirePA’s agenda and distortions, to develop evidence-based solutions instead of emotionally satisfying and superficial answers that do nothing to address the issue.
Mike Sivack
Murrysville