caseydog
Member
Subscribed a spam catcher address to the VPC mailing list a while back , here is the latest "post sunset" blather , Ray
Dear Violence Policy Center Action Network Member:
As you know, the federal assault weapons ban expires today.
In 1994, soon after the federal assault weapons ban was signed into law, the Violence Policy Center warned in The New York Times that the ban would be:
"an island of regulation in a vast sea of laissez-faire production" of firearms that could limit the law's effect. "The question remains how effective it will be and how creative the industry will be in trying to work around the definitions."
Our concerns were quickly realized. The gun industry moved swiftly to circumvent the ban. The June 2004 VPC study, United States of Assault Weapons: Gunmakers Evading the Federal Assault Weapons Ban revealed that under the ban, more than 40 gunmakers across America were marketing post-ban assault weapons, including UZIs, AK-47s, AR-15s, MAC-10s, and others. The study also revealed that more than a million assault weapons have been manufactured since the bans passage in 1994.
That is why the VPC and its state gun control partners fought not only to renew, but more importantly, strengthen, the federal assault weapons ban. The sad truth is that mere renewal would have done little to stop this flood of assault weapons. Conversely, the end of the ban only makes official what was already known: assault weapons are readily available in America. The only difference is that the arbitrary distinction between pre- and post-ban assault weapons is now gone. One result of our work is that news and editorial pages across America now understand the need to strengthen the ban. This would not have occurred without the work of the VPC.
While the assault weapons ban has ended, the debate will continue--as, unfortunately, will the killings. The May 2003 Violence Policy Center analysis of FBI data, Officer Down--Assault Weapons and the War on Law Enforcement, revealed that one out of five law enforcement officers (41 of 211) slain in the line of duty from 1998 through 2001 were killed with an assault weapon. So far this year, six law enforcement officers in Indiana and Alabama alone have been killed with SKS assault rifles--weapons not covered under the 1994 ban.
Americas police and public deserve an effective assault weapons ban that truly bans all assault weapons. The ban's end doesn't change the facts: assault weapons pose a unique threat. A truly effective ban would limit the access of these guns to cop-killers, extremists, grudge killers, gang members, and bona fide gun nuts. VPC expertise and advice played a key role in proposed legislation to strengthen the ban--and will continue to do so. We will build on this campaign next Congress and work to help ensure public safety and rein in America's unregulated gun industry by working to pass effective legislation.
Thank you, as always, for your support and your commitment to ending gun death and injury. For more information please visit http://action.vpc.org/ctt.asp?u=2958024&l=54896.
Dear Violence Policy Center Action Network Member:
As you know, the federal assault weapons ban expires today.
In 1994, soon after the federal assault weapons ban was signed into law, the Violence Policy Center warned in The New York Times that the ban would be:
"an island of regulation in a vast sea of laissez-faire production" of firearms that could limit the law's effect. "The question remains how effective it will be and how creative the industry will be in trying to work around the definitions."
Our concerns were quickly realized. The gun industry moved swiftly to circumvent the ban. The June 2004 VPC study, United States of Assault Weapons: Gunmakers Evading the Federal Assault Weapons Ban revealed that under the ban, more than 40 gunmakers across America were marketing post-ban assault weapons, including UZIs, AK-47s, AR-15s, MAC-10s, and others. The study also revealed that more than a million assault weapons have been manufactured since the bans passage in 1994.
That is why the VPC and its state gun control partners fought not only to renew, but more importantly, strengthen, the federal assault weapons ban. The sad truth is that mere renewal would have done little to stop this flood of assault weapons. Conversely, the end of the ban only makes official what was already known: assault weapons are readily available in America. The only difference is that the arbitrary distinction between pre- and post-ban assault weapons is now gone. One result of our work is that news and editorial pages across America now understand the need to strengthen the ban. This would not have occurred without the work of the VPC.
While the assault weapons ban has ended, the debate will continue--as, unfortunately, will the killings. The May 2003 Violence Policy Center analysis of FBI data, Officer Down--Assault Weapons and the War on Law Enforcement, revealed that one out of five law enforcement officers (41 of 211) slain in the line of duty from 1998 through 2001 were killed with an assault weapon. So far this year, six law enforcement officers in Indiana and Alabama alone have been killed with SKS assault rifles--weapons not covered under the 1994 ban.
Americas police and public deserve an effective assault weapons ban that truly bans all assault weapons. The ban's end doesn't change the facts: assault weapons pose a unique threat. A truly effective ban would limit the access of these guns to cop-killers, extremists, grudge killers, gang members, and bona fide gun nuts. VPC expertise and advice played a key role in proposed legislation to strengthen the ban--and will continue to do so. We will build on this campaign next Congress and work to help ensure public safety and rein in America's unregulated gun industry by working to pass effective legislation.
Thank you, as always, for your support and your commitment to ending gun death and injury. For more information please visit http://action.vpc.org/ctt.asp?u=2958024&l=54896.
