gun-fucious
Member
CeaseFire MD Forms State-Wide Coalition to Pass Assault Weapons Ban
10/21/2003
Press Release
CeaseFire Maryland
The Mill Center
3000 Chestnut Avenue, Ste 203
Baltimore, MD 21211
www.hgabuse.org
Contact:
Leah Barrett
Phone: 410-889-1477
Baltimore, MD - CeaseFire Maryland announced the formation of a state-wide coalition to enact a Maryland ban on military-style assault weapons at a seminar at Johns Hopkins University on Saturday. The broad-based coalition comprises such groups as the Maryland League of Women Voters, the Maryland Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, the Maryland Million Mom March, local law enforcement and members of the Maryland interfaith community. The seminar was co-sponsored by the Consumer Federation of America, Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition and the Abell Foundation.
Leah Barrett, Executive Director of CeaseFire Maryland, said: "The Coalition will work to achieve a Maryland assault weapons ban in the 2004 General Assembly to expand the 1994 Maryland ban on assault pistols. Assault weapons are the guns of choice for criminals and were used to kill one in five law enforcement officers slain during the line of duty between 1998 and 2001, according to FBI data. One of these deaths occurred in Maryland in 2000."
The Bushmaster, a civilian version of the military M-16 and the weapon used by the DC-area snipers, would be banned under legislation being drafted by Senator Rob Garagiola (District 15) and Delegate Neil Quinter (District 13).
A key incentive to pass a Maryland state ban is that the 1994 federal assault weapons ban expires on September 13th, 2004, unless renewed and strengthened by Congress.
Senator Garagiola commented: "It is unlikely that this Congress will do the right thing and reauthorize the federal ban. As a result, you will be able to purchase AK-47s, Uzis and Street Sweepers at your local gun shops in less than a year. These weapons do not belong on our streets."
Delegate Quinter remarked, "Prince George's County Police records show they are not seizing assault pistols from criminals anymore because they have been banned in Maryland for nearly ten years - the supply has dried up. But they are continuing to seize assault rifles. Our bill would help shut off the supply of these deadly weapons of war to criminals in Maryland."
Chief Edwin Day of the Baltimore City Police Department's Detective division said, "Just the other night, an AR-15 assault rifle killed a young man in Baltimore. These guns can fire off 25-30 rounds of ammunition in a few seconds. Assault weapons are designed to instill fear and their lethality has held Kevlar-vested police at bay. Do we want the guardians of society to be outgunned by the bad guys?"
There is no danger sportsmen would be denied their firearms. The federal law provides specific protection to 670 types of hunting rifles and shotguns currently being manufactured. The gun industry admits that assault weapons have limited sporting use.
Nearly two-thirds of Marylanders support banning these weapons of war from our streets. Maryland would be following other states that have chosen to ban these guns, including Massachusetts, California, New Jersey, Connecticut and Hawaii.
Date of Release: October 21, 2003
http://www.jointogether.org/gv/news/alerts/reader/0,2061,567298,00.html
10/21/2003
Press Release
CeaseFire Maryland
The Mill Center
3000 Chestnut Avenue, Ste 203
Baltimore, MD 21211
www.hgabuse.org
Contact:
Leah Barrett
Phone: 410-889-1477
Baltimore, MD - CeaseFire Maryland announced the formation of a state-wide coalition to enact a Maryland ban on military-style assault weapons at a seminar at Johns Hopkins University on Saturday. The broad-based coalition comprises such groups as the Maryland League of Women Voters, the Maryland Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence, the Maryland Million Mom March, local law enforcement and members of the Maryland interfaith community. The seminar was co-sponsored by the Consumer Federation of America, Physicians for Social Responsibility, the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition and the Abell Foundation.
Leah Barrett, Executive Director of CeaseFire Maryland, said: "The Coalition will work to achieve a Maryland assault weapons ban in the 2004 General Assembly to expand the 1994 Maryland ban on assault pistols. Assault weapons are the guns of choice for criminals and were used to kill one in five law enforcement officers slain during the line of duty between 1998 and 2001, according to FBI data. One of these deaths occurred in Maryland in 2000."
The Bushmaster, a civilian version of the military M-16 and the weapon used by the DC-area snipers, would be banned under legislation being drafted by Senator Rob Garagiola (District 15) and Delegate Neil Quinter (District 13).
A key incentive to pass a Maryland state ban is that the 1994 federal assault weapons ban expires on September 13th, 2004, unless renewed and strengthened by Congress.
Senator Garagiola commented: "It is unlikely that this Congress will do the right thing and reauthorize the federal ban. As a result, you will be able to purchase AK-47s, Uzis and Street Sweepers at your local gun shops in less than a year. These weapons do not belong on our streets."
Delegate Quinter remarked, "Prince George's County Police records show they are not seizing assault pistols from criminals anymore because they have been banned in Maryland for nearly ten years - the supply has dried up. But they are continuing to seize assault rifles. Our bill would help shut off the supply of these deadly weapons of war to criminals in Maryland."
Chief Edwin Day of the Baltimore City Police Department's Detective division said, "Just the other night, an AR-15 assault rifle killed a young man in Baltimore. These guns can fire off 25-30 rounds of ammunition in a few seconds. Assault weapons are designed to instill fear and their lethality has held Kevlar-vested police at bay. Do we want the guardians of society to be outgunned by the bad guys?"
There is no danger sportsmen would be denied their firearms. The federal law provides specific protection to 670 types of hunting rifles and shotguns currently being manufactured. The gun industry admits that assault weapons have limited sporting use.
Nearly two-thirds of Marylanders support banning these weapons of war from our streets. Maryland would be following other states that have chosen to ban these guns, including Massachusetts, California, New Jersey, Connecticut and Hawaii.
Date of Release: October 21, 2003
http://www.jointogether.org/gv/news/alerts/reader/0,2061,567298,00.html