Decrying the rise in gun violence on Philly streets, state Rep. Dwight Evans yesterday announced plans to introduce legislation that would allow the city to create some of its own gun laws.
About 10 years ago, the state squashed the city's power to enact local gun laws. Evans' bill would permit local governments to regulate some aspects - like background checks, straw purchases and assault weapons.
"We must do all we can to reduce violence," Evans said, noting that Philadelphia's homicide rate skyrocketed to 380 in 2005, up from 328 the year before.
Evans said the legislative effort was supported by city voters. Last year, Philadelphians approved a referendum asking if the city should create its own gun laws.
But he was vague when asked about the level of support for the bill in the state House of Representatives and how he would get it passed. And opponents said that the legislation has little chance of success.
Here is lies the big problem on guns in PA. There is a sizeable hunting population that decries any restrictions. There is also a sizeable population that decries guns in cities. In short, PA's population diversity really creates a tention on an issue because neither population can really see eye to eye on the problem.
Re: Disagree
I think that the vast majority of the state’s hunters and sportsmen/women would have no objection at all to cities controlling handgun purchases or other enacting other laws. I think they understand the difference between owning and respecting a weapon for hunting or target shooting and having a gun to blast away at anyone who happens to cross your path the wrong way.
Further, I think if Perzel, Taylor, Kenney and the other GOP state reps won’t support Evans, they could well pay the penalty come November. Guns are just out of control here and something needs to be done about it.
pd
Re: Disagree
Typical liberal statement: “Guns are just out of control here and something needs to be done about it.” How about punishing the CRIMINALS???? Wow, that’s a new concept, huh? It isn’t the guns that are out of control, it’s the PEOPLE that use them illegally that are out of control. Guns can neither be in control or out of control. Last time I looked, my pistol didn’t have a brain manufactured into it. Common sense. Evidently, there is little of that anymore.
Re: Disagree
The problem is when the criminals buy high priced defense attorneys with their drug money and get off scott free. With tougher gun laws in places that need them, the criminals can be pulled off the street for something that no attorney can get them out of: possession.
Re: Disagree
Well, then, I dare you and your family to move into north Philly or some of the other neighborhoods where there’s a lot of gun violence and see how you like it.
And, oh yeah, witnesses to crimes are too scared of retaliation by friends and family, who also have guns, of the criminals they won’t testify.
Re: Disagree
I would argue that the problem isn’t necessarily guns, it’s the setting. Does anyone stop to wonder why the homicide rates in the Great Plains or portions of the West aren’t sky high? If one is going to associate gun violence with ownership rates, places like Grand Island, Nebraska should be “ground zero” for gun crime. However, this isn’t the case. Go to NYC or Philly, and the picture changes. Why? The setting is drastically different. I’m sure many responsible gun owners exist within the city limits in Philadelphia, but their individual rights will ultimately be infringed upon in the name of “doing something”. Ultimately, do we really have the ability to fool ourselves into thinking that criminal elements will be shut out of the firearm market by a city council ordinance? Please. On the flip side, Joe Public, the guy who actually plays by the rules, gets to ride on the bureaucratic merry-go-round in order to exercise his Second Amendment right. Has Council considered lobbying to have the minimum sentence raised when a gun is used in the commission of a crime? What about gun buy-back programs or youth intervention programs? Is Council even looking at these options, or will they continue to hind behind the “it’s the guns, stupid” mantra, push some papers, and convince themselves they’ve saved the city?
Re: Disagree
General question. Why is there so much more general violence in American cities (and American in general) than there is in our global counter parts where there are more cities, bigger cities and denser cities? What is it in the American culture that promotes violence? I really do believe that there is a deeper problem that isn’t about gun laws or enforcement.
Re: Disagree
I don’t necessarily agree with your premise. Ask Londoners how safe they feel going out for a night on the town. How about the violence in Paris recently? Or, if you prefer to stay “on continent”, Toronto has certainly seen it’s share of violence as of late. Again, I would argue gun-related violence is largely an urban phenomenon, and not an exclusively American one at that. I would agree that the conversation must move beyond knee-jerk legislation and platitudes against the supposed “American gun culture” and into a debate on how to best stop crime (not just gun-related crime, but ALL crime) before it starts, and how best to punish those who simply cannot (or will not) follow the correct path.
Post new comment