Guy L Johnson
Member
Waiting periods in Main we are soosing by 10%
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/statehouse/050215guns.shtml
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/statehouse/050215guns.shtml
A Poll That Need's Attention
- Thread starter Guy L Johnson
- Start date
- Status
hrb02
Member
You got my "No".
Also, there are only 400 and some votes, so THR can make a difference.
Also, there are only 400 and some votes, so THR can make a difference.
Nathanael_Greene
Member
I voted.
LiquidTension
Member
Done.
Henry Bowman
Senior Member
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Mothers back bill for waiting period on gun purchases
By PAUL CARRIER, Portland Press Herald Writer
Copyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
Today's Question
Each day, we ask MaineToday.com readers for their reactions to events in the news:
Waiting period for young people?
State lawmakers are debating a bill that would require young people aged 22 and under to wait 10 days before purchasing a firearm. Would you support this law?
Yes: 53.38%
No: 42.83%
Don't care: 1.90%
Not sure: 1.90%
Total Votes: 474
AUGUSTA — Two mothers whose young sons committed suicide last year were among nearly a dozen people who told a legislative committee Monday that Maine should force anyone younger than 22 to wait 10 days before buying a gun. The bill won the support of the Maine Medical Association, as well as a leading gun-control group and other advocates. But the National Rifle Association came out against the measure, and the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine called for changes in the legislation.
The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee took no votes on the bill Monday, but may vote Feb. 28. Members of the committee were attentive to the testimony of Catherine Crowley of Lewiston and Jill Harverson of Saco, each of whom lost a son to suicide last year.
Pausing periodically to maintain her composure, Crowley told the committee that her 18-year-old son, Laurier Belanger, shot himself on May 23 with a shotgun that he had purchased in Auburn two days earlier.
"When he purchased the rifle that he took his life with, there were no warning signs," Crowley told the committee. "I want this bill to pass so I can help as many parents as I can not to live with this never-ending suffering."
Harverson showed the committee a framed portrait of her late son, Thomas, who was 18 when he committed suicide on Sept. 23 in Pittsburgh, Pa., with a pistol he had taken from his father's apartment.
"He obtained the gun and committed suicide on the very same day," Harverson said in an interview. Now, she told lawmakers, "I can't describe the agony that I live with every night when I go to sleep."
Supporters of the bill described suicide as the second-leading cause of death among Mainers 15 to 24 years old. They said 60 percent of the suicides committed by youths in Maine are committed with guns.
"Studies have shown that many youth suicides are the result of impulsive behavior," said Rep. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, the bill's sponsor.
"Impulsive suicide attempts are made with what is readily available," she said, and if that happens to be a gun, the fatality rate is much higher than with other methods.
"A reasonable waiting period in no way endangers anyone's ability to hunt," but it may save young lives, said Dr. James Maier, a psychiatrist from Portland.
"Young people haven't yet got the judgment, foresight and maturity that older people do," Maier said, so suicide sometimes provides what Cathie Whittenburg of Maine Citizens Against Handgun Violence described as "a permanent solution to what is often a temporary problem."
No one showed up to testify against the bill, although the NRA submitted written testimony opposing it. John Hohenwarter of the NRA, who questioned whether a waiting period would reduce suicides, wrote that it may jeopardize the safety of people who need to buy guns quickly for their own protection.
George Smith, director of the sportsman's alliance, suggested that the bill should be reworked, possibly by forgoing a waiting period for young people who have parental permission to buy a gun.
Smith backed a request from Sen. Dean Clukey, R-Houlton, for data on whether most young suicide victims who shoot themselves buy weapons, as Crowley's son did, or simply take them from a friend or relative, as Harverson's son did.
"We are not yet convinced that this bill would provide a solution," Smith said.
A hearing had been scheduled Monday on a bill to require unlicensed sellers who do business at gun shows to run background checks on prospective buyers. That hearing was postponed at the request of the bill's sponsor, Rep. Stan Gerzofsky of Brunswick.
Staff Writer Paul Carrier can be contacted at 622-7511 or at: [email protected]
***********************
Note: One young adult (18) in Pittsburgh did not go buy a gun. Not in Maine. Would not have been affected by this infringement. The other waited 2 days. If he had waited 11 days, would she be seeking a 12 day wait?
Mothers back bill for waiting period on gun purchases
By PAUL CARRIER, Portland Press Herald Writer
Copyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
Today's Question
Each day, we ask MaineToday.com readers for their reactions to events in the news:
Waiting period for young people?
State lawmakers are debating a bill that would require young people aged 22 and under to wait 10 days before purchasing a firearm. Would you support this law?
Yes: 53.38%
No: 42.83%
Don't care: 1.90%
Not sure: 1.90%
Total Votes: 474
AUGUSTA — Two mothers whose young sons committed suicide last year were among nearly a dozen people who told a legislative committee Monday that Maine should force anyone younger than 22 to wait 10 days before buying a gun. The bill won the support of the Maine Medical Association, as well as a leading gun-control group and other advocates. But the National Rifle Association came out against the measure, and the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine called for changes in the legislation.
The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee took no votes on the bill Monday, but may vote Feb. 28. Members of the committee were attentive to the testimony of Catherine Crowley of Lewiston and Jill Harverson of Saco, each of whom lost a son to suicide last year.
Pausing periodically to maintain her composure, Crowley told the committee that her 18-year-old son, Laurier Belanger, shot himself on May 23 with a shotgun that he had purchased in Auburn two days earlier.
"When he purchased the rifle that he took his life with, there were no warning signs," Crowley told the committee. "I want this bill to pass so I can help as many parents as I can not to live with this never-ending suffering."
Harverson showed the committee a framed portrait of her late son, Thomas, who was 18 when he committed suicide on Sept. 23 in Pittsburgh, Pa., with a pistol he had taken from his father's apartment.
"He obtained the gun and committed suicide on the very same day," Harverson said in an interview. Now, she told lawmakers, "I can't describe the agony that I live with every night when I go to sleep."
Supporters of the bill described suicide as the second-leading cause of death among Mainers 15 to 24 years old. They said 60 percent of the suicides committed by youths in Maine are committed with guns.
"Studies have shown that many youth suicides are the result of impulsive behavior," said Rep. Margaret Craven, D-Lewiston, the bill's sponsor.
"Impulsive suicide attempts are made with what is readily available," she said, and if that happens to be a gun, the fatality rate is much higher than with other methods.
"A reasonable waiting period in no way endangers anyone's ability to hunt," but it may save young lives, said Dr. James Maier, a psychiatrist from Portland.
"Young people haven't yet got the judgment, foresight and maturity that older people do," Maier said, so suicide sometimes provides what Cathie Whittenburg of Maine Citizens Against Handgun Violence described as "a permanent solution to what is often a temporary problem."
No one showed up to testify against the bill, although the NRA submitted written testimony opposing it. John Hohenwarter of the NRA, who questioned whether a waiting period would reduce suicides, wrote that it may jeopardize the safety of people who need to buy guns quickly for their own protection.
George Smith, director of the sportsman's alliance, suggested that the bill should be reworked, possibly by forgoing a waiting period for young people who have parental permission to buy a gun.
Smith backed a request from Sen. Dean Clukey, R-Houlton, for data on whether most young suicide victims who shoot themselves buy weapons, as Crowley's son did, or simply take them from a friend or relative, as Harverson's son did.
"We are not yet convinced that this bill would provide a solution," Smith said.
A hearing had been scheduled Monday on a bill to require unlicensed sellers who do business at gun shows to run background checks on prospective buyers. That hearing was postponed at the request of the bill's sponsor, Rep. Stan Gerzofsky of Brunswick.
Staff Writer Paul Carrier can be contacted at 622-7511 or at: [email protected]
***********************
Note: One young adult (18) in Pittsburgh did not go buy a gun. Not in Maine. Would not have been affected by this infringement. The other waited 2 days. If he had waited 11 days, would she be seeking a 12 day wait?
geekWithA.45
Moderator Emeritus
Where's the study that indicated waiting periods had no effect?
I do believe I've seen one to that effect knocking around, that waiting periods had no impact on suicide.
I do believe I've seen one to that effect knocking around, that waiting periods had no impact on suicide.
Guy L Johnson
Member
Less Than 1% To Tip Poll
Pound away on this one it will probably be gone tommorow, and we ar 7 votes from tipping it
Guy
Pound away on this one it will probably be gone tommorow, and we ar 7 votes from tipping it
Guy
nico
Member
Any psychologist (without an alterior motive) would say that makes perfect sense. Suicides committed with a firearm are not the "cry for help" that a lot of people think most suicide addempts are. If a person attempts suicide for attention, they do it with pills or by jumping off the roof of their house, etc.; something that allows them to get medical help in time for them to survive and their emotional call for help to be heard. It sounds grim, but generally speaking, a person who intentionally kills themself with a gun wants to die. Whether or not that's due to an altered mental state is another issue, but restricting everyone's rights because some people use guns to kill themselves is ridiculous. Maybe we should have waiting periods on household cleaning products (someone may drink them to kill themselves), or cars (what if they want to drive it off a cliff), or any other number of "normal" items that a person could potentially kill themself with.
ZeroX
Member
No: 48.80%
Yes: 47.51%
Yes: 47.51%
mondocomputerman
Member
I voted. Now the score is:
No: 49.29%
Yes: 47.07%
Not sure: 1.90%
Don't care: 1.74%
Total Votes: 631
-Good job guys and gals!
No: 49.29%
Yes: 47.07%
Not sure: 1.90%
Don't care: 1.74%
Total Votes: 631
-Good job guys and gals!
ReadyontheRight
Member
"younger than 22?"
Where does this magic "22" come from? Because Baby Boomers are getting older?
Pass that law and in a few years you'll hear about the "age loophole" and they'll bump the age up to 30, and then apply it to everyone.
Where does this magic "22" come from? Because Baby Boomers are getting older?
Pass that law and in a few years you'll hear about the "age loophole" and they'll bump the age up to 30, and then apply it to everyone.
GunnyBob
Member
No: 51.45%
Yes: 44.77%
Glad to help.
Yes: 44.77%
Glad to help.
Rich K
Member
You got my no vote.
Lazpash
Member
I get the concept...
But that which seems like a good idea in THEORY is not necessarially a good idea in PRACTICE
Waiting period for young people?
State lawmakers are debating a bill that would require young people aged 22 and under to wait 10 days before purchasing a firearm. Would you support this law?
No: 52.27%
Yes: 43.89%
Don't care: 2.13%
Not sure: 1.70%
Total Votes: 704
I'd feel better w/a 60% or better "No" wouldn't you?
Also there's another poll that needs a hand:
Top right hand corner:
I'm not hotlinking because GT reported problems w/it:
http://www.harktheherald.com/
Please cut and paste.
But that which seems like a good idea in THEORY is not necessarially a good idea in PRACTICE
Waiting period for young people?
State lawmakers are debating a bill that would require young people aged 22 and under to wait 10 days before purchasing a firearm. Would you support this law?
No: 52.27%
Yes: 43.89%
Don't care: 2.13%
Not sure: 1.70%
Total Votes: 704
I'd feel better w/a 60% or better "No" wouldn't you?
Also there's another poll that needs a hand:
Top right hand corner:
I'm not hotlinking because GT reported problems w/it:
http://www.harktheherald.com/
Please cut and paste.
seeker_two
Member
My vote's in...
No: 52.68%
Yes: 43.52%
Don't care: 2.11%
Not sure: 1.69%
Total Votes: 710
No: 52.68%
Yes: 43.52%
Don't care: 2.11%
Not sure: 1.69%
Total Votes: 710
Markheck1
Member
How would the waiting period have helped the kid in pittsburgh??? he got it from his fathers apartment?? that one really baffles me
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