Corzine has been floating the idea of making NJ the first "totally gun free" State in the Country. With his political power i'm afraid he just not might be able to be stopped this time.
The last paragraph is what scares me the most.
2 days after the election and Ceasefire NJ is allready salavating.
Ceasefire may be answer to a real terror stalking our streets
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Maybe, now, we get a genuine war against terror.
The terror that, every few weeks, flashes soon-forgotten pictures of mourning mothers and other relatives, frequently poor and black or Hispanic, across television screens or newspaper pages.
Happens so often, the stories blur in our minds.
A 15-year-old from girl Elizabeth. A 17-year-old from Newark's Ironbound.
Five little Amish girls in Nickel Mines, Pa.
"The attitude of legislators has been disgraceful," says Tom Jardim, the former mayor of Westfield, now board chairman of an organization called Ceasefire New Jersey. "But maybe that can change."
Maybe.
Know how many people were killed by terrorists in the United States in 2003, the last year a tally was compiled by the Centers for Disease Control?
None.
Know how many were killed by guns that same year?
30,106.
In one year, ten times as many people died from gunshot wounds as died from terrorist attacks on 9/11. In one year, ten times as many Americans died from shootings in the United States as American soldiers died in Iraq since the beginning of the war.
Our children are dying. Those who do often are shot to death. The second leading cause of death among those 15 to 24, after accidents (mostly in cars) is homicide -- 5,368; of those 4,410 were killed by guns. Of those 4,410, 3,006 -- more than 68 percent -- were African-Americans.
But homicide by gun, not accidents, is the leading cause of death of black males between the ages of 15 and 34. Ninety percent of all deliberate deaths among young African-American men were caused by shootings.
The people behind Ceasefire New Jersey have helped pass some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country here.
"It's a great state for that," says Bryan Miller, the group's executive director. Other states are not so great. Like Pennsylvania, for example, where guns can be purchased a lot easier than they can be here. Ask the Amish parents in Nickel Mines.
In fact, nearly 90 percent of gun-related crimes in Newark a few years ago -- when the federal government was still making detailed trace information available -- came from guns purchased outside New Jersey.
Big business in other states. So-called "straw purchasers" can go into gun malls, buy guns for a fee, turn them over to the real purchasers, who then sell them to kids in our cities.
"A cheap handgun is less expensive than a good pair of sneakers," says Miller. Maybe about $75.
But, even with a new Congress, don't expect federal gun control legislation. Many new Democrats elected Tuesday are as pro-gun as Republicans who lost.
"So long as Washington is awash with gun money, you won't see meaningful federal regulation," says Miller, whose brother, an FBI agent, was killed when a street thug walked into Washington D.C. Police headquarters in 1994 and opened fire without saying a word.
Miller's group wants to outlaw .50-caliber guns and bullets. No particular use for them here, except to kill cops wearing body armor. Or for a terrorist to shoot down an airplane or blow up a tank farm of toxic chemicals.
They are trying to revive interest in child-proof guns. A bill requiring them passed years ago but, supposedly, the technology has yet to be developed. His group also is lobbying municipal councils to have certain guns banned or restricted within city limits.
Finally, Ceasefire New Jersey hopes to push for tougher state laws -- here and in other states -- against gun-trafficking.
"How could anyone be against laws that prevent people from buying hundreds of guns in one store just to bring them across a state line?" Miller asks.
Good question. Easy answer: The sale and manufacture of guns makes money for people, and some of that money can buy votes.
"The anti-gun lobby doesn't have the money to contribute to politicians," says Alex Menza, a former state senator and judge, now on Ceasefire New Jersey's board and an advocate of a ban on all handguns in the state, except for police use. "Disgusting."
But true.
Bob Braun's columns appear Monday and Thursday. He may be reached at [email protected] or (973) 392 4281.
© 2006 The Star Ledger
© 2006 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.
The last paragraph is what scares me the most.
2 days after the election and Ceasefire NJ is allready salavating.
Ceasefire may be answer to a real terror stalking our streets
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Maybe, now, we get a genuine war against terror.
The terror that, every few weeks, flashes soon-forgotten pictures of mourning mothers and other relatives, frequently poor and black or Hispanic, across television screens or newspaper pages.
Happens so often, the stories blur in our minds.
A 15-year-old from girl Elizabeth. A 17-year-old from Newark's Ironbound.
Five little Amish girls in Nickel Mines, Pa.
"The attitude of legislators has been disgraceful," says Tom Jardim, the former mayor of Westfield, now board chairman of an organization called Ceasefire New Jersey. "But maybe that can change."
Maybe.
Know how many people were killed by terrorists in the United States in 2003, the last year a tally was compiled by the Centers for Disease Control?
None.
Know how many were killed by guns that same year?
30,106.
In one year, ten times as many people died from gunshot wounds as died from terrorist attacks on 9/11. In one year, ten times as many Americans died from shootings in the United States as American soldiers died in Iraq since the beginning of the war.
Our children are dying. Those who do often are shot to death. The second leading cause of death among those 15 to 24, after accidents (mostly in cars) is homicide -- 5,368; of those 4,410 were killed by guns. Of those 4,410, 3,006 -- more than 68 percent -- were African-Americans.
But homicide by gun, not accidents, is the leading cause of death of black males between the ages of 15 and 34. Ninety percent of all deliberate deaths among young African-American men were caused by shootings.
The people behind Ceasefire New Jersey have helped pass some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country here.
"It's a great state for that," says Bryan Miller, the group's executive director. Other states are not so great. Like Pennsylvania, for example, where guns can be purchased a lot easier than they can be here. Ask the Amish parents in Nickel Mines.
In fact, nearly 90 percent of gun-related crimes in Newark a few years ago -- when the federal government was still making detailed trace information available -- came from guns purchased outside New Jersey.
Big business in other states. So-called "straw purchasers" can go into gun malls, buy guns for a fee, turn them over to the real purchasers, who then sell them to kids in our cities.
"A cheap handgun is less expensive than a good pair of sneakers," says Miller. Maybe about $75.
But, even with a new Congress, don't expect federal gun control legislation. Many new Democrats elected Tuesday are as pro-gun as Republicans who lost.
"So long as Washington is awash with gun money, you won't see meaningful federal regulation," says Miller, whose brother, an FBI agent, was killed when a street thug walked into Washington D.C. Police headquarters in 1994 and opened fire without saying a word.
Miller's group wants to outlaw .50-caliber guns and bullets. No particular use for them here, except to kill cops wearing body armor. Or for a terrorist to shoot down an airplane or blow up a tank farm of toxic chemicals.
They are trying to revive interest in child-proof guns. A bill requiring them passed years ago but, supposedly, the technology has yet to be developed. His group also is lobbying municipal councils to have certain guns banned or restricted within city limits.
Finally, Ceasefire New Jersey hopes to push for tougher state laws -- here and in other states -- against gun-trafficking.
"How could anyone be against laws that prevent people from buying hundreds of guns in one store just to bring them across a state line?" Miller asks.
Good question. Easy answer: The sale and manufacture of guns makes money for people, and some of that money can buy votes.
"The anti-gun lobby doesn't have the money to contribute to politicians," says Alex Menza, a former state senator and judge, now on Ceasefire New Jersey's board and an advocate of a ban on all handguns in the state, except for police use. "Disgusting."
But true.
Bob Braun's columns appear Monday and Thursday. He may be reached at [email protected] or (973) 392 4281.
© 2006 The Star Ledger
© 2006 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.
seriously.....
