Utah, 2A Paradise and Model for the Nation

[alohachris]

BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE
For Immediate Release
Thursday, February 18, 2010


BRADY CAMPAIGN STATE SCORECARD:
UTAH HAS WEAKEST GUN LAWS IN U.S.
Washington, D.C. – Utah has the nation’s weakest gun laws that help feed the illegal gun market and allow the sale of guns without background checks, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. In the organization’s 2009 state scorecards released today for all 50 states, Utah has the weakest gun laws in the U.S.

Individual state scores range from 0 to 79. Utah is the only state that scored zero out of 100 possible points.

“Because Utah does not require Brady criminal background checks on all firearm sales, including those at gun shows, gun traffickers can easily funnel illegal guns to felons and gang members,” said Gary Sackett, spokesman for the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah. “Utah legislators have done nothing in the past to stop the flow of illegal guns within the state, such as closing the loophole that allows dangerous people to walk into gun shows and buy guns without background checks.”

The Brady Campaign is advocating for legislation to close the gun show loophole at the national level, but the Utah Legislature has never taken any action on this important public safety issue. “We still make it way too easy in Utah for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons,” said Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign. The state’s complete scorecard results can be accessed at: www.bradycampaign.org.

 

[Rio Laxas]

Well after looking at the new rankings, I'd sure like to see Texas lower its score by allowing employees to have firearms in their vehicles in the parking lot and by getting campus carry passed.

 

[TexasRifleman]

I am sad to see Texas still has 9 points. This must be dealt with....

 

[mljdeckard]

I had been hoping that we would get an F this year with the passing of parking lot and glovebox carry.

On the 23rd of February, me and some friends are going to have an open-carry picnic in Zion National Park.

 

[non2os13]

gun traffickers can easily funnel illegal guns to felons and gang members,” said Gary Sackett, spokesman for the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah.

what else would they do with those illegal guns?

 

[The Tennessean]

8 points for TN... I know we can do better! I'd love to see 0 points for TN in my lifetime!

 

[essayons21]

Congratulations are in order for Utah.

I see my home state of Virginia gets 17 points. We must remedy that. Fortunately about 7 of those points will be gone by this time last year due to legislation currently moving its way through our General Assembly.

 

[mljdeckard]

That's how we do it, one legislative session at a time. If it doesn't pass, we make sure they know we WILL NOT GIVE UP. We wear them down.

 

[grubbylabs]

Well I am happy to report that Idaho is doing very well. It seems that some of their scoring criteria is not really crime prevention as much as it is stupid prevention. Since when did child safety regulations and other "safety" features prevent criminals from getting guns? I think they need another hobby or something.

 

[mgregg85]

I like the idea but doesn't Utah only sell really weak beer? That could be a major deal breaker.

 

[mljdeckard]

Not in liquor stores and on military posts.

 

[jakemccoy]

California

 

[TJ AK-74]

I think they need another hobby or something.

Yeah, like maybe Russian Roulette? With a high-cap semi-auto so they have a 1 in 30 instead of 1 in 6 chance of dying.

 

[semperfi63]

Kansas

Hey Kansas has 7 points and I think we could get to 5 real easily if allow guns on college campuses

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Well, that explains why Utah's crime rates are so high.

Oh, wait...

 

[hirundo82]

If you do the statistics (I used the data from here), there is absolutely no correlation between their grades and murder rates, violent crime rates, or total crime rates. All of the correlations have an R^2 of 0.05 or less.

ETA: The direct link to the scorecard is here (pdf) if you prefer, as I do, to spend as little time as possible on their website.

 

[GunsBeerFreedom]

I knocked off 4 points for MI since they no longer finger print or require training.

 

[Erik M]

auchtung! papers please.

The Brady Reich scores all of these categorys as procedures they award points for (ergo they would like these steps to be Federal law in all states).

*Permit to Purchase
*Fingerprinting required
*Safety training/testing required
*Extend three-day limit for background checks
*Permit process involves law enforcement

Kentucky scored a 2 out of 79. The higher your score the tighter the grip the government has on the throat of your civil liberties.

 

[Gungnir]

Damn it AK got 2.

Since we don't force Colleges to allow carry. I'm OK with that (it's their property after all), but we don't need no stinkin' CCW...

 

[gbran]

CA has highest Brady rating and is #1 on their list nationally.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I love the Brady website.

I just look at a particular state and the lower the score the more I know I want to be there.

 

[LeontheProfessional]

I always thought of VA as a very gun friendly state. I mean we have OC and the gun show loop hole but apparently we scored a 17

 

[mljdeckard]

gungnir-

What about STATE schools that are PUBLIC property?

(In Utah, private schools can't ban either. They can post, but the signs hold no force of law.)

 

[MagnumDweeb]

If you are disliked or criticized by the Bradys, then you are doing something right. I'm technically jewish, so the Nazis hate me. I'm quite comfortable, happy even, being hated by the lousy Nazis and Bradys.

 

[Gungnir]

gungnir-

What about STATE schools that are PUBLIC property?

(In Utah, private schools can't ban either. They can post, but the signs hold no force of law.)

Now that is indeed true.

Guess I'll write my representative... Gotta get that score down.