Va. panel deadlocks on “gun-show loophole”
On a 6-6 vote, The Virginia State Crime Commission today chose not to recommend a bill that would require people who buy guns at gun shows to undergo mandatory background checks.
State Sen. Henry L. Marsh III, D-Richmond, a member of the commission, said he still plans to introduce a bill similar to the one that failed to clear a Senate Courts of Justice Committee last year. The Crime Commission advises the legislature.
More than three dozen supporters of the families of the Virginia Tech victims attended the meeting. While family members stressed disappointment in the panel's decision, some cited signs that compromise could be forged to further restrict the potential for felons, mentally ill people or spousal abusers to obtain weapons at the shows.
The optimism was fueled by suggestions by some commission members who suggested that legislation be passed requiring promoters of shows to make available licensed dealers to perform voluntary background checks for vendors who want to know whether they are selling weapons to people who are legally entitled to possess them.
The pain of April 16, 2007 remains raw. After the two-hour commission meeting supporters of Tech families staged a "die-in" near the Bell Tower on the Capitol grounds.
Mike White, father of slain Tech student Gina Nicole White, criticized the panel for being indecisive.
"Indecision is what caused the murder of my child," he said. "When they waited two hours to close that school."
-- Jim Nolan
Reader Reactions
Very sinmpy—GUNS SAVE LIVES!
While I respect those who wish to carry guns, the fact of the matter remains, guns kill when in the wrong hands.
The loophole needs to be closed because, even though it’s a transaction between 2 people, that’s enough for some deranged individual to purchase a gun to do harm—between individuals, spouses, children, etc. Those people with that intent know no background checks will be done, so they go to shows for their purchase.
Granted Cho went to a dealer for his gun, had the information been “out there” in a database, he never would have gotten it. So, along with closing the loophole, all persons known to be mentally off or deranged should have that information in the database. This is not a privacy issue, it’s an issue of public safety. I firmly believe citizens armed in this situation would have made the situation worse, as nobody, in the beginning, would know who’s firing at whom or where it’s coming from. Think about it—several people firing guns at once within a confined space would be disastrous.
It’s wrong to exploit a tragedy to advance a political agenda. Guns bought from private sellers at gun shows are the absolute least likely to be used in crimes = %.07
It is very sad that the family and friends of the Va Tech incident victims can not put forth the same effort when it comes to rallying for funds for mental health issues. If they did perhaps funds for mental health services would not be the first thing to be cut when there is budget issues.
Private sales of firearms are between two individuals and do not need government oversight.
Remember Cho purchased his firearms from a licensed dealer and had a background check.
Deeply sorry for the loss of the students lives. But the problem is not the “loophole” but why the system failed repeatedly. First, not getting the disturbed young man some help while he was in pre-teen years, and secondly, the Admin of Tech not shutting down campus.
If only a law abiding student or teacher was allowed to carry a gun in that building….
Once again, either deliberate or sloppy reporting perpetuates the “gun-show loophole” myth. The first paragraph would lead the uninformed reader to assume that no background checks are performed at gun-shows. What will it take to get more responsible reporting from the news media?
Why is it that when liberals post comments they always resort to name calling and insulting someone’s intelligence? Oh yeah, because they have no argument against the points made by the other side.
Gun Owner = Obtuse
Ted has it exactly right, but the liberals in this country won’t quit until they’ve destroyed every freedom we have as American’s.
I feel terrible for the victims and their families. My son was attended Va. Tech at the time and I can’t know the pain and suffering of these people.
But I am sick and tired of a few of them expressing their remorse by trying to limit my rights.
The legal system failed Cho and everyone else effected by this tragedy. But it wasn’t gun laws that weren’t acted upon. It was mental health laws.
1. There is no “gun show loophole.“ We are talking about private sales between individuals.
2. What does the Tech massacre have to do with gun show sales? Cho did not get his gun at a gun show.
3. The real problem is that Virginia Tech had a prohibition against guns by students and faculty. Once again “gun-free zones” do not work as honest people follow the rules, criminals do not. Criminals know where to go to commit their atrocities, like the campus of Virginia Tech.
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