FEEDBACK RESULTS: You gave us your thoughts on Gun Control.
NC WANTED has heard you loud and clear.
See your response below.
Response 1--
First I think the Gun laws on the books are fine there are a few loopholes that need to be looked at. But If you guns away from people who are law abiding the bad people will always have away to get a hold of a firearm.
Steve
Wendell, NC
Response 2--
Why not show how firearms are used in a positive way. Such as selfdefense, shooting events, the history and so forth. Just a few bad people use guns in negative ways. Why do you think that banning guns would act as a deterrent for crimes. The criminals arent allowed firearms in prisons but look at how many rapes robberies and murders are committed with homemade weapon there. How are law abiding citizens going to defend their selfs if they arent allowed firearms?
Response 3--
I watched your NCWanted show with interest. I do not believe that additional gun laws with help cure the epidemic of violence. You can close "loopholes" all you want, but the truth of the matter is that we cannot effectively enforce the existing laws. Why would one think that new laws will stop an individual from obtaining a gun?
Instead, let us focus our efforts on putting violent criminals behind bars. Far too many crimes are committed by repeat offenders. This may not prevent cases like the ones profiled tonight from occurring, but it would help reduce our overall crime.
Bottom line is that if someone intends to commit a violent crime with a gun, no gun law is going to stop them from getting a gun.
Greg
Raleigh
Response 4--
Gun control laws affect only the law-abiding citizen and therefore are totally ineffective as a means of controlling crime. I believe gun control laws often benefit criminals by effectively disarming their law abiding victims.
Guns cause crime like spoons cause obesity.
The 2nd Amendment means exactly what it says.
Leslie
Response 5--
Gun laws do not stop crime. The current gun laws are often not followed by criminals so why would they follow any new laws. What would help is more law abiding citizens carrying their firearms. Often it is one of these law abiding citizens that are able to stop criminals. While I do not believe that any type of firearms should be illegal I do believe it should be illegal for any felony criminal to possess any firearm and the penalties should be much harsher when they are caught.
Thank You
Chad
Response 6--
This is the first time I have written to anyone on a television show, but I felt compelled to write this time.
I watch your show every week and have since it started. I enjoy it very much. About tonights episode, I would love to know how to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, but in my opinion, gun control laws only make it harder for law abiding citizens to own a hand gun for personal protection.
Since it's already against the law; to use a handgun in the commission of a crime, to give or sell a handgun to someone who does not have a permit to purchase, to carry a concealed handgun withou a permit, and even with a permit, to carry it where alcohol is sold and consummed, but criminals do these things any way, why would anyone think criminals would obey any other laws the do not want to obey.
But at least if I happen to be in a place of business, when any of the above acts are committed, and my life in is danger, and I am a law abiding citizen with a concealled carry permit and I happen to have a handgun I can protect my life. And If you should happen to be in the same business at the same time I may even save your life, If God forbid I should happen to take a life to protect mine.
Larry
Response 7--
Thank you for inviting my opinion on gun control. I appreciate what you're doing with NCWANTED and I appreciate what appeared to be a fair inquiry about gun control. You asked for my opinion, so here it is:
We already have more gun control laws than the average honest citizen can keep up with and comprehend, and with no impact on criminals and crime. The simple solution, from where I sit as a 62 year old law abiding citizen, is firm enforcement of existing laws ... not just gun laws, but all laws. It's appalling that EVERY time I read about the capture of a criminal, it's a repeat offender, usually with a long rap sheet! These people just laugh at our laws because we don't punish appropriately when they're broken. More laws mean NOTHING because the criminals are conditioned that they'll get a break in court. Gun laws only affect the law abiding citizen trying to defend his own home and family, or hoping for a hard earned hunting trip or some time at the shooting range.
Just put the criminals away once they're captured. That's all we need.
Allow the rest of us the opportunity to enjoy the rights we and our ancestors fought and paid so dearly for.
Sincerely,
Billy
NRA Life Member
NC Concealed Carry Permit Holder
NC Lifetime Sportsman Licensee
Response 8--
If lawmakers would enforce the already hundreds of laws on the books, then further gun control would not be an option. The courts release so many violent felons to go back out and victimizing people over and over and over.. Then they want to put new laws on the LAW ABIDING CITIZENS! Thank you for reporting that in Australia the gun laws and bans are useless.
Response 9--
Responsible gun owners should never have to worry about having their guns taken away. We have met several people throughout the years from countries where guns were banned. Although guns are banned, the criminals still seem to find them and use them against unarmed citizens. When guns are outlawed, I suppose I will have to become an outlaw because my constitutional rights I will not have taken away. More and more places are banning guns from their establishments. The gun toting criminal takes advantage of this and walks freely inside and robs and/or shoots the victims at will. When the choice comes down to Gun Owner or Victim, I will check the box next to Gun Owner. Banning guns is NOT the answer.
Response 10--
Gun control laws are effective only if they are followed. As you mentioned in the discussion after the stories -- the criminals do not follow the law. My husband is a responsible gun owner. He has a concealed carry permit obtained after the required classwork and background check. He follows the laws. But the criminals do not follow these rules.
I taught high school students for forty years before retiring. I know from my experiences that a student not willing to follow established guidelines in school will not follow them in the adult world. I recognize many of the names in the crime report in the newspaper.
For every gun purchase made legally there are probably several made outside the system. It's the "good old boys network" where sales are made between individuals with no record of the sale or background investigation. If gun shows were no longer held one of the avenues for purchases outside the law (i.e., in the parking lot) would be eliminated.
Response 11--
There are plenty of laws to control illegal use of firearms. simply banning guns will not solve anything as evidenced in countries that have imposed strict bans. in a free society many things can be abused such as automobiles, drugs, alcohol and free speech to name a few, but nobody is proposing a ban on these and nobody should. one answer might be to educate people on the proper use and handling of firearms as was commonplace in the past. as recently as 20 years ago, firearms were more prevalent but there were no mass shootings taking place in our schools and workplaces.
and i believe this was due to a more common sense approach to firearms and educating our children. today we have become a "tolerate any behavior" society as to not hurt feelings or stereotype. a simple approach would be to NOT tolerate it and hold individuals accountable as opposed to entire groups being punished by over bearing laws and restrictions. thank you for the opportunity to respond.
Response 12--
Dear ncwanted,
I think it is fair to say that criminals don’t care about the law – that is why they are criminals to begin with. Gun control laws are helpful to a degree, but in the end they do not stop determined criminals from obtaining guns any more than the drug laws stop people from buying, selling, and using illegal drugs.
There is no doubt that some control is needed. North Carolina requires that a pistol permit or a concealed weapons permit be obtained by any individual that wants to buy a handgun. Contrary to the “Gunshow Loophole” you refer to on the website and on the TV show, NC law requires that everyone who sells, trades or gives a handgun to another person obtain a pistol permit or a copy of the buyer’s concealed weapons permit. It does not matter whether the person selling is a licensed gun dealer, a private citizen at a gunshow, or your Grandfather passing down a family heirloom. The North Carolina law clearly states that everyone must get a pistol permit or CCW permit from the buyer. (Read the NC laws posted on the ncwanted website, page 5, Section B, continued on page 6)
There is no “Gunshow Loophole” here. Anyone who sells a pistol without obtaining a permit has committed a Class 2 misdemeanor. The same is true for anyone who commits a “Straw purchase”. They are breaking the law and can face jail terms…but wait, they are criminals to begin with. They just don’t care.
Response 13--
Hi,
I have given this topic lots of thought through the years because I do believe that it is important that "honest, law-abiding" citizens be able to have access to firearms but simultaneously I believe that we must be "pro-active" in the war against illegal straw purchases and illegal gun-trade and use. First I would like to also state that I believe that when our FOUNDING FATHERS penned the Constitution of the US of A, that they had indeed quite a bit of forethought, but more than 200 years ago they could not possibly have envisioned the world in which we live today. The right to bear arms was a necessary means of survival back in the RUSTIC days of Yore, but not so much in the days of MODERN Civilization! So, with all of that having been said, I think the best means to get this GUN CONTROL SITUATION under CONTROL is to create something much like the DIVISION of MOTOR VEHICLES. Each gun when manufactured will have a unique serial number and must also be fired at the manufacturer so that a BALLISTICS' TEST can be performed on the expelled round and shell with the imagery entered into a National Database. When a crime is committed and there is a bullet and/or shell casing left behind, it can be compared against this database and then traced to the registered owned of the gun. Furthermore, the owner must have the firearm inspected every year or two-years or three-years,(whatever interval makes the most logistical sense), where they must produce the registered firearm and their permit to own and it's registration like getting your car inspected. If the owner sells the gun or transfers ownership by any means, they must handle it like we do a motor vehicle title. If the owner does not show up with the firearm and proper paperwork, then an automatic warrant would be issued by the sheriff's office and the sheriff would go to the listed residence in pursuit of ascertaining the whereabouts of said firearm and owner and paperwork. There would be annual fees for the purposes of firearm ownership and registration and title transfer, etc. Like I have stated, it would work very much like the Motor Vehicle Laws for ownership and also by providing inspections, we could eliminate the straw purchasers because they could be held accountable if their firearm is not reported as stolen and it is found to have been used in a crime. Limits can be set on quantities allowed for ownership by an individual before he must purchase a dealer license, etc. I think a system like this that is well thought out could really be effective if a think-tank committee were set forth to debate the ins and outs of both sides of each issue. Also, I know that there would still be the problem of the numbers of firearms out there that are not registered. Well, a certain amount of time could be set forth which would allow individuals to register any UN-registered weapons without fear of prosecution and then after that date, any and all weapons discovered by the authorities that have not been correctly registered automatically destroyed permanently, and their owners subject to criminal charges. How many people do you think would be willing to buy a handgun for some gangster if they knew that next year they were going to have to produce that same gun at the DIVISION of FIREARMS for its yearly inspection and analysis through the database or etc.? And these laws would hold true for ALL firearms, not just handguns, but shotguns, rifles, etc. Also, I think you would find that HONEST, LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS would be very cooperative and very willing to institute such a plan or department within our government.
Thanks For Your Time, and I really do Enjoy Your Show even though the subject matter is a crying shame to have to deal with in such a sophisticated world!!
Response 14--
It was sickening to watch your show and see how so many convenience store workers are being killed. The killers are always cowards that will prey on the weak like an isolated store worker or college students in dorms at at VT. You rarely hear about these cowards killing someone at a biker's rally or some other place where there is a more than likely chance that someone will have a weapon. The State should took away our right to bear arms. A criminal is always going to be able to find a way to get a gun such as breaking into gun shops etc. Furthermore, guns are not the only means used to kill someone so the answer obviously is not to take away guns. Restore the second amendment and let citizens own handguns instead of treating them like they are the criminals. News reports of a few dead convenience store robbers shot dead would be a greater deterrent to crime than any means of control that government tries to impose.
Response 15--
Just wish you would do your home work and not rely on our opinions. Read this paper and let's have it shared on the airwaves. (lol)
Down load at; http://law.bepress.com/expresso/eps/1564
(NOTE from NC WANTED: We posted this article in the gray box area for visitors to read. It was a 117 page document that we divided into three parts. See Academic Study in the gray box.)
ALL COUNTIES: North Carolina is part of the Iron Pipeline for illegal gun trafficking. I-95 is one of the major interstates used for transporting the illegal firearms.
North Carolina is also one of the states that does not allow law enforcement to trace illegal firearms that have been confiscated in crimes. At this time, only tfirearms tracing can only be conducted by the Federal Government and ATF.
Last year, local police asked ATF for help investigating whether an estimated 284,000 weapons were legally sold, officials said Monday, August 20, 2007.
But Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives acting Director Michael J. Sullivan said he's worried that fewer police departments will request assistance because of new legislation barring public release of so-called gun trace data, which tracks gun sales in specific cases.
"My biggest concern is we have law enforcement departments out there that believe that they can't get access to trace information, so they're not even asking for it," Sullivan told reporters at ATF headquarters. "And it's undermining their ability to advance their investigations."
"There's little that I can think of that they've requested that we can't provide to them," Sullivan said.
To underscore the data's availability, the ATF released a state-by-state breakdown of requests for help in tracking down guns recovered at crime scenes, including by type of firearm and where they were sold.
The confusion stems from a provision in the Justice Department's spending plan for next year that prohibits ATF from releasing case-specific information to the public.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has pushed for the information that he says will help local officials uncover dealers who sell guns that disproportionately end up in the hands of criminals. But gun rights advocates like the National Rifle Association, who successfully fought for the ban, said mayors want the data to sue out-of-state gun dealers.
Sullivan's explanation Monday still didn't satisfy some city officials who said they remain unclear on whether the ATF would penalize police for using trace data to map illegal gun sales on the black market.
"It has been impossible to get a straight answer out of the ATF on trace data," said John Feinblatt, Bloomberg's criminal justice coordinator.
ATF used to recap generic gun trace data, like the information released Monday, in annual reports. But Sullivan said budget cuts in part hampered the bureau's ability to compile and release those reports - although he pledged to do so in the future.
Additionally, 8 percent of police agencies nationwide can investigate the gun sales on their own with technology called e-trace, Sullivan said. About 6,000 of the estimated 17,000 police departments in the U.S. ask ATF for help with at least one firearm each year, he said.
Last year, California asked for ATF assistance in tracing 21,223 guns, more than any other state, the data released Monday show. The overwhelming majority of the guns - more than 8,000 - were originally sold within the state. Just over 600 guns recovered at California crime scenes were sold in neighboring Arizona, and the rest of the firearms came from all over the country.
California was among five states - including Illinois, New York, North Carolina and Texas - that logged more than 10,000 requests.
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The ATF's state-by-state breakdown of gun trace data can be found at: http://www.atf.gov/firearms/vcit/index.htm
Iron Pipeline and North Carolina
In a recent episode of NC WANTED, we sat down with Earl Woodham, Senior Agent with Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Here's what we learned:
* ATF is a federal agency that upholds the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and enforces federal laws involving firearms.
* The interstate system running up and down the eastern seaboard is known as the 'Iron Pipeline' for illegal gun trafficking. I-95 runs through North Carolina.
* I-95 leads to New York City where individuals are prohibited from purchasing firearms. This prohibition has led to an active llegal gun trade in New York City.
* 8 out of 10 guns used in New York City crimes come from other states, including North Carolina.
* North Carolina is ranked seventh in the country as a 'source state' for illegal guns.
* State Law Enforcement agencies are prevented from tracing firearms used in crimes. Only the federal government can trace a gun that was used in a crime.
* Criminals obtain guns by:
(a) Having a qualified buyer purchase guns legally, then having the qualified buyer turn around and sell those same guns illegally to convicted felons and/or unqualified buyers. This is an unlawful practice called Straw Purchasing.
(b) Buying guns from non-licensed individuals who are not bound to laws regarding background checks and legal applications for qualification. This includes non-licensed individuals who sell personal firearms at gun shows, which the media refer to as the 'Gun Show Loophole.'
(c) Lying on firearm applications, particularly when it comes to questions about mental health status and background.
(d) Burglarizing homes and businesses and stealing firearms.
(e) Obtaining pre-owned firearms through relatives, friends and other types of associates.
