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| Gun control fight enters round two after NRA victory on assault weapons | Gun control fight enters round two after NRA victory on assault weapons |
| (14 days later) | |
| In the early hours of Monday morning, James Seevakumaran pulled the fire alarm in his dorm at a Florida university, at the start of what he intended to be the latest mass shooting to horrify the nation. The plan was to force his fellow students out of their rooms, so he could "give them hell" with a military-style assault rifle equipped with a high-capacity magazine and plenty of back-up ammunition. | In the early hours of Monday morning, James Seevakumaran pulled the fire alarm in his dorm at a Florida university, at the start of what he intended to be the latest mass shooting to horrify the nation. The plan was to force his fellow students out of their rooms, so he could "give them hell" with a military-style assault rifle equipped with a high-capacity magazine and plenty of back-up ammunition. |
| It was only the sharp wits of Seevakumaran's room-mate that spared the US another massacre. He locked himself in the bathroom and called 911; as the SWAT team arrived minutes later the would-be gunman turned his rifle on himself and, before he had the chance to take anyone else's life, ended his own. | It was only the sharp wits of Seevakumaran's room-mate that spared the US another massacre. He locked himself in the bathroom and called 911; as the SWAT team arrived minutes later the would-be gunman turned his rifle on himself and, before he had the chance to take anyone else's life, ended his own. |
| A few hours later, Harry Reid, the majority leader in the US Senate, called his fellow Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein into his office and gave her some disappointing news. He told her that the chances of success of the bill she had sponsored – a ban on the sale of the type of assault rifle that Seevakumaran had just come so close to using – were so remote that he had decided to drop it from the gun control legislation that he will be bringing to the Senate floor next month. | A few hours later, Harry Reid, the majority leader in the US Senate, called his fellow Democratic senator Dianne Feinstein into his office and gave her some disappointing news. He told her that the chances of success of the bill she had sponsored – a ban on the sale of the type of assault rifle that Seevakumaran had just come so close to using – were so remote that he had decided to drop it from the gun control legislation that he will be bringing to the Senate floor next month. |
| Reid's dumping of Feinstein's assault weapons ban marks the first stage in the epic political struggle over guns prompted by the Newtown school tragedy in December, in which 20 children and six teachers were killed. Round one goes to the pro-gun lobby and its cheerleader, the National Rifle Association. | Reid's dumping of Feinstein's assault weapons ban marks the first stage in the epic political struggle over guns prompted by the Newtown school tragedy in December, in which 20 children and six teachers were killed. Round one goes to the pro-gun lobby and its cheerleader, the National Rifle Association. |
| Now, almost exactly 100 days after the Sandy Hook massacre, round two begins. The stakes are even higher. On Thursday night, Reid indicated that unlike the assault weapons ban, he would be including in his bill a provision to extend federal background checks to all gun sales. | Now, almost exactly 100 days after the Sandy Hook massacre, round two begins. The stakes are even higher. On Thursday night, Reid indicated that unlike the assault weapons ban, he would be including in his bill a provision to extend federal background checks to all gun sales. |
| The scene is set for what promises to be the definitive confrontation over gun laws post-Newtown. In one corner is the NRA-led gun rights lobby that will have been encouraged by the effective defeat of the assault weapons ban and will now be hoping to repeat the victory over universal background checks. In the other corner are those, championed by the White House, who believe that in the wake of the tragedy, America must finally address its epidemic of gun violence. Background checks are seen by many gun control campaigners as key, as they would erect a federal hurdle to criminals and mentally unstable individuals seeking to acquire guns. | The scene is set for what promises to be the definitive confrontation over gun laws post-Newtown. In one corner is the NRA-led gun rights lobby that will have been encouraged by the effective defeat of the assault weapons ban and will now be hoping to repeat the victory over universal background checks. In the other corner are those, championed by the White House, who believe that in the wake of the tragedy, America must finally address its epidemic of gun violence. Background checks are seen by many gun control campaigners as key, as they would erect a federal hurdle to criminals and mentally unstable individuals seeking to acquire guns. |
| Some 40% of all gun sales are currently unregulated, as they are deemed "private sales" through the internet and gun shows. The point is underlined by the example of Seevakumaran, who obtained his stockpile of military quality armaments online for $700, with no federal scrutiny at all. | Some 40% of all gun sales are currently unregulated, as they are deemed "private sales" through the internet and gun shows. The point is underlined by the example of Seevakumaran, who obtained his stockpile of military quality armaments online for $700, with no federal scrutiny at all. |
| "The lack of background checks on private sales is the single biggest loophole in our gun laws, and I think people have finally started to recognise that," said Jon Vernick, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research. | "The lack of background checks on private sales is the single biggest loophole in our gun laws, and I think people have finally started to recognise that," said Jon Vernick, co-director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research. |
| At face value, the prospects of universal background checks passing through Congress look good. That Reid, a senator from gun-loving Nevada who is no fan of gun controls, has agreed to include the checks in his bill is a sign that President Obama and his guns envoy, vice-president Joe Biden, have imposed their will on wavering Democrats. The provision was also approved by the Senate judiciary committee earlier this week. But look closer and there are ominous signs: the committee voted along party lines, with all Republican members opposing the extension of background checks to private sales. | At face value, the prospects of universal background checks passing through Congress look good. That Reid, a senator from gun-loving Nevada who is no fan of gun controls, has agreed to include the checks in his bill is a sign that President Obama and his guns envoy, vice-president Joe Biden, have imposed their will on wavering Democrats. The provision was also approved by the Senate judiciary committee earlier this week. But look closer and there are ominous signs: the committee voted along party lines, with all Republican members opposing the extension of background checks to private sales. |
| The complaint raised by Republican members of Congress about federal monitoring is pitched in terms strangely similar to those used by the NRA and its leader, Wayne LaPierre. The NRA has whipped up paranoia towards the idea of universal background checks by claiming it would contain a registration of all gun sales that would be a first step towards a government grab of guns. | The complaint raised by Republican members of Congress about federal monitoring is pitched in terms strangely similar to those used by the NRA and its leader, Wayne LaPierre. The NRA has whipped up paranoia towards the idea of universal background checks by claiming it would contain a registration of all gun sales that would be a first step towards a government grab of guns. |
| "The fear is that records become a back door to registration and then, when the political moment is right, registration will turn to confiscation," said Robert Cottrol, a gun control expert at George Washington University. | "The fear is that records become a back door to registration and then, when the political moment is right, registration will turn to confiscation," said Robert Cottrol, a gun control expert at George Washington University. |
| The Obama administration has insisted repeatedly that it has no intention of grabbing anyone's guns, and public opinion polls continue to show a high level of public support for universal background checks, including 74% of members of the NRA itself. Yet the NRA's hyperbolic warnings about gun confiscation appear to be holding many Republican and several Democratic Congress members in their sway, to the extent that it is not at all clear that Reid will be able to command the 60 votes in the Senate needed to avoid a filibuster on his bill. | The Obama administration has insisted repeatedly that it has no intention of grabbing anyone's guns, and public opinion polls continue to show a high level of public support for universal background checks, including 74% of members of the NRA itself. Yet the NRA's hyperbolic warnings about gun confiscation appear to be holding many Republican and several Democratic Congress members in their sway, to the extent that it is not at all clear that Reid will be able to command the 60 votes in the Senate needed to avoid a filibuster on his bill. |
| As a further threat, there have been dark whisperings of a possible ruse by Republicans to pack the Reid bill with pro-gun rights amendments that would turn the legislation on its head, transforming the bill from a measure to tighten gun regulations post-Newtown into a panacea for a gun-owning free-for-all. One such provision being mooted would require all 50 states to recognise concealed carry permits from other states – New York, for instance, would be forced to allow a man with a permit from Arizona to carry a hidden gun in its bars. | As a further threat, there have been dark whisperings of a possible ruse by Republicans to pack the Reid bill with pro-gun rights amendments that would turn the legislation on its head, transforming the bill from a measure to tighten gun regulations post-Newtown into a panacea for a gun-owning free-for-all. One such provision being mooted would require all 50 states to recognise concealed carry permits from other states – New York, for instance, would be forced to allow a man with a permit from Arizona to carry a hidden gun in its bars. |
| "That's an old favourite legislative strategy – to add poison pills to a bill that would make it difficult to support and that way kill it," Vernick said. | "That's an old favourite legislative strategy – to add poison pills to a bill that would make it difficult to support and that way kill it," Vernick said. |
| Despite such worries, the leading campaigning groups for increased regulations remain optimistic. Debra Reed, a spokesperson for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said: "We believe in a comprehensive approach, and that the American people deserve a vote on every proposal. We haven't given up on anything." | Despite such worries, the leading campaigning groups for increased regulations remain optimistic. Debra Reed, a spokesperson for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said: "We believe in a comprehensive approach, and that the American people deserve a vote on every proposal. We haven't given up on anything." |
| As part of the deal with Reid, Feinstein will be granted a vote on the assault weapons ban on the floor of the Senate, but only as an amendment. Its prospects are negligible, given blanket Republican opposition. The vote will at least provide a public record of where senators stand on the issue, allowing them to be held publicly accountable. | As part of the deal with Reid, Feinstein will be granted a vote on the assault weapons ban on the floor of the Senate, but only as an amendment. Its prospects are negligible, given blanket Republican opposition. The vote will at least provide a public record of where senators stand on the issue, allowing them to be held publicly accountable. |
| As Michael Bloomberg, the New York mayor who has been a formative voice on gun controls, put it this week: "Everyone is going to have to stand up and say yay or nay. And then the rest of us have to decide just how we feel about people and their stance." | As Michael Bloomberg, the New York mayor who has been a formative voice on gun controls, put it this week: "Everyone is going to have to stand up and say yay or nay. And then the rest of us have to decide just how we feel about people and their stance." |
| Kristen Rand of the Violence Policy Center believes that even if the NRA prevails for now with many Congress members, change will come to America. But her view, she says, is informed not by optimism, but by fatalism. | Kristen Rand of the Violence Policy Center believes that even if the NRA prevails for now with many Congress members, change will come to America. But her view, she says, is informed not by optimism, but by fatalism. |
| "The members who are hoping that they can turn their back on the gun issue and it will all go away are merely delaying the inevitable. There are too many disturbed people with access to too many powerful weapons, and things can only get worse," she said. | "The members who are hoping that they can turn their back on the gun issue and it will all go away are merely delaying the inevitable. There are too many disturbed people with access to too many powerful weapons, and things can only get worse," she said. |
| Rand predicts that the next mass shooting is just a matter of time. "This week we escaped a massacre in Florida – if it wasn't for that quick-thinking roommate, we would already have another Newtown." | Rand predicts that the next mass shooting is just a matter of time. "This week we escaped a massacre in Florida – if it wasn't for that quick-thinking roommate, we would already have another Newtown." |
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