One of the memos the Brady Campaign is handing out to make their point about Congress’s inaction on gun control. (Photo: Brady Campaign)
The Brady Campaign is not happy with the United States Congress. Activists for the prominent gun-control organization believe that lawmakers bear responsibility for the blood that was shed around the country while they were out on summer break.
To publicize their displeasure with the House and Senate, Brady advocates are handing out thousands of memos that read, “While you were out 4,500 people died from gun violence.”
Of course, the Brady campaign doesn’t breakdown that number to delineate how many of those deaths were suicide versus homicide, leading one to assume that violence in this country is out of control, when, in fact, the majority of those deaths were most likely self-inflicted (of the approximate 32,000 gun deaths per year, two-thirds are suicide).
While suicides are still tragic, there’s a difference between violence against oneself and violence against others, especially as it relates to policy solutions on how to bring down one category versus the other (e.g. having a boots-on-the-ground gang task force versus having a robust suicide prevention program). Brady seems to be pushing ill-conceived measures that will do little, if nothing, to bring down gun homicides or gun suicides. Nevertheless, they’re calling on Congress to take action.
“Congress is in for a rude awakening today if they thought seven weeks of vacation would wipe the slate clean,” said Dan Gross, President of the Brady Campaign, in a press release.
“While Congress enjoyed nearly two months of sun and fun, the American people paid the ultimate price for Congress’ inaction, with 4,500 shot and killed during August recess alone,” he continued. “Now that they’re finally back at work, gun violence must be a priority for Congress.”
Before they left for break back in June, the Senate had an opportunity to pass four bills addressing firearms. Two of those bills were put forth by Democrats and two were put forth by Republicans. All four were voted down. Here is the breakdown:
- Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) put forth an amendment that would require universal background checks for all gun sales, including those between private buyers and sellers made over the Internet and at gun shows.
- Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) put forth an amendment that would prohibit the sale of firearms and explosives for those on the terrorist watchlist. She introduced a similar version of the bill back in December, following the mass killing in San Bernardino, CA. It also failed to clear the Senate.
- Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) put forth an amendment that would increase funding for NICS, the FBI’s system for running background checks on prospective gun purchasers, to ensure the information is up to date and accurate. The bill would also seek to clarify language regarding the mental health disqualifications for gun purchasers.
- Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) put forth an amendment that would give the government the power to deny the sale of a firearm to a suspected terrorist for a period of 72 hours after which time prosecutors would have to go to court to show probable cause on why the sale should be blocked, permanently. This bill was backed by the NRA. It also failed to clear the Senate in December.
It’s not clear at this point in time if the Senate plans on taking another swing at passing some form of gun control. However, the Brady campaign says that they’re not going to stop until some action on the matter is taken.
“This is not just some talking point,” said Gross. “These lives were abruptly and violently cut short by guns while politicians did nothing. A twelve-year old was accidentally killed by another child in a South Carolina home. Two Muslim community leaders in New York were gunned down in broad daylight. And in Chicago, an innocent mother of four was caught in the crossfire of two men who should never have been allowed to get their hands on guns in the first place.”
“Stories like these played out again and again and again, thousands of times over,” added Gross. “Continued inaction on this issue cannot be justified.
The question Gross ought to ask himself is whether he really believes any of the bills being proposed will keep a thug in Chicago or a drug dealer in New York from obtaining a firearm and using it for nefarious purposes? Moreover, how will a background check prevent a law-abiding octogenarian, terminally ill with cancer, from taking his own life?
At the end of the day, gun violence is a people problem, not a gun problem. Therefore, our laws and outreach efforts ought to target the people responsible for the violence or those at risk of inflicting it on themselves — not the hardware they use to perpetrate the acts.
James Brady was Ronald Reagan’s man. I don’t know how alert or aware he was after his injury, but I’m not sure he’d completely approve of all the Brady Campaign is doing.
The Brady bunch never ever puts out correct data . They just throw it on the wall and see what sticks .
Old man Brady gets popped and so nobody else can be armed ? Bull shit . I do feel sympathy for him, especially considering who he was married to : The Beast Woman . Like most all liberal tyrants , they live in their Lilly white gated communities and spew their nonsense about how the rest of us should live . Come work in some of these crappy neighborhoods sometime and see why we need a gun .. The rest of us don’t have the luxury of armed guards protecting us . They couldn’t stop Kennedy from getting rich importing booze from Canada , or pot from being sold . So what makes them think they can ban guns from us ? I’ll be the next Joe Kennedy before that happens . 😎
While everyone was worried about rising health insurance costs…
almost 200,000 people were KILLED last tear by BAD medical treatments, procedures, and prescribed pharmaceuticals!
As Larry Koehn alluded, approximately 500 Chicago thugs met their just deserts during the congressional recess. Perhaps someone will send a memo to the Brady Campaign headquarters, suggestion that the Congress should consider even more time off to facilitate the self-correcting gang-banger problem.
Now let’s return to reality, concerning the “gun problem”. Many of our “trusted” representatives in Washington, D.C., including the RINOs, are not all that upset over the misuse of firearms in this country. They are merely using these crimes and tragedies to advance their agenda. Their agenda is nothing less than a systematic program to disarm the American public.
ALL governments distrust the people, some governments attempt to eliminate the only thing that gives the people a chance to maintain their independence from the elite who would abuse their inherent rights as human beings. This struggle has been going on since the invention of gun powder in a hollow tube used to propel small missiles.
The rifle has become the symbol of freedom. The political animals tend to oppress the people. When such oppression becomes overt, the symbol of freedom becomes the tool of freedom. Forget the obfuscations that the politicians point at, such as crime and mass killings. Instead, concentrate on the political candidate who shows a history of supporting the Second Amendment. Such a person may actually honor the oath of office that includes a vow to support the Constitution.
It’s not the President, Congress or the Supreme Court of the United States that guards individual freedoms. It’s the Second Amendment that affirms that the people have the right to arms, arms that are feared by the politicians. obama and the “leaders” that think like obama, understand that one cannot abuse the rights of an armed populace. Some clueless Americans might ask, what abuse? Well, last week the obama administration tried to outlaw smokeless gun powder. As if the people didn’t understand the fact that firearms need ammunition to be relevant instruments. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the elected leaders understood that they are employees, not tyrants?
Not so. The Republican and some Dem members in Congress have systematically voted down Obama’s persistent attempts to ban so called assault weapons.
And while they try their best to disarm us for their own control reasons, there were many more thousands who were killed, and killed others texting and driving, Cell Phones, Makeup applications, eating, drinking, shaving, smoking and dropping the cigarette. Many died playing pokemon-Go walking into traffic, subway stairs, manholes, one tripped and fell into a fountain and hit their head….Gun Control for the sake of disarming us is a much harder message to pull over our eyes, and it’s frustrating the socialists to no end. You may keep trying Boys, but we will keep fighting you until the next generation takes over the fight. We will never quit either…
DOES ANYONE HAPPEN TO KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY FORDS, CHEVYS, CADILLAC, ETC. IN THAT SAME TIME PERIOD? HOW ABOUT BY FISTS AND FEET? WHY ARE DEATHS BY GUNS ALWAYS BLAMED ON THE GUN, BUT NO OTHER INSTRUMENT OF DEATH IS EVER MENTIONED? ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
I, FOR ONE, AM SICK OF THE “GUN MORONS” THAT DON’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GUNG, BUT A LOT ABOUT NOTHING!
Bruce Marston
Last year there were 9,000 killed by guns. 300 deaths were long arms like rifles and shotguns. 4,000 deaths by hands and feet, blunt object and edged object according to the FBI. The DOJ said that last year in Chicago 2988 blacks shot 2988 blacks with illegal hand guns. 500 died including 20 children under the age of 13 killed in drive bys.
why don’t they [the brady campaign] do something about the gang/poverty problem or the serotonin reuptake inhibitor – problem, before taking law abiding tax paying natural born citizens civil rights away…
THE “BRADY BUNCH”, LED BY DAN GROSS, IS TRULY A BUNCH OF DEMOCRAT LIBERAL IDIOTS AND THAT INCLUDES THE NETWORK NEWS MEDIA THAT WILL DO AND SAY ANYTHING TO TRY TO DESTROY THE SECOND AMENDMENT FOR WHOM A TREMENDOUS NUMBER OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS HAVE DIED TO GIVE AMERICANS THE FREEDOM OF THE CONSTITUTION. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WILL BE IN A TIME THAT IS CRITICAL TO AMERICAN FREEDOM AND I URGE EVERY VOTER TO VOTE REPUBLICAN !!!!!
SHOWN BELOW IS A NEWS PAPER ARTICLE AND IT COULD NOT BE SENT BY EMAIL. I HAVE TYPED IT SO YOU CAN READ IT. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING THE POLITICAL STATE OF THE UNITED STATES TODAY AND WHY IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO ELECT TRUMP AND REPUBLICANS !!!!!
“BEWARE THE USEFUL IDIOTS”, SUBMITTED BY GARRET GEAR
Recall that Hillary did her college thesis on his (Alinsky’s) writings and Obama writes about him in his books.
Saul Alinsky died about 43 years ago, but HIS WRITINGS HAVE INFLUENCED THOSE IN POLITICAL CONTROL OF OUR NATION TODAY.
Died: June 12, 1972, Carmel- by -the -Sea, CA. Education: University of Chicago
Spouse: Aileen Alinsky
Books: Rules for Radicals , Reveille for Radicals
Anyone out there think that this stuff isn’t happening today in the U.S.?
All eight rules are currently in play.
How to create a social state by Saul Alinsky:
There are eight levels of control that must be obtained before you are able to create a social state. The first is the most important.
1) Healthcare – Control healthcare and you control the people.
2) Poverty – Increase the Poverty level as high as possible; poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live.
3) Debt – Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes, and this will produce more poverty.
4) Gun Control – Remove the ability to defend themselves from the government. That way you are able to create a police state.
5) Welfare – Take control of every aspect of their lives (Food, Housing, and Income).
6) Education – Take control of what people read and listen to – take control of what children learn in school.
7) Religion – Remove the belief in God from the Government and schools.
8) Class Warfare – Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will cause more discontent, and it will be easier to take (tax) the wealthy with the support of the poor.
Does this sound like what is happening to the United States?
Alinsky merely simplified Vladimir Lenin’s original scheme for world conquest by communism, under Russian rule. Stalin described his converts as “Useful Idiots”.
THE “USEFUL IDIOTS” HAVE DESTROYED EVERY NATION IN WHICH THEY HAVE SEIZED POWER AND CONTROL. IT IS PRESENTLY HAPPENING AT AN ALARMING RATE IN THE U.S. !!!!
“It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere”.
“It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere”.
America Awaken! That last line puts it in a nut shell.
Failing to mention how many lives were saved by the gun during the same time period make your article and complaints useless and void. Failing to address why and how you live in a free nation and enjoy better lives then most is not mentioned so again the article is useless and void. If you wish to depend on others for your protection, if you wish to give up your God given rights to defend you and your loved ones, so be it, I will not try to stop you, but I also will not be there to help you if you need a gun, as I will hand you my phone and say here call the cops, If you wish to give up that which many fought to gain and many fought to keep so you can have what you have today, so be it, but don’t write foolishness in the name of all men and all that wish to live free and not dependent on others like you. The Constitution is quite clear about the 2nd amendment but apparently your to ignorant and stupid to understand. Piss off hows that for politically correct?
A number of years ago Obama asked the CDC to do a study on how many times a year a gun stops a crime. Obama refused to release the figures because it made him look stupid in his claims that guns are used very rarely to stop a crime. The CDC said that 300,000 to 2 million times a year a crime is stopped and 98% of the time the gun isn’t even fired.
Well we know that 500 of those occurred in Chiraq with gang bangers shooting each other. In Chiraq cops can’t shoot Dindu Nuffins as their city officials will prosecute them. It seems that gang bangers are off limits and their numbers are growing. At least these gang related shootings are a self inflicted culling operation to keep numbers in check. In every cloud there is a silver lining.
If legitimate, law abiding gun owners was a problem, there would be very few liberals left, especially those at orgs like the Brady Bunch.
And in that time…how many abortions?
I am pro-choice and pro 2A…just like the numbers to be out there for all to see.
Go get the illegal guns from the thugs and gang members first…THEN come talk to the legal gun buyers/owners.
To answer your question, I roughly calculated that there were nearly 143,000 abortions in the US during Congress’ 7 week long break.
Why is the “Brady Group” so gung-ho about new legislation?
It is far easier to write new laws as opposed to enforcing existing statues.
You must also realize that enforcing current laws will take away the voting rights of their constituent base. If the kids and grandkids are jailed, Grandma won’t vote for the dems in the elections.
There is far more to it than these two points, but this is what it all boils down to.
Magic, Good perspicacious points. All the more reason to start a serious no bull-shit grass roots movement dedicated to forcing our employees (U.S. Representatives) to repeal ALL Gun control laws, Starting with the 1934NFA and the ’68 Totalitarian Gun control Act. And pass legislation to make any further attempt at administrative/Fiat measures to deprive Americans of their Constitutional rights a crime punishable by mandatory prison time.
As a Connecticut resident, I can tell you that Sen. Murphy has done nothing to better the lives of residents in our state. He is using the gun issue to make a name for himself which he can’t do by showing any positive accomplishments throughout his political career. He is ignorant of current gun laws and how it is not possible to purchase a firearm on the internet without going thorough a legitimate FFL dealer. Aside from that, the majority of the mass murders and killings happen in gun free zones, by Islamic terrorists as in San Bernardino and Orlando, and in Democratic controlled cities that have the strictest and abusive gun laws in the country. This is NOT about gun control, it’s about PEOPLE control. The responsible gun owners of America must stop this once and for all. This November will be the turning point in the battle to protect the 2nd Amendment. Hillary has vowed to make gun control her highest priority if elected. We cannot make that happen.
“This comment is awaiting moderation.”
Since” politically” correct seems to rule your website then do not print any of my comments.Do me a favor and quit sending me emails asking for my opinion. Ken Sawyer
How many people were killed in auto acidents in the same time period congress was resting on its laurals?
Just forget about my comment. It seems” politically correct” takes first place.
You are obviously a troll. Everyone else knows that comments are moderated. If only they could filter the likes of you. LMBOBO
If the Brady Campaign wanted to make a real difference in firearm related deaths, and were not just pushing an agenda to strip all Americans of their 2A Rights, they would be protesting outside the courthouses in Chicago, and Baltimore, against judges who do not enforce existing laws and send offenders convicted of violent crimes (such as: aggravated assault with a firearm, aggravated robbery with a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon) back on the street after extremely light sentences (6 mo- a year). Sometimes these offenders are back on the street after making bail, when they are picked up for another violent crime with a firearm. Ask yourself why the Brady Campaign is not pushing for enforcing the laws and sentences we have in place, and instead of blindly going after law abiding gun owners.
By Labor Day weekend, Chicago had 500 homicides, mostly related to gang violence, with many innocent people caught in the cross fire. I don’t see the Brady Campaign reaching out to these gang-bangers asking them to stem the flow, or see them doing anything meaningful to stop the violence there. What gives?
Last night on the news we watched on video as two young men rode up on bicycles to a man watering his grass in his front yard. They robbed him, shot him in the belly, and left him to die. The victim’s Black Life didn’t mean a plug-nickel to them.