WASHINGTON, March 24 (UPI) — The National Rifle Association chief said background checks wouldn’t have stopped some mass shootings because the suspects were “unrecognizable” to the system.
UPI/Pete Marovich
NRA Executive Vice President Wayne told NBC’s “Meet the Press” moderator David Gregory the suspects in mass shootings in Tucson, Aurora, Colo. and Newtown, Conn., wouldn’t have been prevented from buying a weapon — and in several instances did so legally prior to carrying out their acts — because mental health provisions aren’t considered in background checks as they’re performed now.
“Here’s the loophole … the mental health laws, the medical records” aren’t accessible in background checks, LaPierre said. “The Adam Lanzas, the shooters in Aurora, the shooters in Newtown, they’re unrecognizable.”
LaPierre said the existing retail background checks only hinder law-abiding gun owners and does nothing to prevent illegal arms trafficking.
LaPierre was responding to calls from gun control advocates including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who also appeared on “Meet the Press” Sunday, for universal background checks on all gun sales. At present, about 40 percent of the gun sales in the United States are not subject to background checks, though recent polling suggests a large majority of Americans support closing the so-called “gun show loophole.”
“This is about the public having the right to buy arms and the right to … protect themselves and the right to use them for sport, for hunting,” Bloomberg said. “But also, it’s about the public’s right to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. That’s in everybody’s interests.”
Copyright 2013 United Press International, Inc. (UPI).
We should concentrate more on our screwed up society than on passing more laws. The people committing gun crimes are not following the laws anyways. Our society is producing psychopaths and it’s them that are the problem. I would advocate carrying a gun to protect yourself from these psychopaths that would kill you with or without a gun. When a society is just passing more laws in response to something that happened, we start to become a police state which over time causes tyranny. Let’s start instilling moral values in our society instead of separating religion from everything, how about we start promoting it. Has anyone noticed that the more religion has been separated from people, the more screwed up our culture has become.
Are you the same Anonymous that tries to piss me off? I agree with every word you just said.
@maybe-hard to tell which Anonymous this was but I do agree with this post. Finally someone with some common sense.
Agree! There was a case just the other day down South where a teen shot a baby in a stroller to death in the face while the mom & baby were walking down sidewalk. Thankfully Mom was only injured. A relative of the shooter is claiming the teen was home eating breakfast at the time of the shooting. This code of silence is killing kids, babies, and adults.
These shooters are “America’s terrorists”. And this didn’t just start today. It goes clear back to the 1980’s. A lot of today’s shooters & gang bangers were born “crack babies.” And those surrounding them still protect them from the LE.
already tomany gun laws on the books that they dont enforce
OK, NRA leaders and members, if background checks won’t stop mass shooting, what will?
“LaPierre said the existing retail background checks only hinder law-abiding gun owners and does nothing to prevent illegal arms trafficking.”
So, if this is the case, don’t we need to strengthen and tighten up the existing background checks? That would be the sensible thing to do.
@LVS, not everyone is as great a parent as you are. And sometimes, despite good parenting, people go bad. Not every shooter is a kid either. Some are just deranged individuals.
@bodacious-I agree. But if you will look he was the one that threw in kids. All I said is if you train your kids properly it won’t be a problem. Now I do not advocate not securing weapons. That would just be dumb. My pistol is always beside my bed and it is always loaded. But, I do not have little children around. When we have family over I always lock my guns in the gun safe. The worst thing I can think of to happen is to have someone break into the house and have our protection locked in the safe clear across the house. That would really be dumb.
LVS there you go again. Let’s look at this conversation.
John Colombo…”maybe dumbass gun owners would lock their guns up so their kids don’t grab them and kill themselves or others”
This is exactly what happened at Newtown. A dumbass mother didn’t lock up the guns.
LVS…”What’s the matter John? Do you have a kid that you raised who want to shoot you?”
This smart assed comment was totally uncalled for.
Then bodacious says…”not everyone is as great a parent as you are. And sometimes, despite good parenting, people go bad”
Then you try to justify your smart assed comment by saying…”But if you will look he was the one that threw in kids. All I said is if you train your kids properly it won’t be a problem”
You do have real problems facing reality and accepting blame when blame is do.
Yes we can!
I agree with you on pretty much all your posting but in the case of the Newtown shooter I disagree that she was a
“dumb ass Mother” who didn’t lock up her guns. She was a “victim” like everyone else was. I don’t think she ever thought or had a clue that he would commit mass murder. I know autistic children and none appear to be hateful and capavble of commiting “mass muders”. Even if she’d locked them up (which I believe they were but not positive) he KILLED her to get to the guns. So locking them up is moot point in this case.
@hapy pinko guy-I have no problem assessing blame whatsoever. I blame you for all your stupid post.
Let me ask you all a question, should we try to pass some more laws about speeding or drinking and driving? There are plenty of laws on the books about guns, background checks and all. They just need to prosecute those arrested instead of slapping their wrists.
Name 4
Name 4 what?
4 of laws on drinking, driving and guns you brought up. I’m curious too.
Well that just didn’t make any sense. Name 4 laws about drinking and driving and guns? Look it up yourself and if you can’t find any then you are just looking for a fight.
We regulate every other potentially deadly object in this country. It’s foolish to support unbridled possession of firearms and outright detestable to use the “it’s my right” argument.
Of course it’s your right. Nobody said it wasn’t. But there needs to be some regulation.
Yes we can!
What’s the matter John? Do you have a kid that you raised who want to shoot you? Teach your kids the way they should be taught and you will not have a problem. There is no accounting for crazy people like the ones against gun owners. It is my opinion that they are afraid when there is nothing to be afraid of. People get killed everyday in auto accidents. Does that make you afraid to ride in a care?
LVS you should read back your posts before you hit the post comment tab. Some, like this one, sounds so very stupid.
@happy guy-Why? Do you need me to read it to you so you can understand? It must be real hard for you trying to read past a first grade level.
Yes we can!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LOL ROTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is true, but if we actually start treating the purchase of a firearm as something a little more serious than say the purchase of a gallon of milk then maybe dumbass gun owners would lock their guns up so their kids don’t grab them and kill themselves or others.