WASHINGTON, April 18 (UPI) — U.S. senators “gave into fear” when they defeated a bill on expanded background checks for gun purchases, ex-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, a shooting survivor, said.
“On Wednesday, a minority of senators gave into fear and blocked common-sense legislation that would have made it harder for criminals and people with dangerous mental illnesses to get hold of deadly firearms — a bill that could prevent future tragedies like those in Newtown, Conn., Aurora, Colo., Blacksburg, Va., and too many communities to count,” Giffords, who was shot in the head when a gunman opened fire in Tucson, Ariz., and killed six and wounded 13, said in a commentary published by The New York Times.
To senators who said the vote was a tough decision, Giffords said nuts.
“I know what a complicated issue is; I know what it feels like to take a tough vote. This was neither,” she wrote. “These senators made their decision based on political fear and on cold calculations about the money of special interests like the National Rifle Association, which in the last election cycle spent around $25 million on contributions, lobbying and outside spending.”
Giffords said she was “furious” and would work until “we have righted the wrong these senators have done, and until we have changed our laws so we can look parents in the face and say: We are trying to keep your children safe.”
“We cannot allow the status quo — desperately protected by the gun lobby so that they can make more money by spreading fear and misinformation — to go on,” she said.
She called on Americans to help her “tell the truth about the cowardice these senators demonstrated,” by talking to them, unsubscribing from their newsletters and telling them that their “no” vote has consequences.
“Mark my words: if we cannot make our communities safer with the Congress we have now, we will use every means available to make sure we have a different Congress, one that puts communities’ interests ahead of the gun lobby’s,” she said. “To do nothing while others are in danger is not the American way.”
Copyright 2013 United Press International, Inc. (UPI).
57 thoughts on “Gabrielle Giffords: Senators ‘gave into fear’ in gun vote”
If you are one of the people that affiliate with these parties; Rep, Dem,Constitution, Green, Tea, Libertarian, or Independent. Who would want to say that if they lived in Watertown or any Boston suburb they would to had a shotgun in their house this past week. That is what we call in a debate, debate over!
Home of the free, brave and packing
Background checks are worthless. People change, people lie, people are unpredictable.
One idea I have heard from all this discussion is the proposal to pass the “Equalizer Law”. This law would require everyone to “have a gun”.
I am told there is a town in Texas that has this law on the books and they have no violent crime.
The discussion I read on here at least keeps me aware just how silly the notion of background checks would be.
Most on here would pass the background check. However at same time while some on here with all their hate and anger (bodacious, sickastupd) seem like the first to snap and go on a rampage with a gun.
So much for background checks!!
I seem to remember a town in Ga that also recommends that everybody in town be armed. There is a fine for not being armed but the police said they will not enforce the fine.
@dog – You are clearly delusional, so would you be in or out?
We now need to work on getting pressure cookers and ball bearings banned.
This type of reply doesn’t suit you Katie. I thought you were a little more intelligent than that.
Well, Obama and his minions are so intelligent that they think that banning guns will curb crime. Huh. Some people are just evil. Figure out how to determine which ones they are, lock them away for good, and the problem will be solved. The FBI can’t even figure out that someone is a terrorist even when it is warned that someone is. I can’t wait to find out what all they DIDN’T investigate or pursue about Tamarlin Tsarnaev. They certainly dropped the ball. So to follow Obama’s logic, if you can’t figure out who the bad guys are, you had better ban their weapons of destruction.
Katie, what bill has been put forth banning anything? And could you please cite a quote from Obama advocating banning something? Thanks.
http://www.whitehousedossier.com/2013/01/11/obama-opposed-gun-ban-exception-defend-home/
Read the above link. I have read this same information several other places. Obama was against gun ownership when he was in the IL Senate and before. Many people recall conversations with him about his stance against gun ownership long before he came on the national scene. He’s a leopard no matter how he tries to disguise his spots and he won’t even admit to his “flip flops” as Mitt Romney at least did.
Hypocrite Liberal.
She can say whatever she wants. Got a problem with that because you don’t want to hear the comment?
Trying to abolish her 1st Amendment right? Funny how you Liberals only want rights when they apply to you and YOUR agenda.
You will never win with me. You are no where near smart enough.
@My Voice-I agree
You agree with yourself? What a surprise!
Do you EVER stop being a jackass? Didn’t I tell you last night I wasn’t LVS. Didn’t I tell you to have Matt check the IP address?
You keep proving how stupid you really are. Actually, now that I think about it. Keep it up…Happyguy.
@ Happyguy, you can call me LVS or whatever you want…I could give a shit. I just keep calling YOU stupid. Stupid is as stupid does right Happy? Lol.
@ Happily Stupid,
I do find it very amusing when you run out of intellectual things to say when you are losing the debate and you start focusing on who someone is or isn’t. Classic. Thanks for the laugh this morning. When you come up with something actually smart to say…let me know. Either one of you. But as of right now, you aren’t contributing to anything of value to the actual debate, not that you ever really were in the first place….
@My Voice-once again, very well said. However, she is so weak minded I doubt that she will pick up on your message. She is so paranoid she thinks I am five different people on here who just happen to think the same as I do. Liberals like her are everything that is wrong with this country and in my unbiased opinion they should be run out of the country before they can destroy it anymore. They should be considered domestic enemy’s and destroyed. At first I thought she was just stubborn and stupid and was just playing with her when I called her deranged. Now I think she really does need mental help. Paranoia is a mental problem.
Oh, LVS! Thanks for the great laugh!
This is the part where you start sputtering and posting crazy multiple bursts of nuttiness!
You’re SO predictable! If you want to pretend to be several people, you have to change up your style with each identity a little! You can’t be My Voice and act and rant EXACTLY like LVS! It’s too easy to catch you!
@stupd-you are so childish and stupd. Grow up and see a doctor as soon as you can.
Instead of talking about how stipid stupid is or how stupid LVS is why don’t we talk about how stupid congress is. Our country is sliding fast and the only people that can stop it is trying to make it slide faster.
@maybe-OK, I agree with that and now that it has been said, what do we do about it? I have thought for a long time that this administration has a completely different agenda than we see. Everything I see verify’s that. So, again, what can be done about it?
It’s not just the administration, sure they are all traitors but it’s congress too. We need to tell them that if they don’t come out to see everybody and find out what their people want before trying to get something passed. Get rid of lobbists like the King said he would when he was first elected. The first and most important thing we need to get them to do is to STOP spending money. If I don’t have the money in my checking account I can’t buy something. Stop sending money to other nations until we have saved ours first.
@maybe-I agree with you but I think we will never solve this problem until we get rid of the power bases and special interest that have taken over our government. I really think term limits are the only way to go. Then put congress on the same programs as the rest of us. Make them retire on their own income and social security. Make them use medicare for insurance just like us. Once that is done you will see a big difference in how they conduct our business.
I know that happy and stupid and some of the other hard cases will disagree with me but I see a civil war coming, once the war is over and we the people will win we can start all over with congress and get rid of the special interest groups.
@maybe-you are right, but, that is why they are stupid and happy.
Of my friends, most of whom agree with my political views because they think like me, live like me, and believe in many of the same things I believe, 90% think background checks are important. That is one reason they are my friends – we have somewhat the same philosophy of life. Now, if I believed in the idea that every one should carry a gun, that everyone should vote the way I do, that everyone who disagrees with me is STUPID, then I might see among my friends less than 90% believing that background checks are needed. Why in the world would anyone say that background checks aren’t needed? Do you think that everyone who wants a gun should have one? Why? And don’t go back to the 2nd amendment. That was written 250 years ago. They also burned people at the stake back then and locked up mentally challenged people until they died. They didn’t have 200+ million people to look after. They were concerned about being attacked by the British and other enemies. They didn’t have violent movies, television or video games to de-sensitize their minds to violence. They believed that the only real religion was Christianity. In today’s world, they wouldn’t survive. They were naive and self-centered. Their laws may have been relevant then, and granted the basics of their laws are still in place, but many of their ideas are no longer practical. The same goes for religious law. In the Bible, people were stoned to death for violating laws. Alien religious views were not tolerated. (think of the crucifixion) Do you really believe that we need to return to those worlds? I don’t. Sorry.
@bodacious-What you don’t seem to understand is that we ALREADY have background checks. Most of us do not have a problem with having checks at gun shows, but they just won’t stop there you see. Then they want to stop us from giving our guns to our sons or grandsons. You see the problem is background checks would not have stopped any of these killings. The other problem is (from my point of view) we just do not trust the government. I think that is what a lot of other people think as well. I do not think you will change anyone’s mind on this no matter what is said and if they were to force the issue they would probably regret it as that would just confirm what a lot of people already believe. Taking away guns will not stop the killing and it will stop people from being able to protect themselves. I know you do not agree with this, but maybe it will help you understand how we feel.
Nobody cares how you feel. You’re too stupid to have an opinion.
We as in most people on here and in the rest of America believe the same as LVS, you say he is too stupid to have an opinion. The thing is he has the right to have an opinion just as I do and you do. You can literally cut the tension between you 2 with a knife.
It’s not tension, Maybe. It’s the stench emanating from LVS. I don’t even live in Mason City and I can smell the foul odor of his hatred and ignorance.
FROM NIT STAFF: Please clean up the comments immediately or face a ban from NIT.
@maybe-that is because she is to sick to know the difference between truth and the lies she has been fed by the socialist. I am tired of wasting time on a degenerate, deranged old bag.
Whatever you say, stinky.
What do you mean RETURN to that world? 1st Amendment was written at the same time. Think that shouldn’t apply anymore. The Constitution is JUST as relevent today as it was then. Don’t like it, move to a different country if you don’t like our laws. We aren’t changing them. NOT sorry.
Background checks are ALREADY in place. The problem is they don’t provide mental health red flags to the check so the check is worthless in the first place. They need to start enforcing the laws we already have too. Why don’t you go research how many Federal laws were broken (which were felonies) last year on those background checks aready in place and then research how many the Federal government actually prosecuted. This is your precious government that is dropping the ball on purpose. All so they can play this rhetoric so in the long run ban guns from everyone. You are a sheep. You probably always were and I’m damn sure you always will be. You think this background check bill they voted down would have any impact on keeping guns out of the hands of criminals that aren’t going to stop and get a background check in the 1st place? If so, then maybe that sheep is actually smarter than you. Of course if Obama was to tell you that you were part leprechaun, I have no doubt you would believe him.
Criminal 1: “Hey before I give you this stolen gun for that bag of coke, we better go get us a background check because Obama said we have to”. “It’s a new law”.
Criminal 2: “Ya, we better do that”.
Ya, that’ll happen….Dumbass Left Wing Liberals. Actually, they aren’t dumb at all. They’re relying on you to be that dumb to believe what they’re telling you so they can get what they want.
Pssst…..It’s workin’ (the relying part anyway).
I just don’t get it, it simply amazes me that some people actually think that if they ban ALL guns that even the criminals will turn in their guns. These people are so stupid, mentally challanged if they think that will happen. Luckly there are people out there that know better and WE will protect our families and maybe if some of these mentally challenged people ask nicly we will protect the too.
Right on Maybe,
Believe me, I want gun violence to stop JUST AS DAMN BAD as those Dumbass Left Wing Liberals do that I am so fond of. We share that wish…passionately. HOWEVER, I will be God-Damned if I am going to be stripped of the right to protect my family FIRST and myself 2nd because some left-wing government braniac believes it will fix their problem of not enforcing the law when they 1st encounter these criminals by making it illegal to circumvent the background check during an already illegal activity involving a gun. Does that sound about right? Does that make sense? Hmm, maybe in make believe land where Obama is king would a criminal comply. I don’t know, slap me with a corn cob, I must be confused!
I just wish there could be some honesty coming from this admistration. I would fully support improvements to our NICS system that required mentally ill persons to have tieir information to be stored in a NATIONAL Data Base so the background check will actually report information that you would think you wanted it to capture in the 1st freakin place.
However, I have little faith in the government OR this administration. They had boming suspect in the hands of the FBI some 13-18 months ago being surveillanced and QUESTIONED. Now my intellectual left cheek friends, explain how well shit is working when the FBI who had this dude, crawed up his ass with a comb before, let him go, only to then have a very clear picture of his FREAKING FACE as suspect #1 of the Boston Bombing and not know who he is. They have to submit his picture to the media and plead for public assistance and information (a move that they were very relluctnat to do). They had his picture in their data base at one time. They took his picture and ran it thru every know facial recognition system that have and it doesn’t link to 18 months ago. Really?
That new back ground check law you all want to feel good about, ya…that’ll be better shit tho won’t it? Yep, ignorance IS bliss.
@My Voice: Right on! The FBI totally dropped the ball on this bombing. Just how much faith should that give us in background checks on gun purchasers. Just stupid. The IRS can’t even keep illegal aliens from collecting huge refund checks on nieces and nephews who live in Mexico for cripes sake. And many huge refunds like that are sent to the same addresses in Tampa and Miami and they don’t even have a program on their IRS computer to catch that type of fraud. They are hopeless. And their own IRS employees who were laid off temporarily went back to work and continued to collect unemployment, food stamps, and every other kind of benefit available to the “needy”. Our government employees are just as crooked as the people they are worried about who might buy guns!
Giffords said the Senators gave into fear in the gun vote. I say they are all caving into fear by trying to ban them. I just watched a video of a speech given by a secret service agent who said he had never arrested a criminal who had used a registered firearm. Snitching on felons for money might be the only thing that might help. Do you think if they decide to come in and take away our guns that they would start in the hoods? I don’t think so. That might be too dangerous……..
Since all the mass murderers for the last 25 years have been democrats why don’t they pass a law having democrats guns confiscated instead. That will put a stop to all these murders. Either that or have all the democrats relocated to Chicago.
I love the way you say if you don’t like our laws move to a different country. Yet you seem to want to abort the 1st amendment which gives me the right to free speech. But that doesn’t seem to matter if the speech is something you don’t want to hear.
First of all I never said anything about you not having a right to say what you believe, matter of fact in other postings I have said even though I thing you guys are wrong you have the right to say it. Second if you think that Chicago is another country then so be it.
maybe-I think bodacious might be referring to the comments by my voice. Where bodacious is slightly to the left he is usually pretty respectful in his post. I would call him a little left of center where we are a little right of center. Just saying.
Thanks for helping make my point. Why not abolish the 1st Amendment? It was as you say “That was written 250 years ago”, “Their laws may have been relevant then, and granted the basics of their laws are still in place, but many of their ideas are no longer practical”. Shouldn’t your same comments apply to the 1st Amendment as you want them to apply to the 2nd?
The answer is NO…HELL NO. You have every right in the world to say what you want. It’s a right given to you by a 222 year old Bill of Rights (not 250 year old but it doesn’t surprise me that you don’t know that). The same right you would have to wear an Obama Sucks T-shirt OR your kid to wear an NRA T-shirt to school. And the same Constitution gives ME and you the right to protect yourself under the 2nd Amendment and that right my friend, SHALL NOT and WILL not be infringed.
WE will make sure of it.
I apologize then for my rant, I was in a hurry to take my grandson to school so I just skimmed over the previous posts to make sure he/she was talking to me and I guess I missed it. I do agree with everything you just said though.
You can say whatever the hell you want but as what typically comes out of a Liberal’s mouth, it doesn’t make it right and most of the time…it’s no where near the truth.
Come up with a truthful and concise argument against the 2nd Amendment and will debate it in a more civil manner.
BUT be warned, bring facts….not political rhetoric and biased poll data.
I stand beside the MAJORITY of Americans and the MAJORITY of our Law Enforcement.
@ Maybe,
FYI, all of my comments are directed to bodacious and the Left-Wing Machine.
I read the postings and I figured that out. It takes me sometime when I first wake up. I should start drinking coffee.
I would like you to point what I said wasn’t accurate? And if you want to split hairs, the Constitution was written in 1787 of which, the Bill of RIghts was a part. So, it was 226 years ago. I know it was ratified in 1791 and I am not going to argue with you over years. Your venomous response has shown me that you have no tolerance for others nor do you have any compassion. You are one sorry fella.
Now I know he isn’t talking about me, because I didn’t know what year the bill of rights was.
@maybe-nope, I think he is back to MyVoice. Sickastupd thinks I am MyVoice now along with MSGordy and some others. There must really be a lot of people that agree with me on most issues.
Again, no cigar, LVS. It’s that nobody else follows me around and talks about me all the time but YOU.
@ bodacious. I could tolerate your opinion if it was actually based on fact. 90% of Americans do not want this. Unless you go by the polls Obama is using that are biased and are too small sampling numbers. I could give you all kinds of polls saying exactly the opposite from the far right which is just as ridiculous. Tell me this really isn’t that hard to figure out for you…please.
You have every right to your OPINION but it doesn’t make it FACT. I’m not giving up my rights to left wing opinions….period.
@MYVOICE As I said in the post, show me something I said that was inaccurate other than haggling over years. You say that the poll is inaccurate. If I took a poll of NRA members, I am sure I would find that 90% are against any thing that the administration would want to do. If I surveyed gun victims, I would see something different yet. But a random poll of people would give us a better idea how the American citizen feels. And we certainly won’t get one on this site.
If 90% of Americans wanted these new gun control laws to be in place, then the Senators shouldn’t have been concerned about their upcoming votes; they still would have had 90% of the people still voting for them. The 90% number is completely bogus and Oblahblah has the nerve to call the pro-gunners liars. Shut up, stupid. Go back to Kenya!
Gabby,
As a retired engineer who spent a good part of my career problem solving, I see this gun control issue more as a symptom of the real problem, namely our broken system for financing election campaigns using unlimited donations from any source, the bigger the better.
This is what is behind so many of the unresolved issues, where our legislators vote based on what their financial backers want, and not what their electorate want.
The obvious solution to many of these issues is to restore sanity to our method of electing legislators.
What is ultimately needed is a constitutional amendment designed to eliminate the undue influence of special interests.
To turn the gun control debacle into a winning strategy, in 2014,we absolutely need to elect a new set of congresspersons and senators to replace the sorry bunch of self-concerned pretenders now in office, returning control of both House and Senate to those who are responsible, pledged not to accede to special interest financing, and determined to do the right thing, namely pass a constitutional amendment to correct our broken election process.
It will then be up to the individual states to ratify this amendment in time to take effect in the 2016 national election.
Right idea. Never happen but right idea.
You’re right about that. It will NEVER happen.
WE will make sure of that. Promise.
🙂
They didn’t give in to fear, they did what we wanted them to do. This figure, 90% wanted this background check is just a number Obama pulled out of his biden to scare the senators into voting his way so they didn’t give in to fear.
Very true-but the liberals are so STUPD they can’t understand that.