This is what I emailed Zirkin after his string of questions on private sales.
Senator Zirkin,
You spent a great deal of time asking about private sales of firearms. Your questions ignore the fact that it is already illegal to sell a firearm to prohibited person. Furthermore, gun owners are responsible and do their due diligence to ensure that they are not putting guns in the hands of criminals. This is clearly borne out by the data. Our neighbors in the city are suffering from a rash of primarily HANDGUN violence, not long guns. And that is in spite of the sweeping handgun laws passed in 2013. These laws don't work. Why can't you trust responsible gun owners, as we have since the founding of this country?
You brought up the possible issue in enforcing red flag laws if guns are sold in private sales without a background check or registration. Red flag laws are an important component in reducing violence, any type of violence. Regardless of whether law enforcement knows whether someone has a firearm, they take the same precautions anyway. Furthermore, there are laws on the books in terms of mental health protective orders, that already allow law enforcement to detain people who make those types of threats.
Your constituents who are responsible and law abiding gun owners want to be able to continue transferring firearms, after doing their due diligence, without the additional burden of more licensing, fees, and schlepping to a gun store or State police facility to conduct the transfer.
We want you to do something about gun violence and all violent crime. It has spread to our neighborhood, YOUR neighborhood, and we want you to do something about it. We just don't want you to do this. Don't punish the many for the sins of the few.
Senator Zirkin,
You spent a great deal of time asking about private sales of firearms. Your questions ignore the fact that it is already illegal to sell a firearm to prohibited person. Furthermore, gun owners are responsible and do their due diligence to ensure that they are not putting guns in the hands of criminals. This is clearly borne out by the data. Our neighbors in the city are suffering from a rash of primarily HANDGUN violence, not long guns. And that is in spite of the sweeping handgun laws passed in 2013. These laws don't work. Why can't you trust responsible gun owners, as we have since the founding of this country?
You brought up the possible issue in enforcing red flag laws if guns are sold in private sales without a background check or registration. Red flag laws are an important component in reducing violence, any type of violence. Regardless of whether law enforcement knows whether someone has a firearm, they take the same precautions anyway. Furthermore, there are laws on the books in terms of mental health protective orders, that already allow law enforcement to detain people who make those types of threats.
Your constituents who are responsible and law abiding gun owners want to be able to continue transferring firearms, after doing their due diligence, without the additional burden of more licensing, fees, and schlepping to a gun store or State police facility to conduct the transfer.
We want you to do something about gun violence and all violent crime. It has spread to our neighborhood, YOUR neighborhood, and we want you to do something about it. We just don't want you to do this. Don't punish the many for the sins of the few.
