Paul Soglin: Waxing America

One Year After the Sandy Hook Shooting

A year ago, on Dec. 14, 2012, 20 children between the ages of 6 and 7 years old and six teachers were gunned down at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The crime horrified the nation and the world.

Within a week of the shooting, the group Mayors Against Illegal Guns sent a letter urging President Barack Obama and congressional leaders to pass legislation closing loopholes in the national background check system.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and I are members of that group.  We are also advocating for limiting the availability of military-style weapons and high-capacity magazines and to making gun trafficking a federal crime. I joined Mayor Barrett on Wisconsin Public Radio's Kathleen Dunn show this week.  You can listen here.

http://www.wpr.org/listen/392826

I respect the wishes of the Sandy Hook victims' family members in their efforts to mark this tragic anniversary in private.  It is a day however, when we can all renew our resolve to stem this horrific violence in our world.

Paul Soglin Statement in Response to President Obama’s Agenda for Gun Control

 

I support President Barack Obama’s plan to make our country safe and to institute these very reasonable firearm controls. When the founding fathers adopted the Second Amendment to the Constitution, they envisioned a well-regulated state militia. They did not envision high capacity firearms in the hands of irresponsible individuals. Most hunters acknowledge that a Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle is neither necessary nor reasonable to take down a deer. Responsible gun owners must regain control of the NRA.

I agree with the President. This time must be different.