Gun-show loophole takes center stage today
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By Staff Reports
Published: January 13, 2009
After months of hearing from those on both sides, the Virginia State Crime Commission today is to decide whether to endorse legislation to close the so-called gun-show loophole.
Victims and family members of those injured or killed by a student gunman at Virginia Tech have pleaded with the commission to support closing the loophole, in which private sellers at gun shows are not required to perform background checks on buyers.
Others have said gun opponents are using the Virginia Tech tragedy as an excuse to prevent law-abiding citizens from selling their private firearms.
The crime commission is meeting this morning in Richmond.
While the commission's recommendation isn't required for a bill to be introduced, it's a signal of whether the legislation has a chance of passage.
Similar bills have been unsuccessful for the past five years.
-- The Associated Press
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Reader Reactions
Posted by ( Woodpiggie ) on January 14, 2009 at 3:07 am
This would be just one more piece of legislation that would unavoidably ensnare law abiding hobbyists and sportsmen, without realizing it’s intended goal of neutralizing crazed killers.
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Posted by ( RogerS ) on January 13, 2009 at 4:22 pm
I can not understand this action. Pure politics (read that anti-gun). So when I want to give my son my rifle, shotgun, pistol… I cannot. Because if I do without running a background check I can go to jail.
Read between the lines Va voters. This is politics.
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Posted by ( tadchem ) on January 13, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Private citizens selling legal items to legal buyers is not a “loophole.“ The real loophole is the one that lets demonstrably dangerous people run loose.
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Posted by ( JackCrowX ) on January 13, 2009 at 11:49 am
There is no reason to revisit this. the VT tragedy wasn’t caused by this loophole. This is political opportunism at best. “A crazy man shot a bunch of people. Now let me tell you about my political agenda and how I can capitalize on this to get it signed into law…“
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Posted by ( bigbus ) on January 13, 2009 at 10:41 am
I understand the grief these parents feel. But they are totally misguided here (probably by lawyers who are “advising” them….for a contingency fee). The kid who killed their offspring bought the guns legally, although he lied to do so, and the dummies in our mental health arena didn’t stop his ability do so. The trouble is our “right to privacy” laws and the lawyers who pursue those kinds of cases frightened the very people who should have forced Kim into incarceration. And the people in the court system in Christiansburg didn’t do their job and force him into a mental health facility as the law allowed. This tragedy was not caused by the gun show loophole, but, instead, by people who either did not do their jobs, or people who saw the danger, but didn’t want to go to jail or pay for lawyers to defend, and money to pay for frivolous lawsuits these kinds of people pursue. All the sobbing blow-hard Dimocrats who are calling for new gun laws and this stupid gun show legislation are the root cause of the problem. They have “victimized” our society and will continue to do so until voters wake up and rid themselves of this scourge.
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Posted by ( Jer1234 ) on January 13, 2009 at 9:31 am
It is funny that the so called gun show loophole that everybody wants to fix had nothing to do with the VT tragedy. Again it is the gang of 32 and the RTD bringing the issue back to the for front. This item is not a major crime prevention item. We all have the right to own and carry firearms as per the 2nd amendment. Give up on this agenda.
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Posted by ( witchdoctor ) on January 13, 2009 at 8:25 am
It turns out the problem is already solved - The Second Amendment has been passed and private citizens can sell their own property without playing mother-may-I.
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