Statement from Sen. Larson on GOP Repealing 48-hour Cooling-off Period for Gun Purchases
Republicans choose to ignore public safety need, side with special interest groups
Madison, WI – Today, Senator Larson released the following statement in response to the decision by Republicans to ignore the will of the public and side with special interest groups by repealing Wisconsin’s 48-hour cooling-off period on purchasing handguns.
“Today’s actions come as a slap in the face to citizens desperate for solutions to increasing gun violence. Instead of focusing on ways to make our communities safer and implementing background checks for all types of firearm sales – which polling has shown a vast majority of the public and even 74% of National Rifle Association members support – Republicans took a completely irresponsible step backwards by ignoring the public safety and mental health needs of our community. We must do more to protect families against gun violence, not cave to the influence and pressure of gun manufacturers and lobbyists.
“Unfortunately, today we saw another clear example of Republicans in the state putting special interest groups before people and sound public policy. Republicans passing this bill today is like eliminating stoplights, and pretending there won’t be more accidents.
“Republicans in the Legislature need to put aside their blind support for Governor Walker’s ambitions, and stop passing bills to bolster his rhetoric while he tries to leave Wisconsin behind. Instead, they should join us in focusing on improving the quality of life of our neighbors here in Wisconsin. We’d be much better off as a state if leaders instead promoted our state’s shared values, such as investing in our kids’ schools, improving access to basic health care services, and creating family-supporting jobs that will help us grow the economy.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by State Sen. Chris Larson
I agree. Now the gang bangers and hoodlums won’t have to wait the 48 before they legally buy the guns that they use in the commission of their crimes. The next thing you know, they won’t even bother to obtain a CC permit before they steal a car, rob citizens or kill indiscriminately.
Right on PJ. We should just hand out firearms to people when they get their driver’s license. A driver’s license can also be a concealed carry license. That will make things more efficient.
So who are all these constituent Republicans throughout the state needing occasional, but immediate, gun protection? Have Wisconsin’s rural drug cartels started a war? Why would visitors want to travel around Wisconsin with Republicans drawing attention to and supporting this kind of behavior?
PMD, one of my favorite games to play with issues like this is to pit two issues against each other that expose conflicts. So with that in mind:
Guns and abortions are both legal, but disliked by substantial portions of the population and as such have some restrictions placed upon them. The opposition to both issues considers not restricting access to be encouraging murders. So, should guns have waiting periods at all? Should abortions?
I have no doubt that that is one of your favorite games to play. No doubt whatsoever. I do not believe that the waiting period reduces murders. It’s pretty easy to get a gun, and if someone wants one, they’ll find a way to get one.
Instead of Dems blaming Reps and vise versa, how about we put politics aside and actually try to solve a problem for once.
-I wasn’t aware that only Republicans legally purchase firearms to protect themselves.
-An argument can be made that the immediate purchase of a hand gun, if one feels threatened, is more likely to protect that person than expecting the threatening party to wait the same 48 hours that the law abiding citizen must wait to gain safety. A restraining order doesn’t stop a bullet or blade.
-The present 48 hour waiting list would not prevent the crime that is taking place in MKE or anywhere for that matter. Neither would a 48 day or 48 year waiting list.
-To infer that the crime wave seen in SE Wisconsin is the fault of the Republicans is tantamount to admission that the current MKE city and County governing bodies can not govern.
I wish it was that easy PJ. This seems like an issue with very little middle ground. But I agree it would be great if people could work together and find solutions.
The reality is, the 48 hour rule was put in place solely for the purposes of allowing enough time for the background check. Technology is such that a more rigorous check can be completed in a matter of minutes or hours. If there was data to support that a waiting period was an effective deterrent, that would be great. There isn’t though. If Larson and others can use hypotheticals, I can too. Suppose “Susan” recognizes her boyfriend is unstable and violent. She breaks up with him, gets a restraining order, and goes to buy a hand gun to protect herself. “Billy” shows up the next day at her house. She won’t let him in, but he kicks in the door and beats her to death with his bare hands. What would Larson and the others say to the family of “Sally”? People who are going to use a gun to commit a crime are not going to go through the legal channels to get one (except for those that are planning a major attack and will likely take their own life after their act is complete). Crimes of passion are committed with the closest weapon at hand. Domestic abusers do not go wait to get a gun, they use a pipe or a bat, their hands, or whatever is on hand. Making a victim wait keeps that person vulnerable.
So if guns are easy to get and criminals won’t go through proper legal channels to get a gun, what limits should there be? Any? Or is all gun control totally pointless?
The true reality is, you cannot govern ethical and moral behavior. Guns were around long before Milwaukee became riddled with deadly gun crimes. And furthermore, a gun will do no good to someone who already has a gun pointed at you – unless you already have your gun loaded, and ready to fire at all times – which seems a bit crazy, right? It is also the hysteria, which the NRA wants to spread, that we need to protect ourselves from armed robberies, the Government, etc…re-training society to believe that any form of violence is unacceptable is probably much more effective than hysteria from special-interests groups, gun control laws, or background checks could accomplish.