From a New York Times editorial, 4/9/05:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/09/opinion/09sat4.html
Congress Fetches for the Gun Lobby
Americans stunned at recent sprees of gun mayhem in churches, schools
and courthouses should know that Congress is gearing up for action on
this issue.
No, lawmakers are not rushing through legislation to cut down on the
29,000 gun deaths a year.
Rather, the Senate is preparing to revive a craven proposal to shield
irresponsible gun manufacturers and dealers from accountability.
The proposal, which failed narrowly last year, is now estimated to
have majority support from lawmakers who have been either cowed or
bolstered by the gun lobby.
It would have stopped such lawsuits as the one that led to a $2.5
million settlement for the families of victims in the Washington
sniper shootings.
That rifle was traced to a West Coast dealer who claimed that it was
one of 238 weapons suddenly missing from inventory.
The Senate proposal would shelter such transparently harmful dealers
and manufacturers and snuff out more than a dozen other suits now in
the courts.
The bill, offered this year by Senator Larry Craig, an Idaho
Republican, goes further, undermining not just lawsuits but also
administrative proceedings to revoke abusive dealers' licenses.
Under it, gun dealers couldn't be disciplined for black-market deals
involving illegal weapons unless it could be proved that they had
engaged in them knowingly - as if general ineptitude or a lack of
interest were acceptable.
Last year, Congress joined President Bush in letting lapse the 1994
law restricting the availability of battlefield assault rifles.
Congress also mandated the destruction of gun-sale records within 24
hours.
Lawmakers were only making things easier for potential terrorists and
other sociopaths.
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Special signs to be displayed on all gun shops
"Welcome Terrorists and Nuts"
Harry
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