NJ proposal would limit firearms sales

[ericire12]

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/184/story/340581.html

Proposal would limit N.J. firearm sales to 13 per year, per person
By STEPHEN SMITH For The Press
Published: Tuesday, December 09, 2008

  TRENTON - A consequence of lax gun laws is the proliferation of violence and funerals, Atlantic City Councilman Bruce Ward said as he advocated Monday for a bill that would limit most New Jersey gun owners to buying 13 or fewer firearms per year.

Others said the proposal would do little to stem the flow of firearms to criminals from illicit sources.

The state Senate Law and Public Safety and Veterans' Affairs Committee approved the bill by a 3-2 vote. It now goes the full Senate. The Assembly approved a companion measure June 23 by a 47-28 vote with four abstentions.

Current state law does not limit firearm purchases.

State Sen. Sandra Cunningham, D-Hudson, the bill's sponsor, said, "Anyone with a clean record can ... buy 10 or 20 guns at a time, and then resell them for a handsome profit."

Current law requires a permit to transfer a weapon, and authorized gun sellers are required to do FBI background checks on prospective purchasers before transferring a firearm. The state also blocks convicted criminals, minors or anyone who is drug or alcohol dependant from buying guns.

Ward contrasted Atlantic City now with when he was growing up. "I was born and raised in a housing project in Atlantic City (Stanley Holmes Village), and I was not aware that I was poor or disadvantaged," Ward said. "However, I was aware that I was safe from handguns, which were virtually nonexistent at that time. In 2008, I am afraid to walk through my old neighborhood because of the gun violence that takes place there."

Ward said the bill is particularly important in Atlantic City, where the murder rate is 1.6 times the national average, and the violent crime rate is 2.4 times the national average.

"I've only been a councilman in Atlantic City for three years, and I've attended nine funerals for shooting victims," he said. "I talked to my constituents about this, and a lot of them said 13 guns is too much. Who needs 13 guns in a year?"

Bryan Miller, executive director for Ceasefire NJ, a gun violence intervention group, called the bill an appropriate decision for the safety of New Jersey residents.

Ted Deeds thinks otherwise. He is a former police officer and the chief operating officer of the Law Enforcement Alliance of America, which on its Web site describes itself as a nonprofit group focused on preserving the right of self-defense.

"New Jersey has a sophisticated system of controls to prevent criminals from buying guns from stores and registered individuals," Deeds said. "The result is that criminals are not getting their guns from gun stores. We have to focus on the illegal channels by which these criminals get their guns."

Deeds showed a recent FBI study that found that 97 percent of guns used by criminals are obtained illegally and not from a licensed dealer.

[runstowin]

Ward contrasted Atlantic City now with when he was growing up. "I was born and raised in a housing project in Atlantic City (Stanley Holmes Village), and I was not aware that I was poor or disadvantaged," Ward said. "However, I was aware that I was safe from handguns, which were virtually nonexistent at that time. In 2008, I am afraid to walk through my old neighborhood because of the gun violence that takes place there."

Liberals like this jerk have claimed for years that poverty was the cause of crime, that's why it was so important to ban cheap supposed "Saturday night specials", Now it's caused by inanimate objects.

[MikeBjerum]

CouBullshitgh!!!

[SigShooter]

I suspect all the anti's are going to come out of the dung heep when the Messiah takes over. More and more laws will be passed like this all over the country, but certain states will move faster than others. That's why I'm glad I live in Ohio. We'll probably get screwed eventually by the bigger city residents, but we've got a pro-gun democrat (which is rare) and a seemingly responsible State Senate (New Castle Doctrine). The faster they produce these laws, the sooner the criminals will be able to move in and take over the streets.

[MikeBjerum]

There are times I have some real questions as to the ramifications of laws like this ...

I have come across not being able to buy a gun if you have purchased in the last five days ... What about two gun sets like the Ruger 50th sets, or you are shooting SASS and need a pair of handguns?

What happens when they start saying only so much ammo?  What is a lot?  I can go an entire pheasant season and only use a couple boxes, but when I go to the Pro-Am with 300 steel targets and shooting both Limited and Open how much do I need?

I'm sure everyone can come up with more.

[Sponsor]

[PegLeg45]

Laws like this are just the proverbial 'foot in the door'.
If we start with the giving of an inch, they will end up waiting for us at the mile marker.

[Hazcat]

I have read that article twice now and still have not found one correct statement or fact!

[ericire12]

I suspect all the anti's are going to come out of the dung heep when the Messiah takes over. More and more laws will be passed like this all over the country, but certain states will move faster than others. That's why I'm glad I live in Ohio. We'll probably get screwed eventually by the bigger city residents, but we've got a pro-gun democrat (which is rare) and a seemingly responsible State Senate (New Castle Doctrine). The faster they produce these laws, the sooner the criminals will be able to move in and take over the streets.

Gun toting liberal?

I think TAB is the only one of those in existence!

[SigShooter]

Gun toting liberal?

I think TAB is the only one of those in existence!

They're few and far between, but they do exist. On the other hand, anti-gun republicans are too common. Mitt Romney and Rudy Guiliani come to mind.

[Fatman]

I suspect all the anti's are going to come out of the dung heep when the Messiah takes over. More and more laws will be passed like this all over the country, but certain states will move faster than others. That's why I'm glad I live in Ohio. We'll probably get screwed eventually by the bigger city residents, but we've got a pro-gun democrat (which is rare) and a seemingly responsible State Senate (New Castle Doctrine). The faster they produce these laws, the sooner the criminals will be able to move in and take over the streets.

Meh. My Fed rep is a pro-gun dem.  I have already written him and told him how he votes on any anti-gun rights legislation is irrelevant. If they pass, I'm still holding him responsible for not stuffing enough common sense into the rest of his Democrat colleagues. I told him "we know about the 'we don't need your vote tactic'," and further I believe in the "if the Dems as a party are going to stomp my rights, we need a Republican majority and the next election won't have long coattails - you just squeaked in this time."