Brady leaves heroic legacy in fierce gun control battle

[DonCoquixote]

http://www.tampabay.com/opinion/columns/brady-leaves-heroic-legacy-in-fierce-gun-control-battle/2191744

Folks, this is the sort of article that will hammer home facts as well as break your heart. The phrase "American hero" is bandided about, this article shows Brady deserved it.

From the article:

"Together with his wife, Sarah, the couple became the driving force in the creation of what would eventually become the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. And their efforts paid off in the 1990s with measures signed into law that created background checks for weapons sales, waiting periods to obtain a gun, and the restoration of the federal ban on the sale of assault weapons.

It is estimated that the laws passed because of the Bradys' efforts kept guns out of the hands of some 2 million people who failed background checks because of criminal records or a history of mental illness. That is no small accomplishment against an opponent like the NRA, which pretty much counts Congress as a wholly owned subsidiary.

But over time, many of the gains made by Brady and other gun control advocates have been slowly whittled away, especially the perfectly reasonable five-day waiting period before a gun purchase can be finalized. The NRA opposed the waiting period as an "inconvenience" to law-abiding purchasers of guns. Brady had another view.

"I need help getting out of bed, help taking a shower and help getting dressed, and — damn it — I need help going to the bathroom," Brady fumed. "I guess I'm paying for their 'convenience.' "

[pipoman]

1. Too bad it didn't actually

"It is estimated that the laws passed because of the Bradys' efforts kept guns out of the hands of some 2 million people who failed background checks because of criminal records or a history of mental illness."

if the laws were enforced maybe. The truth is that less than 5% of that million were ever even investigated and less than 1% charged with a crime. These are prohibited buyers who signed a fraudulent federal document under penalty of perjury then called it in to the FBI...prohibited buyers who obviously were actively trying to buy a gun. So no, a million people were turned down (which is good), did nothing to keep guns out of their hands...

[Loudly]

2. What keeps guns and ammo out of anyone's hands is less product.

Make it scarce. Make it unprofitable.

[linuxman]

3. Yeah, like drugs!

[pipoman]

4. ridiculous as usual

[DonCoquixote]

5. and what hampers the enforcement of the laws

Three letters, NRA. They hire lawyers, choke polticians, and do anythign they can towards their goal of a LESS EFFECTIVE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. Sadly, as "fast and furious" indicates,whenever someone tries to enforce gun laws, to try and keep Billy Bob from selling his guns to whoever we wants to, out comes the NRA. This is the crap brady fought against.

[pipoman]

6. oh, so it's NRA who keeps the FBI from doing their job?

Brady fought against prosecution of prohibited people buying guns? The NRA supported the Brady Bill that passed, no?

[DonCoquixote]

7. actually, YES

because every time the FBI and ATf try to rein in someone who is breakign the law,out come the lawyers! I even quote "fast and Furious" which was PRECISELY an example of JUST THAT! The feds were doing an investiogation into illegalpurcahse, when Jan brewer and her sleazy Arizona gov't interfered with feds trying to track the guns, and then went to Fox News and vomited lie after lie, with many in DU clapping.