Orlando mass shooting could lead to new coalition against power of gun lobby - teaming with LGBTQ

[LuckyTheDog]

In the early hours of the morning on June 12, a man carried out an attack on gay Americans in a Florida nightclub with an assault rifle that he legally bought, killing 49 and injuring at least 53. Only 13 years ago, this mass casualty weapon would have been illegal to purchase. In 1994, then President Bill Clinton signed the Federal Assault Weapons Ban as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. This policy banned the manufacture for civilian use of certain semi-automatic firearms it defined as assault weapons, as well as certain ammunition magazines it defined as “large capacity.”

The passage of this bill was prompted by the murder of 34 children in Stockton California by a man with a semi-automatic AK-47 rifle. Such a bill would certainly have made it more difficult for the gunman who murdered many in a matter of hours in Orlando to do so. In the wake of yet another mass shooting with an assault weapon, it may seem impossible to believe that Congress allowed this bill to ‘sunset,’ refusing to renew the legislation.

How did we get here?

The National Rifle Association and its motivated supporters lobbied for Congress to end the assault weapons ban in 2004 and won. Since then, the organization has exalted the virtues of weapons like the AR-15. It has become “America’s Most Popular Rifle” with more than 3 million in circulation. The same weapon was used in October, when Chris Harper-Mercer killed 9 people at Umpqua Community College in Oregon and in December last year when Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik opened fire with one at a social services center in San Bernardino, California, killing 14 people.

MORE HERE: http://yonside.com/orlando-shooting-coalition-gun-lobby/

[pipoman]

1. The "gun lobby" is a strawman

They would be anemic without the 2nd amendment.

[LuckyTheDog]

3. It's the other way 'round

Without the gun lobby pushing its anti-historical interpretation, the Second Amendment would be as anemic as the Founding Fathers intended it to be.

But that is beside the point. The article is about how involving the LGBTQ community could add additional strength to the gun control movement.

[pipoman]

4. None of the constitution was meant to be anemic...

They fund challenges (just like the ACLU)..that is the only real power they have. With or without them challenges occur and courts rule.

[jmg257]

5. Historically, assault weapons and rifles and handguns would be quite legal for most citizens

as they are perfect arms related to maintaining the efficiency of the militias.

Pushing the primary historic purposes of the 2nd amendment does not help.

[trumad]

2. Kick