My heart goes out to the latest victims of Gun Violence in Washington state. Whenever these senseless acts of rage are purported on school kids -- I am shocked and amazed.
'Shocked' that life-ending violence can be so easily inflicted on once-friends, in this case family too. 'Shocked' that such violence has been disturbingly begun to be accepted as the "New Normal." Life being cut this short -- must never become normal ...
And I am 'Amazed' this kind of violent chaos is still "officially" sanctioned by the Chicken-Little windbags that still somehow manage to occupy the Congress. How many deaths will it take, before they get off their NRA-butt-kissing asses -- And DO SOMETHING about this National Scourge?
Well coincidentally, amidst their pain and horror at such violence up-close and personal, in one of their very own schools -- the citizens of Washington state HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY to DO SOMETHING about it. In this upcoming Election, with 'dueling' Gun Initiatives are on the Washington ballot.
Gun-Control Battle Swings to Washington State
by Ashby Jones, wsj.com -- Oct 21, 2014
[...]
Last year, in the wake of the massacre in Newtown, Conn., six states tightened their rules on background checks. Congress, however, didn’t pass federal legislation to do the same. A vote to tighten background checks could rekindle momentum to similar efforts in other states. In Nevada, for instance, one group is already collecting signatures in hopes of getting a background-check measure on the 2016 ballot.
The Washington state vote next month actually concerns two initiatives. Initiative 594, pushed by gun-control advocates, would close the so-called gun-show loophole by subjecting online and gun-show sales to the same mental-health and criminal checks required by federal law at retail outlets nationwide.
Meanwhile, Initiative 591, which is sponsored by gun-rights supporters, would outlaw background checks for online or gun-show purchases by preventing the state from imposing any system more onerous than the one required by federal law.
[...]
Well, that's kind of confusing, but if you want to close the "gun-show loophole" and the "online-sales loophole" too -- then
594 is the one you want to support.
As another sad commentary on the state of apathy and helplessness in America, over the this 'status quo' enabling of dysfunctional rage -- Washington state is the only state with "background check initiatives in the nation that will go before voters this November."
How sad is that.
Washington Voters Will Weigh Competing Gun Control Measures On Heels Of School Shooting
by Christina Wilkie, huffingtonpost.com -- 10/24/2014
[...]
The two ballot measures relate to gun background checks: One expands background checks for gun sales, and the other limits them. Initiative 594 would require background checks for all gun sales, including those at gun shows and online. Federal law currently exempts certain types of private gun sales from background check requirements, a feature of the law frequently referred to as the "gun show loophole." The other ballot measure, Initiative 591, would prohibit gun sellers from performing background checks on buyers unless federal law explicitly requires them to do so.
According to a poll released Oct. 13 by Elway Poll, 60 percent of Washington voters supported Initiative 594, requiring the universal background checks. By contrast Initiative 591, had just 39 percent support, suggesting it is unlikely to pass.
The dueling ballot measures are the only two gun background check initiatives in the nation that will go before voters this November. As a result, Washington state has become a hotbed of political spending by gun rights groups like the National Rifle Association, as well as by gun safety groups.
[...]
Hopefully, the citizens of Washington state will register their worry and disgust with
how easily guns can be gotten their state -- without safety training, without background checks.
As easily as clicking "Send."
Hopefully, the citizens of Washington state will act a "Bell-weather" for the Nation. And put something other than the "fear of the NRA" in the hearts and mind of our Congressional-cowards.
Hopefully, they will put there instead, the wrath of the Voters -- ignored.