Mayor Wants President to Get Tough on Guns; Son of Gun-Toting Civil Rights Leader Blames Violent Entertainment

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants President Obama to re-emphasis new gun control proposals in the State of the Union address; as per my column last week on Loughner's so-far wan effects on ginning up political energy for new gun control, Bloomberg's call is likely to be futile.

In a press conference, Bloomberg, one of the linchpins of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, called for better and more efficient background checks that he thinks should better capture anyone's interactions with the mental health system anywhere. Joining Bloomberg at the press conference was Martin Luther King III, son of the slain civil rights leader (even though, as Damon Root noted here last week, King himself wisely was known to be armed for self-defense), who emphasized not just gun laws but a popular culture filled with violence; but called not for censorship but for "self-censorship" to solve that problem.

Comments

[Ken Shultz]

Maybe Mayor Bloomberg hasn't noticed Obama sidestepping to the right at every opportunity?

I'm not saying Obama's smart all of a sudden, but if he's got any smarts at all? After the drubbing his cronies in Congress took, he shouldn't worry too much about losing the support of New York City at this point in the election cycle.

But thanks for your two cents, Mayor Bloomberg! Hey, don't you have to go work on your outdoor smoking ban or something?

[SM]

That MLK fellow sure was a smart guy...

....so, can we implement all of his ideas now?

[Barely Suppressed Rage]

What, you mean that whole quaint "judge people not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character" thing?

Ha. Silly human.

[vousy zu?ivosti]

so we should put down everyone who was ever convicted of a crime on this watchlist.
because nobody has ever been convicted of a crime they have not committed.
yeah, but there will be no problems getting them off this list.

[AlmightyJB]

He's not the only one.

http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/201.....ar-374017/

[Kristen]

I find it amazing that black leaders want to disarm their constituents and make them helpless to defend themselves against the State and the criminals in their neighborhoods.

[jtuf]

It's not that amazing. Those Black leaders are part of the State even if their fellow Blacks aren't.

[Ghostwriter III]

FYI
Detachable magazines for rifles holding more that 10 rounds of ammunition were developed and utilized as early as WWI. Detachable magazines for pistols holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition have been available and utilized since the 1930's.
Millions upon millions of magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition currently exist in the United States.
So-called 'high-capacity' magazines have been imported, manufactured, bought, sold, traded, exchanged and given away for decades.
During the 10 yr. period of the so-called 'ban' on sport/utility firearms intentionally and erroneously dubbed 'assault weapons' for propaganda purposes based on a 'features test', only import/manufacture of new magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds for sales to civilians became illegal. Sales of existing magazines continued uninterrupted with only a notable increase in price. Sales of sport/utility firearms complete with all the evil 'features' (ex. capable of accepting detachable magazines, having a collapsible or folding stock, protruding handgrip, and a?gasp?bayonet lug ) continued throughout the so-called 'ban' period. Importers/manufacturers complied with the law as written, and legal sales of functionally-identical firearms to those purportedly 'banned' ( less more than 3 'features' and a requirement that a certain number of parts be 'American made' ) continued.
One estimate held that during the so-called 'ban' period some 2 million sport/utility firearms were sold.

[jtuf]

In a press conference, Bloomberg, one of the linchpins of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, called for better and more efficient background checks that he thinks should better capture anyone's interactions with the mental health system anywhere.

When I was student teaching, one student drew a picture of a gun for an assignment. The mentoring teacher told me to bring the picture to the school guidance councilor. The government forces kids to attend schools with guidance councilors who send any kid with a gun interest to psychiatrists. This is a recipe for injustice.