The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

Hal · May 28, 1999, 04:52 PM

ARRGGGHHH!! Broken link again. Here is the whole story.

Shooting Victims' Kin Clash on Guns

By LAURIE KELLMAN
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two parents who share grief over their children's murders at the hands of classmates disagree on whether the shooters, guns or lawmakers themselves are to blame for their tragedies.

The April 20 murder of Columbine High School student Rachel Joy Scott, 17, should be blamed solely on Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, her father says.

``There are people behind those instruments of death,'' Darrell Scott told the House Judiciary subcommittee on crime during a hearing Thursday. ``I do believe Eric and Dylan bear primary responsibility for my daughter's death, not the guns themselves.''

But Byrl Phillips-Taylor of Richmond, Va., blamed an AK-47 for her son's 1989 death at the hands of a ``classmate with a grudge.''

``The easy availability of guns got my baby killed,'' Phillips-Taylor told the panel, urging lawmakers to pass the mandatory background checks for gun show transactions and other new firearms restrictions voted by the Senate last week.

``The Senate has demonstrated that it cares about keeping guns away from children,'' she said. ``And that may be the turning point that every mother like me has been waiting for.''

House Republican leaders this week said they support the concept of the gun restrictions passed by the Senate, but they rejected demands from Democrats to rubber-stamp the measures this week.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde, R-Ill., who has co-authored gun control bills in the past, said careful consideration of the legislation next month would ensure that new controls would not infringe on the Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Republicans at the hearing Thursday criticized the Clinton administration for failing to prosecute violators of existing firearms laws while pushing for more gun restrictions.

Rep. Bob Barr, R-Ga., suggested that if the Ten Commandments had been posted at high schools where the shootings occurred, ``we would not have had the tragedies that bring us here today.''

Replied Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder Jr.: ``If the young people and adult criminals who committed these crimes had a tougher time getting their hands on guns, these horrible crimes might have been prevented.''

Vice President Al Gore, who broke a 50-50 Senate tie last week in favor of the new gun show restrictions, returned to the Capitol to accuse House Republicans of trying to please the National Rifle Association.

``At this very moment, there are some of the other side meeting behind closed doors plotting to have more delays in order to preserve loopholes'' in firearms laws, he said.

NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre told the House subcommittee that the Senate bill was a ``red tape nightmare.''

``Basically it would extend the reaches of the federal government into the homes of this country,'' LaPierre said.

He said the NRA supports mandatory gun show background checks and other concepts in the Senate bill, but not as it is written. For example, he said, the Senate would consider ``your uncle's skeet-shooting range'' a gun show subject to government regulation.

Scott, testifying at the request of committee Republicans, supported LaPierre's complaint that some gun control advocates were seeking to put the blame for the shootings at the NRA's doorstep.

``I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death,'' said Scott, who said he was not a member of the group and does not own a gun.

Scott also scolded lawmakers about their eagerness to pass more laws despite the cultural causes behind school shootings. ``Political posturing and restrictive legislation are not the answers,'' he said.

------------------
(!)

May 28, 1999, 04:52 PM	#3
Hal Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 1998 Location: Ohio USA Posts: 8,563	ARRGGGHHH!! Broken link again. Here is the whole story. Shooting Victims' Kin Clash on Guns By LAURIE KELLMAN Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — Two parents who share grief over their children's murders at the hands of classmates disagree on whether the shooters, guns or lawmakers themselves are to blame for their tragedies. The April 20 murder of Columbine High School student Rachel Joy Scott, 17, should be blamed solely on Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, her father says. ``There are people behind those instruments of death,'' Darrell Scott told the House Judiciary subcommittee on crime during a hearing Thursday. ``I do believe Eric and Dylan bear primary responsibility for my daughter's death, not the guns themselves.'' But Byrl Phillips-Taylor of Richmond, Va., blamed an AK-47 for her son's 1989 death at the hands of a ``classmate with a grudge.'' ``The easy availability of guns got my baby killed,'' Phillips-Taylor told the panel, urging lawmakers to pass the mandatory background checks for gun show transactions and other new firearms restrictions voted by the Senate last week. ``The Senate has demonstrated that it cares about keeping guns away from children,'' she said. ``And that may be the turning point that every mother like me has been waiting for.'' House Republican leaders this week said they support the concept of the gun restrictions passed by the Senate, but they rejected demands from Democrats to rubber-stamp the measures this week. Judiciary Committee Chairman Henry Hyde, R-Ill., who has co-authored gun control bills in the past, said careful consideration of the legislation next month would ensure that new controls would not infringe on the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Republicans at the hearing Thursday criticized the Clinton administration for failing to prosecute violators of existing firearms laws while pushing for more gun restrictions. Rep. Bob Barr, R-Ga., suggested that if the Ten Commandments had been posted at high schools where the shootings occurred, ``we would not have had the tragedies that bring us here today.'' Replied Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder Jr.: ``If the young people and adult criminals who committed these crimes had a tougher time getting their hands on guns, these horrible crimes might have been prevented.'' Vice President Al Gore, who broke a 50-50 Senate tie last week in favor of the new gun show restrictions, returned to the Capitol to accuse House Republicans of trying to please the National Rifle Association. ``At this very moment, there are some of the other side meeting behind closed doors plotting to have more delays in order to preserve loopholes'' in firearms laws, he said. NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre told the House subcommittee that the Senate bill was a ``red tape nightmare.'' ``Basically it would extend the reaches of the federal government into the homes of this country,'' LaPierre said. He said the NRA supports mandatory gun show background checks and other concepts in the Senate bill, but not as it is written. For example, he said, the Senate would consider ``your uncle's skeet-shooting range'' a gun show subject to government regulation. Scott, testifying at the request of committee Republicans, supported LaPierre's complaint that some gun control advocates were seeking to put the blame for the shootings at the NRA's doorstep. ``I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death,'' said Scott, who said he was not a member of the group and does not own a gun. Scott also scolded lawmakers about their eagerness to pass more laws despite the cultural causes behind school shootings. ``Political posturing and restrictive legislation are not the answers,'' he said. ------------------ (!)