Yahoo News
Over the weekend, New York City witnessed 25 shootings, resulting in six fatalities. On Sunday alone, three people were killed and eight others wounded by gunfire from Brooklyn to the Bronx.The rash of weekend shootings comes against a backdrop of major gun control efforts by both New York City and state officials. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has emerged as one of the nation’s strongest advocates for stricter firearm regulations, and has long touted the city’s strict gun control rules as helping to bring about a significant drop in crime over the last decade. (The mayor’s office declined to comment on the weekend’s shootings.)
New York recently became the first state to pass major gun control legislation since the Dec. 14 shootings in Newtown, Conn. The bill that Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed into law in January both strengthens the state’s existing assault weapons ban and introduces new mental health regulations for potential gun owners.
While the weekend’s heinous gun violence might suggest the ineffectiveness of such measures, this year’s numbers are notably better than the last. According to the Daily News, the 440 shootings so far this year represent a 23 percent drop from the 574 victims in 2012.And while some have described this weekend’s figures as “Chicago-like,” the Windy City still leads the Big Apple in gun violence. Chicago, a city with just one-third of New York’s population, witnessed over 500 homicides last year compared with New York’s 414. This weekend, Chicago saw 12 people wounded by shootings and one fatality.
You know what's funny? The hypocritical gun-rights fanatics love to accuse gun-control folks of "dancing in the blood of the victims." Yet, when news like this comes out, they all smile and go, "Aha, how are those gun control laws working out for ya?" As usual, what they accuse others of is what they themselves do.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Let's start with the caveat that the year is only half over. Both cities with strict gun laws are trying something different to make a dent in it's serious gun violence issues.
ReplyDeleteNew York City is attempting to enforce its already strict gun laws by violating citizens' rights against unreasonable searches. The issue is already being pursued in the courts since a great majority of searches seem to being applied to people of color. It's sounding an awful lot like what just took place with the case involving Sheriff Arpaio. It will be interesting to see if the court holds this perceived profiling issue in the same light as the one in Arizona.
Chicago, another bastion of strict gun control is claiming to try something different as in actually addressing the frequent causes of gun violence in the city, that being gangs. At least that is what they are attributing the current decling in gun violence. I hope this line of attack is successful and to be honest, I'm not going to be holding their collective feet to the fire until perhaps the end of next year.
If they have really made such a significant change if their policing style, it will likely take at least that long to show any kind of credible result. Think the changes in strategy implimented by General Petraus in Iraq.
You know, I’m going to go ahead and agree with you. That is the same type of behavior. Of course to accept that, you’d have to accept that it is hypocritical and wrong when your side does it too.
ReplyDeleteMayor Michael Bloomberg has emerged as one of the nation’s strongest advocates for stricter firearm regulations, and has long touted the city’s strict gun control rules as helping to bring about a significant drop in crime over the last decade.
And what gun control regulation passed in NYC over the last decade to cause this? I didn’t know the place was an NRA paradise before Bloomberg took over.
Call it what you will, Mikeb, but pointing out the reality that New York City and Chicago have strict gun laws and a lot of shootings is a fair criticism of gun control.
ReplyDeleteAt least Chicago has some hope, now that a shall-issue system is being forced upon the government of Illinois.