[DauntlessDan]

Could someone shed some light on this item that's coming up for debate in the VT legislature? I know that it is not a law yet and that it would require background checks for private sales. Have not lived in VT for 11 years.

Big crowd expected to attend gun bill hearing *:*Rutland Herald Online

[arctichomesteader]

Bloomberg has been dumping a lot of money into the state to push for this. Running ads all over the country, sending checks to most legislators, and using a front group called gunsense which started up in the Woodstock/Norwich area after Sandy Hook that's not remotely grassroots. Neither I nor others I know have any intention of following it even if it does pass. It's mostly wealthy ex-urbanites in towns like Woodstock, Norwich, and Chittenden County pushing for it.

[DauntlessDan]

It's mostly wealthy ex-urbanites in towns like Woodstock, Norwich, and Chittenden County pushing for it.

Thanks. That explains it. As they say, "If it saves the life of one child..........."

[tkln]

The Governor claims to be against the bill.

[arctichomesteader]

Yeah this has put me in the strange position of supporting Shumlin on an issue.

[Slater]

The safest state in the nation needs more gun laws? Geez.

Not to get too political, but you Vermonters could use some new legislators.

[VT'ah]

Originally Posted by DauntlessDan

It's mostly wealthy ex-urbanites in towns like Woodstock, Norwich, and Chittenden County pushing for it.

Thanks. That explains it. As they say, "If it saves the life of one child..........."

grew up in the upper valley and those people are nutz...they are disconnected from reality.

[cgregor]

It's not a good idea to have a person known to be prone to violent impulses to have access to firearms, unless he's a member of a "well-regulated militia." There have been women and children killed in this town by their husbands and boyfriends, and depressed children in other towns who have killed themselves. If I were a firearms dealer, I'd sell anything to anyone without a moment's pause as long as I could get away with it. I could be putting your brother, sister, son or daughter at risk. Do you really want people like me to to be a gun dealer?

[DauntlessDan]

Yes, cgregor, but this is NOT a law applying to firearms DEALERS. It is between PRIVATE citizens selling to each other. Excuse me but there are millions of people with firearms, whose firearms NEVER kill or maim another person. As far as you being a dealer and selling anything to anyone, that's why you're NOT, and couldn't be and laws were in existence before the Brady act to prevent that anyway (ie: no felons, sale to people under a certain age). As far as that's concerned you should be preaching to the current administration in the white house about encouraging dealers to sell to people from out of the country, straw buys (does "Fast and Furious" ring a bell?). If it is not right for us to do, it certainly isn't right for them. (What an example, do as I say, NOT as I do). Anyway, NOT to get off on a political tack.. I still maintain that violence and gun violence is a much more complex issue than just firearms.....

[arctichomesteader]

Well the statehouse was packed with opponents of the bill outnumbering supporters at least 5 to 1, maybe more too. Multiple rooms were required for the crowd. 65 out of 108 signed up to speak were against it. Most of the supporters seemed to be talking about crime problems in big cities in other states. One of them said opponents of the bill are alcoholics, drug addicts, and spouse beaters with something to hide. The press around the state isn't seemingly reporting that quote in full. The Barre police chief spoke for the VT Chiefs Association and commented the statistics GunsenseVT is using are false, I'm not seeing that being well reported yet either.