NOT!!!!! It seems like anytime there is a mass shooting, our politicians all run for the closest TV camera to spout off more about the need for tougher gun laws.
Although we expect our "leaders " to come up with useful legislation to help keep us safe, those same leaders show they are usually just "noisemakers" trying to get political recognition for themselves.
The State of Connecticut is said to have some of the toughest gun laws in the nation, most of them passed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School killings. Sadly, most of those laws were passed by politicians in response to a rush to soothe their own consciences to say they did something in response to innocent children being slaughtered in what should have been a safe environment.
In reality, what it did was make it much tougher for honest law abiding citizens to purchase guns and ammunition. It did nothing to address illegal guns and the accompanying violence on our streets. If I wanted to purchase a handgun legally in Connecticut, I would have to apply and go through the process to get a handgun permit to arm myself.
But again , back to reality, anyone familiar with Hartford understands that you could probably go a few blocks in any direction in Hartford and illegally purchase a handgun off the streets, probably with the identifying serial numbers filed off, but a gun is a gun. And if you are involved with illegal drugs, guns are an unofficial alternative currency for drug purchases, so they are readily available from most drug locations. Not the safest thing to do, but most people involved with illegal weapons probably aren't the most law abiding residents either.
I wonder how many people carrying illegal weapons in Hartford or willing to use them in criminal activity such as robberies or shootings have actually taken the time to get a concealed carry permit and carry their guns in accordance with gun laws that Senator Murphy and others think will end the problem.
The solution if there is a solution at this point, is enforcement and accountability and being serious about it.
The double homicide arrest today of the shooter is a perfect example. The alleged shooter, is Latoy Johnson, Johnson ,a convicted felon with 23 previous arrests was currently out on Probation and was scheduled for a probation meeting in Hartford today, where he was arrested by HPD.
23 Previous arrests, a convicted felon who was barred from owning or even touching a firearm or ammunition, yet he allegedly shot and killed 2 men during a gun battle on a City Street. What do you think he thinks of your gun laws Senator Murphy? He was probably shaking like hell as he shot one man in the head and the other victim in the face He was probably terrified of the consequences of the gun laws Senator Murphy pushed so strongly for to feel better after Newtown.
Again, it comes down to stronger accountability and enforcement. Your second chance philosophy just isn't working. How does someone with 23 arrests still roam the streets to kill two men on a City Street. And Latoy Johnson clearly has no regard for society's laws and has shown no intention of abiding by them, so passing more gun laws will only give Latoy Johnson and other criminals like him a wider variety of laws they choose to ignore when committing their violent acts against society.
Let's start enforcing the laws we actually have on the books instead of trying to encumber law abiding citizens with more seat of the pants feel good, reactionary legislation
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17 comments:
Senator Chris Murphy is the BEST! He needs to run for President of the USA.
yeah, just what we need, he has been so effective in the Senate
In all due respect, Kevin, you fail to understand the whole picture. Up to 65-70% of all crime committed with a gun in CT was done so with a stolen weapon taken from registered gun owners. Please connect the dots. What else due you want me to say? If the guns were not in there homes or elsewhere, they wouldn't be stolen. And if they wern't stolen, they would't have been used in a commission of crimes. Cheeses weepers. No other developed nations on earth have the kind of gun violence that we have. Explain please?
Could some readers provide more information about WHY the people cited in the related story were in Hartford?? Not one of them was a resident. What is the significance of the address they were found at? Thought this was one of the areas to be rehabbed soon via construction or redevelopment projects. Thanks.
Victim: Jovan Wooten 11/11/1979 of New Britain CT
Victim: Joshua Taylor 02/19/1986 Unknown address, no CT History, recent indication he resided in New Jersey.
Accused: Latroy Johnson 01/05/1977 of Windsor CT
I agree with what you wrote. At the same time, there is no accountability for mistakes. The latest mass shooter should not have been able to buy a gun, but did, because of a clerical mistake by the US Air Force. The number of people held responsible for the fatal mistake? Zero. The shooter was mentally ill and likely on a cocktail of dangerous SSRI medications. Strike two, he should not have been permitted to buy or own guns because he was mentally unstable. He needed to own a semi automatic rifle with large ammunition capacity, for self defense? Strike three.
Absolutely drop the hammer on gun crimes and prosecute to the fullest extent possible. That doesn't mean there aren't other ways to improve safety.
As for Mortgagefraud Murphy, he is as much use as a furnace made out of ice. That's a different topic: if anything can be done to raise the quality of political candidates and voter expectations, and to reduce the corrupting influence of money in politics. "The love of money is the root of all evil".
2:14am I fully understand the picture, but who is stealing those guns? Felons who most likely get a slap on the wrist when they are caught, and I think I mentioned the issue of stolen and obliterated firearms being sold on the street.
Cars get stolen too. IF only we didn't have cars, they would be none to steal. Simple solution, eh?
Chris Murphy is an idiot and grand standing.
Alyssa,
The social deviants were at 1165 Albany Avenue because there and other parts of Hartford are saturated with drugs of all kinds. Drive by some day and you can see young men and women just loitering, or waiting for drug sales.
Hartford police does not have enough police to focus on all the crime in the city. Therefore when they do arrest a small percentage of the violent criminals and drug dealers hpd makes sure its in The Courant.com.
Also, it appears that the State's Attorney office does not prosecute criminals with illegal guns and do not go after lengthy prison sentences for criminals with guns.
I'm counting down the days before spending my fat juicy retirement South of this dysfunctional democratic financially broken politically corrupt city and state.
You have a city treasure that embezzles $20 thousand dollars and the council president and city council does nonething to protect the taxpayers from this type of behavior.
Why should any other criminal be prosecuted.
Let the Accused: Latroy Johnson 01/05/1977 of Windsor CT go free.
Kevin, by your logic: since laws barring murders don't work we should do away with them. And while we are at it; lets remove laws against rape too since they don't seem to work.
I think you need to re-read my post and try to comprehend what I said. We need to enforce the laws we have on the books already, I don't think I ever said anything about doing away with any Laws
@10:20
Once again Kevin, you are not using your nogget too well. If people didn't have guns in their homes, there would be no guns to steal. Hence, there would be much less use of guns in committing crimes. Do you want me to say this in Gaelic?
Think cause and effect.
12:18PM
what could I be thinking? And if people didn't keep other valuables in their homes I guess by your reasoning we would eliminate burglaries, and if no one was allowed to own a car we would have no car thefts, How about my right to live safely in my home without fear of some thug climbing in a window to rob me, And when do we start banning kitchen knives because their theft could lead to a stabbing?
Statistics show that more people are killed with knives than rifles. Handgun s used in homicides are on the decline but that is the weapon most used not assault rifles. The left media is pushing their agenda & We the People will be watching & calling out the bs as it comes.
Kevin the problem with idiots like general grievous is that he thinks the owner of the gun who is the VICTIM of a burglary is the problem!!!!
It's time to start CHOPPING these SAVAGES hands off!! Let the blame fall where it should!! Not on the gun owner who did nothing wrong, society is waaaaay to soft on these turds plaguing society, start holding their asses to the fire
Story out today: guns & vests stolen from CSP in 2016 were sold to a drug dealer in Hartford. Nuff said on this topic.
5:55
And Kevin, how about that my right to live trumps your right to own killing weapons whose only use is to kill, unlike cars, which transports us from one place to another. How about this for an easier thought. Why the hell is the US the only country in the developed world where guns are as easy to purchase as bubble gum. Maybe we are doing something wrong here? Let me make it still easier for you to not disagree with me. How about we only end manufacture of semi automatic rifles.no one needs that kind of massive weaponry. That way, you can walk the halls of your home with weapons at the ready in case that boggy man decides to crawl through your opened window.
@5:55
I win. Checkmate.
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