June
3, 2004---After
years of sending conflicting signals to gun owners as to his position
on gun rights, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has given
his stance a bit more clarity.
In a letter to US Senator Dianne Feinstein
(D-CA), the driving force behind a new bill that would ban semi-automatic
firearms, Governor Schwarzenegger called on Congress to renew
the 1994 "Assault Weapons" ban, which is due to sunset
on September 13th.
Governor Schwarzenegger wrote, “As
you are well aware, Californians overwhelmingly support the ban
on these dangerous weapons." He went on to say that “The
renewal of the federal ban on assault weapons is a prudent, common
sense effort to limit the prevalence and availability of dangerous
weapons and protect public safety."
Anti-gun groups were quick to seize upon
Schwarzenegger's comments.
Eric Howard, of the Brady Campaign to
End Gun Violence, said “It shows the broad support for this."
Groups such as the Brady Campaign have
been trying to pressure President Bush to more actively push for
a renewal of the ban. Schwarzenegger's comments gave the Brady
Campaign's Howard another opportunity to go after President Bush
on the issue.
“We’re very happy that the
governor is taking a public position on this, and publicly calling
on the president to take responsible action,” said Howard.
“I know the governor is hearing from his law-enforcement
constituency and the public.”
Chris Cox, of the National Rifle Association's
Institue for Legislative Action, took issue with Governor Schwarzenegger's
characterization of military-looking semiautomatics as "dangerous
military firearms."
"The letter is factually incorrect,”
Cox said. The 1994 ban has nothing whatsoever to do with military
weapons.”
Cox went on to say that, “This law
has had no impact on crime. In 10 years there’s not one
shred of evidence that it’s been effective, and we’re
confident that come September this ban will be allowed to sunset.”
Senator Feinstein, one of the original
authors of the 1994 ban and an ardent proponet of strict gun control
laws, is expected to try to add her new "assault weapons"
ban to legislation that President Bush wants enacted. Schwarzenegger's
letter seemed to buoy her spirits.
"I welcome Governor Schwarzenegger’s
support in this effort to ensure than the ban is reauthorized
and that military-style assault weapons aren’t allowed back
on the streets of America," Feinstein said. "Assault
weapons are the weapons of choice for criminals and those seeking
to do the maximum damage possible in the shortest amount of time.”
The reasons for Governor Schwarzenegger's
letter remain unclear, given that California years ago passed
legislation that went much further than Senator Feinstein's 1994
ban. Many California gun owners found themselves unwittingly in
violation of the state law, which provides for serious fines and
penalties.
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