Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Is Council's Resolution Regarding 2nd Amendment & Sandy Hook Tragedy Political Puffery?

  
This was originally published in January and it being republished in light of the vote taking place today at the state capital to limit 2nd Amendment rights.

Mayor Drew and 5 of the 12 elected Common Councilmembers have drafted a resolution on behalf of the citizens and City of Middletown dedicated to Newtown in the wake of the shooting tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary. In a previous post, reader Paul Dodge responded to Mayor Drew's statements regarding gun control. The letter is posted here:
Imagine you are in the receiving line at a funeral for one of the innocent children or adults who were murdered during the massacre and ask yourself if this is what you would say to their grieving parent or loved one? 
Is this the right message, with tinges of political puffery, or is it better to just say we are sorry for your unfathomable loss when there simply are no adequate words?
Resolution Dedicated to the Citizens of Newtown, CT.
Whereas, the CIty of Middletown joins with the families, friends, and loved ones and residents of Newtown, CT in their suffering and sorrow by the events at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012; and
Whereas, the City of Middletown wishes the residents of Newtown, CT to know that our hearts are broken by the senseless murder of innocent children, teachers and other adults due to a single disturbed individual; and
Whereas, the death of Twenty (20) children: Charlotte Bacon, 6; Daniel Barden,7; Olivia Engel, 6; Josephine Gay, 7; Ana M. Marquez-Greene,6; Dylan Hockley 6, 6; Madeliene F. Hsu, 6; Catherine V. Hubbard, 6; Chase Kowalski, 7; Jesse Lewis, 6; James Mattioloos, Avielle Richman, 6; Benjamin Wheeler, 6; Allison N. Wyatt, 6;and Six (6) adults: Ra, 30; Rachel Davino, 29; Dawn Hochsprung, 47, principal; Anne Marie Murphy, 52; Lauren Rousseau, 30; Mary Sherlach, 56; Victoria Soto, 27 were due to a combination of mental illness, ease of access to guns and ammunition, as well as the availability of high-capacity ammunition feeding devices and assault style weapons; and
Whereas, the statistics of violent and mass killing of children in the United States are staggering including 5,740 children from 2008-2009 or one child or teen every 3 hours or eight (8) per day, or fifty-five (55) per week for this two year period since 1982 there have been at least 62 mass murders with firearms across the United States (Assoc. Press; Canada.com; Mother Jones; Citizens Crime Commission of NYC): and
Whereas,  children ages 5-14 in the United States are 13 times more likely to be killed by guns as children in other industrialized countries (Harvard Injury Control Research Center); and
Whereas, the media, video game industry, gun industry and other corporations profit from a culture of violence in the United States of America and contribute to the desensitizing of our children  and society to violence and murder.
Now Therefore Be It Resolved By The Common Council of the City of Middletown: That we strongly urge our elected officials to change gun regulation laws to require background checks for all purchases of guns including at gun shows; ban on access to assault-style weapons, a ban on large capacity (10 or more) ammunition feeding devices; and
Be It Further Resolved: That we also urge the review of accessibility by minors to online and video games depicting violent and excessive fictional shooting of people and suggest that these types of games be treated in a similar manner as the selling of lottery tickets, alcohol, tobacco, and firearms; and
Be It Further Resolved: That during the deliberation and discussions of these important and contributing issues, that we, as Community Leaders, work in collaboration with our elected officials to take holistic and sensitive approach in addressing the issues centered around the protection, love, and support for all of our children and youth, who look to us for guidance, awareness and protection; and
Be It Further Resolved: That this resolution be sent to Senator Richard Blumenthal, Senator Christopher Murphy, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, Congressman Joseph Courtney, Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty, COngressman John Larson, Middletown's state delegation and the First Selectwoman of Newtown, CT, and we urge other Connecticut citites , towns and municipalities to adopt similar Resolutions.

Submitted by Councilman Ronald P. Klattenberg, Deputy Majority Leader, (D)
Councilman Thomas J. Serra, Majority Leader (D)
Councilman Gerald E. Daley (D)
Councilwoman Hope P. Kasper (D)
Councilman Phillip J. Pessina, Minority Leader (R)



3 comments:

  1. I understand and completely agree with a resolution on the City grief to the victims of this horrible crime that took place in Sandy Hook elementary school. But the rest is a Second Amendment issue and a state and national issue and not a City of Middletown issue.
    I think the rest cheapens the resolution.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The city leaders should stick with dealing with a budget that continues to grow each and every year. That is their charge and not making political statements about the Second Amendment which none of them seem to know.

    Here is what the Second Amendment states.
    A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Utterly disgraceful.

    ReplyDelete

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