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NYAGV on Heller The Second Amendment and the District of Columbia vs. Heller Case In the last few months you have undoubtedly heard many questions about what effect the recent Supreme Court ruling of DC vs. Heller might have on current gun laws in New York State. NYAGV believes that although the decision was not what we wanted, it does emphatically support reasonable regulations of guns, the people who may possess guns and the types of guns that may be possessed. It is critical also to note the limitations of the decision-in that it speaks to an individual right to bear arms in one's home-not anywhere, anytime and under any conditions. In fact, Justice Scalia specifically noted that possession in public places could be restricted. You can read the full decision by going to the Supreme Court's web site. And if you wish to read the Amicus Brief filed with the Supreme Court on behalf of NYAGV and others you can read it by clicking on the following link. Brief of 63 Amici NYAGV Facts on Gun Violence Gun violence is a SERIOUS problem. Guns kill nearly 30,000 people every year in America. That's an entire New York City marathon. 8 young people are killed by gun violence on an average day in America. That is like having a Virginia Tech shooting every four days. Americans own an estimated 200 million guns. That's one gun for every U.S. adult. In the US, a child is 12 times more likely to die by gunfire than in the next 25 largest industrialized countries combined. Other countries strictly regulate the availability of guns. 85% of NYC crime guns and approximately 40% of crime guns in upstate New York come from states with weak gun laws. Guns are the only consumer products that are exempt from any federal safety standards. NYAGV Education Fund Facts Guns and Suicide The link between guns and suicide is not fully appreciated by most Americans. For example, the statistic of 30,000 gun deaths every year includes a majority of deaths by suicide- in one recent year there were more than 17,000 suicides-more suicides than homicides. And this tragedy has been true for many years. Owning a gun in the home is a significant risk factor for suicide of a loved one. Many times-gun owners regale against the work we do at NYAGV, but don't realize that bringing a gun into the home elevates the risk of attempted suicides becomming successul. This is especially true for all males in the home since males are overwhelmingly the victims of gun deaths by suicide. And teenage males are especially at risk since the temporary emotional ups and downs of the teen years, could be fatal in cases where a loaded gun is readily accessible in the home. There are many studies you can read to see how the risk of suicide increases with a loaded or improperly stored gun in the home. The links below are just a few of the resources. Harvard School of Public Health Suicide and Guns April 2008 power point New Yorkers Against Gun Violence works to build awareness of the impact of gun violence and lobbies for sensible gun legislation on the city, state, and federal levels. |
