Kucinich on gun laws, gun rights & violence
From the campaign's issues pages on Gun Laws, Gun Rights & Violence
There are few topics which divide America more than the issues associated with firearms. For the vast majority of Americans who own firearms, they are a form of recreation in the character of hunting and/or target shooting. For many, they are a method for safety and protection in a society characterized by violence. But all too frequently, they are used for violence.
I have friends who both hunt and shoot. These are good people, they are not criminals, and they lock up their guns when not using them. I support their right to their hobbies, and I support the right to bear arms. I have also talked with widows and children left fatherless due to the improper use of firearms. As President, I will be committed to preventing such tragedies from happening. By helping to develop a society which does not look to violence as a method of solving problems, my proposed Department of Peace will play a key role in this. Conflict resolution and alternatives to violence will constitute major areas of responsibility within this new Department so that we can begin to lead by examples as well as by words.
My efforts to lead the fight against assault weapons have been highly recognized by The Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. One year after the DC-area sniper attacks, I have co-signed a bill, H.R. 2038, to renew and strengthen the federal assault weapons ban. I was also the only presidential candidate to attend the recent Save Our Sons and Daughters (SOSD) event.
While some of my opponents in the Democratic primary believe that gun laws should reside at the state level, I respectfully disagree. In this mobile society, national control of guns just is necessary, just as it is with pollution. It is the right of Americans to keep and bear arms; however it is not the right of American felons to arm themselves.
In a time when homeland security is of utmost concern, it is perplexing why anyone would not wish to keep guns out of the hands of those who might do us harm. This is why I would support legislation to require background checks, identical to the background checks currently required for transfers by licensed gun dealers, for firearm transfers by unlicensed gun dealers at gun shows. Sensible laws to prevent guns from winding up in the wrong hands do not infringe on any constitutional rights.
I agree with the Brady Campaign that Congress should end the gun industry's immunity from product safety regulation and that irresponsible dealers who allow weapons to fall into the hands of criminals should be held accountable. President Bush campaigned on the promise to reauthorize the assault ban weapon law. However, in a calculated move to avoid signing the bill, the President has not spoken out publicly or forcefully to make the House Republicans under Rep. Tom DeLay bring the legislation out of committee and pass it. It is a shame that our current President is willing to expend limitless political capital to financially benefit his own campaign contributors with trillion dollar tax cuts but will spend nothing to keep assault weapons out of the hands of potential terrorists.
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