Devine joins call to renew ban on assault weapons

May 1, 2004

BY STEPHANIE ZIMMERMANN Staff Reporter


Cook County State's Attorney Richard A. Devine joined participants from the upcoming Million Mom March on Friday to call for a renewal of the federal assault weapons ban, which is due to expire this fall.

The ban, which was passed in 1994, has a sunset provision that takes effect Sept. 13. The National Rifle Association opposes an extension of the ban.

Devine said guns banned under the act include those with flash suppressors, bayonet mounts, extra capacity magazines and pistol grips that allow them to be fired rapidly from the hip. Some have folding stocks useful for close-quarter confrontations and threaded barrels for use with silencers.

Such guns aren't useful for hunting or home protection, but rather are the weapon of choice of gang-bangers and drug pushers, Devine said.

''They are clearly used to go after people and not go after game,'' he said.

Roughly 20 percent of police officer deaths nationally from 1998 to 2001 were from assault weapons, said Adrienne Archia of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence. Archia added that a statewide poll found about 70 percent of Illinoisans support a ban on assault weapons.

Also at the news conference was Tom Vanden Berk, a board member for the Illinois Brady Campaign, whose son, Tom, an honor student at Evanston Township High School, was killed in 1992 when he got caught in gang crossfire at a party.

Vanden Berk, who pushed for the original ban and attended the first Million Mom March in 2000, said he fears police will be "outgunned" by criminals if the ban expires.

"We have seen progress. We cannot go backward," Vanden Berk said.

On its Web site, the NRA claims the ban prevents semiautomatic firearms "used by millions of Americans for hunting, self-defense, recreational target-shooting and in formal marksmanship competitions."

The NRA also is backing legislation that would grant gun makers immunity from lawsuits.

Devine said the ban has widespread support among police organizations, who must deal with the effects of gun violence.

Despite proponents' displeasure with the original ban's provision to grandfather in assault weapons that were legally owned at the time, keeping the ban in place will continue to get the guns off the street, Devine said.

"Our belief is that they are getting fewer and fewer as time goes on," he said. "That is all the more reason for the ban to go on. For heaven's sake, let's not put more of these things out on the street."

The next Million Mom March is planned for Mother's Day, May 9, in Washington.

Why am I not suprised.

I wonder when these dumb fucks will finally figure out that gang bangers and crooks don't buy guns legally...and if they did, wouldn't care if they violated a few AW ban laws.

I'd keep going but I'm preaching to the choir.

Anyone care to give this moron a call?  I'd do it, but I'd probably get really really pissed.

Well, I hate to say it, but there is a reason these guys are all called "dick". Their fictional numbers seem at odds with  national studies, including federally funded (CDC) studies. I wish there was a law against public officials lying to the public and media. But I suppose there would be nobody left in government (at least in crook county).

aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh, SCREW THEM!!!!

The press conference this guy had only warranted a small paragraph or two in the papers I looked at, which is good.  This guy is really an idiot.  I've seen him weigh in on other issues and he usually isn't very well informed by his subordinates, before he goes before the press.

I've had the  dubious honor of meeting Devine, when a buddy and I  hijacked one olf his press conferences a few  years ago. And from what I hear, he still remembers me  and he's still pissed.

The guy is a political hack  pure and simple. Those numbers and quotes they were throwing around are straight from VPC  publications. And old pubs at that.

Tom Vanden Berk is a  career limo liberal acrivist and the original head (and co-creator) of ICHV, but from what I hear he was replaced by Tom Menard (former aide to Mike Madigan) in the top spokesman's post because he is emotionally volitile and not good on camera.  Vanden Berk's son was killed while hanging out on a street corner where a low-rent part of Evanston butts up againt Chgo's Rogers Park neighborhood, which i s rather scuzzy. You'd think Daddy Limo Vanden Berk would crusade against gangs...... but no, guns are  easier  to blame and you don't risk pissing off the largely liberal minority community by telling them to controll  themselves.

In a way this is  good news for us; it shows how desparate they are. National level  anti's like the VPC's Tom Diaz are admitting that  the AWB is a failure and a  sham, and their only hope is trying to pass state level AWB's, all of which have failed.

We're winning, guys and gals
CKMorley

The guy is a political hack  pure and simple.
Correct!!

You'd think Daddy Limo Vanden Berk would crusade against gangs...... but no, guns are  easier  to blame and you don't risk pissing off the largely liberal minority community by telling them to controll  themselves.
Correct again!!!!

In a way this is  good news for us; it shows how desparate they are. National level  anti's like the VPC's Tom Diaz are admitting that  the AWB is a failure and a  sham, and their only hope is trying to pass state level AWB's, all of which have failed.
Correct Agaian!!!

We're winning, guys and gals
I agree.

A+ CK, you have nailed it on the head.
I guess the one point of the AWB that really upsets me is the "pistol grip which allows you to rapid fire from the hip" See, I have several "pistol gripped" rifles, none of which I have ever shot from the hip. I really think I should shoot my "pistol gripped" rifles from the hip soon though. See guys, if they get their proverbial wet dream and ever do actually seize my "pistol gripped" rifles, I will only be left with things like......my.....my....M1A and I KNOW for a fact, that since my M1A has no pistol grip, I will have never ever have had the sheer pleasure of hip firing a weapon. Since the M1A has no pistol grip, I cannot imagine how I would ever, ever, ever be able to manipulate it into a hip firing position. Awww shucks. Well I guess it's better anyway because I don't need a pistol grip to go deer hunting. When the framers wrote the Second, you know the one that protects our right to keep and bear arms "with sporting or hunting" purposes, had they known of something like a pistol grip, I do believe they would have completely abandoned the idea of an armed citizenry for fear of the plague on mankind known as "the pistol grip."
CKMorley

Quoted: I guess the one point of the AWB that really upsets me is the "pistol grip which allows you to rapid fire from the hip"

As Jeff Cooper so eloquently put it, how do they figure that "spray and pray" is so dangerous, and one well placed shot isn't?

Quoted: Archia added that a statewide poll found about 70 percent of Illinoisans support a ban on assault weapons.

I want to know who the hell they polled.  70 percent is very, very, kind to the awb people.

Another group called "Voices For Illinois Children" or something also created a similar poll. They admittedly polled only 500 poeple in the Chgo and Collar County area. They claimed 69% support for AWB, but said the poll was plus or minus 4%.

Now how can you poll so FEW people and still have to build in that kind of slop rate ?
If I had presented "evidence" like that back in college sociology class, the professor would've thrown me out vthe window.

I read the "report" by VFIC and found that the questions they askedwere very leading.
In some cases, a long paragraph of anti-gun BS was read to the poll participant, then the questions was
asked. Prime the pump with dirty water and guess what comes out when you start pumping ??

The ILL- AWB bills haven't moved since Feb. and are still in committee. My guess is they're dead for now, but look for them to make a surprise reappearance during the veto session this fall.

CKMorley