Area lawmakers weigh in on response to shooting
Most area lawmakers seem to agree that something should be done in the wake of the mass shooting Dec. 14 at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school, but they also agree the problem is complex.
None offered specific recommendations.
The Gazette asked area lawmakers the following question:
What should be the legislative response, if any, to last week's school shooting in Connecticut?
These are their responses:
State Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville: "As a father and grandfather, I was shocked and devastated by the school shooting in Newtown. It is difficult to comprehend this senseless act of evil perpetrated on those most vulnerable—young children.
"As a nation, we must address the unnecessary access to assault weapons with high-capacity magazines. It is time to find meaningful ways to prevent tragedies like those in Newtown and Oak Creek."
State Rep. Andy Jorgenson, D-Fort Atkinson: "The evil acts of one man last week have devastated countless families and shocked us all.
"As terror became sorrow, and the magnitude of our losses sank in, we as a nation began important conversations about our gun laws, access to mental health care and school safety.
"My hope is that my colleagues in the Legislature and I will take the next step in the weeks and months ahead, turning talk into action in the form of measures that will help to prevent mass shootings like the one in Newtown, Conn., and the two we here in Wisconsin witnessed in the past year.
"The solution to these acts of random violence is not immediately clear, and, I suspect, will be multi-faceted, but we must tackle the complexity of this issue. Our children, our neighbors, our partners in law enforcement: they deserve our very best effort to improve public safety.
"As we work, I—like so many of you—continue to mourn for the families of those lost last Friday and pray for all involved."
State Sen. Neal Kedzie, R-Elkhorn: "Like the rest of the nation, I was horrified to first hear the news of this mass shooting, then watch as the events of the day only got worse. It was an unconscionable act perpetrated by an extremely disturbed individual who lost touch with reality and his own sanity.
"As parents of three children, my wife and I joined parents across this state and nation in sheer anguish, grief, and sorrow. Our hearts and our prayers go out to those parents whose child was taken from them too soon and in such a terrible way. Sadly, anything we do will never relieve them of their pain.
"As we all learn more of this tragic day and the individual who committed such a heinous act, the debate among both lawmakers and the general public regarding a myriad of issues starts once again. Everyone is in search for solutions, or at least some immediate answers. However, most recognize this is, and will continue to be, a very complex and difficult problem to solve.
"That said, we each have a responsibility to lend our individual thoughts and ideas to this issue in the hopes we can someday bring an end to such heart-breaking and painful tragedies."
State Representative-elect Deb Kolste, D-Janesville: "The question of how to curb mass killings in this country has no simple or single answer. Editorials and articles in The Gazette and other media show that the problem defies a simple solution.
"Even staunch gun advocates have said in recent days that changes are necessary. I think that we can enact reasonable gun control provisions that don't abridge the Second Amendment rights of sane, law-abiding citizens. I want to make sure that whatever I support has a chance to work.
"I want to study questions about assault weapons, ammunition, thoroughness of background checks and the availability of mental health care. I think violent entertainment media might contribute to violence in society and ought to be studied.
"I think a key is keeping weapons ought of the hands of children and the mentally ill, and I want to find ways to do that.
"I refuse to believe that fixing this problem is impossible and that we should simply continue the status quo while awaiting the next disaster.
"We have Second Amendment rights in this country and freedom of speech and expression under the First Amendment, however we must find ways to protect these basic American rights while providing a reasonable assurance of safety. Just about every other modern democracy in the world provides basic freedoms without accepting the astronomical number of shootings we accept in our country."
State Rep. Amy Loudenbeck, R-Clinton: She said she was "generally opposed to any further restriction on the ability of law-abiding citizens to possess firearms."
"However, I do support measures to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals."
Last session, she voted in support of Wisconsin Act 99 that increases penalties for receiving or concealing stolen firearms.
"It is important to note that in Wisconsin, there is an additional level of reporting for background checks which was added in 2010," Loudenbeck wrote. "I support this effort to go beyond the federal requirements for background checks to help ensure that firearms are not purchased by individuals with serious mental health issues."
State Rep. Janis Ringhand, D-Evansville: "It's such a horrendous act, for 6 and 7 year olds. … I think automatic-type weapons that are available to people needs to be addressed. They're not even for hunting—there's no valid reason to have that kind (of weapons).
"I think we need to look at some serious legislation about having those type of guns available."
Ringhand noted she was not in favor of the state's concealed carry law, but she doubts it will be overturned.
People "at least need to be realistic" in understanding the consequences of using guns, Ringhand said, but she admits that would make no difference to people such as Adam Lanza. Still, guns were available to him, she said.
"We need stronger measures to prevent that. It's unconscionable," she said.
She stressed better training before any kind of permit is issued. In the last legislative session, the attorney general's office attempted to put in a four-hour training requirement, but the National Rifle Association fought it "tooth and nail," she said.
"We've got to get some common sense back into it," she said, noting the public is up in arms about making changes to "get rid of the automatic weapons and put stronger controls on who is getting these guns and for what purposes and training."
U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Janesville: "My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those affected by the unspeakable tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut.
"I'm heartbroken to hear many of the victims were young children and that it took place in classrooms, where our students should feel safe and secure. Our schools are where our nation's youth come to learn, and it is horrifying to think that this nurturing environment was a scene of such senseless violence.
"At this trying time, we stand together with the people of Connecticut, and we share their grief over the loss of life."
The Gazette was unable to reach Congressman-elect Mark Pocan, D-Madison; and Rep. Tyler August, R-Lake Geneva.
Dec 26, 2012 at 11:35 a.m.
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mteg
the "gun control radicals" want people to think that "reasonable" new laws on "assult"weapons are the cure,even though more people ARE murdered w/hand guns.
then when the new laws do not work they will say we need reasonable laws banning handguns why does anyone really NEED a handgun anyway? and so on and so on....they want ALL guns banned..that is their agenda..
IF their concern was really for the "children" they would advocate laws concerning drownings and accidents #1&2 cause of death children 0-14 in the u.s. cdc...
Dec 26, 2012 at 9:04 a.m.
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Fact: Most gun crimes (murders) are done with handguns...not assualt weapons
Fact: Most clip fed guns (shotgun, rifle, handgun) can be modified into "assualt weapons" including higher round capacity magazines
Fact: Switching to (3) 10round mags takes an extra 10-15 sec vs. 1 30round mag...even less time in someone familar with the gun
Fact: Most "assualt rifles" take a smaller round than a typical hunting rifle...hence less damage (.223-assualt vs .30...-normal hunting rifle)
Fact: The media focuses more on the tool (gun used) to commit the crime vs. the actual cause (mental illness)
Fact: The mother is largerly to blame in this incident. She new her son was mentally unstable. She gave him access to to tools to commit crimes, training at the range, etc... Had she had reported her sons behavior, removed the guns from her house, never shown him how to use them...then the incidents might not have occured.
Fact: Sadly in America, it is easier to commit a person to jail on a fine for overdue library books...then to commit a mentally unstable individual to a mental hospital...one who could have a potentially violent past and has made claims of self harm and harm towards others.
Dec 26, 2012 at 7:42 a.m.
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"It was not CRIMINALS that did these mass shootings"
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??
Murder is illegal...done by criminals.
Dec 26, 2012 at 6:57 a.m.
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Some state to keep guns out of the hands of *criminals*, It was not CRIMINALS that did these mass shootings, and I am so sick of hearing "Keep arms out of their hands". They already have laws for criminals not to have guns and they need to give tougher sentences when they are caught with guns. but one of the issues, is the type of weapons that are used for the slaughter of innocent people.
Dec 25, 2012 at 8:58 a.m.
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Banning assault rifles would mean that law abiding citizens would be out-gunned by criminals that continue to use the banned weapons. Is that what some poeple really want? Really?
Dec 25, 2012 at 6:33 a.m.
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Motor vehicles kill more innocent people than guns do - yet I'm not seeing a movement to ban motor vehicles. The same can be said for tobacco products, alcohol, etc... We simply have to regulate them properly and enforce the regulations.
Dec 25, 2012 at midnight
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Gary, what is "Common sense gun safety legislation” I seldom see lawmakers and common sense in the same sentence. This will be no different. How about common sense laws we already have being enforced? When they can enforce the current laws then we can think about adding more.
Dec 24, 2012 at 9:25 a.m.
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Common sense gun safety legislation
does not take your guns away.
Dec 24, 2012 at 12:31 a.m.
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R1234
because when your gov. "officials" do it its OK...and now they want to take your guns away!
Dec 23, 2012 at 10:21 p.m.
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It is shocking to see these little lives snuffed out in a senseless act of violence. It is an event our nation will not forget soon. My faith tells me that murder is an offense against God. My nation says that the murderer must stand trial in a court of law because murder is against the law. Why then, is abortion OK? Why is it OK for the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) within Obamacare to refuse life saving treatment for the elderly?
Why is it OK for our government to send so many people overseas to fight wars? Why does our government not protect our embassies resulting in the murders of 4 people very recently in Benghazi? Now, the government says we have no money to put armed guards in schools. The issue is murder of any sort, not a gun ban.
Dec 23, 2012 at 8:48 p.m.
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Chuck has a few words on the topic .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v...
Dec 23, 2012 at 3:24 p.m.
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Way to totally ignore the fact that people who are mentally ill and dangerous NEED to be institutionalized. Gun control in all pretend. Anyone who has firearms knows you can own any weapon you want as long as you pass the FFL check and PAY the Tax Stamp. Belt driven full automatic machine guns and all. totally legal. Crazy is CRAZY.. Time to stop ignoring the mentally ill.
Dec 23, 2012 at 10:56 a.m.
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The reason gun owners are defensive about any more gun control is that it starts with one thing,the so-called "assault weapons" (or the more accurate "look like but really aren't assault weapons ban") and then after that it expands to include other things perhaps a gun with a scope will be the next thing to be called an "assault weapon" and as criminals and killers adjust to new weapons those too will be considered "assault weapons" and pretty soon everything is an assault weapon and the initial goal of a complete gun ban is in place. There is no paranoia here. During the 1994 ban some liberal politicians had set their sights on banning pump action shot guns as the next round of guns to be made illegal.
Dec 23, 2012 at 10:37 a.m.
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The assault weapon ban was in effect during Columbine. Did not stop it. Armed guards at Columbine that were told to stand down until police arrived while the carnage continued. What was the point of having the armed guards. It is a crime for a person with a felony to TRY to buy a gun. The anti-gunners brag about how many people the instant back ground checks have turned away. BUT they do not prosecute them for making the attempt. WHY NOT? Enforce the laws we have. Magazine size restrictions will only lessen the number of people killed. It will not stop the killing. When are our politicians going to have serious dialogue and take serious action in addressing the mental illness issues that causes an idividual to do this? When are they going to address the lack of respect for life that now exists in this country? Congress will likely pass a restriction on magazine sizes which I personally do not have a problem with. Then they will walk away with their "feel good" legislation and the root causes of violence in our society will still exists. Can not understand that people do not seem to fathom that fact. I have to agree with the NRA President's statement that the only way to stop a bad man with a gun is a good man with a gun. I am more willing than him to make compromises on weapon types and magazine sizes although I also fear the slippery slope. However, when do we address what in society is making/creating the "bad man" who then gets his/her hands on a gun and commits this type of slaughter. Or even the individual killings? IMO
Dec 23, 2012 at 9:52 a.m.
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On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. "...politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre."
Dec 23, 2012 at 9:32 a.m.
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Its odd that we put armed guards around our money but back off on protecting children with armed officers when a child is much more valuable then money
Dec 23, 2012 at 4:08 a.m.
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"I think that we can enact reasonable gun control provisions that don't abridge the Second Amendment rights of sane, law-abiding citizens."
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Uh huh, sure, as soon as I hear politicians using the words "reasonable" or "common sense" I start to cover up my backside. Tell you what, repeat this quote to yourself, except for insert the word "First" where the word "Second" is and see how "reasonable" this quote sounds. It's the Bill of Rights folks, not a PDF document that we can alter and change at our convenience. Nothing's going to stop this senseless violence until a good share of people pull their heads out of the sand and admit that just because you slap a "no gun" sign on a building doesn't automatically make it a safe zone. No more than putting a "no burglars allowed" sign on my house prevents me from being a robbery victim.
Dec 23, 2012 at 3:24 a.m.
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It's time. Join with over 4,000,000 other practical, law abiding citizens to support practical, no nonsense gun laws and safety.
http://home.nra.org/#/nraorg
Join the NRA to make a difference, to promote safe, lawful gun ownership and enforcement of the more than 20,000 gun laws that are on the books. Join to support the people who will defend you constitutional rights and your unalienable rights.
Dec 23, 2012 at 2:11 a.m.
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the #1and#2 cause of death of children aged 0 to14 in the u.s. are accidents and drownings respectively. according to the cdc.. of the drownings 14% are @ public place pool beach etc.the other86% are backyard pools & bathtubs...
where is the outcry??? where are the dumptrucks filling in backyard pools? and laws to ban bathtubs in your home??
think of this .. IF every house in the u.s. had showers WE would save childrens lives...from drowning.. falls are another thing...if every kid had to by law wear a crash helmet untill age 14 when they rode in a vehicle...IT WOULD SAVE LIVES..
"banning" scary guns will solve nothing...it has no logic they ARE already in circulation the"bad" guys are not going to respond to the new laws..
tragedies will happen until we change the hearts of man.i do believe GOD is the answer..
or atleast people that fear GOD...
Dec 23, 2012 at 12:51 a.m.
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And Kolste's study about ammunition and "assault" weapons? I can guess where she will go with this, join the Milwaukee delegation by attempting to ban hollow point rounds and severly restrict the common "assault" weapons, i.e. .22 rifles (autoloaders) to the same shotguns the are used for hunting and the military. Keeping kids from getting a firearm, the parents who are responsible may use the Eddie Eagle program, to teach them not to touch a firearm. But there are cases where the kid had to use it to protect him/herself, when it was necessary.
Dec 22, 2012 at 9:37 p.m.
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"State Rep. Janis Ringhand, D-Evansville: "It's such a horrendous act, for 6 and 7 year olds. … I think automatic-type weapons that are available to people needs to be addressed."
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These people are idiots and still dont understand they are not automatics. SEMI!!!!! HUGE difference.
Dec 22, 2012 at 9:35 p.m.
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Sheople. Once the stampede gets going I hope they run right off a mountain side.
Dec 22, 2012 at 6:31 p.m.
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It’s time. Join more than 750 mayors and 750,000 grassroots supporters to demand that President Obama and Congress step forward with a plan to end gun violence.
http://www.demandaplan.org/
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