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Susan Walsh / AP
People walk from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013, during a march on Washington for gun control.
Residents of Newtown, Conn., the scene of a school massacre in which 20 children and six adults were killed last month, joined thousands of people gathered on the National Mall in Washington on Saturday for a march supporting gun control.
Similar organized demonstrations were planned in support of gun control in about a dozen other places across the United States, according to organizers.
In addition to the 100 people who traveled together from Newtown, organizers told The Associated Press participants from New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia would join the demonstration.
Alongside Mayor Vincent Gray, a crowd that stretched for about two blocks marched down Constitution Avenue toward the Washington Monument, where speakers called for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition. Some of the demonstrators held signs that read "We Are Sandy Hook."
Education Secretary Arne Duncan addressed the crowd, saying he and President Barack Obama would work to enact gun control policies, the AP reported.
"This is about trying to create a climate in which our children can grow up free of fear," he said, according to the AP.
"We must act, we must act, we must act," Duncan said.
According to the AP, demonstrators held signs that read "Ban Assault Weapons Now," "Stop NRA" and "Gun Control Now." Other signs carried the names of victims of gun violence.
The silent march is organized by Molly Smith, artistic director of Washington's Arena Stage, and her partner.
"With the drum roll, the consistency of the mass murders and the shock of it, it is always something that is moving and devastating to me. And then, it's as if I move on," Smith told the AP. "And in this moment, I can't move on. I can't move on.
"I think it's because it was children, babies," she told the AP. "I was horrified by it."
The event is co-sponsored by One Million Moms for Gun Control, an independent organization that is also responsible for similar demonstrations in cities such as San Francisco, Chicago and Austin, Texas.
The Newtown massacre has reignited the debate over firearms in the United States, and last week Obama laid out a series of measures intended to curb gun violence, most significantly proposals to limit the size of ammunition magazines, ban assault weapons and require universal background checks on firearm purchases. That plan won little praise from Republicans.
Earlier this month, New York lawmakers approved the toughest gun control law in the nation, expanding the state's existing assault weapons ban and addressing gun ownership by those with mental illnesses.
Supporters of gun control held a rally in Washington D.C. calling for action following the school shooting tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. NBC's Kristen Welker reports.
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During the Lilliputian wars, the Vietnamese used weapons, (Russian,Chinese AK47's) that were easier to shoot, (shorter,lighter,purposely shaped), and were fully automatic with thirty bullet magazines. One, to one, given their tactics, we lost, by the helicopter lode. Now,...You may be thinking,...That is very old history. OK, very few people are patriotic these days. But, the day will come,(after the wealthy have moved, (eased) off-shore), when the Chinese are going to call in loans they made to us. ( more correctly, to our leaders) When that day does arrive, I hope that the few remaining patriots, or, people just not wanting to become slaves can put up a successful defence.
Only problem is that China is not our top creditor. This government owes Social Security, which is the number one creditor to our debt. Why do you think the Reps. want to cut Social Security so much? For entitlement programs?
No so they can eliminate the debt the country owes to Social Security.
After reading your reply I went and taped some of the thirty round mags together, and I feel even worse.
Are you guys sure you can read? I read about the Gun Appreciation Day on this site and even saw a ton of comments on here as well. What you see today is in support of gun regulation and stopping gun violence. While there are responsible gun owners there have been almost 1500 gun deaths since Newtown that include 23 children and 69 teens. If I and my family could have been there today we certainly would have. We support Newtown AND all the victims prior to that of gun violence. Not every victim is a gang member and not every shooter is mentally ill or a criminal until they picked up that gun, shot and killed someone. I refuse to accept living in a militaristic society where my elementary school children have to go to school under armed guards. That is simply insane. I support President Obama, American's for Responsible Solutions and the Brady Group recommendation which also include mental health. Change is coming even if it has to go to the Supreme Court which in the Heller decision stated that gun regulation is NOT unconstitutional and would be decided on a case by case basis in the future if necessary. For those of you that are unhappy you need to thank the NRA as they successfully stopped all legislation previously for things that could have contained this problem before it got out of control like closing gun show loopholes, registration, background checks to include private sellers etc. Whether you belong to the NRA or not they are representing you. If you do belong and are unhappy with the leadership then work to replace them with leaders that will regain the respected place the NRA used to have before it was taken over by thugs. Interesting reading about them on Meet the NRA if you google it. Lots of criminal activity including one convicted of murder! Please be sure and thank the NRA if you support them because they have done a piss poor job of looking out for you to take you to this point.
Thugs? How about the thugs that have taken over the White House & how about the politicians whose only real goal is money, influence and power.
Thugs is right! The National Rifle Association is all about supporting corporate gun manufacturers obscene profits. The NRA is for all intents and purposes a corporate gun manufacturer advertising, promotion and government lobbying organization. The National Rifle Association could care less about our children. According to US national crime statistics you are eight times more likely to be killed by a gun if you have a gun in your home. The numbers and statistics don’t lie. The National Rifle Association does.
TJ are you even aware that there is a member of the board convicted of murder at 17 when he lured another teen to his family's property? I'm not going to give you his name here but suggest you go to Meet the NRA and look at the tag with their leadership. I want you to read until you at least find him on there. It is an NRA site btw.
Proud -
Evidently you aren't really proud to be an American.
It's either that or you have no concept of the idea of what it means to be an American. Perhaps you should check your sources and consider what their agenda is.
By the way, I checked out the site, they seem to be anti-gun liberals who are running the site trying to lend credibility to their anti-gun cause by twisting everything that the NRA stands for. If you want a true look at the NRA, go to the actual NRA site.
I really hope I never have to defend, save, or protect one of these pathetic, ignorant, 97% water-filled bags-of-bones. NEVER!
Many will not. Let them suffer & let them starve.
Try and get help!
I won't defend them. They don't like guns and try to demonize me for owning them. Sorry, limperals, but you're on your own when it hits the fan.
I read that homicide/crime involving use of guns is lower in countries with stricter gun laws. However, homicides and/or crime is not down. Different methods are just used by criminals. So are those against guns just wanting people to die or be victims by other methods? Nothing can stop the violent urge of a sick mind; you can not control another person's actions if they want to do something violent; they will find a way.
The statistical analysis is absolutely clear, the more guns you have in your society the more gun violence you will have. This is clearly borne out by the fact that you are eight times more likely to be killed by a gun if you have a gun in your home.
@ Ben Try telling someone from Switzerland that.
“This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient and the world will follow our lead into the future.” - Adolf Hitler, 1935
Tonywarvet.....you..a war vet?..I don't think so...Aunt Lydia's finishing school for girls maybe...I think you're just another ultra-liberal anti-gun NUT....who has no idea of what he's screaming about....god help us if we had to depend on your type to defend us.
Actually, Tony's just a screaming, ranting, liberal that show's his ignorance every time he shows up on these blogs. That's why I put him on ignore a long time ago. I got tired of his flaunting of his ignorance as he attempted (feebly) to show that he is somehow better and smarter than people who do not idolize Obama or the liberal agenda.
wow...so lets start a march against spoons for making people fat..
on cars because they also kill...
bicycles cause they cause head injurys....
stairs because people fall down them....
lord,,,,whats next
No Kidding!
We had a huge turnout at our pro-gun ralley in Salem, Oregon. However, you would never know about it, because News Organizations will not cover the stories.
I find it particularly fascinating that MSN put the Holocaust Families Reunite story next to the Newtown Residents gun ralley story. Adolph Hitler used the Weimar Gun Registries in Berlin to disarm the Jews individually, before killing 6 Million defenseless people...-food for thought
i hear ya...but you cant tell some of these people that...they are haters..its thier way or no way,,,
I bet they would cover the Obama Youth though.
I saw it on tv this morning. Pretty much nobody there. Obviously not too important to the American people. Can we get back to the economy, jobs, and the deficit now?
Predictions
There will be support for smarter gun controls,and it will be inacted without stepping on the old out dated second amendment.
There will,also be stronger support for assult weapons and magazine bans
"The old out dated 2nd Amendment." You are unamerican!
I take it that you are all for Communist control. Take a real good look at what China is up to.
Straight out of Adolf Hitler's play book. Even the colors of their signs are the same.
Unless these marchers can come up with the money to buy the Republican Party back from the NRA they are wasting their time. Republican lawmakers have no interest in the welfare of the people of the United States. Their only interest is in gaining power and taking bribes.
Whaaa Whaaa Whaa - I'm sick of hearing about Newtown - Why don't these people protest drunk driving, Domestic Abuse and Abortion which kill more children every year? How about a protest that we give our ax dollars away to countries that want to kill us. How about a protest for the people from Superstorm Sandy and Katrina that still dont have housing? Leave our guns alone you freaks. Using your event to promote the governments cause - You make me sick.
The government's cause is our cause.You may remember that the government is for the people and by the people. Ralphie you are so backward it is amazing.
The government is definitely not for the people anymore. Ralphie was pretty much spot on with his questions. It's insane how Obama and his band of looney libs want to infringe on our rights "for the sake of the children", but they're totally cool with thousands of children being done away with in clinics every year.
Would you like to Know the Irony gun Grabbers?
I‘ve been a gun owner for years but never felt the necessity to join the NRA.
I knew the NRA does tons of wonderful things like all the safety training classes, they run all the Collegiate shooting competitions, they do tons of training and training trainers for the Police and Military etc., scholarships, contests for children to earn money for school, there Eddie Eagle program to teach k- 4th graders very simple gun safety and what to do if they run across a gun;
If you see a gun:
STOP!
Don't Touch.
Leave the Area.
Tell an Adult.
but I never felt those were compelling enough reasons to join the NRA.
Then Sandy Hook happened and the Left Immediately starts using the tragedy to Push their Agenda even before the families had a chance to Mourn.
They tried pushing gun control after the Ft. Hood Massacre, Gabriel Giffords, and Aurora, but they just couldn’t get enough support. I wouldn’t dare say that the timing, around election times, would have had anything to do with them not being able to get any support.
Dianne Feinstein Publicly stated they had been working on Gun Control Legislation for over a year. I’m sure it was a lot longer than that, lets say after the assault weapons ban expired in 2004.
They were just waiting for the Right “Crisis” to come along.
Even after Sandy hook I may not have felt the Need to Join the NRA, If it wasn’t for you Gun Grabbers, Obama, Biden, Feinstein, Democrats and the Left.
The first thing you did was Jin up the Hysteria.
Your left wing pundits and liberal media started demanding that the Second Amendment be repealed. We need to confiscate all guns. We need to force everyone to register all guns and make it a Federal Crime if they don’t and if they refuse throw them in Jail. We need to declare the NRA and other pro gun group’s terrorist organizations and designate all their members’ terrorists, and so much more.
The Irony is I joined the NRA and my States gun rights organization, not because I originally Felt the need to, but because of your radical Far Left rhetoric, pundits and Liberal Media convinced me that if I didn’t step up and raise my voice and say no, now and forever more, along with millions of others, we may lose a basic right we have always had since the founding of this Great Nation, the ability to defend ourselves and protect our families.
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."- Benjamin Franklin
Sincerely; New NRA Member.
Don't you think that following Fort Hood, Gabrielle Giffords, Columbine, the Theatre shooting, and now Newtown that something should finally be done? Why is it "a leftist agenda" when some people want to do something to curb the senseless violence? You have your "gun rights" but people have the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." One does not automatically preclude the other. "Do nothing" is no longer an option...
You think something should finally be done huh! I have news for you, taking guns away from law abiding citizen's will not stop people who commit these kinds of crimes. Period.
Criminal's will ALWAYS have guns!
The Australian Government had a mandatory buy back of weapons. Gun crimes have gone up 67% since that occured and home invasion is up 22%. The only people with guns are CRIMINALS!!!!!!
Gee, the people who committed the crimes that I mentioned above were not "criminals" until they got their hands on the weapons that they used! Did any of these people have prior records? Lanza? Loughner? It's just as easy to get a gun as it is for a criminal to do so...
Did they have known mental health problems. YES! Do you think American's should lose their gun rights because the mentally ill are getting thier hands on weapons. YES!
The real question is, will taking guns from law abiding citizens stop criminals from owning them... NO! There will be a black market on weapons worst than any drug war we have ever fought in this country.
Cheesy no one has mentioned taking guns from law abiding citizens. This is the NRA hysteria. The only thing that is being pursued is to make having a gun that you are mentally fit to have one. That your guns that you purchase are through a complete background check no matter where you buy the weapon. Limiting access to MILITARY ASSAULT WEAPONS and large magazines. These are common sense approaches to safety.
did you read the list that feinstein has put together for her gun ban. over 150 guns on it, including handguns and shot guns.
you say no one is taking guns from law abiding citizens, what do you think a ban is?
nothing common sense about what you are saying.
Anderson, you're an idiot, and an uninformed one at that. We don't have access to military assault weapons without a class 3 firearms license, and those are nearly impossible to get. The gun used at Newtown was not a military assault weapon.
BLamo,
Tell that to all the parents and kids of the parents who lost their loved ones
They are, by definition, the minority. Sorry for their losses. Not my fault. The culprit not often discussed was Adam Lanza's mother. That is if we are to believe the many changes in the story we have been fed by the "authorities".
This gun crime at Newtown was committed by a mentally ill kid with stollen weapons. He could not buy weapon's of his own. Taking guns away from law abiding citizens is a liberal knee jerk reaction to a senseless crime. The Constitution and the 2nd Amendment will always be more important than individual American's.
If you are so worried about the 26 people that died why don't you go beat a drum about the 30,000 people per year dying in alcohol related accidents. You would save far more children if you could do something about that. You cannot legislate every bad behavior in America...
No one who cares about their gun rights should under estimate the treachery and dirty tricks and deceitful propaganda the liberals and the liberal media will use to brainwash the uninformed and to shame and to intimidate all the politicians who would oppose this gun grabbing scheme. This worthless gun ban is for liberal ideology only and would do nothing in the prevention of another tragedy. Every one who cares about their rights should contact their senators and house reps via email and ask them to vote against this awful worthless Feinstein gun ban bill.
If the "liberal ideology" means to do something about the rampant gun violence, then, yeah, count me in. Apparently you are now in the minority.
It's been proven that gun bans don't work...period..The focus should be on mental health and the proven method of qualified security,and to get rid of those "gun free zones" laws that attracts wacko's like flies to a pile of crap. And you're wrong about me being the minority ..there are 10's of millions who think as i do.
Liberal's are in the major minority on this issue. Apparently they are to stupid to know that Liberal's who own guns are part of this so-called problem... lol How stupid can you get. Even one of the major anti-gun advocates/Senator was pictured shooting an assault rifle online... Totally getting off on it, I might add:)
Hypocrites! All Liberals!
Cheesy you are out of your mind. There are over 300 million people in this country. Between 85 and 92% of American's support background checks. Last I did my math that was the majority. In my state 60% of its citizens support a ban on assault weapons and large magazines. Apparently your stupidity shows when you throw around statements about liberals. This is not a Liberal or Conservative thing this is an American thing. Most Americans want the dialog and something done about this problem. We are sickened every time we hear about one of these mass killings. There is no amount of gun ownership that will stop this. Mostly all the deranged killers had on full body armor, so the good guy with the gun theory just doesn't hold water. Most middle and high schools already have armed resource officers (paid law enforcement) in them. So you see the NRA is only echoing what is already in place. They have not come up with one viable thought to the dialog. You are being hoodwinked by a group that knows your fears and mentality. How sad for you.
are you saying 100% of the people in your state were polled on assault weapons ban? if not then i disagree with you saying 60% are in favor of it. apparently your stupidity shows when you throw around false poll numbers.
what do you consider a large magazine? what size would you be happy with? with a little practice a magazine can be changed with little or no interruption in the rate of fire.
all you gun grabber will not be satisfied until you have every single gun out of everyone's hands. just admit it already. you guys will never be satisfied.
as for background checks, they are already required. the only way around it right now is private sales.
Anderson, you're just a spewing fountain of lies, aren't you? Most of the killers had full body armor? Don't think so. Most middle and high schools have armed security, you say? Well, the school you're using as an example to promote the limperal agenda was not a middle or high school, nor did they have armed security, so there goes that argument. And the best one of all....."you are being hoodwinked by a group that knows your fears and mentality"......sounds exactly like what the democrats are doing to you.
When the hell are we going to find out what really happened at Sandy Hook on 12/14/13? A month and 12 days later and we still have very little intel on the actual event and none of the reported intel verified.
That's because if they come out with the truth the liberals lose their leverage in trying to do away with guns - they would be seen as the liars that they really are.
Just because a few thousand people around the country are completely ignorant to the real problem in America regarding violence doesn't mean it's worth a news story.
Maybe they should do a little research and educate themselves about who is really responsible for about 99% of the crime in the country: Gangs, repeat offenders, illegal immigrants, convicts out on parole, and the criminally insane. They should be walking around carrying signs that say "build more prisons" and "death penalty now" instead of the misinformed shrieking and wailing that they are doing now.
Jeff
The sort of mindless fools who participate in these pathetic little demonstrations have no desire to educate themselves and learn the truth. They are Vladamir Lenin's "useful idiots".
Like the pro-life demonstrators: save the unborn fetus but then deny social services for the kids whose mother is on welfare or a crack head.
it never happened......im gonna take a play out of the libs book,,,,just like bush caused 911,,obama caused sandyhook.....if it happened
They want a ban on "High Capacity Ammunition". For people who are smarter than everybody else, they sure don't know what the **** they are talking about.
A quote from a truly insane individual....that is all too common amongst these dimwits. Stupid rhetoric like this flies with the same people within their own circle ****....but it completely alienates the vast majority in the country.
Good God, where are the intelligent, reasonable Republicans? Do you care about your party? These clowns are from your party....if you don't start shouting louder than they do, you are guilty by association.
The clowns in this little march are from your party.
If there is to be a real solution,it needs to bee carefully thought out.
How can you completely ban all these weapons?
How can you control arms dealers,gangs ect?
I'm thinking new tech. Might be the answer.
I guess these anti gun didn't hear the update that no assault weapon was used in Sandy hook shooting. This is just a big lie to promote the left wing agenda.
At this point, does it really matter if its an "assault weapon" or not? Ask the families if they care about that distinction.
yes it is..but the libs would lie about anything to follow the dictator...
its sad no clue
and Tom Rannala what drugs are you taking to make this statement?
Even nbc came out with this,just google"no gun in sandy hook shooting"and go on youtube to see videos .I like the ne where a cop is unloading what looks to be a shotgun without gloves destroying evidence!
Where was that update? I just read an article quoting the ME stating every wound was caused by an assault rifle, and that every victim was shot numerous times.
NEWTOWN, Conn.--Dr. H. Wayne Carver, the medical examiner investigating Friday's massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, said autopsies completed on 20 children and six adults on Saturday showed they were killed with multiple bullets fired by a rifle at close range.
The veteran medical examiner told reporters that the victims had all been identified and their bodies released. In what appeared to be an uncomfortable moment for Carver, he said all of the victims he had examined had all been shot by a Bushmaster .223 caliber assault rifle, one of at least two weapons Adam Lanza, the 20-year-old suspected shooter, used to commit one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.
You do know that the Bushmaster AR-15, a .223 rifle is not an assault rifle. It is just a semi-automatic rifle.
The NRA’s current message to buy more guns to solve the problem of guns killing people. Gun manufacturers just want more of your money. It’s really that simple. And any sensible gun control legislation would potentially block part of the river of money currently flowing their way. In the USA an average of 3,385 CHILDREN are killed by firearm each year. Our tragic loss breaks down as follows: 214 accidents, 1,078 suicides, 1,990 homicides, 83 for which the intent could not be determined, and 20 due to legal intervention. You are eight times more likely to be killed by a gun if you have a gun in your home and this is taken directly from national crime statistics.
Don't lie Ben. How many of those CHILDREN are actually teenage gang members? Most of them in case you're wondering.
And the "eight times more likely" stat has been disproven time and time again due to the bias of criminals and gang members with guns.
Stop the hysteria and do something smart instead of shrieking and wailing over an inanimate object. We don't blame cars for drunk drivers, we don't blame pencils when a dumb kid flunks a test, we don't cry for a swimming pool ban when somebody drowns in one.
If you really want to do something beneficial for society start demanding that the politicians do something about the gang and drug violence in this country. And maybe ask that they do something about the fact that it's become almost impossible to get mental health treatment for these messed up kids.
Jeffersonian3, last I checked the "children" in Ben's stats included up to age 25!
the thing with these gun death statistics is they also dont put in how many were killed by law enforcement.
this 8 times more likely to be killed by a gun if you have one in your home is crap. how many millions of homes have a gun in them. why arent they all dying?
Hey Ben, since you're a numbers guy.....how many CHILDREN were slaughtered in clinics last year. Did you know a child is a several times more likely to die if you take it to an abortion clinic? You limperals should be highly concerned with this, you know, since you guys are all about the safety of children and all.
Wow really...Get back to our founding fathers religious beliefs?
That being Christian beliefs?
And the Bible will save us?
You have not only a few screws loose, your missing them all.
I think ducttape is holding your brain together...
Religeon is the number one cause of opression adn war in this world.
OS how can returning to values, that our founding fathers did not base their writings on, help again?
Your a friggin looney.
Using your logic anyone who is not christian needs to leave of what be stoned?
Wow, really?
and you ran what country for the results of your answers to be evaluated and taken seriously?
the dark ages @ cheese