Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Stand With Dianne

There was movement in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday regarding gun regulation.  After GOPer leader McConnell said he would join the cowards in their filibuster, eight other GOP Senators announced they would not.  That might be enough to forestall it.  A test vote is scheduled for Thursday, though if it is apparent by then the votes aren't there, even that might not happen.

Also on Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Reid vowed that all the measures voted out of committee would get a vote on the floor.  He had already reminded the GOP that it would take a majority vote to change the rules, meaning new restrictions on the filibuster.  But by whatever procedural method, it now seems more likely than it did yesterday that votes will really be taken.  There was even a story that GOPer Senators had agreed on a background checks bill.

Senator Dianne Feinstein said that Reid had promised her a vote specifically on her bill to ban assault weapons and high capacity magazines, to be offered as an amendment.  She appeared on Lawrence O'Donnell, who continues to refer to the bill as "massacre control" and Feinstein's effort as a countermeasure to fostering the best equipped mass murderers in the world.  He urged voters and senators to "stand with Dianne."

Feinstein, who sponsored the 1994 assault weapons ban that was overturned in 2003, was eloquent in her argument.  In addition to arguments others have offered, including President Obama, she pointed out that the assault rifle is the weapon of choice for mass murderers because it is relatively light and easy to use.  It doesn't require even a minimum of marksmanship.  It's a point and slaughter weapon.  It's only purpose is as a horrific weapon of war.  It has no non-military purpose but to slaughter.  To slaughter the innocent.

I can't see the Newtown parents without thinking of one little girl among those who were slaughtered by man with a legal assault weapon, who fired 105 rounds in 5 minutes.  Her mother mentioned in an interview that just a week before the massacre, they discovered their child had perfect pitch.  This remarkable gift, which might have led to a remarkable life and given joy to many people, ended in the first grade, in the land of guns.

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