New Jersey Governor Chris Christie yesterday vetoed legislation that would limit gun magazine capacity to 10 rounds, stating it is a "trivial approach to the sanctity of human life."
http://www.app.com/...
Sandy Hook parents Mark Barden's and Nicole Hockley's children Daniel and Dylan died that day at the hands of a shooter who had multiple 30 round magazines that made taking the lives of 26 that day much, much easier. In fact, the Sandy Hook shooter did have to reload and in those moments 11 children escaped.
The parents and loved ones of those who died that day ask themselves what if the shooter had only been able to get his hands on 10 round clips - would my child still be alive today? The above example and simple math says yes - if the shooter's firing capacity is reduced by an order of two thirds, then perhaps instead of 26, the lives lost would have been one third of that - 8 or 9.
Mark Barden and Nicole Hockley led a campaign supporting the bill and delivered 55,000 petitions in support of legislation that both the New Jersey Senate and House approved.
But governor Christie vetoed it anyway, and in a highly insulting and cruel manner. He didn't have to call the lives of the Sandy Hook kids trivial, or for that matter those who lost their lives in the Aurora theater at the hands of a shooter with a 100 round drum, or the lives of those at Tucson where the shooter had 30 round magazines or the many other scenes of mass shootings where high capacity magazines made taking life much, much easier.
The truth is, ending the scourge of gun violence in America is a multi-pronged effort and every good solution needs to be enacted. Federal district courts have ruled magazine restrictions as written by legislatures in New York, Connecticut and Colorado are constitutional. In the case of Colorado, it was a George W. Bush appointed judge who ruled the law constitutional.
Clearly Wayne La Pierre has governor Christie is his back pocket. Given all the troubles Christie has of late I am guessing the NRA and the extremist gun lobbyist are some of the few remaining "friends" Christie has - perhaps he thinks he cannot alienate them.
Mark Barden and Nicole Hockley asked to meet with governor Christie before the vote and they were denied. Now they are asking governor Christie to overturn his veto, or at the very least have the common decency to give an explanation of his vote and the cruel and unusual language he choose to use in explaining his veto to Mr. Barden and Mrs. Hockley in a face to face meeting:
TELL CHRIS CHRISTIE: OUR CHILDREN’S LIVES ARE NOT TRIVIAL
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called a common sense bill limiting ammunition magazines to ten rounds "trivial" – a change we know would have saved more lives at Sandy Hook Elementary, possibly even the lives of our own children.
Not just that, but his veto came only an hour after we delivered over 55,000 signatures in support of this common sense measure and were told he wasn't available to meet us.
Governor Christie's refusal to meet with us is a cowardly political move, but his heartless words are a blow to the memories of our children – and a callous rejection of our promise to ensure their tragic deaths inspire change and save lives. We deserve better. The people of New Jersey deserve better.
So add your name now and join us in telling Governor Christie: Our children's lives are NOT trivial. Demand the governor reconsider this common sense measure – or at the very least meet with members of Sandy Hook Promise and explain to our faces why he doesn't think limiting high-capacity magazines amounts to "meaningful change."
Mark Barden (Daniel's father)
Nicole Hockley (Dylan's mom)
http://action.sandyhookpromise.org/...
I also suggest calling the Governor's office and asking Gov. Christie to overturn the veto and/or meet with Mark Barden and Nicole Hockley. Christie can simply invite them to his office. Does he have the strength for that? Or is all his bombast simply that - so much hot air bought and paid for by the gun lobby. I did and the response I got was encouraging:
Call Governor Christie today and tell him what you think of this veto and ask him to meet with the parents of Sandy Hook - (609) 292-6000.
9:50 AM PT: Christie also accused the Sandy Hook parents of grandstanding and empty rhetoric ... wow, Christie is so desperate to have the gun lobby money, he's stooped lower than as low as you can go:
"His refusal to meet with us is a cowardly political move, but his statement accusing us of 'grandstanding' and furthering 'empty rhetoric' is a blow to the memories of our children," Hockley and Barden said in a statement."
http://www.nj.com/...