Gun Violence

Gov. Rendell views his efforts to enact measures to prevent gun violence as "an abject failure" and "a lost cause" ("Fighting futility of Pa. gun issue," Dec. 1). We at Heeding God's Call, the faith-based and grassroots movement to prevent gun violence, share the governor's dismay. The legislature ignores both public safety and the support of a solid majority of Pennsylvanians for sensible gun-violence-prevention measures in order to do the bidding of the gun lobby and a small but loud group of pro-gun zealots.

WASHINGTON - Recalling the shooting rampage that killed 20 first-graders as the worst day of his presidency, President Obama pledged to put his "full weight" behind legislation aimed at preventing gun violence. Obama voiced skepticism about the National Rifle Association's proposal to put armed guards in schools following the Dec. 14 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The president made his comments Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press. " Instead, the president vowed to rally the American people around an agenda to limit gun violence, adding that he still supports increased background checks and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity bullet magazines.

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration is considering a $50 million plan to fund hundreds of police officers in public schools, a leading Democratic senator said, part of a broad gun-violence agenda that is likely to include a ban on high-capacity ammunition clips and universal background checks. The school safety initiative would make federal dollars available to schools that want to hire police officers and install surveillance equipment, although it is not nearly as far-ranging as the National Rifle Association's proposal for armed guards in every U.S. school.

A group of Democratic lawmakers working for gun control grade the Legislature "worse than an 'F' " in responding to concerns about gun violence. The recently-formed Common Sense Firearms Safety Caucus, - 12 to 15 lawmakers who banded together in the wake of school shootings in Colorado and Georgia - this week released its "report card" on the Legislature's spring session. Rep. T. J. Rooney, D-Lehigh County, co-chairman of the caucus said Republican leaders controlling the Legislature "do not even deserve an 'F'. " He said the House and Senate did nothing to act on some 68 gun bills, including measures requiring safety-locks, expanding background checks and limiting gun sales to one-a-month.

TRENTON - The New Jersey Assembly planned to act quickly on 20 gun-violence prevention bills that Democrats unveiled Friday, as 300 gun-rights advocates held a Second Amendment rally in dreary weather outside the Statehouse. The package of proposals announced by the Democratic-led Assembly would restrict ammunition sales, require firearms-safety training, and make it tougher for some to obtain gun permits. The bills also address mental-health treatment and enhanced gun safety. "Whether it's the streets of our New Jersey communities, a movie theater in Colorado, or an elementary school in Connecticut, enough is enough is enough," said Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D., Essex)

The U.S. Senate yesterday earmarked $2.3 million to help fight gun crime in Philadelphia and Camden. In a news release issued by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D., N.J.), $1.5 million will go to Philadelphia and $800,000 will be allotted to Camden. "These two cities need help getting gun violence under control," Lautenberg said. The money will be used to hire additional federal prosecutors and Justice Department investigators to crack down on guns used in crimes. According to Lautenberg, a study by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms found that 80 percent of the guns used in crimes in New Jersey were smuggled into the state and sold illegally by gun traffickers.

Chillin' Wit' is a regular feature of the Daily News spotlighting a name in the news away from the job. "I'M NOT anti-gun," insists Max Nacheman, the 26-year-old director of CeaseFirePA. "If people want to have guns, that's their thing," he says, walking to his Center City rowhouse on Sunday. What he is against, he says, are irresponsible gun-owners, people who use guns to kill or injure others, and "straw purchasers" - people who buy guns legally for the benefit of criminals.

I am a Philadelphia police detective, on the force more than 22 years. I've lost count of the number of crimes I have investigated involving guns. Gun violence has long since left urban areas and become a national epidemic, affecting everyone. The president, Congress, state legislatures, city and county councils have repeatedly attempted to adjust and modify the laws to put controls on guns and increase sentencing. As proven by the steady increase in gun violence, all attempts so far have had little to no effect.

Elected and appointed leaders in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, the ones most responsible for protecting the public from violence, are supposed to be smart. The key phrase is supposed to be. People can dream, can't they? And dreaming it seems to be, considering how childishly local leaders have been acting lately. You'd think that with 406 homicides last year, and at least four so far this year, Mayor Street, District Attorney Lynne Abraham, and Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson would be focused on exchanging ideas for improving public safety.

HOURS AFTER a gunman opened fire at a courthouse in his home state of Delaware on Monday, Vice President Joe Biden held a roundtable on gun violence with a slew of local officials in North Philadelphia. Biden said that the group of law-enforcement officers and Democratic politicians supported much of President Obama's recently announced gun-control plan, including an improved system for background checks and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. "The nation is demanding that we act responsibly," Biden said of recent calls for gun control following the massacre in Newtown, Conn.