I want to send this out to Star Ledger and a few others while the iron is still hot. I'm sleepy, blurry eyed, and I need more sets of eyes on this. Please mercilessly critique and fact check. If this goes out, a lot more people are going to read this, so I need brutal feedback.

 

If anyone wants to send this out under their name, be my guest. My neighbors will hate me when (if) they read this. And Cryan will put a hit on me.

 

 

 

In the Wake of Newtown, it’s Business as Usual for the NJ Legislature

 

When Governor Christie appointed his SAFE Committee to explore multifactorial approaches to violence prevention, I was hopeful that partisan politics might momentarily give way to adult discussion of real solutions. At the committee’s public hearings this happened, as ordinary people from across the political, ethnic, and socioeconomic spectrum had frank discussions and found common ground on the root causes of violence and on possible solutions.

 

Unfortunately, our legislators are no ordinary people, as I learned at last Wednesday’s Law & Public Safety Committee’s public hearing, where an unprecedented 23 bills were rushed through in one session. The chamber was packed, with people overflowing into the courtyard. They need not have come, as Assemblyman Charles Mainor, the chair of the committee, made clear. In a curious reversal of normal procedure, he proposed that a vote on the bills be taken first, followed by public testimony on what was essentially a fait accompli. Huh?

 

A pit grew in my stomach as I witnessed one bizarre episode after another. There was Assemblyman Joseph Cryan shouting down a Catholic priest who had the temerity to criticize the government’s efforts at preventing urban violence, ending his tirade with an incoherent criticism of the ash smeared on the priest’s forehead. Then there was Assemblyman Mainor—a Jersey City Police detective—asserting that it takes 20 to 30 seconds to switch out a pistol magazine. (In fact, a beginner can do it in about 3.) The room broke out into laughter. Even one of the state troopers had to stifle a giggle. At least two other members of the committee are licensed to carry concealed firearms (why?) but neither had any comment on the matter. The public speakers often took on the role of patient teachers; for example teaching the committee the process by which a firearm ID is obtained (submit fingerprints, obtain character references, undergo FBI background check, submit to at least one in-person interview with the police chief, follow up progress on application for anywhere from 30 days to one year, depending on the police department,) the instant background check and proof of identity required at the point of sale of a firearm, and the laws under which a firearm ID card is confiscated if a holder is found ineligible to possess a firearm. At the end of that painstaking lecture, there seemed to be genuine confusion within the committee as to the public safety rationale behind A3772 (hat tip to Assemblymen Eustace, Wagner, and Vainieri Huttle,) which would require every firearm ID card holder to reapply for his card within two years of passage and to repeat the ordeal every five years thereafter. What wasn't confusing was that this bill would bring an already tenuous system to its knees, leading to a de facto gun ban, which may have been the whole point.

 

 

At the end of the exhausting day, I had heard seven hours of technical critique and no explanation, from either supporters in the audience or from sponsors on the committee, of how any of this was going to make us any safer.

 

Every bill was passed on by the committee for a full Assembly vote.

 

I was flabbergasted. A cynical veteran pulled me aside and explained the game. The Democratic majority just needed to flood Christie with a lot of gun control bills, to force him to choose between signing them (and losing his chances in a 2016 presidential run) or vetoing them (and risking his November gubernatorial reelection prospects.) This had nothing to do with us. It put Macchiavelli to shame.

 

Shame on the committee, shame on the Assembly, and shame on all of us who put them there. We brought these thugs on ourselves, but our children deserve better.

Nice read.

I really like the last two paragraphs. Puts the whole circus in context.

In the first sentence - "give way to an adult discussion"

 

"submit to at least one in-person interview with the police chief" Not a requirement in all townships, I was not interviewed.

Nicely written. Concice and easy for gun laymen to understand. And puts it In perspective.

My MINOR suggestions. EXTREMELY well written sir.

 

 

Unfortunately, our legislators are no ordinary people, as I learned at last Wednesday’s Law & Public Safety Committee’s public hearing, where an unprecedented 23 bills were rushed through in one session. The chamber was packed, with people overflowing into the courtyard. They need not have come, as Assemblyman Charles Mainor, the chair of the committee, made clear. In a curious reversal of normal procedure, he proposed that a vote on the bills be taken first, followed by public testimony on what was essentially a fait accompli. Huh?

 

A pit grew in my stomach as I witnessed one bizarre episode after another. There was Assemblyman Joseph Cryan shouting down a Catholic priest who had the temerity to criticize the government’s efforts at preventing urban violence, ending his tirade with an incoherent criticism of the ash smeared on the priest’s forehead. Then there was Assemblyman Mainor—a Jersey City Police detective—asserting that it takes 20 to 30 seconds to switch out a pistol magazine. (In fact, a beginner can do it in 3-5 seconds.) The room broke out into laughter. Even one of the state troopers had to stifle a giggle. At least two other members of the committee (who themselves are blatantly anti-gun) are licensed to carry concealed firearms (why?) but neither had any comment on the matter. The public speakers often took on the role of patient teachers; for example teaching the committee the process by which a firearm ID is obtained (submit fingerprints, obtain character references, undergo FBI background check, submit to at least one in-person interview with the police chief, follow up progress on application for anywhere from 30 days to one year, depending on the police department,) the instant background check and proof of identity required at the point of sale of a firearm, and the laws under which a firearm ID card is confiscated if a holder is found ineligible to possess a firearm. At the end of that painstaking lecture, there seemed to be genuine confusion within the committee as to the public safety rationale behind A3772 (hat tip to Assemblymen Eustace, Wagner, and Vainieri-Huttle,) which would require every firearm ID card holder to reapply for his card within two years of passage and to repeat the ordeal every five years thereafter. What wasn't confusing was that this bill would bring an already tenuous system to its knees, leading to a de facto gun ban, which may have been the whole point.

Nice read. I'm sure there are others that can fix grammar and punctuation better than me.

Nice read. I'm sure there are others that can fix grammar and punctuation better than me. I.

 

OK Dan - I was just testing you

Looks good. Hope the d-bags have the stones to print it.

Overall a very good read, though I think the middle section could use some revision and strengthening. This is all my opinion and I'm new to the political side of firearm debates so take it all with a grain of salt.

 

A pit grew in my stomach as I witnessed one bizarre episode after another. (Good)

 

There was Assemblyman Joseph Cryan shouting down a Catholic priest who had the temerity to criticize the government’s efforts at preventing urban violence, ending his tirade with an incoherent criticism of the ash smeared on the priest’s forehead. (Also good)

 

Then there was Assemblyman Mainor—a Jersey City Police detective—asserting that it takes 20 to 30 seconds to switch out a pistol magazine. (In fact, a beginner can do it in about 3.) The room broke out into laughter. Even one of the state troopers had to stifle a giggle. At least two other members of the committee are licensed to carry concealed firearms (why?) but neither had any comment on the matter. (I think there are better examples of Asm Mainor's attitude and lack of knowledge.. wasn't he the one who shouted "This is my meeting"? OR was that Cryan? Either way, that's a good example that should be mentioned. Personally while I think it is good to mention the magazine limit as an example of how ridiculous these bills are, a better angle may be related to how NJ already has a 15-round limit... 10 vs 15 vs mag change times vs cost.. Use Virginia Tech as an example.)

 

The public speakers often took on the role of patient teachers; for example teaching the committee the process by which a firearm ID is obtained (submit fingerprints, obtain character references, undergo FBI background check, submit to at least one in-person interview with the police chief, follow up progress on application for anywhere from 30 days to one year, depending on the police department,) the instant background check and proof of identity required at the point of sale of a firearm, and the laws under which a firearm ID card is confiscated if a holder is found ineligible to possess a firearm. (This is good, but a little drawn out.. The two important points you want to make are 1: NJ has a strict and well regulated process and 2: The members of the committee didn't seem to know the process before ruling on bills that would change it. Also mention that the public spoke at length on this process, and the impact it would have on business, citizens, and police department work loads.. all to no avail.)

 

At the end of that painstaking lecture, there seemed to be genuine confusion within the committee as to the public safety rationale behind A3772 (hat tip to Assemblymen Eustace, Wagner, and Vainieri Huttle,) which would require every firearm ID card holder to reapply for his card within two years of passage and to repeat the ordeal every five years thereafter. What wasn't confusing was that this bill would bring an already tenuous system to its knees, leading to a de facto gun ban, which may have been the whole point. ( This is a good point but to me seems an awkward sentence.. Maybe something like the below)

 

There seemed to be genuine confusion within the committee as to the rationale behind A3772. This proposed bill would require every single firearms ID card in the state to expire and have to be renewed every five years. There was significant public testimony and questions from members of the committee, including Asm Eustace, Wagner, and Huttle, (Do I have that right?) regarding the impact this proposal would have on an already tenuous system. It was clear that this proposal would add significant workload to law enforcement agencies and bring an already stressed system to its knees resulting in a de facto gun ban. This may have been the point of the bill all along.