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Floridians – Tell Gov. Scott and State Legislators that you oppose guns on college campusesUPDATE: 4/29/15 VICTORY! On April 28th, the Florida House adjourned without taking up HB 4005, which means that guns on campus legislation has been defeated in Florida. Thanks to all the Floridians who signed our petition taking action against this wrong-headed policy. Your voices were heard. We expect this legislation to come back next year so stay tuned. Thanks for all you do, The Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus9,348 of 10,000 SignaturesCreated by Andy Pelosi
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Ban on ammunitionIt is not really even a point of argument that the language in the second amendment is vague. “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” Militias were necessary for a quick assemblage of troops to fight off the tyrannical rule that was Britain. Although the language is vague, if looked at in the context of the time period, it was interpreted with reason. We continue to interpret the bill of rights with reason to this day. This is why it isn’t legal for citizens to own a grenade launcher. Owning a grenade launcher is not reasonable and that is something that most citizens could agree on and most would have to concede that the amendment has an implication of the people’s right to bear arms (within reason). This has to be true, if reason, health, and the well-being of the populace were taken out of the subtext and this amendment is to be read as strictly literal, then citizens should all be able to own rocket launchers, tanks, and if they can afford it, why not nuclear weapons? Being that it is commonly understood that this amendment is meant to be practiced within reason. It is necessary to look at it within the context of what is reasonable this day and age. The second amendment is specific in its language about the right to bear arms, but it is not specific in the right of what type of ammunition is to be used in those firearms. If one argues that it is also implied in the language of the second amendment that it is the right of citizens to bear arms for the means of self defense (a reasonable argument) then it could also be argued that live ammunition is not necessary in order for our firearms to be used in self-defense. Self-defense can be achieved through rubber bullets and bean bags loaded into guns instead of live ammunition. It has been proven that rubber bullets and bean bags, (which can still be considered lethal) can be used effectively, successfully, and with far less cases of death, than live ammunition. If the sale of live ammunition for handguns, semiautomatic weapons, and assault rifles were banned, citizens could still defend themselves with less lethal means. A ban on live ammunition would diminish instances of accidental gun deaths (which account for more deaths than justifiable gun homicides). What is not reasonable is allowing handguns, or semiautomatic weapons and assault rifles as acceptable to be used with a justification of self defense when they are more often not used for self-defense. There were 6,115 handgun homicides in 2010 and 11,078 total homicides from all types of guns including handguns. While there were only 617 instances of justifiable homocides . (These numbers have not changed significantly since then.) This means that for out every 18 gun homicides, only 1 was justifiable. This shows that these weapons are not mainly used for self-defense. If we compare the murder rates in the United States to that of England (a country with a ban on guns), our murder rate is counted between 4 to 10 times higher, percentagewise, in the United States. Even if we take the lower percentage in the homicide rate in England, that means that the United States could potentially lower our murder rate by as much as 75% at the low end. 75% of about 11,000 people is more than 7,500 lives that could be saved each year if guns were banned completely. This petition does not even call for a complete ban of arms, which would be unconstitutional. It calls for a ban on live ammunition for arms designed mainly for killing people. Self defense can be obtained through arms that are not solely meant for killing people. A hunting rifle or shotgun or even a taser can be used for self defense and can also be loaded with rubber bullets and bean bags and be just as effective as scaring off, injuring, or even lethally wounding an intruder. This petition is for a ban on live ammunition for handguns, semiautomatic weapons, assault rifles, or any weapon designed mainly to kill people (hunting rifles and shotguns excluded). This ban extends to citizens and police officers except for special law enforcement units (SWAT teams) like the AFO (Authorized Firearms Officers) in England. This is also a call for a ban on assault rifles (other than those that are already registered lawfully). No new assault rifles. The same weapons bought and kept for the justification of militias and self-defense are much more often used to the detriment of society. Works cited: http://constitution.findlaw.com/amendment2.html Gun stats http://www.gunpolicy.org/firearms/region/united-states http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/homicide.htm http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-24/u-k-gun-curbs-mean-more-violence-yet-fewer-deaths-than-in-u-s-.html http://smartgunlaws.org/category/gun-studies-statistics/gun-violence-statistics/ http://www.minnpost.com/second-opinion/2012/12/health-risk-having-gun-home17 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Ramon J. Masuda
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over turn I 594This petition is to take the recently passed I-594 out of the books and amend it.117 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Jordan kirkpatrick
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REPEAL I-594This petition is for those of us who believe our constitutional rights have been infringed. This petition is too show the liberal party that guns are NOT the issue, people are the issue and this law will not change crime! This IS gun control at its finest!54 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Kyle May
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Woman's voice silenced by gun laws!Anita Sarkeesian, the feminist cultural critic who has become a lightning rod for challenging the troubling way women are portrayed and treated in videogames, was scheduled to speak about her work at Utah State University in Logan. A few days before her scheduled appearance, school administrators received threats of a mass shooting if they didn't cancel the event. Sarkeesian, who is used to such threats, planned to go ahead with her appearance…until university officials informed her that audience members would be permitted to bring guns into the auditorium under Utah’s campus gun laws which prohibit colleges from taking away concealed weapons from valid permit holders. Utah is the only state in the country with such a law.[1] The school not only declined to install metal detectors, it also would not conduct pat downs at the door. [2] "It's sort of mindboggling to me that they couldn't take efforts to make sure there were no guns in an auditorium that was threatened with guns and a mass shooting," Sarkeesian told The Associated Press. "I don't understand how they could be so cut and dry about it." [3] Sarkeesian’s right to speak up about violence against women has been violated. She’s been silenced by Utah’s campus gun laws that prevent reasonable precautions for securing her safety and the safety of college-age kids. Sign on to our petition now! [1] "Feminist Speaker Questions Utah's Campus Gun Laws," ABC News, October 15, 2014. [2] "Anita Sarkeesian Cancels Speaking Engagement at Utah State University Over Mass Shooting Threat," University Herald, Oct. 15, 2014. [3] Ibid, ABC News.895 of 1,000 SignaturesCreated by Gloria Pan
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No guns at the North Carolina State Fair please!There has been a ban on firearms at the North Carolina State Fair for decades. Gun rights extremists are threatening to sue the state to force Fair officials to allow concealed carry on the fairgrounds. State Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is holding firm on the no-guns ban, saying he “believes that guns would be detrimental to the Fair’s family-friendly environment,” and Governor Pat McCrory is backing him up. Please thank Commissioner Troxler and Governor McCrory for upholding the no-guns ban at the State Fair in the face of legal threats from gun rights extremists. Let’s make sure they know we back them up as they try to keep families safe at the Fair. Sign our thank you message now!66 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Beth Messersmith
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Richard Martinez: Pledge your Vote for Yes on 594The Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility is the official campaign organization for Yes on 594, and together with tens of thousands of other Washingtonians, we are FINALLY going to enact commonsense reforms to our state gun laws this fall. With your help, we're finally going to close the guns show loophole, make universal background checks law, make our families safer, and reduce gun violence in our communities. But the gun lobby is fighting hard to stop us, so we need your help now.241 of 300 SignaturesCreated by Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility
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End the Deliberately Intimidating Display of Firearms in Public DomainBOTH responsible gun owners and non-gun owners demand action. The open carrying of firearms on the streets and in places like restaurants, grocery stores, malls, playgrounds, parks and neighborhoods intimidates the public, wastes law enforcement resources, and increases the risk that someone will be injured or killed from the accidental or intentional use of firearms. Open carry advocates create a potentially very dangerous situation. When law enforcement is called to a "man with a gun" call, they are responding to a situation about which they have few details other than that one or more people are present at a location and are armed. Consequently, the law enforcement response is one of "hypervigilant urgency" in order to protect the public from an armed threat. When ELECTED OFFICIALS do not take action to prevent gun violence, Americans will take matters into their own hands with their VOTES. Let these political candidates know that they will NOT get your VOTE unless they address gun violence and implement change. BOTH responsible gun owners and non-gun owners demand action. All 50 states now have some form of Concealed Carry; open carry is no longer a necessary option. The carrying of unloaded rifles has absolutely no defensive utility other than to be used for the express purpose of intimidation. Simply because one has the "right" to do something, does not make it the right thing to do.1,187 of 2,000 SignaturesCreated by K. Schröder
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Keep Guns Out of Missouri's SchoolsAs parents, educators and citizens concerned about violence in schools we demand repeal of the recently approved law allowing teachers to carry weapons in schools. Teachers should teach. Fully funding the school foundation formula, universal Pre-K and full-service, community based schools should be a higher priority than arming teachers.140 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Byron Clemens
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HR 822 National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011CCW permit holders need laws that make sense and are standardized. Shaneen Allen is an example of what went wrong, prosecuted for a misunderstanding. Pistol permits/CCW/concealed carry should be allowed nationally as drivers licenses are recognized nationally. Email/write/call your senator and congressmen to bring back HR 822 National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011161 of 200 SignaturesCreated by Brian W
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Repeal Florida Law 790.29 (Paramilitary training; teaching or participation prohibited)"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." Florida 790.29 is UNCONSTITUTIONAL... What part of SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED do they not understand????!!!!494 of 500 SignaturesCreated by Chris Oerly
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Tell Congress: Violent partners and stalkers should not have gunsThere is a direct connection between gun violence and domestic violence: When a domestic abuser has a gun, a victim is 12 times more likely to die than when he doesn’t. One in four American women experiences physical violence from an intimate partner, and every month 46 women are killed by an intimate partner with a gun. We need to tell Congress that too many women are dying. Over twenty years ago Congress passed the landmark Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). We’ve made progress, but we need Congress to step up and plug the loopholes to protect all women now. Congress already expanded VAWA to make it a crime for those convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor to buy or possess a gun. Now we need to expand protection to include women in dating relationships, and to prevent stalkers from owning guns. States United to Prevent Gun Violence and the Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus are partnering to deliver the message to Congress: "Step up and protect all women NOW by preventing stalkers and violent dating partners from buying and possessing guns".8,152 of 9,000 SignaturesCreated by States United to Prevent Gun Violence