To: U.S. Representative Elijah Cummings, Chair, DNC Platform Drafting Committee
Strengthen gun violence prevention in DNC Platform
Strengthen the Democratic Party Platform plank on gun violence prevention by calling for a ban on large capacity magazines, background checks for ALL gun purchases and taking care not to stigmatize people with serious mental health conditions.
Why is this important?
The Democratic National Committee has taken a very meaningful step by including a plank on gun violence prevention in the 2016 Democratic Party Platform. However, given misleading GOP efforts that PRETEND they want stronger gun laws, it is important for the Platform to be precise in its goals.
Current language calls for expanding background checks, but is not explicit that they should be for ALL gun purchases. We must distinguish between universal background checks and the weak legislation introduced by Republicans in the House and Senate.
The goal of keeping "weapons of war" off our streets mentions assault weapons, but omits large capacity magazines (LCM). Experts agree that banning LCMs would do more to reduce gun deaths than an assault weapons ban alone.
The platform calls for keeping guns out of the hands of "violent" criminals. Our standard should be higher; no criminal should have access to firearms.
Finally, the plank sets the goal of keeping guns from people with "severe mental health issues." The Platform should take care not to stigmatize those who suffer from severe mental health issues, the vast majority of whom are not violent and in fact are more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violent acts. The language should be modified to "keeping guns from those with severe mental health issues who may be a danger to themselves or others."
Current language calls for expanding background checks, but is not explicit that they should be for ALL gun purchases. We must distinguish between universal background checks and the weak legislation introduced by Republicans in the House and Senate.
The goal of keeping "weapons of war" off our streets mentions assault weapons, but omits large capacity magazines (LCM). Experts agree that banning LCMs would do more to reduce gun deaths than an assault weapons ban alone.
The platform calls for keeping guns out of the hands of "violent" criminals. Our standard should be higher; no criminal should have access to firearms.
Finally, the plank sets the goal of keeping guns from people with "severe mental health issues." The Platform should take care not to stigmatize those who suffer from severe mental health issues, the vast majority of whom are not violent and in fact are more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violent acts. The language should be modified to "keeping guns from those with severe mental health issues who may be a danger to themselves or others."