This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/25/tucson-shooting-plea-gun-control
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Tucson shooting victims make plea to candidates for tighter gun controls | Tucson shooting victims make plea to candidates for tighter gun controls |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Survivors and relatives of victims of the Tucson shooting tragedy, when six people died after a gunman opened fire at a public meeting held by local Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, have demanded action on gun control from the two presidential candidates in the wake of the latest mass shooting in Aurora. | Survivors and relatives of victims of the Tucson shooting tragedy, when six people died after a gunman opened fire at a public meeting held by local Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, have demanded action on gun control from the two presidential candidates in the wake of the latest mass shooting in Aurora. |
| Twelve survivors and relatives of victims from the 2011 Tuscon shooting have joined forces with New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and his coalition Mayors Against Illegal Guns to turn up the heat on Barack Obama and Mitt Romney over America's loose gun controls. | Twelve survivors and relatives of victims from the 2011 Tuscon shooting have joined forces with New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and his coalition Mayors Against Illegal Guns to turn up the heat on Barack Obama and Mitt Romney over America's loose gun controls. |
| In a full-page newspaper advert published on Tuesday, the Tucson group says: "We remember the kind words that our elected officials had for us. But we have seen their moment of silence stretch into 18 months of inaction." | In a full-page newspaper advert published on Tuesday, the Tucson group says: "We remember the kind words that our elected officials had for us. But we have seen their moment of silence stretch into 18 months of inaction." |
| The sponsors of the new campaign include Colonel Bill Badger, a retired US army officer who was shot in the head at Tucson but still managed to tackle the shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, and put him in a choke hold. Badger has owned guns since the days when he went hunting jack rabbits as a child in South Dakota, and is a supporter of the National Rifle Association that opposes gun controls. | The sponsors of the new campaign include Colonel Bill Badger, a retired US army officer who was shot in the head at Tucson but still managed to tackle the shooter, Jared Lee Loughner, and put him in a choke hold. Badger has owned guns since the days when he went hunting jack rabbits as a child in South Dakota, and is a supporter of the National Rifle Association that opposes gun controls. |
| But he said that in the wake of his own trauma at Tucson and now with Aurora he wanted to see the introduction of what he called "sensible gun controls". He said: "I see no reason why any individual can go and buy an assault weapon, or clips with a hundred rounds. And I think everybody should have a background check when they buy a gun." | But he said that in the wake of his own trauma at Tucson and now with Aurora he wanted to see the introduction of what he called "sensible gun controls". He said: "I see no reason why any individual can go and buy an assault weapon, or clips with a hundred rounds. And I think everybody should have a background check when they buy a gun." |
| The national campaign launched on Tuesday is being billed as the "demand a plan" campaign. Concerned individuals can sign an online petition addressed jointly to Obama and Romney calling on them to "step forward with a substantive plan to end gun violence". | The national campaign launched on Tuesday is being billed as the "demand a plan" campaign. Concerned individuals can sign an online petition addressed jointly to Obama and Romney calling on them to "step forward with a substantive plan to end gun violence". |
| Badger, a Republican voter, said that he wanted to see both candidates take a stance on necessary gun controls. "I want Romney to say that he supports the second amendment but is opposed to assault rifles being sold to private individuals." | Badger, a Republican voter, said that he wanted to see both candidates take a stance on necessary gun controls. "I want Romney to say that he supports the second amendment but is opposed to assault rifles being sold to private individuals." |
| The nationwide campaign signals a new sense of impatience towards the two main political parties on the part of some of the victims of America's numerous mass shootings. In the fallout from Friday's Aurora mass shooting in which 12 people were killed and 58 injured at a midnight viewing of The Dark Knight Rises, the presidential candidates have been notable by the silence they have maintained on gun control. | The nationwide campaign signals a new sense of impatience towards the two main political parties on the part of some of the victims of America's numerous mass shootings. In the fallout from Friday's Aurora mass shooting in which 12 people were killed and 58 injured at a midnight viewing of The Dark Knight Rises, the presidential candidates have been notable by the silence they have maintained on gun control. |
| Obama has expressed his shock and sadness at the "horrific and tragic shooting" but has avoided any mention of the subject of gun control, while Romney has merely called for the suspect, James Holmes, to be "quickly brought to justice". | Obama has expressed his shock and sadness at the "horrific and tragic shooting" but has avoided any mention of the subject of gun control, while Romney has merely called for the suspect, James Holmes, to be "quickly brought to justice". |
| Bloomberg, making full use of his own independent political status, has become the increasingly outspoken focal point for calls for a more proactive approach to gun control. Just hours after the Aurora shooting, he went public with the thought that now informs the new campaign. | Bloomberg, making full use of his own independent political status, has become the increasingly outspoken focal point for calls for a more proactive approach to gun control. Just hours after the Aurora shooting, he went public with the thought that now informs the new campaign. |
| "You know, soothing words are nice, but maybe it's time that the two people who want to be president of the United States stand up and tell us what they are going to do about it," he said. | "You know, soothing words are nice, but maybe it's time that the two people who want to be president of the United States stand up and tell us what they are going to do about it," he said. |
| As the petition notes, some 34 people are killed by guns every day in the US, a rate that if it is sustained will lead to a death toll of 48,000 people during Obama's or Romney's term in the White House. Yet gun controls have gone backwards in recent years, notably with the lapsing of the federal assault weapons ban in 2004. | As the petition notes, some 34 people are killed by guns every day in the US, a rate that if it is sustained will lead to a death toll of 48,000 people during Obama's or Romney's term in the White House. Yet gun controls have gone backwards in recent years, notably with the lapsing of the federal assault weapons ban in 2004. |
| Holmes was armed in the Aurora shooting with an AR-15 military style assault rifle which he had purchased legally. He attached to it a 100-bullet clip that he also bought legally through the internet. | Holmes was armed in the Aurora shooting with an AR-15 military style assault rifle which he had purchased legally. He attached to it a 100-bullet clip that he also bought legally through the internet. |
| The signatories to the new campaign are careful in the wording of their demands not to politicise the issue in terms of inflaming divisive positions over the second amendment of the US constitution that protects the "right of the people to keep and bear arms". The newspaper advert says: "We can honor the lost by working together to take simple steps that protect the second amendment and protect the lives of innocent people." | The signatories to the new campaign are careful in the wording of their demands not to politicise the issue in terms of inflaming divisive positions over the second amendment of the US constitution that protects the "right of the people to keep and bear arms". The newspaper advert says: "We can honor the lost by working together to take simple steps that protect the second amendment and protect the lives of innocent people." |
| Among the other backers of the new campaign are Nancy and David Bowman, who treated the victims of the Tucson shooting outside the Safeway store where it occurred; Ken Dorushka, who was shot while shielding his wife Carol who is also a campaign signatory; Patricia Maisch who helped disarm Loughner; and Pam Simon, a former staff worker for the wounded Democratic congress member Gabrielle Giffords, who was herself shot in the chest and hand. | Among the other backers of the new campaign are Nancy and David Bowman, who treated the victims of the Tucson shooting outside the Safeway store where it occurred; Ken Dorushka, who was shot while shielding his wife Carol who is also a campaign signatory; Patricia Maisch who helped disarm Loughner; and Pam Simon, a former staff worker for the wounded Democratic congress member Gabrielle Giffords, who was herself shot in the chest and hand. |
| • This article was amended on 26 July 2012 because it misspelled Patricia Maisch's surname as Maischm. This has been corrected. | • This article was amended on 26 July 2012 because it misspelled Patricia Maisch's surname as Maischm. This has been corrected. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. Enter your email address to subscribe. |