Dear Neighbor,
Since the tragedy in Newtown many of you have been calling and writing me to ask what kind of action will be taken to curb gun violence, expand mental health coverage and enhance school security. To oversee these very important public policy issues the leaders of the General Assembly have put together a special task force.
I have been asked to serve on one of the working groups within this special task force and will serve on the gun violence prevention sub-group. The special bipartisan task force on gun violence prevention and children's safety met for the first time today.
We will be meeting as individual groups and then as a full body many times over the next few months to create a comprehensive package of solutions.
You will be invited to be part of this process as well. It was also announced that there will be a series of public hearings.
- School safety on January 25 at 9:30 a.m. in room 2C at the Legislative OfficeBuilding in Hartford
- Gun safety on January 28 at 10:00 a.m. in room 2C at the Legislative Office
Building in Hartford - Mental health issues January 29 at 10:00 a.m. in room 2C at the Legislative
Office Building in Hartford
A fourth public hearing will be held by the full task force at Newtown High School on January 30 at 6:00 p.m. In many instances you will also have the opportunity to submit written testimony via email as well.
As ranking member on the Public Safety Committee, I will help in the drafting of policy as part of the working group on gun violence prevention. The task force will provide recommendations to Senate and House leadership with the goal of producing a bipartisan emergency certified bill in late February.
Please contact me with questions or concerns at Tony.Guglielmo@cga.ct.gov
or by calling 1-800- 842 1421.
As a responsible gun owner I'm saddened that you will be looking into ways to curb gun violence. Why does the word gun need to be used ? This should be a committee on violence itself. Many more people are murdered each year with violence that does not involve a gun. More people are killed every year by re offending criminals and people with mental issues. I'm happy to see their will be discussion on mental health. I hope this discussion leads to big changes. The tragedy in Connecticut is being used by many to attack guns. This wont make this state or country safer. Please remember inanimate objects don't kill people. The murder of an innocent family in Cheshire was not committed by a gun it was committed by convicted criminals allowed back in society. 168 people murdered by Tim Mcveigh not one of them was killed using a gun. The common denominator in most violent crimes is not the gun or the bullets. It's the criminal. Why are we not discussing ways to stop these criminals and keep them where they belong ? Criminals don't follow laws that's why they are criminals. Criminals wont be hurt by gun laws and ammunition laws they are already banned from owning weapons. Chicago has one of the strictest gun laws in America yet they have the highest gun related crime rate.
I will leave you with a personal story. On September 10, 1986, my cousin was abducted from her bus stop. The abductor (Edwin Towne)was a twice convicted sex offender who was once again released from prison. Towne was now out looking for another victim. On September 10th he found her. He rapped her shot her in the head and dumped her body in the woods. On November 19th her body was found by a hunter. Towne only learned one thing in prison. Never leave a victim alive. The gun used in her murder did not kill her. The justice system failed her. Towne would have committed this crime with or without a gun. His previous abductions were done at knife point. As someone who has personally dealt with the death of someone at the hand of a criminal it would be very easy to call for gun legislation. I hope this story helps you to see both sides and realize we have a much bigger problem then guns and ammo. Please don't infringe on the rights of law abiding citizens to protect our vulnerable innocent children. Please help this state and country by talking about the big picture. Thank you
Yes curbing gun violence is part of the big picture. It's sad that all the headlines want to blame guns. We should be addressing violence as a whole. I'm saddened that most people jump the gun (Pun intended) and blast that bad word "Gun" around every chance they can. It's so easy to blame an object while overlooking the criminals committing them. It's easy for them to blame others as they close prisons, lay off correctional officers and cut back on police officers. Criminals have no deterrent from committing crimes. Google Edwin Towne and read his rap sheet and the sentences he had served prior to murdering my cousin. The justice system or lack there of is responsible for her death. I don't see any politicians talking about these issues. I don't see the MEDIA talking about these issues.
won't go there.
Lie #1 "Your solution is put everyone in jail" My comments you twist around pertained to a twice convicted child molester who murdered my family member. Fear " Angry,angry, angry just the kind of gun nut the decent people are worried about"Making myself and or other responsible gun owners out to be angry nuts is your way of spreading fear to others. It's also a lie. I'm far from angry or nuts but i do act a little nutty sometimes. Lie #3 "As far as violence goes,guns are violent tools that I'm against and you seem to be for,thus LOGIC would point to you being the violent one" Being for guns makes me no more violent then you being against them. You continually post how angry people are that are pro guns. First of all it's a lie it spreads fear and breeds hatred between 2 groups with different opinions. Gun owners don't hate people with your opinion we don't fear people with your opinion and we certainly don't act violent towards people with your opinion. Gun owners try to educate those who have a negative opinion on guns. We post factual information to show the close minded individuals it's not the GUNS killing people. Look at all the posts and see how many gun ignorant people post things about guns that are untrue. Most people don't know what an assault rifle is but they hear it on TV so it must be bad.They post things they heard at the coffee shop or from a neighbor. Why is it so hard to have a debate using facts ?
Won't say the name..........Go Pats! Baseball,THE BEST GAME of all....Go Cardinals!