Schneider Gun Panel Seeks Education, Action
Congressman gathers information at round table, reiterates commitment to second amend and reasonable gun control.
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A realization something can be done to curb gun violence arose from a roundtable organized by Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) Thursday at the Wheeling Police Station amid an equal recognition the task will not be easy.
Schneider gathered seven stakeholders with different perspectives on the gun issue together to exchange ideas. He warned the effort would be a challenge but there was a sense from people in the room the time was right for a change.
“The nation has the will after Sandy Hook,” Jennifer Bishop Jenkins said. She heads the Illinois Chapter of the Million Mom March and is a long time gun control advocate. “Sandy Hook was like 9/11. It changed us.”
In addition to Jenkins, Schneider was joined by Wheeling Police Chief William Benson, North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham, Executive Director of Family First Center of Lake County Evelyn Chenier, business and gun owner Skip Robertson, Brady Campaign Board member Tom Vanden Berk of Highland Park and Nancy Carstedt, executive director of the National Alliance for Mental Illness of Cook County.
While Berk and Jenkins are moving ahead with issue advocacy and political action to combat the National Rifle Association and others who in their mind stand in the way of regulation of firearms, Schneider cautioned it will not be easy.
“Before us is an uphill march,” Schneider said to the group. “We have to stay on message. We won’t get this overnight,” he added of his hope to have universal background checks and control of gun trafficking.
Berk has already started a political action committee to support candidates who embrace his ideas as well as work against candidates who oppose reasonable control of firearms. “I have a PAC,” he said. “We’re going to get involved in a number of campaigns.”
Schneider made it clear he couples his advocacy for an assault weapons ban, increased background checks and other controls with support for the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution.
“We’re not going to take guns away,” Schneider said. “But, the nation is ready for a conversation. Forty percent of guns are sold without being checked and there is no federal law that would make gun trafficking illegal. Hopefully we can take some steps.”
Registration of guns is another position Berk advocates. “Every gun starts out legally,” he said. “What happens is they become illegal because there is no consistent enforcement or registration. Every person who purchases a gun is responsible.”
When it comes to gun registration, Benson is another proponent. “It’s a noticeable problem when you are required to register your bike or your dog but not your gun,” he said. He believes the answer is federal legislation.
Others talked about how the Sandy Hook shootings also put a spotlight on the correlation between mental health and gun access. Carstedt believed part of the solution is for people to look at mental illness as a disease no different than cancer or heart disease.
“There is stigma attached (to mental illness), Carstedt said. “Some people will not get treatment because they are ashamed.”
RonnieTheLimoDriver
12:04 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
Wow, thanks Brad for really moving the conversation forward. You have a panel of 7 people, 6 of whom are anti-gun. Im sure there was some really interesting dialog. I know what you think about this issue Brad, but how about recognizing you represent all people in your district? Over 500 murders last year in Chicago. 1 with a "assault rifle." How about we focus on the real problem of gang violence and illegal weapons.
Paul Young
3:16 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
You are absolutely correct. This guy brings a majority of anti-gunners into a panel to basically say he is going to challenge the NRA. What he needs to realize that it is not the NRA he is fighting, but the will of the majority of his constituents. This guy is out of touch
Charles
12:05 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
How about starting with enforcing the laws that are already on the books instead of going after law abiding firearm owners. Mental health is where to look next.
How about paying more attention to the economy and bringing business back to Lake County.
Disgusting.
McCloud
2:06 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
Maybe another million mom march will put an end to the Chicago murders once and for all.
McCloud
2:10 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
Meanwhile, Rome burns. 8.5 million people are eliminated from the work force during the Obama experiment. That way we can swallow an index of 7.9%. Maybe they can work the same slight of hand with GDP, Durbin get on that.
Pat Craig
1:49 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
A person steals guns, (WHICH IS AGAINST THE LAW), shoots and kills his own mother (WHICH IS AGAINST THE LAW), transports these guns loaded (WHICH IS AGAINST THE LAW), brings guns onto school property (WHICH IS AGAINST THE LAW), breaks into the school (WHICH IS AGAINST THE LAW), discharges the weapons within city limits (WHICH IS AGAINST THE LAW), murders 26 people (WHICH IS AGAINST THE LAW), and commits suicide (WHICH IS AGAINST THE LAW).
And there are people in this country that somehow think passing ANOTHER LAW
banning guns would protect us from someone like this. If you haven't noticed, people like this are not concerned about breaking laws - they only care about fulfilling their own twisted agenda.
Paul Young
3:13 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
Well said Pat.
Dan Arenov
6:44 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
you got that right, Pat.
Abigail
5:00 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
This Schneider guy is dangerous. I can't believe he was elected to public office with his views. Must be the Jewish vote swung it in his direction.
Sandra Sims
5:34 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
Way to represent the modern Republican Abigail. Bigoted and small minded. How very stereotypical of you.
Steve S.
5:47 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
I see that you tried to use the stupid vote to swing the election in your direction but it didn't work. Let me guess, you are not antisemetic?........... As long as they don't come near you.
Steve S.
5:48 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
In case you haven't figured it out yet, the reason why this moron won the votes was not because of the Jews, it's because people like you showed support for his opponent and no one wants to be associated with your kind, whatever that kind may be.
Gary
6:28 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
Steve is right. Democrats don't vote "for" anything. They vote against the people they have been taught to hate. It doesn't matter what damage is done by Democrats, or what Republicans say they will do to fix it... it's all trumped by hate.
The Democrat party is a coalition of takers and haters.
Brad Faxton
6:33 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
The replubiCONS are just a group of NO. Talk about haters.
Dan Arenov
6:46 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
@Gary... i'm with you 100%. And they are masters at the art of projection.
McCloud
6:46 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
Sure, no to stimulus, cash for clunkers, real estate tax credits, debt ceiling increase, tax increases, Obamacare, Dodd-Frank, all have been so successful we now have 8.5 million less people in the work force since Democrat in white house, 1% GDP, 23 million plus unemployed, and massive national debt to bury any hope. Unfortunately the No vote did not get enough votes.
Abigail
8:05 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
My comment was not meant to be antisemetic, even though those of you looking for a reason to slam someone with a differing opinion took it that way. (Bonus for you, I guess.) Far be it for any of you to admit that I am right.
I would love to see the statistics on what percentage of Jewish voters did vote for Schneider and why. Is it because he is a Democrat, or because he is Jewish too, or both? Obviously, Bob Dold didn't have a chance of winning considering the odds were against him from the day Schneider won the primary. Whatever the case, he would not have won otherwise.
Abigail
8:09 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
For comparison, what is the percentage of blacks who voted for Obama? Can any of you honestly say it's because they felt he is the better candidate for president? I think not. Obviously, the 90+% percentage of blacks who voted for Obama did so because he is black. I think the same argument can be attributed to how Schneider was elected.
So, instead of calling me names like bigot and anti-semite, etc., etc., why don't you prove me wrong with facts? Oh, that's right, you can't!
Sandra Sims
9:54 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
Except you yourself haven't presented any facts. Just your bigoted opinion that all Jews will vote for a Jew, cause, ya know, that's how they are. But nah, you're not bigoted at all. Again, you're a walking stereotype. The Stupid Party, indeed.
Abigail
10:07 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
Come on, Sandra, don't attack me--prove me wrong!! If you're right, it should be easy for you!!