David Safier

by David Safier

At a press conference held this morning in front of the Safeway where Gabby Giffords and others were shot on January 8, four survivors of the shooting, Arkadi Gerney from the Center for American Progress and State Senator Olivia Cajero-Bedford spoke about the need for comprehensive, universal background checks.

The speakers focused on a just-released Center for American Progress report, America Under the Gun, a 50-state analysis of gun violence that concludes states with the weakest gun laws have the highest level of gun violence.

Unfortunately, my pen decided not to work (Damn these new-fangled ink-stick gizmos!), so I didn't get many notes. But the sad fact is, though the speakers were eloquent and moving, events like this have become so frequent and so necessary, most of us have heard what was said many times before, spoken with equal eloquence and emotion, yet we still find ourselves faced with too many gutless politicians who refuse to take a strong stand for lowering the incidence of gun violence while condemning those who are too frightened of the NRA to endorse even the kind of background check legislation 90% of Americans agree with.

A few quick stats: The 10 states with the weakest gun laws have twice the rate of gun violence as the 10 states with the strongest gun laws. Arizona has 4 times as many gun stores as it has post offices, or McDonalds. Arizona is number 4 in the nation for the level of gun violence.

More photos from the press conference below the fold.

by David Safier A Center for American Progress report lists Arizona as the 4th worst state for gun violence, behind Louisiana, Alaska and Alabama. It concluded that states with more permissive gun laws have a higher level of gun violence than states with stronger gun laws. Today (Wednesday), an 11am press conference at the Safeway … Read more

by David Safier

In a playground at Jacobs Park, Karin Uhlich and three school superintendents said people should not to let an NRA report about school violence distract us from the urgent need for Congress to pass a comprehensive gun background check bill. Uhlich said everyone should contact Senators McCain and Flake and urge them to support the bill.

The NRA released a 225 page report about the problems of violence in the schools and ways to prevent them, including arming school personnel. Uhlich said the report was an attempt to narrow our focus onto schools and away from the upcoming vote on background checks.

Former Amphi Superintendent Vicki Balentine noted that not one of the three superintendents had a death by gun violence in any of their schools during their tenures. Former TUSD
Superintendent Roger Pfeuffer added that since the Newtown shooting, many times more children have been killed by gun violence than were killed in the school that day. "The issue of school safety is dear to all our hearts," Pfeuffer said, "but I want children to be safe wherever they are."

by David Safier The Executive Committee of the Pima County Democratic Party voted to oppose the passage of SB 1261 and SB1003, bills that would suppress voting in Arizona by making it easier to purge people from the early voting list (PEVL) and by forbidding people from carrying in other people's early ballots. The Executive … Read more

by David Safier Karin Uhlich is joining with the current Flowing Wells Schools Superintendent and two ex-Superintendents in direct response to the NRA call to put armed guards in all American Schools. WHAT: Local Response to the NRA’s latest statement on reducing gun violence WHO:   Tucson City Council Member Karin Uhlich              Flowing Wells Schools … Read more