The problem is guns, not the ‘cultural’ issues! Winter, 2013 — Hoosiers Concerned about Gun Violence By Stephen R. Dunlop, semiautomatic weapons in her ly reduced or eliminated mass M. D., president, HCGV home. She did not recognize shootings. It does not give

Connecticut’s gun laws did that whatever problems her me a warm feeling to know not prevent the slaughter son was experiencing should that someone down the street in Newtown. But I would have led her to remove or se- may have an arsenal in his like to point out that Conn- ecticut in 2010 experienced cure the weapons. She paid home; the Connecticut mass- 4.3 firearm fatalities per with her life for the mistake acre only increases my dis- 100,000 people while Ind- as did 20 innocent children. comfort, as now I not only iana suffered 11.7 fatal- have to be concerned about ities. If had Conn- Recognition that military- my neighbor’s instability, but ecticut’s gun laws we might style weapons should not be have had 261 firearm also that of anyone in the freely distributed to every deaths in 2010 instead of home with access to the wea- 709. Gun laws DO contrib- adult that meets minimum pons. In 1816 Indiana’s con- ute to your safety. criteria is the regulation most In this particular case, a stitution did not envision such countries have taken to pre- woman who apparently atrocities as Newtown. met Connecticut’s stan- vent this, and they have great- dards had a number of

COMPUTER CONTACT WOMEN ON BOARD Would you be willing to receive 70% OF THE MEMBERSHIP OF your copy of the newsletter by HOOSIERS CONCERNED ABOUT computer only? You may con- GUN VIOLENCE ARE WOMEN. tact David Mason at e-mail MORE WOMEN ARE NEEDED TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF [email protected]. if you are DIRECTORS. ARE YOU WILLING willing to receive the newsletter TO BE ONE OF THOSE? CALL ONLY by e-mail. BOB FRIEDLY AT (317) 357-5550. LAWS FACTS

THE NATIONAL Washington Post columnist Ruth Marcus RIFLE ASSOCIATION wrote in the Indiana- SAYS: “THE 2013 polis Star that “guns INDIANA GENERAL Newtown children don’t make women ASSEMBLY IS OFF TO A GREAT START safer” as claimed by Gayle Trotter of the WITH MULTIPLE conservative Inde- PRO-GUN BILLS pendent Women’s BEING FILED. YOUR Forum in testimony NRA WILL CON- TINUE PROTECTING before the Senate Judiciary Committee. THE RIGHTS OF LAW Women with a gun in ABIDING GUN the home were nearly OWNERS. ” three times as likely to HB 1473: (sponsored by be the victim of homi- Republican Jim Lucas) would cide than women living allow a person who legally in a home without possesses a firearm stored firearms, according to in a locked trunk of their a 2003 study in the vehicle, a glove box, or Annals of Emergency stored out of plain sight in Medicine. the vehicle while on school A Few of the David Hemenway, property. Referred to the director of the Har- House Committee on Public vard Injury Control Policy. Newtown Research Center, says that “There is no HB 1563: (Republican Rep. evidence that a gun in Sean Eberhart) applies to children the home is protective fish and wildlife matters. It for the woman.” would make a “few enhance- ments to Indiana’s wildlife laws. Referred to House Committee on Natural Re- sources.

SB 97: (Republican Reps. and Jim Tomes) prohi- bits a state agency, including a state-supported college or university, from regulating the possession or transpor- tation of firearms, ammuni- tion or accessories on land, in buildings and other structures that are owned or leased by the state. (not affecting prohibited places under federal law.) Referred to Senate Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure.

Obama’s gun violence plan Go to the pe want to c and click on 1. Closing background check loopholes to Contacting t keep guns out of dangerous hands. Congress 2. Banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines and taking other common sense steps.

3. Making schools safer. Your Representatives in Congress: 4. Increasing access to mental health services. 1.Peter Viscloskey

2.

3. Marlin Stutzman U. S. Senators: 4. 5.

6. Go to “Contacting the Congress” on 7. Andre Carson the internet to reach the person 8. you want. 9. An opportunity for action against guns?

by the Rev. Bob Sanders (3) Renew a 10-round limit on The recent shooting of 20 the size of ammunition 1. LOUISIANA students and 6 staff in Newtown, magazines. (4) Prohibit the 2. MISSISSIPPI Conn., has given the general possession, transfer, manu- 3- NEW MEXICO public a horrible reminder of the facture and import of armor- misuse of guns, in particular, piercing bullets. (5) Pass gun- 4. MARYLAND assault weapons. trafficking laws that would 5. SOUTH CAROLINA Recently, in Chicago, five penalize people who help 6. ALABAMA teenagers were returning home criminals get guns. from school and were shot. In In The Underground Church 7. her grief, a mother of one of the Robin Meyers makes a mocking 8. ARIZONA teens co-founded an organization charge: “Real men practice the 9. MISSOURI concerned with gun violence. family values of empire, go on She met with Vice President Joe great crusades to protect 10. TENNESSEE Biden’s task force to work on the threats to their country, and issue of lessening gun violence. FROM THE EDITORS attach themselves to guns Indiana certainly does not have the President Obama has issued and gun ownership as a highest murder rate in the country. religious imperative.” But we do rate in the top 20. Inter- several executive actions toward estingly, it is the states with a death curbing gun violence. Among penalty that have the hignest While we are concerned murder rates. One might think that them, each requiring action by with the increasing gun where capital punishment is em- Congress: violence, we need to ask ployed, the murder rate would go down. But not so. Louisiana’s rate (1) Require background checks ourselves what steps we is 11.2 per 100,000 people. Indiana’s is 4.8 per 100,000. on all gun sales. (2) Reinstate can take to prevent further gun violence. HCGV the assault weapons ban on Bob Sanders, Bob Friedly high-grade, military-style must be ever vigilant for weapons that expired in 2004. any opportunity it finds.

MEMBERS OFFICERS HOOSIERS CONCERNED Hoosiers Concerned About Gun Violence has 155 members. A total of 70% of the President: Steve Dunlop Winter 2013, HCGV membership is located in Indianapolis, but newsletter there also are members from Anderson, Avon, Vice Pres: Loring Prosser Bloomington, Carmel, Claypool, Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Greencastle, Greenfield, Hobart, Lafayette, Laporte, Lebanon, Muncie, Treasurer: Dave Mason Annual dues for Hoosiers Noblesville, N. Manchester, Schererville, Concerned about Gun Seymour, South Bend,, Zionsville, plus several Secretary: Bob Friedly out-of-state subscribers. Violence: $25