The Gun Control Agenda

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The following emails are from last year between Ann Braden from Gun Sense Vt. and the Burlington City Council. These are only a handful out of the hundreds that transpired.  Cleary  these  collaborators intend on putting your 2nd Amendment  right on the chopping block. Know your history! Hitler and Stalin would have loved these guys.

Thank you so much for your flexibility!

I agree that it would be great to meet in person again to discuss things. Could we shoot for late October or early November? We’re in the process of getting a second car (which will make a day trip up to Burlington much more possible for me), and we should have it by then.
And actually, at the moment we’re not focused on registration either. Our current list of measures that we’re hoping to advocate for all focus on keeping guns out of the wrong hands. Here is our current list:
1) Expanded background checks
2) Tougher gun trafficking laws
3) Safe storage
4) Better communication between state agencies and the background check system
5) Bringing state law in-line with federal law to prohibit violent felons from possessing weapons.
Of course, this list is subject to change as we move forward and talk with lawmaker but it gives a sense of where we are right now.
Thank you so much for the work you are all putting into this!
Take care,
Ann
On Mon, Sep 2, 2013 at 11:35 AM, Ayres, Tom <tayres@burlingtonvt.gov> wrote:

I concur with pushing the timeline back until November to allow more time for cultivating support from our state legislators. I do think we need to be clear about the direction in which we are all headed since, as Norm correctly points out, our proposed charter changes do not address gun registration in the context of purchases. Lastly, I think meeting face-to-face in the near future to strategize would be a great idea. At some point it seems we should engage our Burlington state representatives and Chittenden state senators in the dialog as well.

Best,

Tom Ayres
________________________________________
From: Norman Blais [normblaisvt@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, September 02, 2013 10:01 AM
To: Ann Braden
Cc: Rachel Siegel; Ayres, Tom; Mike Kanarick; Eileen Blackwood; marieadams366@gmail.com; Miro Weinberger
Subject: Re: timeline on gun legislation

Folks
Thanks for getting this conversation moving.  I agree with Rachel that it is better to get this done right, than to get it done quickly.  Our only immovable timeline is to make sure that we have plenty of time for the required public hearings before Town Meeting Day.  My only reservation in moving the matter back to late fall is that I was of the impression that GunSense was focusing almost entirely on the gun registration issue, which our proposed charter changes do not address in the context of gun purchases.  If by delaying, we could get more support state-wide for the broader measures that our charter change address, then I am all for the delay since ultimately we will be needing broad support from out-of-county legislators get to our measures approved.  My bottom line would be that, if Ann feels that the additional time will be helpful in securing eventual passage of our proposals, let’s wait.
Enjoy Labor Day!
Norm
On Sun, Sep 1, 2013 at 3:16 PM, Ann Braden <gunsensevt@gmail.com<mailto:gunsensevt@gmail.com>> wrote:
Thank you, Rachel, for the phone conversation and for summarizing things so well. And thank you everyone for being potentially willing to consider a later date. From our stand point, the more lead time we have before things become official in Burlington, the better.I hope you’re all enjoying the weekend!
Ann

On Sun, Sep 1, 2013 at 3:01 PM, Rachel Siegel <rsiegel@burlingtonvt.gov<mailto:rsiegel@burlingtonvt.gov>> wrote:
Hello all,I had a phone conversation this morning with Ann Braden (GunSense VT) about their strategy and our timeline.  I am starting this group conversation online to streamline things but we should talk on the phone one-to-one or schedule a group face-to-face as needed.

Ann is asking that we push our resolutions back significantly – probably to November.  She feels like GunSense organizers are still in the early stages of courting state law-makers.  Her sense is that they might get cold feet or jump to decisions if they hear that the Burlington City Council has passed these resolutions.  She wants to give them a chance to have more conversations about it first.  GunSense has hired some consultants and are looking at a two-year plan to get things through.  She thinks waiting until November will be in line with that plan.

Ann, please correct or add to this summary as needed.

I am always for thoroughness over speed [and I apologize Mike and Miro for putting the pressure on earlier – I was mistaken].  I am comfortable following Ann’s lead on this, as she is more of a specialist on these issues than I am.

What do you all think?

Rachel Siegel
Ward 3 City Councilor