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Capitol Journal - Gun Control
DO NOT USE PBS funding credits
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Opens to two men giving different opinions on new gun control legislation Wayne LaPierre, NRA representative, We believe the end result of this bill will be better law enforcement. Representative William Hughes (D - New Jersey) It s wrong. It is a direct threat to lives of our police officers. And we ve got to turn the tide.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Capitol Journal host Hodding Carter introduces the show.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Capitol Journal titles and animation roll.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Hodding explains American gun control history and legislation that is being passed in Congress that will loosen up gun control laws established in 1968 - window in left corner of screen displays corresponding images (this includes stills of martin Luther king and Robert Kennedy assassinations...how these incidents preceded the '68 resolutions)
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Footage of a Baltimore police unit in the field investigating a reported gun shot incident at a Hotel. Police cars rush to the scene with flashing lights and sirens, spotlights are used to search the building's exterior. Police knocking on doors of various homes.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
CU of gun firing with text on to statistics of amount of hand gun deaths per million in different countries
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Interior of a gun shop with clerk behind counter talking to customer. CU handgun hanging on wall, zoom to price tag. Guns hanging on display inside store.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
CU of gun with text of the 1968 Gun Control Act
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
NRA (National Rifle Association) lobbyist meeting with Representative Arlan Stangeland (R - Minnesota). Stangeland, And I m a member of the NRA. I ve been for; I don t know how many years, but a good number of years. Because I believe that the citizens have a right to keep and bear arms and any kind of chink in that right can lead to more confiscation, more red tape, more breach, the whole bit.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
NRA (National Rifle Association) lobbyist meets with a member of Congress.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
CU of gun with text of a list of changes being called for in the Firearm Owners Protection Act.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Congressional committee meeting, CU of Peter Rodino (D - New Jersey).
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
CU of National Rifle Association petition.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Interview with Representative Peter Rodino (D - New Jersey) who explains why the bill should not be passed. If we loose, we re going to have a bill that weakens our gun control laws. That s going to make it possible, easier, for the criminal, the mentally incompetent and the addict to get his hands on a hand gun.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Representative William Hughes (D - New Jersey) explains to a group of policemen why the bill is dangerous for them. S49 and the Son of S49, as the Washington Post aptly described it today, a Cop Killer Bill, basically is a direct threat to you, our first line of defense in this country. And it s for good reason that the police in this country are outraged over the NRA in particular and the gun lobby, who try to push through, muscle through, bully through, legislation that is immitigable to the best interest of not just law enforcement, but this country.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Hughes proposed alternative bill is then explained.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Representative William Hughes (D - New Jersey) explains to a group of policemen why the bill is dangerous for them. I can tell you that it s an uphill battle. Your presence today on Capitol Hill can make a difference.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Police officers approach legislators coming to the Capitol about defeating Firearm Owners Protection Act, S49.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Cornelius Behan, President of the Police Executive Research Forum, We believed nine months ago, that the NRA was friendly to law enforcement. We really believed that. But now that we ve taken the position on this bill and their unwillingness to compromise and their desire to sell guns has overshadowed every other consideration.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Dick Boyd, President of the Fraternal Order of Police, You can buy a firearm, any place, any time and as many as you want, right in your own state. So that s not the issue. The issue is that they want to do more business for the people that advertise in their magazine. I think it is as simple as that.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Wayne LaPierre, NRA representative, explains the need for the Firearm Owners Protection Act - behind him the walls are lined with guns. The problem with the 68 Gun Control Act is that it is overly broad. Every violation under it is a federal felony. There are no misdemeanors at all, no matter how minor or inadvertent the error. You do not have to provide criminal intent to be proved before a conviction. So if a dealer or one of the 60 million Americans that lawfully owns guns, makes a mistake under this law, it s a federal felony and he can go to jail. So our point, if you really want to get at gun crime, you ve got to narrow the focus, put in some tough mandatory sentences, and go after the bad guys.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Lobbyists pursuing legislators and asking them to defeat bill, Firearm Owners Protection Act, S49.
Capitol Journal - Gun Control
Hodding Carter standing outside the Capitol segues to the White House's stand on the bill