{"id":63166,"date":"2016-09-07T01:42:32","date_gmt":"2016-09-07T05:42:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/blog\/?p=63166"},"modified":"2016-09-07T01:42:32","modified_gmt":"2023-08-20T05:21:37","slug":"brady-campaign-congress-4500-shot-summer-break","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/brady-campaign-congress-4500-shot-summer-break\/","title":{"rendered":"Brady Campaign to Congress: 4,500 Shot While You Were Out on Summer Break"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"One<\/a>

One of the memos the Brady Campaign is handing out to make their point about Congress’s inaction on gun control. (Photo: Brady Campaign<\/a><\/em>)<\/p><\/div>\n

The Brady Campaign is not happy with the United States Congress.\u00a0 <\/span>Activists for the prominent gun-control organization believe that lawmakers bear responsibility for the blood that was shed around the country while they were out on summer break.<\/p>\n

To publicize their displeasure with the House and Senate, Brady advocates are handing out thousands of memos that read, \u201cWhile you were out 4,500 people died from gun violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, the Brady campaign doesn\u2019t breakdown that number to delineate how many of those deaths were suicide versus homicide, leading one to assume that violence in this country is out of control, when, in fact, the majority of those deaths were most likely self-inflicted (of the approximate 32,000 gun deaths per year, two-thirds are suicide)<\/a>.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

While suicides are still tragic, there\u2019s a difference between violence against oneself and violence against others, especially as it relates to policy solutions on how to bring down one category versus the other (e.g. having a boots-on-the-ground gang task force versus having a robust suicide prevention program). \u00a0Brady seems to be pushing ill-conceived measures that will do little, if nothing, to bring down gun homicides or gun suicides. \u00a0Nevertheless, they’re calling on Congress to take action.<\/p>\n

“Congress is in for a rude awakening today if they thought seven weeks of vacation would wipe the slate clean,\u201d said Dan Gross, President of the Brady Campaign, in a press release.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile Congress enjoyed nearly two months of sun and fun, the American people paid the ultimate price for Congress’ inaction, with 4,500 shot and killed during August recess alone,\u201d he continued. \u201cNow that they’re finally back at work, gun violence must be a priority for Congress.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before they left for break back in June, the Senate had an opportunity to pass four bills addressing firearms.\u00a0 <\/span>Two of those bills were put forth by Democrats and two were put forth by Republicans.\u00a0 <\/span>All four were voted down. Here is the breakdown:<\/p>\n