[Peace-discuss] WH Deadline Approaching [for gun control, US weapons to Mexico]

[Jenifer Cartwright]

I think it's important to weigh in on this -- no guarantees, but it could make a difference. --Jenifer

--- On Fri, 2/11/11, Mayors Against Illegal Guns <info at mayorsagainstillegalguns.org> wrote:
    
        
            
            
            
            
            Dear Friend,

            

            Monday is the last day to weigh in on whether the Obama administration should take action to help end rampant gun smuggling across the U.S. border.

            

            The administration is taking public comments before making a final decision on a new initiative to track bulk sales of semi-automatic assault rifles --and your voice can make a big difference.

                         

            For Mexican drug cartels, AK-47s and other semi-automatic assault rifles are the weapons of choice and we’re the go-to sellers.

            

            In a drug war that’s claimed the lives of 30,000 people in just four years, 90 percent of guns recovered and traced in Mexico have come from U.S. gun dealers– and the violence is spilling back over the border into the United States.

            

            There’s a simple way to fight back -- without any new legislation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) can require licensed dealersto report whenever a person buys multiple assault rifles along the U.S.-Mexico border. ATF has asked the White House to exercise this authority to help ATF stop gun smugglers in their tracks.

            

            But with opposition coming from the usual suspects and little public attention, the Obama administration has delayed putting this rule in place. With your help, we can show the public support behind this measure and put an end to the lawlessness that’s arming the drug cartels. 

            

            Send a message to the White House and tell them to stop the flow of assault rifles to Mexico.

            
            
                                      Just two weeks ago, the ATF charged 34 people with trafficking over 700 guns to Mexico. One individual from Phoenix, Arizona bought more than 100 AK-47s in a single month.

            

            With this new measure in place the ATF will have more tools to do what’s needed to catch these smugglers more often and more quickly. Dealers already report these types of sales of handguns – and it’s about time we did the same for deadly assault rifles.

            

            Since last year, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has called for this reporting rule and recently, an investigation by the Justice Department recommended it’s adoption.  But the public comment period is closing on Monday, February 14. And that meanssupporters like you have to make your voice heard. 

            

            Please join us in telling the Obama administration to get serious about keeping U.S. guns out of the hands of the Mexican drug cartels:

            

             http://www.MayorsAgainstIllegalGuns.org/DrugCartelGuns 

            

            We have a crucial opportunity to crack down on the flow of deadly weapons across our border. 

            

            Thanks for getting involved,

            Mayors Against Illegal Guns 
            



      
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