Retroactively Ban Assault Weapons

The Bergen County Green Party calls for immediate Federal Legislation to retroactively ban military style, semi automatic assault weapons.

Military style assault weapons are designed to kill as many people, as quickly as possible.  They have no place in civilized society.

A retroactive ban not only prohibits new sales, but requires existing holders to turn in assault weapons.  Holders will be paid market value + 10% for their assault weapons.

As seen on Democracy Now (click here), a retroactive ban on assault weapons was instituted in Australia after a 1996 mass shooting that killed 35 people in a place eerily named New Town.  Both killers in Newton, CT and New Town, Australia used an AR-15, a semi automatic weapon.

Since the retroactive ban, Australia has not experienced a mass shooting.  Citizens were required to turn in their assault weapons and 650,000 weapons were taken off the streets.  The law did not simply stop the sale of new weapons.

New legislation being proposed by U.S. Senator Diane Feinstein stops far short of addressing the problem, as millions of these weapons would remain legal for those who currently possess them.  Feinstein has stated her legislation will not be retroactive.

Please call the offices of New Jersey Senators Menendez (202-224-4744) and Lautenberg (888-398-1642) and Congresspersons Garrett (201-444-5454) or Pascrell (202-225-5751) and demand a retroactive ban on military style, people killing semi automatic guns.  Or, visit their websites to send them an email.  In addition, contact California Senator Feinstein’s office at (202) 224-3841.

For further information, see the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

Thank You!

  Thanks to everyone who voted Green Party on Tuesday, November 6th.

Here are the vote totals for the Greens:

Jill Stein / Cheri Honkala [President/Vice President] - 396,684 (this is more than double what Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente received in 2008, and this is more than triple what David Cobb and Pat LaMarche drew in 2004)

Ken Wolski [Senate] - 14,323 (0.5%)

Patricia Alessandrini [Congress] - 6,029 (2.2%)

Ed Fanning [Freeholder] - 6,197 (0.97%)

Joseph Pezzillo [Freeholder] - 7,670 (1.20%)