Buffalo, NY (WBEN) President Joe Biden Thursday unveiled executive actions aimed at gun control.
Among the changes are cracking down on "ghost guns," which are untraceable and can be assembled by the user, and an enhancement to a pistol that can make it potentially deadlier.
A critic says those actions won't reduce gun violence.
While Biden called gun violence a public health pandemic, Frank Panacek of the 1791 Society says the problem is violent people using guns. "None of these measures are going to stop criminals from accessing firearms," says Panacek. "These people are already committing crimes, so regulations on ownership and transfer of firearms don't mean anything to these people," adding the criminals access stolen or obtain them in other illegal manners. He believes the executive orders will infringe on lawful gunowners.
Panacek says what the White House is doing doesn't work. "We tried a prohibition of alcohol, it didn't work. We prohibited drugs, we're seeing how that worked out. Now, we're going to do the same things with firearms. It's not going to solve the problems," says Panacek. He points to what he calls weak laws, in particular bail reform.
Panacek says the problem is criminal misuse of guns. "Guns are inanimate objects made out of wood, steel and plastic. They don't have minds of their own. People holding these guns and using them are the ones who are violent. You have to have the political will to lock them up when they commit crimes, and you have to reform the mental health system and take these people who have mental health issues and cannot conform to society and institutionalize them," adds Panacek. He says a number of mass shooters had problem signs long before the incidents.
Congressman Brian Higgins says there is an overwhelming amount of support for gun control legislation. "They support comprehensive background checks. They're not ideological and we should take action," says Higgins.
He responds to people saying it's people and not guns being the problem. "That's why you do background checks so you make sure someone does not have a criminal background or a history of violence that would go a long way in keeping the public safe," replies Higgins.
Higgins says violence in the past 60 days shows not enough has been done to control gun violence.
