And by meaningful contributions, the NRA probably means contributions to the re-election of pro-gun politicians. If the nation doesn't act to ban fully automatic and semi-automatic weapons now, it never will.

Funerals were held today for more victims of the massacre at Sandy Hook elementary school, as students at other schools in Newtown returned to class. Also today, the National Rifle Association of America issued its first statement since Friday's shooting.

The NRA says it's "prepared to offer meaningful contributions to help make sure this never happens again." The group said members were "shocked, saddened and heartbroken" by the "horrific and senseless murders." It didn't issue a statement until now "out of respect for the families." The association plans to hold a news conference Friday to address the issue.

Democratic Congressman Jerrold Nadler, who will have the First Word tonight, wants his colleagues in Washington to strengthen gun laws. Nadler said there are at least ten bills sitting in Congress that lawmakers won't act on. What do you say?

What's your reaction to the NRA's statement? What ideas do you have to reduce gun violence? What question do you want us to ask Congressman Nadler tonight?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

A device would be fitted on the trigger and butt / stock of the weapon. The device would only allow the registered owner who's prints are locked on to the weapons recognition system to fire the weapon. This would cut back on the illegal users of the weapons (guns).

ALEX

Schiumo,

Please listen to diane Feinstein , democrat from CA. She is smart. She is introducing a bill. Said she was trying to get on the presidents calendar this week. Her plan makes sense. Outlaws over 100 weapons. Allows grandfathering of hunting weapons. Bans assault weapons. Take a look at her plan. Smartest thing I have heard. Also, let's call it Gun safety not Gun control. Then more palatable to require license and training and fees. Compare it to AUTO safety laws.

Thanks.
P. Upper West Side

Tightening guns don't help. Unless you are going to tackle the worldwide illegal gun trade then maybe you have a fighting chance. But tightening gun laws for the citizen will just get more innocent people killed.

The issue is a stick individual that had bad intention. Rifles don't get up & shoot people. The shooter is to blame NOT the weapon.

Jason

i'm a teacher and i don't own a gun and never will but i respect the debate in our nation and can not add any more to that as such- it really has been talked out to the point we've all heard the debate.

however, i do know a bit about safety in schools where our capacity to protect our kids is only as good as the tools and training our school system can provide- in september we got word from the chancellors office to start practicing what are called "soft and hard lockdowns."

my school has not practiced once and no one dares speak up about it. it is one of those schools where the union is weak and the bosses don't want our many problems aired in public so when you speak up about anything they suddenly show up in your room looking for reasons to fill your file with negative letters.

it leaves us untrained and in fear for more than just our jobs. if you could do anything for schools like mine, and i am sure there are many more, you could simply ask the chancellors office for a count of which schools have records of these important drills and which do not. i bet the results would frighten parents and if nothing else this important training could be shared with teachers and our children.

thanks, as always, for letting new yorker's speak thier minds.
Anonymous

Mandatory federal and local state database registry of any gun purchased in the US as we'll as passing a yearly psychological eval in order to keep it. Ban the purchase of assault weapon for civilian use, as well a regulate the purchase of ammo online/and at trade shows. Police presence should remain mandatory at all NYC public schools. Safety officers are our only line of defense against intruders. Think back to the school massacre of 300 mostly children at Beslan, Russia by terrorist. My worst nightmare as a teacher.

Obed
Washington, Heights

Hi John,

I live in Murray Hill, NY but originally come from Australia, where in the 1980's and 90's there were a string of mass shootings. After a terrible massacre in 1996, Australia federal and state governments adopted some of the strictest gun control laws in the world, and there has not been a mass shooting since, plus gun related crime is almost non-existent.

Yes, mental illnesses exist, but there is a big difference between an individual who wants to inflict violence but does not own a gun and therefore it makes it that much harder for them to achieve their goal, and the person who has the same desire for violence, and also has a semi-automatic quick-loading, rapid fire assault rifle.

Cheers,
Michael

Gun control is a political issue more than it is a legal one, at this point. There are two types of politicians in this country: those who do the bidding of the gun lobby and those who are scared of the gun lobby. The 2nd Amendment is used as a smoke screen by the first group and as an excuse by the second. It is by no means a foregone conclusion that the 2nd Amendment prevents any meaningful gun control at a Federal level.

The Second Amendment means what the Supreme Court says it means. The Court has, thus far, handed down no decisions of which I am aware that would preclude a wide range
of measures that would reduce gun violence.

--Will in Brooklyn

So we can violate the peoples right to see and seek mental health over gun owner? Data base for mental illness ....please. Mentally ill people kill if they have access to weapons.

Virginia

Whether or not guns kill people, people with guns do, and people without guns are less likely to. Second Amendment rights are not absolute, and, as with all rights, come with responsibilities. It's time for Congress and the courts, and not the NRA, to determine what these responsibilities ought to be. When there are fewer guns in our violent society, there will be fewer shootings of innocent people.

BIG ANDY
Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn

Several of your callers stated that the anti-assault weapon crowd has no understanding of assault weapons. Here’s what we do understand: in 1984, a political conservative, who was a small business owner, a graduate of a Jesuit college with a degree in sociology (which implies he’s a model citizen) went into a McDonalds in San Diego, California and slaughtered 28 young people at a birthday party. The next day, the NRA launched a national media campaign against gun control. Traditional shotguns do not commit the massive carnage assault weapons commit.

Rick from Queens

Guns are not the only thing that causes tradegy. Gun control will help for a little while but it never ever stop. The problem is not mental people. The problem is America needs to turn to God. Start prayering.

Kevin
Sheephead bay

end gun violence just end guns period. the country is sick of seeing innocent children (who's parents didn't couldn't/ wouldn't be responsible about their child's mental health?) being slaughtered by the second amendment guarantee we can't afford it anymore

my opinion by Glenda

everyone's concentrating on the mental health of all the shooters, As it should be but there is a very important element that's left out. what medication or combination of medications A.k.a. antidepressants were all the shooters on at the time of the shooting. and is your correlation between the time when our country started using antidepressants for everything and the amount of random shootings by people under the age of 30/

Mike from Fresh Meadows Queens

Here s another gun enthusiast who can't see beyond the barrel of his own ak47. The Waterloo moment is for the NRA and the NYS rifle and pistol association, and others like them. Gun regulation is working in NYC under the leadership of mayor Bloomberg. We actually had a murder-free day in NYC recently and if we take assault rifles off the street, there may be many more.

Marlene -from Harlem

Mr. Rieper doesn’t get it: more people are carrying guns, and more of these incidents keep happening with more frequency – that is the gun advocates’ “Waterloo.”

Diane

Adam Lanza's mother did own military grade semi-auto rifle. Civilians can NOT own military grade weapons. I wish people would get it right.

Plus, gun laws are not the problem. The problem is lack of attention for mental ill people. Gun laws are strict enough. The focus has to be mental health.

Jason

VERY SIMPLE. HAVE ALL THE LAWS BE; CAUGHT WITH A GUN YOU GET MINIMUN 10 YEARS IN JAIL!

PAUL

A little bit too late NRA

Carmen, Bay Ridge

We can track phones pets and cars. Why can't we put chips in guns? Registered guns are supposed to remain at home once it left the area the police would be notified. Just an idea but something needs to be done.

Steven

Assault weapons should be banned, period. they serve no purpose other than to shoot humans. a bill should have passed years ago. there is blood on the hands of the legislators who delayed and played politics, and on the hands of lobbyists of the NRA. they contributed to the deaths of these children and so many others. Shame on you all.

Meryl from manhattan

You dont need a cannon to hunt deer or ducks. Ban the assault weapons and stop loopholes.

Jimmy the Bronx.

HI John,

Today's NY Times had an article in its business section about the role of private equity firms as opponents of gun control because they are so invested in the manufacture and sale of any type of gun. They are opposed to microstamping. Does Rep. Nadler believe the congress either house will pass ANY serious gun control in this lifetime?

Penny

Hi John,

The second amendment is not to be touched in any way shape or form. We have laws on the books and the amount of illegal guns are the problem along with the people that choose to use them.

There were also a few threats today to a couple of schools in Newtown and I would be curious to hear what this Adler has to say about that. Just what would he and his cohorts do in a case such as these two. At least the NRA has some respect for the families including the towns people alike and chose not to join the Bloomberg brigade. They at least meet us face to face and that's more than I can say about Bloomberg.

Thank you John,
maxxiee
mp

The NRA’s “statement” does nothing more than continue to avoid making any meaningful substantive statement. To claim that it is avoiding making any substantive comment pending the results of some imagined investigation out of “decency” is, in itself, indecent. It has already been reported that the perpetrator of this crime destroyed any evidence of his motive, including wiping the hard drive on his computer clean; clearly, we will never know his motives.

The question is rather why Adam Lanza’s mother, a divorced suburban housewife, needed to keep military-grade assault weapons in her home “for protection.” Had she survived the attack, she would have learned first-hand what those employed in law enforcement and by prosecutors’ offices have known for years: namely, that, statistically speaking, owning a gun in your home actually increases both your chances of being shot and your chances of being killed. As for the Second Amendment claims, the right of the people to “arm” themselves with bombs, hand grenades or other weapons has never been considered protected; why is this? Because they didn’t exist 240 years ago? Neither did assault rifles. Because they are “weapons of mass destruction?” So are assault rifles. Or is it because the gun lobbies don’t sell, and therefore don’t care about, bombs, hand grenades or other weapons?

Diane

IMPLEMENT THE ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN NOW AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING FOR GUN PERMIT APPLICANTS. ADDITIONALLY, MONITOR MENTAL PATIENTS TO INSURE THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO ANY GUNS. THE NRA ARE CORPORATE LOBBIESTS AND ANY UTTERANCE EMANATING FROM THEM IS SELF-SERVING. I WAS IN THE MILITIA AND I DONT OWN A GUN BUT I KNOW THAT SEMI-AUTOMATIC/AUTOMATIC ASSAULT WEAPONS BELONG ON A BATTLEFIELD, NOT IN A FOREST FOR HUNTING OR A KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM. WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES WHETHER WE AS A SOCIETY ARE SANE SINCE THE REST OF THE WORLD IS LAUGHING AT OUR ABBERANT BEHAVIOR.

JS
FLUSHING

John,

It has been proven that, where people are allowed to carry a concealed weapon, that the number of gun crimes decline. (Read More Guns, Less Crime by John Lott).

Logically then, people should not be prohibited from owing guns, but encouraged to do so.

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

There should be a ban on assualt weapons. Anything less is unacceptable. The lobbying has to stop as well.

Oscar
Staten Island
Park Hill

Have the leaders of the NRA attend every funeral in Newtown.

Howard from Fresh Meadows

As the holiday season continues,let us remember to keep in our thoughts and prayers the 26 innocent victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary school,as well as their families,friends,and the entire town of Newtown,who have been so severely affected by this awful and unexplainable tragedy. Christmas is a time for renewed hope for peace and joy. Those 2 words are extremely difficult for all of those affected by this awful tragedy to feel,but hopefully their broken and shattered hearts and lives will find some solace in knowing that they are not alone in their intense grief and suffering. All of us across America feel and share their overwhelming grief and pain.We have all been crying along with the families of those who have been so violently and brutally taken from them.Please know that the love and support of all of America is with all of them and their town,and will always be as such.On December 14th,2012,as on September11th,2001,the innocence of our country was once again shattered-shattered by the unexplainable rage of a deranged individual who killed 26 innocent people,and also his mother who tried her best to raise him under very difficult circumstances.

John
Fresh Meadows, NY

About guns. Are they used to paint a portrait? Do you use them to eat with? Do you use them to give directions? No, none of the above. Guns were designed to kill. These kill tools should be eliminated for use by private citizens. Why, because in the hands of citizens decisions can be made as for life or death for an individual or many. People become the authority on law matters at that point in time. Are they qualified/educated for making such decisions? A compromise would be to inhibit the ability of guns to fire rounds at a fast rate. I say limit the number of rounds fired before reloading.

Ronnie from Harlem, NYC.