“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

Contradicting longstanding legal precedent, the High Court has now crafted a new definition of the 2nd Amendment to our Constitution. The 5-4 majority decision, issued by Justice Scalia, in effect, eliminates the first thirteen words of the Amendment and changes the interpretation from a “collective” right to an “individual” right.

At the same time, the Supreme Court’s ruling clarifies the legitimacy of reasonable regulations. Jeri Bonavia, Executive Director of WAVE Educational Fund, said, “Unfortunately, this decision may lead to a slew of litigation, testing the validity of current gun laws, yet we believe today’s ruling makes it very clear that the 2nd Amendment will not stand in the way of commonsense gun violence prevention policies. Ultimately, our right to freedom from gun violence will triumph, and reasonable regulations will be maintained.”

WAVE Educational Fund will continue to pursue public safety policies such as requiring criminal background checks prior to all gun sales–a measure that is supported by the vast majority of Wisconsin’s citizens, including gun owners and NRA members. “Today’s decision will not in any way hamper our pursuit of crime-fighting, life-saving regulations,” stated Bonavia. “In fact, we are hopeful that the Supreme Court’s ruling will depolarize the gun debate. This decision should eliminate the pro gun lobby’s fear that any efforts to prevent gun violence will lead to a total ban on guns. Now that the gun lobby can rest assured that there will be no ’slippery slope,’ hopefully they will work with us to achieve important and commonsense regulations.”

For More Information:

Supreme Court Decision- Official Transcript of the Ruling on District of Columbia v. Heller

Oral Arguments- Official Transcript of District of Columbia v. Heller

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence: Supreme Court Information

The Legal Community Against Violence: History of the 2nd Amendment and its Interpretations

June 26, 2008 CNN Article

June 26, 2008 SCOTUS Blog Article

June 26, 2008 Associated Press Article

Click here to download the latest WAVE Report.

Please check out WAVE’s spring newsletter with updates about our work to prevent gun violence in Wisconsin!

An article from the Shepherd Express on June 11th, 2008 reported on the appalling loophole that allow private gun transactions, and firearm sales at gun shows, to be conducted without common sense background checks.

Gun purchases at federally licensed dealers must first pass a background check, but secondary gun transfers do not have the same requirements. That’s why so many prohibited gun purchasers, such as convicted felons, domestic abusers, those hospitalized for mental illness, and teens are able to obtain guns.

The Shepherd Express writes:

A Big Loophole Remains

The [Medical College of Wisconsin] MCW researchers found that states that implemented local-level background checks had 22% lower firearm homicide rates and 27% lower firearm suicide rates than states that relied on just the federal check. States with statelevel background checks also had lower rates of firearm suicides and homicides than states without them, but local checks appear to be the most effective.

Given the results, Layde suggests two policy approaches: More states could include local agencies in the background checking process, or the NICS could be supplemented with additional information on factors where local records may be more complete.

Jeri Bonavia, executive director of the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort, says that the study shows that background checks work, and that they are more effective when they are more thorough. She adds, however, that even requiring additional background checks at licensed dealers will not address the biggest contributor to gun violence: the private sale of guns.

“If you’re buying a gun from a licensed gun dealer, you need to show identification and go through a background check,” Bonavia explains. “But if you buy a gun from an unlicensed dealer or private seller, which is perfectly legal, there’s no background check required, no ID required. Those sales are legal in Wisconsin and they are the source of the vast majority of crime guns … about 90% of crime guns in Wisconsin and nationwide come from this secondary market.”

Addressing this loophole, she says, is imperative to reducing the firearm homicide rate. “It’s amazing to me that we’re asking the question ‘how are these criminals getting guns?’ when we’re not even trying to prevent them,” she said.

A Wisconsin Public Radio report by Gil Halsted interviewed Jeri Bonavia on Friday, June 6, 2008:

A Wisconsin gun control group is reacting to Attorney General J. B. Van Hollen’s decision Wednesday to issue a concealed weapons permit to a retired state justice department employee. A spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Anti- Violence Effort says such permits don’t improve public safety.

Attorney General Van Hollen says he issued the permit to former white collar crime investigator Tom Steingraeber because federal law allows retired law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons. Van Hollen says he believes it’s good public safety policy to have trained gun users on the street. He says if they’re are trained to use a firearm and are willing to carry one, it makes sense to give them another tool so they can protect the public if the occasion arises. Van Hollen is also lobbying for a state law that will encourage all local law enforcement agencies in the state to grant such permits to retired officers.

But Jeri Bonavia of the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort says Van Hollen’s theory that guns are useful tools in promoting public safety is based on a false premise that more guns equals less crime. She says there is research that shows that society and individuals are not safer with more guns out on the street.

Bonavia says she does support the restrictions in the federal law that require retired officers to take a firearms training course each year and refrain from drinking while they are carrying their weapons, but she’s still very skeptical about the public benefit concealed carry advocates claim the law promotes.

A Milwaukee Public Radio’s (MPR) report on June 3rd, 2008 focused on the illegal gun trade.

MPR interviewed WAVE Executive Director Jeri Bonavia who stated:

Jeri Bonavia agrees that young people who rely on handguns for safety or validation or obtaining money, need to learn a different way of living. She’s executive director of the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort. It recently organized a public display of confiscated guns that had been painted to look like toys. Bonavia wants the state to change its law regarding gun sales so that all would have to be completed by licensed dealer.

“To cut off this easy access of guns to kids when they’re getting them from outside their home, when they’re getting them from friends on the street or acquaintances. And right now, there is this enormous loophole. We need to require a background check, require that people show identification to prove their age”, Bonavia says.

Bonavia says Milwaukee will see a change in its children as soon as the adult community makes clear by word and example that guns don’t solve problems and can come with an enormous cost: the loss of a young life.

See WAVE’s Lie-In on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel front page.

It’s been one year since the tragedy at Virginia Tech, where 32 innocent people were shot to death. Over this past year, 30,000 other Americans lost their lives to gun violence in shootings at malls, in offices, in city halls, on the streets, and in homes. Shootings happen every day, day after day. In fact, there are so many shootings that we have come to accept them as a normal part of everyday life. But there is nothing normal about the level of gun violence in our country.

No other industrialized country tolerates gun violence the way we do. And, not surprisingly, no other industrialized country suffers the consequences – the loss of life, the devastation to families, the damage to neighborhoods, the wounding of whole communities. If we continue to quietly accept gun violence, gun violence will continue. But it doesn’t have to. We can prevent gun violence. To begin, we can look to other states and other countries to find solutions that work. And, today, we make a call for those solutions to be implemented here.

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MILWAUKEE-They wore ribbons made for them by the famlies of the shooting victims and survivors.

One by one and side by side members of Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort took part in a ‘Lie Down’ tribute.

“Amazing Grace” could be heard on the flute and the orange ribbons could bee seen all the way from the eight floor hallway looking down on the line that had formed on the main floor.

Hard to believe it’s been a year since a disturbed student opened fire on fellow students and teachers before taking his own life.

Speakers reminded all who would listen of the continuing violence on campuses, on the streets, and in our homes.

As the nation marks the one year anniversary of the Virginia Tech Massacre, Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort is calling on Wisconsin lawmakers to help prevent future gun violence. Listen to Executive Director Jeri Bonavia on Wisconsin Radio Network.

WAVE will be hosting two press conferences and silent memorials on April 16th, the one year anniversary of the Virginia Tech massacre, to remember the victims and to call for the changes necessary to prevent future tragedies. We, and others concerned about gun violence, will gather in Milwaukee and later in Madison. We would be honored if you would join us at either location.

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