Not content with the very strict gun laws in New York City, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg wants to influence gun laws in other states as well. As related in this story, he is advocating that Virginia pass a law to close the so-called "gun-show" loophole. And he has allied himself with 10 family members of the Virginia Tech massacre, and the mother of a New York City police officer killed with a gun purchased illegally in Virginia.
The disingenuous part about this story is that the weapons in question were not purchased at gun shows. Seung-Hui Cho, as detailed in this chapter of the official report of the Virginia Tech massacre, purchased his guns at licensed dealers. The failure in his case was that no notification of Cho's mental status was made in the Fedaral NICS system, or in the Virginia state system. Officer Timoshenko was killed by a gun purchased illegally from a licensed dealer, and dealer who has since had his license revoked.
There is nothing wrong with being against private party firearm sales without background checks being made illegal. In California, we have already closed the "gun-show loophole", and people are still able to buy and sell guns at gun shows, and criminals are still able to get guns. But I think that activists should at least be clear on what they are advocating, and honest in their rhetorical tactics. Parading parents of victims from crimes not related the the issue is not honest in my opinion.
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