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Gun Owners of America Communications Director Erich Pratt and Coalition to Stop Gun Violence’s Lori Haas on the gun rights debate.
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And President Obama today signed 23 executive actions on gun control.
We're joined now by Eric Pratt he's director of communications for Gun Owners of America and Lori -- -- Virginia organizer of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.
Her daughter was shot twice during the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre and she survived thank you both for being with us.
I'm going to be out of I mean you review -- your reaction to the president's.
Actions today.
-- that does that satisfy you -- the degree to which he.
Asserted some effort to control guns in this country.
I'm behind the president's efforts to stop gun violence in this country I believe that we have an epidemic of violence in this country.
There is a problem.
When it's more dangerous to be a preschooler in this country than a police officer.
And with that carnage.
That.
These high powered.
Military rifles are doing to our children.
You know I know first -- what happens.
At Virginia -- -- shooter had a high capacity magazine.
And was able to do great deal of carnage you know I got a phone call.
On the morning of April 16.
My daughter said to me mommy I've been shot.
Can that was a horrible day enough and a difficult situation from my family.
But I can only begin to speculate what those families in Newtown Connecticut.
Arora Tucson -- other places are going through Lou we we've got to do something about the gun violence that is.
Visiting horror on American families.
-- your thoughts.
Well Lori was just saying that is more dangerous to be a preschooler and indeed it is I know that firsthand myself I have a son who drowned.
As most difficult thing that my family my wife and I.
Ever went through but in fact.
More children will drown in pools than be killed.
Buy guns and yet my wife and I haven't gone on a national campaign to -- pools are -- access to pools.
That would be simply.
Ludacris and yet there is an agenda to ban firearms and we're seeing that.
Coming from the president we're seeing it all over the nation up in New York.
He's the governor -- -- Andrew Cuomo was talking about confiscation.
Being an option in -- I would tell you that's why it's very imperative.
That these background registration checks not passed because every background check will give.
That the framework.
For a registration system -- you can't confiscate firearms without having registration.
And.
I regret work -- I'm not sure I quite understand about the registration in confiscation.
At this point in time we're taking measures to stop the gun violence that is affecting the families in America we understand.
And I personally understand my husband's a -- all the gun owners I talked to understand.
That the rhetoric around this conversation is just inflamed no one -- taken anyone's guns away no -- is taking away my right to own a firearm.
What we -- talking about -- measures to keep guns from the hands of dangerous individuals.
We need a thorough background check system -- records were not in the background check system and he was able to -- Firearms that shot my daughter twice in the back of the head killed 27 students at Virginia Tech.
And five and structures on that college campus on the on another cold and snowy April morning so we've got to do something.
We need to rely on people who are experts have the conversation.
And not go to the extremes that mister Pratt is going to no -- elected in -- and my fire arm away.
It's it's already happened after New Orleans they confiscated.
Guns from people -- to New Orleans listen to what the governor.
Of New York is saying he's saying confiscation as an option in Iowa lawmakers saying we need to take guns from people because they eventually.
Get into the wrong hands in -- New York City.
Has already confiscated firearms they started registering long guns in the 1960s promised they would never confiscate them.
But then under the mayor Dinkins administration that's exactly what they did they confiscated.
Many of the they've they've banned them first and then the New York City papers reported that it the police were going and taking guns from people so.
To say that it won't happen it's just ignoring the fact that it already has happened lowering the.
I I just think that this subject at hand is how to protect children in America.
How do you what do you say to that mother who lost her six year old daughter her seven year old son -- hurt her thirty year old school -- daughter.
There is of violence problem in this country it is this is evident it is coming from guns it is and we probably better job we have to determine right.
The background checks who's getting them how they're getting them in the firepower.
-- I have good let me ask you both this question.
In loss in this conversation.
Not hours of solely of -- as part of our larger national conversation right now.
It is the fact that more people have been killed by hammers.
And -- Then by right it's not just assault rifles but rifles period.
In the course of the past year.
The idea that that this president -- moved as we all are by the tragedy and in Newtown.
The tragedy -- in Virginia Tech a roar of the list goes on and it is shameful that it does.
But the reality is that gun violence in this country and violent crime.
Is now down by a third from what it was in 1994.
That is all lost in the conversation.
The second part that is lost in the conversation is there whether it's Burke Virginia attack and and in the mentally disturbed.
Young man who shot your daughter and and murdered others at Virginia attack.
Was mentally ill.
And it was in the in the Virginia Tech report it was clear that it was a horrible failure of security there.
It was a horrible failure of communication.
By the administration.
-- was a horrible failure on the part of psychological.
Psychiatric.
Professionals.
That it is one it's a tragedy with broad implications do you not agree without more.
I do it has broad implications and and Virginia we've worked on some of those issues.
You know getting.
Mental health education's into the background check system.
But we need to use background checks on every sale what good is it gonna do with the person is able to -- who has been adjudicated mentally ill.
Is able to walk down the street got a little.
-- are adjudicated that's the NRA's word tonight and I reject it.
Because -- -- indicated is an entirely different proposition.
In the it is far too narrow to protect society and art and our children.
I had I -- I much prefer a different expression well that.
I happen to agree with you we need to do a better job at keeping -- firearms from person to we're dangerously mentally ill.
In as a mental illnesses as a broad term but there are people who don't know where he got verify its danger.
Are there are if you -- -- we've used up all the time -- -- blessed we're here.
Judges and none of the proposals the president is proposing would've stopped what happening Connecticut Adam -- that killed his victim stole her firearms no background check no gun ban will stop the criminal from doing that.
