Hatboro Mayor Supports Tighter Gun Control
A member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Hatboro Mayor Norm Hawkes is fighting for legislation that could prevent gun-related deaths similar to the Aurora massacre.
Hatboro Mayor Norm Hawkes “grew up with guns,” frequently went into the woods of his Hazelton area home to shoot his single-shot rifle and later spent eight years in the military.
Much has changed since then.
“I will not allow a gun in my house,” Hawkes said adamantly. “I guess I matured a little and realized all the problems.”
Do you allow guns in your home -- handguns? hunting rifles? Does it matter? Leave a comment.
Chief among them, Hawkes said, are the thousands of deaths – including last month’s movie theater massacre in Aurora, Colo. - that result from what he characterizes as gun control laws in serious need of tightening up.
“It’s just too easy to get a gun in this country,” said Hawkes, one of more than 700 members of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition.
And while the coalition supports the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners, Hawkes said its purpose is to close “loopholes” surrounding how individuals obtain guns. James Holmes, for instance, the alleged gunman from the Colorado massacre that killed a dozen people and injured more than 50, purchased multiple guns within a short period of time and bought 6,000 rounds of ammunition online, which, according to Hawkes “should set off a red flag.”
But, what if those flags aren’t in place?
New York and New Jersey lawmakers introduced a bill this week that would prohibit people like Holmes from buying massive quantities of ammunition by mail or online, according to the Washington Post.
Hawkes, a Democrat among the 6-1 Republican-controlled governing body, said his position on firearms changed about 15 years ago when he realized how many people are murdered by guns each year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 25,423 firearm homicides and 34,235 firearm suicides occurred among U.S. residents during 2006-2007.
Each day 34 Americans die by gun-related violence, according to Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Hawkes, a retired health and physical education teacher of 24 years, likened that number to “three Auroras every single day.”
Nationally, the coalition of which Hawkes is a part, is working on various initiatives aimed at strengthening existing gun control laws. In response to the Aurora tragedy, the bi-partisan coalition, along with survivors and family members of victims of the January 2011 shooting in Tucson, Ariz. called on President Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney to devise a “plan of action to reduce gun violence,” according to the coalition’s Web site.
A petition has been created to show support of that effort.
Romney has said existing gun laws should not be changed, while Obama has indicated that some may need to be strengthened, according to interviews following last month's massacre.
Hawkes said he doesn’t expect either of the presidential candidates to really take a position through this election cycle.
“You have the wrath of the NRA. They’re a very powerful organization,” Hawkes said. “Any legislation that mentions guns the NRA is against.”
In his own locale, Hawkes, under Hatboro’s previous Democrat-controlled council, had faced opposition in his effort to put forth a lost and stolen gun ordinance.
The proposed legislation would have required anyone who had their handgun either lost or stolen to report it to police within 72 hours of that discovery, Hawkes said.
“It’s a common sense law,” Hawkes said. “The police need to know when there’s a stolen weapon out there.”
Hatboro Police Chief James Gardner agreed and said people “should immediately report the gun lost or stolen” regardless if an actual ordinance is in place.
Hatboro Borough Council President John Zygmont said “there has been no consideration given” to Hawkes’ ordinance since it was voted down in 2010.
“I do not see it coming up again,” Zygmont said.
Hawkes said he’s hopeful that better gun control can be realized on the federal level.
“I just hope and pray that whoever becomes our next president tightens up some of our gun laws,” Hawkes said.
Bill Sams
7:45 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
Hawkes Is Just like all the other anti - Hunters
If the Laws on the books now were Followed, We would not need ones like Hawes to speak his Lunitic words.
Seems like another Hitler in our world
George Griffith
4:38 pm on Sunday, August 5, 2012
James Holmes followed all the laws in arming himself as though he were going to war.
Diane B.
8:24 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
@ Bill - the legislation that was proposed was for reporting a stolen gun - not limiting your rights to own one.
Bill Sams
9:20 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
The Reporting of a Stolen Gun is really only one and the other 487 laws on the books should be enough. The law abiding citizen will follow up and report a stolen gun without it being a law but the criminal will follow no law.
Suzy Q
8:43 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
There is no reason in the world why anyone should own an assault weapon....period, the end. And nobody should EVER be allowed to buy 6,000 rounds of ammunition.....period, the end.
Mike Shortall
9:19 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
The real problem is not with legal, responsible gun ownership. It's those who acquire guns illegally or those with no business being able to get guns (e.g. the Aurora shooter). Until such time as you resolve those issues, including keeping semi-automatic and assault weaopns out of the hands of criminals and the insane, you really have no foundation for restricting what's available to legal, responsible gun owners. And let's not fool ourselves into thinking that passing a law will affect what criminals can and will get their hands on..
Bill Sams
9:22 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
Mike, i agree with you and we must Remember what Happened when Hitler unarmed Germany
George Griffith
4:44 pm on Sunday, August 5, 2012
No one has any business owning an assault weapon or amassing 6000 rounds of ammunition for one. Such a person is not going pheasant hunting next weekend. It's possible to recognize the second amendment rights of gun owners and still have sensible gun control, just as we do with the first amendment. We have the right to free speech but not all speech is free. You can't libel someone, you can't yell "fire" in a crowded theater, you can't speak treason. Those are sensible limits which protect people and protect the country. We can do the same with the second amendment.
Yikes!
10:54 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
Sure - so rather than irritate the paranoid minority in America, let's allow anyone, whether qualified or not, with the $$ and inclination buy deadly toys to play with! There are no constructive uses for these types of weapons are there? So are they just for "fun" and defense from our own fellow Americans in Washington? I think this idea is absurd!
One only has to look at shooting death stats in the US to see that this way is not working, and I am sure that there are more disturbed people running around out there who are fascinated with the power a deadly weapon gives them.
Sorry - I may be wrong, but I totally disagree with Mike and Bill (and their NRA)!
Mike Shortall
11:20 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
Paranoia assumes fear in the absence of evidence. I don't think you can support that argument. Just look at the Fast & Furious controversy. Your own Government put dangerous weapons out on the market, then "forgot" to track them!
Most of the shooting deaths in Philadelphia are criminals shooting other criminals. Do you really think they'll be affected by any law we pass? Seriously ...
I'm not a subscriber to the government-might-run-amok theory. I'm much more practical than that. When you can keep the criminals and crazies from getting guns, then you can entertain the notion that LEGAL:gun owners don't need them. Let's not forget, not everyone - even in Pennsylvania - lives 5 minutes from police protection.
P.S. I do not and never have belonged to the NRA. (Not that there's anything wrong with that ...)
John Brick
1:56 am on Wednesday, October 31, 2012
So your theory is to ban all guns so nobody will have them?
Kim
2:37 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012
No way Mike. All criminals go through the proper channels to buy guns. They fill out their forms and wait the appropriate waiting period. They nnnneeeeevvvvverrrr buy guns illegally through the black market. They buy them legally and store them in the same cabinet as their gun permits and registration. All kidding aside, I totally agree with you. No laws are going to stop criminals from getting their hands on their weapon of choice. And, no, I am not and never have been a member of the NRA.
Martin Parker
4:15 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012
Spoken like a true liberal... "I guess I matured a little". The arrogance of someone to suggest that by owning or allowing a firearm in your house somehow makes you less mature!!!!!! Too many people dying? What about DUIs? How about taking cars off the street.
Hatboro Hatter
5:25 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012
Mr.Parker you are a 110% right. I find it a little insulting to imply that if own a gun you are some how reckless and irresponsible. The truth is that they just want to take away are rights to protect ourselves. If guns are outlawed only outlaws will have guns, maybe they should think about that.....
Bill Sams
5:13 pm on Friday, August 3, 2012
Martin You have a Great Point about taking cars off the Road. More deaths are from Accidents on the Highway than With Guns. Hey How about Recalling Mayor Hawkes. and Taking back Hatboro.
I have belonged to The N.R.A. for over 70 years and I find a Lot of Information that You never hear from Our Government. Everyone has their Own beliefs So Don't get me wrong. If you do not want to own a Gun, That is your Right But Keep it in your own thoughts
George Griffith
5:02 pm on Sunday, August 5, 2012
It is true that more people die in traffic accidents than die by firearms, but not by much. In 2005, for example, 33,041 people died in highway accidents; firearms took 27,160 lives. The difference is that we recognize traffic accidents as a problem, so we license drivers, we try to train drivers, we take some unsafe drivers off the road, we make cars as safe as we can make them, we engineer highways to make them safe, and so on. If we took the attitude toward traffic fatalities that some take toward firearms fatalities, we'd license no one, we'd train no one, we'd see any effort to engineer a highway safely as an intrusion on our right to drive. In sum, we'd object to any effort to do anything about the problem. We'd refuse to even recognize a problem.
Liberty 1
8:22 am on Saturday, August 4, 2012
I like Norm Hawkes. He is a good guy who is wrong. He has a right to be wrong and even to voice his wrongness. The problem with lib democrats is that they are too proud to admit when they are wrong. The past few massacres have occured in "gun free" zones. And sure enough, the law abiding citizens who own guns obeyed the law and some of them were killed. My advice - stay the hell away from "gun free" zones. They invite the crazies and criminals.People killed with guns in non-criminal acts represent a very tiny %. I believe that the answer lies within us and much can be done to protect us. To start - at birth, right after the SS# is issued to the newly born, they should be issued a firearm license AND a firearm. At age 5 they should begin training in the safe use of their weapon. We will then have an educated and armed society that will be able to defend itself. The liberal democrat would rather wallow in their victimhood then defend themselves which is fine, but don't make it harder for others to do what is right.
Yikes!
9:11 am on Saturday, August 4, 2012
WOWwww....issuing firearms to 5 year olds? Is this comment some kind of joke?
Like I said above, you just don't know who has deadly weapons, and what they are thinking. Typical of the anti-gun control people is their generalization of the type of firearms that should be restricted by law. It is just another paranoid fear-mongering tactic touted by NRA and Co. Most proposed laws are in regards to fully AUTOMATIC weapons, not the type of guns that you would use to "protect yourself.
I have worked with policemen, they are not looking forward to taking your guns away so that they can detain you in some prison camp! I would think that they are not driving around with automatic deadly-force weapons in their patrol cars either, though I could be wrong.
Sorry Folks but I fail to see even one rational argument from any of the anti-gun control comments above, the benefits just do not outweigh the risks.
Bottom line: If that Colorado nut case did not have such easy access to the type of murderous weapons and tactical gear that he had, many people who were carried out of that theater would have walked out instead.
God Bless America, we need it.
K. Thom.
6:47 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
I choose to no longer spend my money at Regal cinemas and Fridays. They choose not to recognize my right to protect my family and myself and I choose to recognize their rights to private property and freedom of speech. It's not a boycott it's a choice made by both parties. When people enter their establishments they know nothing about their customers but they could know that legal right to carry holders have had background checks by the FBi state and local police. That those customers have no criminal convictions or domestic abuse conviction and no controlled substance convicitions. I wonder what they can say about the rest of their patrons. Gun free does not equal safe. Even with a firearm you are not guaranteed safety you do however stand a better chance. Hope for the best prepare for the worst.
Martin Parker
11:00 am on Saturday, August 4, 2012
He had easy access to gasoline to place in his apartment for an unsuspecting person to find by being burned to death...
Joe Foulke
1:43 pm on Saturday, August 4, 2012
The court has defined 2nd amendment right as individual.
No one wants the mentally dangerous, criminals or subversives to have access to firearms, regardless of the type. How you address the mental issues is a problem. The current law will stop most criminals with a record, from acquiring a firearm through legal sources. Stolen or otherwise illegal guns purchased illegally are as difficult to prevented as any other crimes.
Keep criminals off the street. Enforcing mandatory minimum sentences for criminal use of firearms will help. When an application to purchase is denied due to a deliberate false statement on the application, require the checking agency to notify police to investigate possible violation of the federal firearms laws. This would do more than additional laws that won't be enforced.
It popular with politicians to express concern or indignity when it grabs headlines, while they rarely produce results.
George Griffith
5:04 pm on Sunday, August 5, 2012
While it is true that the Supreme Court ruled that the second amendment right is an individual right, even so conservative a justice as Antonin Scalia has said that so ruling does not mean that legislatures can't place restrictions on the ownership of some firearms.
Mike Shortall
7:44 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
Unfortunately for your argument, George, even President Obama will not make good on his gun control platform from 2008. Why? No political will on the subject!
Senator Diane Feinstein came out earlier stating that an election year was not the time to discuss additional gun control. Really?!? Most people would think otherwise ... unless of course your overriding concern is getting your Party re-elected to The White House!
BTW ... Feinstein headed to an effort to limit Californians to hold carry & conceal permits. But who has one herself???
Hypocrisy run amok ...
Siobhra Aradia
2:24 pm on Sunday, August 5, 2012
What a loser. He needs to go.
Yikes!
5:14 pm on Sunday, August 5, 2012
Thank you George, your points make good sense...most refreshing.
Kevin McCourt
4:39 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
Guns don't kill anyone. If they did, we'd be in trouble. People kill people. I wonder how often is someone shot IN Hatboro? Has it EVER happened? Also, of the people shot everyday, I wonder how many are victims, how many are (deserving) criminals. If 15, even 100 werr killed daily as a result of them trying to rob innocent, civilians- I say Good Riddance!
K. Thom.
6:38 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
I carry every day and not once has my firearm jumped out of it's holster on it's own accord and shot someone. I've probably eaten more than a few meals with some of you in our town and you've never known I was armed. The police cannot protect you!!!!!! They can only respond to your call for help! The police certainly didn't protect those people in Aurora. The police didn't protect my neighbor when she was robbed, The police didn't protect the employees at 7eleven or the bank or the wawa when they were robbed, or the old woman at the apartments, .....etc.....The police also have "no duty to protect" as stated by the courts on more than one occasion. You are responsible for your families safety and your own. Do you wear a seatbelt every time you get in a car? Why or why not? Do you plan on getting into an accident that you'll need that seatbelt? Police are citizens that choose a profession that requires dedication and commitment on a slightly different level than other jobs, and I applaud them for that, they are none the less people and subject to the same laws of man and nature as the rest us. Until they make the "cop in a pocket" or we are all assigned our own personal home officer that's guaranteed to never have a bad day or ill thought, I'll put my faith in Jesus Christ and remember that Evil exists in the world and when He set me free He set us all free for better or worse.
Bill Sams
6:51 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
K.Thom, I applaud You for your Faith in Jesus Christ. You are so Right in all you say.
May God Bless and Keep you safe
George Griffith
8:58 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
K. Thom, you seem to put your faith in your weapon, not in Jesus Christ. What weapon did Jesus carry?
Yikes!
9:48 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
Jesus carried words as his weapon, and not even the mightiest army in the world could stop his bullets. I am always amazed by the large numbers of "Christians" who support weapons and wars....kind of a weird phenomenon, still don't see any connection to the Nazarene...
K. Thom.
1:00 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Last time I checked I wasn't Jesus and my words won't stop evil. How many references do we need to swords in the bible. As a father I need to do what I can to protect my families eternal souls and their mortal souls. It is after all "you shall not murder" it is not you shall not kill, that is the wrong translation. I pray over and over that I never need to use my firearms that does not mean that I leave them at home. Mens souls are only shaped by the word if they let it into their hearts, it's the ones that choose another path that I'm concerned about. I don't force you to carry a firearm don't force others to give up their choice to self protection. Please tell me where I said I supported wars and what wars I was talking about.
Yikes!
9:50 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
...or any of his teachings.
Edward Wharton BS FF
11:42 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
I was at dick pick up a pellete gun to play with and since I was there I asked about the real guns there the guy at the counter was like yeah you can buy up to five of them. 5 really I would be lucky if I buy five in my life time by the way I only have one gun and its a pellet gun and I am almost 40 Good luck america!!!!
K. Thom.
1:13 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
George G. the answer is Love. I have full faith in my Saviour. I do not have faith in man. Under the old testament we lived under the law of god, under the new testament we live under the grace of god. Man is free to make his own choices. This is how evil exists. Bad things happen to good people, not always by the will of God but many times by the hand of evil. We don't want it to exist, we don't like to admit that man is capable of evil especially in our own towns, neighborhoods, streets and sometimes our own homes. But turning a blind eye to it does not make it go away. It is the sad state of our freedom, nature abhors a vacuum. Yin and yang, good and evil, what ever you want to call it. We must always be vigilant to protect our freedom from tyranny. Freedom of religion and the ability to protect it was what this country was founded on.
Bob
9:45 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Never hold a gun overly loosely when firing it.
Bob
9:50 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
What kind of spending taxation scheme does the mayor have up his sleeve.
Jesus Jones
12:15 am on Friday, November 23, 2012
"Mayors Against Illegal Guns" represents a collection of criminals.
Every week brings news of another of these corrupt politicians being indicted or convicted for criminal acts they have committed while bellied-up to the tax-money trough.
Bill Sams
7:15 am on Friday, November 23, 2012
Well Jones, With The Alien being Re elected the first thing he intends to do is enact a national ban on Firearms. Politicians are nothing but Criminals in Sheep's Clothing