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Former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper tells Alan why he believes stricter gun control laws are needed.
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-- -- want to welcome to our microphone former Seattle police chief norm stamper.
He is a 34 year veteran police officer the retarded Seattle's keep the police in 2000 the -- breaking.
Rank it -- -- -- -- of the dark side of American police think.
Have you chief gotten a lot of response to your.
In treaty to redo or repeal or perhaps replace -- Second Amendment -- Pendleton in -- reaction.
Well I certainly gotten a lot of response -- most of that I suspect coming from that critics whose comments are unprofitable or -- And then that's got the wonderful thing that's that speaks to the First Amendment of the constitution I have my views they there's.
But in point effect I would say that support for the position that I took him in the Huffington Post is running about two who want.
It's interesting that the idea of even to having a dialogue about repealing the Second Amendment -- something that would have been unthinkable.
A month ago.
Well that's true and I think what you would win when people when Americans and that June.
What happened last Friday when they look at the photographs.
These.
Tiny little victims with huge genuine smiles on their faces these are family photographs of course.
If they have an appreciation and what bullets do -- bodies and and how.
Critically important it is to get guns out of the hands of people who are.
Emotionally or mentally unstable or or bent on criminal activity.
That's interesting you're not saying there should be a ban on guns would you say the Second Amendment needs to be -- -- course said -- need to be re written that comma or lack of a comma.
Was -- -- always there I don't understand what the word militia means what is really -- in the rest of the amendment what your take on the.
Well my take on it is.
-- having studied now since last Friday at all ten.
Of the First Amendment which of course.
Constitute a bullet right into -- they'll be only one that stands out as our cake and totally out of place is the Second Amendment.
And I think it's important that people of -- political persuasions and all points of view about firearms in this country.
Engage in a very careful study of that.
You don't have to be a constitutional scholar to read that thing I mean I think I read that comment is in one way in the Supreme Court -- it another way.
But we -- -- conversation about the accessibility.
Of these high powered firearms that are in the hands of people who should never have again in their hands in the first.
How is the Second Amendment different than the others.
Well the other dealing with free speech and assembly dealing with.
A quarter of soldiers -- which we could look at today is kind of point that in an archaic and so forth but essentially benign.
All of the other amendments that have to do with protections.
Due process protections violations.
Or I should -- the -- into the Fourth Amendment against unlawful searches and seizures.
All of those made perfectly good sense and they've really reinforce I think most of -- Most of us have this view that the founding fathers were brilliant philosophically.
And pragmatic -- And they work and even the Second Amendment was very very Smart for it's time.
There's an interesting piece in the New York Daily News by a history professor at Fordham -- Cornell.
Who says in fact if we restore the Second Amendment to its original meaning of the NRA's worst nightmare because the -- being interpreted now surely not what our founders had in mind.
You know I there's a part of me that just believes that of course none of a -- on a mind reader particularly when.
The people have been dead for many years as our founding fathers -- that but it's.
It it it -- look at that -- for example it's so perplexing that so problematic.
In law.
And yet I I read it very clearly.
As he says the and -- is.
It's taken literally the NRA's worse.
Nightmare because it says.
That the reason the -- gun.
Provision.
Is the necessity.
For a militia.
We now have a standing army.
We do not any longer have a malicious somewhat argued that the National Guard -- -- -- militia.
I personally think that that's inaccurate and nonsensical.
But it is important I think to recognize -- when we were talking about firearms in those days we were talking about.
Foot -- we were talking about -- voters we were talking about firearms it took eight minutes.
To -- -- single to load and fire a single shot.
When you imagined that this man on on Friday who were armed with a weapon.
For which the Second Amendment was written.
He said -- -- Huffington Post -- we are the only first world nation that has -- denies the failed response to gun violence.
And and I mean I believe that -- them deep in my soul.
We we we make a lot of noise after one of these holistic.
A Rampage.
And acts of Rampage.
Violence mass homicides.
And it in time with the exception of those who lost loved ones.
-- -- -- -- We go back to business as usual no I think it's wonderful into the president's credit.
That he he is inclined to acted very quickly.
If it if it is not and there's no guarantee that what what ever he goes into weeks' time we won't have.
We won't have another one of these but on an outreach.
We're having.
Rampage violence -- battle every two weeks.
And that's why we got over this issue that we can't talk about it on the heels of the tragic.
That's that's that's the key.
I'd I'd probably get what people say.
Oh my god these these these children are not yet buried not all of them.
-- -- think it's important to allow for some time for grieving and so on and so forth.
And I think some of what they're saying that the best way we can -- under those children.
And their families and those teachers and indeed even the young man who who did the killing -- was good and emotionally and mentally tortured.
Is by working to prevent the next ones and you don't waste time doing that.
Which -- with former Seattle police chief norm stamper and you.
You talk you out of -- and Huffington Post before do you think should be a registration of a -- to do with cars went out without licensing gun owners criminal.
And civil penalties for owners whose guns get into the wrong hands.
Banning assault weapons of course.
And the armor piercing handgun bullets and the elimination of and I'm just -- I'm skipping around here but elimination of the infamous gun show loophole -- -- and money for sure whether but when that loophole exists.
Well -- there and in fact I've spoken with Sarah Brady when she was in Seattle and I was still the police chief there and and we both.
We're we're extremely unhappy -- is that loophole.
In the Brady bill and then and you know I think it has to do with free enterprise I think it has -- -- with capitalism.
And you know we we -- I think under a wonderful system of government but we have and economic system.
But we have to understand.
The necessity.
For regulation.
That would prevent loopholes like that one.
What do you say to the people and I'm sure you've heard this many times we have to be armed just in case and are they claim our founders wanted to prevent.
Tyranny and that's why people feel they must be protected against a tyrannical but the and then then they talk about pre Nazi Germany and to me this is crazy stuff but.
I'm sure you've heard this many times.
Well it's crazy stuff to -- to however.
I do my very best to put myself -- the issues of somebody who takes that position.
That we know from throughout history that there have been.
Societies that have fallen under the -- radical leaders.
And in -- than we would like to believe that that would never happen in this country and so forth and my own belief is.
The military is is filled with our sons and our daughters our police forces like -- We are not not Jack booted thugs.
In the it in the ATF four -- and local police department.
But I understand that point of view I think it's very important that we recognize that nothing of what -- recommended.
It would Alter.
Gun ownership in the sense that if you are responsible gun owner of your firearm registered yourself licensed predicated on.
On a gun safety course and and satisfaction of a background investigation.
That nobody is gonna come after -- gone.
Now I think we get into real delicate territory we talk about confiscation let's say we -- -- of those.
Military grade automatic weapons.
Does that mean local police are going to be going door to door.
That's an image that I frankly can't tolerate.
I I think it's a recipe for disaster.
Particularly given how strongly some people feel about their guns and I I certainly.
And gotten an earful over the last a couple of decades but I I think we need to to have.
Common sense conversation.
About guns that currently exists and how most effectively to go about.
Either grand -- some of those firearms -- and or using them buyback program.
Or from the last case.
Confiscation.
And you in favor confiscation under certain conditions.
Well I would certainly confiscate every firearm that could could be shown to be in the hands of somebody who's.
Not been that there is responsible gun owner and that's doable it's costly it's.
If it is fraught with challenges but those are challenges that in the face.
The alternative.
I think we need to -- But chief stamper thank you so much for your time -- thanks so much for speaking out on this important issue and taking a position that.
-- this is leadership -- -- -- you don't have a lot of people with -- perhaps on this -- but I think it's a very important point to make and I thank you very much for making -- with us here tonight thank you.
Thanks so much former Seattle police chief norm stamper.
