Aurora survivor asks Obama, Romney for plan on guns

With the first presidential debate set to take place less than 10 miles away from the site of the mass shooting that occurred in Aurora, Col., last July, a victim of the shooting is calling on President Obama and Mitt Romney to use the forum to talk about gun control.

In an ad produced by the bipartisan group Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Stephen Barton explains that he was shot in the face and the neck on July 20, when a gunman opened fire in a movie theater. The shooting left 12 people dead and 58 injured, including Barton.

"But I was lucky," Barton says in the ad, sitting in an empty movie theater. "In the next 4 years, 48,000 Americans won't be so lucky... because they'll be murdered with guns in the next president's term. Enough to fill over 200 theaters."

Mayors Against Illegal Guns, led in part by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, has pressed the presidential candidates to address gun violence, and some Democratic lawmakers have called for more stringent gun control laws. Neither Mr. Obama nor Romney, however, avoided any vigorous discussion of the issue. The president called for a "common sense" approach to gun control.

Mr. Obama and Romney will meet for the first presidential debate at the University of Denver this Wednesday, less than 10 miles from the Aurora theater where the shooting occurred, where they will discuss domestic policy.

[notashamed]

I agree there should be a debate. The theater should have allowed concealed weapons holders to carry on the property. The police were just outside when it happened, and the were powerless to prevent it. But one responsible CCW holder could have saved many lives with one or two well placed shots. These mass murders never happen at gun firing ranges, or police stations. It always occurs in Gun free areas like malls and theaters. Lets stop giving these madmen free fire zones in which to act out their sick fantasies. Stop fearing guns. Its not the gun, its the person behind it that matters.

[hypnotoad72]

Since nobody else in the theater, in a state with conceal and carry laws, was man enough to whip his out and stop the orange-haired freak, maybe these theaters - and other venues - can hire security?

Or go out of business, as without theaters, people will be less likely to go to movies where the theaters have to pony up so much in licensing costs to pay for actors' overbloated salaries that they can't afford anything else... and I wouldn't buy direct-to-DVD...

[kbbpll]

What's so difficult about an annual mental health checkup if you wish to own firearms? Seems like a questionaire could be appropriately designed to weed out the nutcases. The Aurora shooter purchased all his guns legally, so this is the wrong poster guy/incident for "Mayors Against Illegal Guns". I'm all for gun rights, but the number of loonies lately is way out of control.

[notashamed]

I wouldn't want to be scrutinized by someone with an anti gun agenda. If the guys shrink had reported his mental state in the first place,(to the ATF, not just the university) It would have prevented his purchase. However it would not have stopped him from buying illegally on the street. In truth, way to prevent mass shootings is to promote concealed carry permits for responsible law abiding people, and to stop giving murderers free fire zones like theaters to operate in.

[payasyougo]

Obvious that we never saw it before this but we just need to ban weapons purchases by students and faculty.

[hypnotoad72]

So they'll just find criminals to buy the guns from...

Serialize bullets. We have the means... it's funny how the people who want voter ID don't want equal accountability for personal weaponry...

[notashamed]

Bad idea. Here is a better one. Allow professors to carry concealed in the class room so they can protect their students!

[maryderricotte62]

Funny how these law abiding citizens turn out to be future murderess and criminals. As I read the headlines daily most of the killing and mamming is comming from law abiding citizens. who are mentally insane

[notashamed]

And who went to places where guns are not allowed to do their work.

[Concerned2009]

Aurora was a horrible tragedy, no doubt. More gun laws than we already have won't solve the problem. Legal reform to enforce the laws already on the books, close the revolving doors in the prison system, and making the ATF actually do a significant background check might help, but this guy just wanted to kill a bunch of people, period. So, he chose a firearm but also had significant amounts of explosives at the ready. He would have killed the attendees either way - no law will prevent that. Sometimes life just isn't fair to anyone. Trite but true.
Time to make the government enforce the laws we have, gun laws, DUI laws, corruption laws - maybe a real death penalty (not one that takes 25 years to accomplish) would serve a purpose.
None of this will bring those fallen back, or heal the wounds more quickly. It might however, help deter future occurrances.

[AOCGUY]

Has anyone noticed that since CBS changed format the number of posts have dropped exponentialy.

[Filmguy870]

yeah...this format SUCKS! If it ain't broke, don't "fix" it!!!

[eroteme2]

Plans to stop gun violence? What a nice idea. How about plans to stop rape as well?

[hypnotoad72]

A police state, since re-evolution will take more time than anything else... pity so many decent people are being caught in the crossfire, but I didn't make this society... nor did anybody vote me in to change it.

[Rick03466]

It's not hard to see Obama's hand via Rom E manual in this pathetic Puppet Show. Regardless the one thing ads like this will do is Sell guns and Ammunition. 2nd Amendment Supporters believe that Democrats of all flavors want to ban guns. I own firearms and enjoy shooting. The day after this ad appears gun shops will sell out. As it is people are buying ammo literally by the truck load ahead of the election. This ad will sell Stoner and Kalashnikov designed rifles is ways Only 9/11/01 could beat

[hypnotoad72]

You're not worth a proper response...

[lifeduringwartime]

Lots of good pro Second Amendment comments. If you don't like freedom and the right to defend yourself move to China, North Korea or other countries that like subjects not citizens.

[tb91006]

Here is another fact. Hitler banned Jews from owning guns. Stalin enacted gun control In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated. By 1987 that figure had risen to 61,911,000. Stalin did ban religion and encourged atheism. The same thing happened in China and all the other countries that banned guns. Now how does Obama's comment about the people of Pennsylvania cling to their their guns and bible play out with history?