Archive: Donna Dees-Thomases
Veteran CBS News White House Correspondent Bill Plante brings a top newsmaker into the Smoke-Filled Room each week to answer your questions. This week's guest is the Million Mom March founder, Donna Dees-Thomases. This New Jersey mother of two was moved to action after seeing terrified pre-schoolers from a Jewish community center in Granada Hills, California being led to safety after a shooting rampage last August and vowed to never again let it happen.
Plante: We've heard the reasons why you started this march. What do you hope to accomplish with it?
Dees-Thomases: We need to create a grass-roots movement in this country to get average people, moms, dads, concerned citizens, to get involved in the political process to move out legislators in voting the right way for common sense gun laws.
Plante: How do you think congress will react to this - will anything really happen?
Dees-Thomases: I’ve had a wonderful reaction from members of congress who say “thank goodness you’re finally here” because they have been struggling voting the right way – many of them – without our support. There are fence sitters we’ve got push off the fence and make sure they vote the right way and there are probably a few people who just need to be voted out of office.
Plante: You have mentioned “sensible” gun control. How is that different from banning guns altogether?
Dees-Thomases: In this country we have a second amendment that allows for the regulation of fire arms. And we’re looking for regulation of firearms. We’re looking for basic policies like licensing and registration. You need to treat guns with the same respect you treat automobiles. It is a national disgrace that we do not already have this in place.
Plante: A lot of viewers have written in to ask “Why do this at all? Why not enforce the laws already on the books?”
Dees-Thomases: The laws on the books can’t really be enforced without licensing and registration program. It’s like telling a driver “you ran a red light – we’re going to ticket you.” But there’s no way to enforce it because that person doesn’t have a driver’s license. What we’re looking for is to make sure a person has a license for a handgun that can be revoked if he abuses those privileges as well as having their handgun taken away. I know it’s scary for people, but unfortunately there are people who should not have handguns. There are criminals, people who are mentally ill, people with criminal intent that don’t need to have these handguns and we need to have a system in place where we can identify them.
Plante: How do you answer critics who say that what you’re trying to do circumvents the second amendment and the right to bear arms?
Dees-Thomases: The second amendment that I know says a well regulated militia and the right to bear arms. The key word there is regulated. Thank goodness the framers of our constitution were smart enough to know that firearms are dangerous and need to be regulated.
Plante: Do you really think “gun safety locks” are practical? What if an intruder breaks in and you don’t have time to “unlock” the gun?
Dees-Thomases: We’re advocating state-of-the-art technology. The gun industry has spent their money making guns deadlier – bullets that explode in your body on impact. They didn’t spend any money on making guns safer. We’re asking for them to use some of that money and provide better technology so that guns can only be fired by the owner. There are other things that can be done – built in safety locks for example. This should have been done over 25 years ago.
Plante: Several viewers have written in to say that if some of these gunshot victims had had guns, they wouldn’t have been victims. What are your thoughts on this?
Dees-Thomases: You tell that to the mother in Maryland who lost her 13 year old son when she sent him next door to play at the neighbor’s house and he was shot by a nine year old. Was her son supposed to be armed and shoot the kid back?
Plante: How will your group respond to the “Second Amendment Sisters” – the counter demonstrators who will also show up at the march?
Dees-Thomases: The Second Amendment Sisters have a right to free speech, and they’re going to march in their designated place. I would hope that they would read the second amendment and pick out that key word – regulated.
Plante: What has gone into setting up this march logistically? Have you ever done anything like this before? Is it all being done by volunteers or have professionals been brought in?
Dees-Thomases: This march truly is the work of volunteers. It is the work and effort of mothers across the country putting up flyers, doing talk radio, cable access shows, going to their PTA meetings, going to their “Mommy and Me” classes talking about the need for sensible gun control. This is what this march is all about. Fortunately, we now have the resources where we have a professional team in place that is helping put the logistics together. They’re doing the administrative part. But the real heart and soul of this march is the volunteers.
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