ONE YEAR AFTER NEWTOWN:
Leaders Needed in the Global Gun Industry
Three major European gun manufacturers – Glock in Austria, Beretta in Italy, and SIG Sauer in Germany – make their living off U.S. taxpayers. They are among the largest suppliers of firearms to U.S. law enforcement and armed forces.
The owners of these companies – Gaston Glock, Ugo Beretta, Michael Lueke and Thomas Ortmeier – can save lives in America by becoming leaders in their industry. All they would have to do is stop operating by a double standard, with one way of operating in their home countries and a different, “anything goes” approach in the United States. A delegation of top clergy leaders from the Metro IAF community organizing network is seeking face-to-face discussions with Herr Glock, Signore Beretta, Herr Lueke and Herr Ortmeier. We ask that they:
1) STOP INTERFERING IN THE U.S. POLITICAL PROCESS
2) TAKE GUN SAFETY SERIOUSLY
3) COOPERATE FULLY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT
4) DISTRIBUTE YOUR PRODUCTS RESPONSIBLY
The owners of these companies – Gaston Glock, Ugo Beretta, Michael Lueke and Thomas Ortmeier – can save lives in America by becoming leaders in their industry. All they would have to do is stop operating by a double standard, with one way of operating in their home countries and a different, “anything goes” approach in the United States. A delegation of top clergy leaders from the Metro IAF community organizing network is seeking face-to-face discussions with Herr Glock, Signore Beretta, Herr Lueke and Herr Ortmeier. We ask that they:
1) STOP INTERFERING IN THE U.S. POLITICAL PROCESS
- No more lobbying, direct or indirect, against gun restrictions in the U.S. – especially measures that are far more modest than any in force in Europe.
- Stop promoting a “race to the bottom” among U.S. states – for example, threatening to move manufacturing operations to states with the weakest gun laws.
2) TAKE GUN SAFETY SERIOUSLY
- Include a trigger lock with every gun sold in the United States.
- Bring “smart gun” or “safe gun” capabilities to market. Instead of fighting these technologies, do what it takes to incorporate them in your products.
3) COOPERATE FULLY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Incorporate “microstamping” or other advanced ballistics capabilities into your products, to give crime investigators a powerful tool.
- Incorporate advanced gun tracking and tracing features, to assist in recovery and tracing of stolen guns and crime guns.
4) DISTRIBUTE YOUR PRODUCTS RESPONSIBLY
- No sales outside the federal background check system.
- Maintain a network of certified dealers who must meet high standards in terms of record keeping, safety and security practices, and responsiveness to law enforcement.·
- Insist that your dealers receive training in detecting “straw buyers.” Inspect them regularly to ensure that they follow this training.
- Establish buy-back programs, through which you would re-purchase any of your weapons from original buyers, in order to reduce internet and private sales” of second-hand guns.
