By comparison, each year approximately 12,000 Americans are killed in gun homicides in the United States (an average of 1,000 a month or 33 a day).

This means that in the last ten months, more Americans were murdered by guns in the United States than Iraqi civilians were killed by insurgents using all means.

The fact is that we have a home grown American insurgency that is just as deadly as the Iraqi insurgency. The problem is, little is being done by federal and state lawmakers to combat the American insurgency.

Last September, Congress allowed the 1994 federal assault weapons ban to expire, even though the ban was strongly supported by the nation’s law enforcement officers. This month, Congress is scheduled to take up legislation backed by the NRA that would grant the gun industry immunity from civil lawsuits for reckless and negligent conduct in the manufacturer and sale of firearms. The immunity legislation would not only prohibit future lawsuits, it would immediately dismiss all lawsuits currently in the court system.

In other words, if this legislation passes, victims of gun violence would not only have the doors to the courthouses slammed shut in their faces, those already inside would be kicked out.

During the 2005 legislative session, the Iowa legislature failed to act on three gun bills that would reduce gun death and injury in Iowa. These bills were dismissed without even a committee hearing.

• SF 207 - A bill introduced by Senator Mike Connolly of Dubuque that would prohibit the possession of military-style, semiautomatic assault weapons in Iowa. This bill would fill the void left by Congress when it allowed the federal assault weapons ban to expire.
• HF 161 - A bill introduced by Rep. Don Shoultz of Waterloo that would require a criminal background check on all firearms transfers at gun shows held on state property, including the Iowa State Fairgrounds. This bill would prevent the Iowa State Fairgrounds from being used as a market place for illegal gun transfers.
• HF 292/SF 310 - A bill proposed by the Iowa Attorney General that would increase the authority of state and local law enforcement officers to remove guns from the homes of domestic abusers. This bill would protect men, women, and children who live in abusive situations.

It is clear that our lawmaker’s loyalty to the gun industry is greater than their concern for the victims of gun violence. And so the insurgency goes on.