BELLEVUE, WA – The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) today condemned New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Dr. Robert Kurtz, director of service for Trauma and Surgical Care at Kings County Hospital for attempting to capitalize on the slaying of a highly decorated New York police officer to push their anti-gun political agenda.
Officer Dillon Stewart was fatally shot Monday morning, and almost immediately following his tragic death, Mayor Bloomberg and Dr. Kurtz made statements blaming the availability of firearms, instead of the criminal actions of the suspect, now in police custody.
“New York City has some of the toughest gun laws in the nation, where honest citizens find it incredibly difficult to purchase and own firearms,” said CCRKBA Executive Director Joe Waldron. “New York’s complaints about gun trafficking from other states led to one-gun-a-month laws in those states, yet the mayor still contends that there are too many guns. Maybe if it were easier for law-abiding citizens in New York to own and carry firearms for their personal protection, criminals might find New York City to be an environment they want to avoid altogether.
“Instead of verbally dancing in the blood of a slain police officer to push their political philosophy, anti-gunners like Bloomberg and Kurtz should be devoting their attention to ridding the streets of criminals,” Waldron said. “One more gun law is not going to eliminate homicides in New York, or anywhere else.”
Dr. Kurtz complained that “this country and this city are awash with guns,” while Mayor Bloomberg lamented that “Sadly, we live in a world with too many guns.”
“What’s even sadder is that we live in a world with too many politicians like Bloomberg, who are quick to blame inanimate objects for the acts of criminals,” Waldron said. “Adding more restrictions that will only make it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to own and purchase firearms has never prevented a single crime, and never will. The proof is in Dr. Kurtz’ own words. If restrictive gun laws worked, New York would be crime free, and good men like Dillon Stewart would not be murdered while doing their jobs.”