Talk:Violence Policy Center

Original research tags

I've added two OR tags. Section "Misleading statements" does not back up the "misleading" claim with any references. Appears like editorializing/original research. The last paragraph in "The VPC vs. 50 Caliber Rifles" is bad OR: 50 caliber rifle is quite likely not the best weapon to down an aircraft, but using WWII fighter planes in this kind of argument is misguided and thus bad OR compared to "just" OR. GregorB (talk) 14:59, 7 August 2008 (UTC)

The second tag was resolved by deleting the offending paragraph. The first is trickier because it appears that the entire section is problematic. This section also has a POV problem. GregorB (talk) 10:51, 30 August 2008 (UTC)

It doesn't really have a POV problem; there's nothing in there that isn't true. It could be written more neutrally but everything in there is common knowledge. 71.196.158.26 (talk) 07:50, 22 July 2009 (UTC)

Barretts and Al Queda

The chain of custody of the .50 Barretts rifles was: Barretts sold to US DoD; US DoD transfer to US CIA; US CIA donate to Mojaheddin in Afghanistan; as abandoned CIA property, Moujaheddin to Taliban; Taliban to Al Queda. Tom Dias in "Voting from the Rooftops" VPC implied Barrett sold directly to Osam Bin Laden and received money from Bin Laden.Naaman Brown (talk) 04:51, 30 March 2009 (UTC)

History

According to their website, The Violence Policy Center (VPC) "is a national tax-exempt educational organization working for a safer America through research, investigation, analysis and advocacy. The Violence Policy Center (VPC) provides information for policymakers, journalists, organizations, advocates, and the general public."

It is a non-profit organization that is located in Washing, D.C and has appeared as a strong research based pro gun control lobbyist in Congress. It has infused Congress with gun related cases by distributing their published research and analysis. Numerous US gun control organizations have used VPC reports and terminology to further local gun control initiatives. Kristen Rand, the legislative director and Josh Sugarman, the executive director, along with the rest of the organization have through the years lead to the VPC being joined by the Firearms Policy Project in 1994. Their most common cases have involved pro-gun control legislation, usually backed by the NRA and other national or state gun lobbyist.

Since the VPC has no official membership fee it is an organization that relies on donations from the public. An example of the amount of donations they recieve is the $1,671,595 in public support they received in 2003.The main donator to the VPC is the Joyce Foundation. This foundation is also a supporter of other pro-gun control organizations like the Mayors Fund to Advance New York City and the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence.

The VPC is a very controversial organization. The research and analytical work that they distribute has caused alot of commotion amongst pro-grun ownership groups. This is reflected in the immensity of replicatory articles to the research that they work on.

Membership

This section will talk about the members within the organization and their contributions towards the organizations overall goal

Goals

The overall goal of the VPC is to regulate gun control in the United States of America. Their plan to achieve this is through the easily available research and analysis that they have collected throughout the year, as well as presenting this material in Congress when confronted with pro-gun legislation.

According to their website, they believe in their cause becase: "Each year, more than 30,000 Americans die in gun suicides, homicides, and unintentional shootings as a result of the ready availability, and accessibility, of specific classes of firearms. Gun violence is more than a crime issue; it is a broad-based public health crisis of which crime is merely the most recognized aspect."

Accomplishment/ Conflicts

Criticism of the VPC

Gun rights advocates have been critical of the accuracy and scientific validity of VPC's reports, charging that the conclusions have already been decided regardless of the statistics. They charge that the VPC has a track record of making allegations for which there is no proof, such as the case of Ronnie Barrett.

Criticism has also come from other gun control advocates who believe that the Violence Policy Center takes an approach that is not politically feasible.

Other gun control organizations advocate a gradual approach toward their goals while the Violence Policy Center believes guns are a public health issue and that specific categories, such as handguns, assault weapons, and 50 caliber rifles should be banned.

The VPC vs. 50 Caliber Rifles

In 2001, the VPC issued a study that detailed "the 50 caliber's threat as an ideal tool for assassination and terrorism, including its ability to attack and cripple key elements of the nation's critical infrastructure—including aircraft and other transportation, electrical power grids, pipeline networks, chemical plants, and other hazardous industrial facilities." The study reported that at least 25 Barrett Firearms Company 50 caliber rifles were sold to the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization. Barrett denied these charges and a subsequent visit to the company by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) turned up no evidence to support the accusations.

In January 2005, the VPC was featured on the CBS news and current affairs program 60 Minutes, which ran a segment on the subject of .50 Caliber rifles and the alleged threat to public safety that these weapons posed. The 60 Minutes report drew heavily from the VPC's reports on the .50 BMG cartridge and conducted interviews with both Barrett Firearms' Ronnie Barrett and the VPC's Tom Diaz. Many in the gun rights movement found the story to be biased in the VPC's favor, and made the oft-repeated claim that a .50 caliber rifle has never been used in the commission of a crime. In response to these claims, the VPC has issued a backgrounder detailing criminal possession of .50 caliber rifles. The report still does not specify any actual commissions of crimes with a .50 caliber firearm, rather it is a list primarily of gun seizures that, coincidentally to the crime committed, happened to include such a weapon. The list does not clarify whether the weapons seized were possessed legally or not. In September 2004, California became the only state to ban 50 caliber rifles.

Importation of Guns for Mexcian Drug-cartels

In 2009 Mexican officials told the U.S that the American assault weapons have been the fuel to the dug-cartel war taking place in Mexico. The VPC sided with the Mexican officials and suggested that the government enfore a 20-year old federal ban that would restrict the importation of American assualt rifles to neighboring countries. This ban, created in 1989 and signed by George H. W. Bush, is now being passed down to the Obama administration.

In this case the VPC research has shown that when the ban was created there were no signs of assault weapon imports from Romania, however, in 2006 it jumped to 53,160 and 37,183 in 2007. The VPC is asking that the ban would be reinforced so that importation and exportation of assault rifles would decrease. Aslscsu1990 (talk) 22:30, 16 October 2011 (UTC)

Comment

Alix, Be sure to sign your discussion work with four tildas.Marchantshapiro (talk) 16:31, 6 October 2011 (UTC)

Who wrote this entry

The following paragraph is an absolute laugh: Due to its mission statements supporting pro-gun control, the VPC is a very controversial organization. Especially when confronted by members from the National Rifle Association (NRA). The research and analytical work that they distribute has caused much commotion among pro-gun-ownership groups. This is reflected in the immensity of replicatory articles to the research that they work on."

It doesn't take an English major to realize the paragraph I just quoted is very poorly written. Especially when confronted by members from the National Rifle Association? You have to be kidding me.