>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> THE U.S. SENATE IS REPORTEDLY
HOLDING BIPARTISAN TALKS ON SOME
POSSIBLE GUN CONTROL MEASURES IN
THE WAKE OF THE UVALDE SCHOOL
SHOOTING THAT LEFT 21 DEAD AS
CHICAGO REELS FROM ANOTHER
VIOLENT MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND AND
AS DEMOCRATS CALL FOR STRICTER
MEASURES THAN THOSE BEING
CONSIDERED LIKE A NATIONWIDE BAN
ON ASSAULT RIFLES.
JOINING US ARE DAN KOTOWSKI
PRESIDENT OF C.E.O. OF KIDS
ABOVE ALL.
AND RICHARD PIERSON.
WELCOME BACK TO "CHICAGO
TONIGHT."
RICHARD, UVALDE, BUFFALO,
CHICAGO SEES GUN VIOLENCE ON A
DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
WE SEE THE TALKS ON RED FLAG
LAWS, EXPANDED BACKGROUND
CHECKS.
RAISING THE AGE FROM 18 TO 21 TO
PURCHASE A SEMIAUTOMATIC WEAPON.
DO YOU SEE GUN RIGHTS ADVOCATES
SUPPORTING ANY OF THESE?
>> MAYBE BACKGROUND CHECKS BUT
NONE OF THE REST OF THE STUFF,
NO.
>> THE RIFLE ASSOCIATION YOU
WOULD NOT SUPPORT RED FLAG LAWS
OR RAISING THE AGE FROM 18 TO
21?
>> WELL, THEY HAVE RED FLAG LAWS
ALREADY IN ILLINOIS.
IT'S LIKE ANY LEGISLATION, YOU
KNOW, TO SAY RED FLAGS MEANS ONE
THING IN ONE PLACE AND ANOTHER
THING IN ANOTHER PLACE YOU HAVE
TO LOOK AT THE LEGISLATION TO
SEE WHAT TAKES PLACE DURING THE
LEGISLATION.
AND WHAT IT DOES.
HOW FAR REACHING IT IS.
WHAT RIGHTS DO THE PEOPLE
ACCUSED HAVE SO FORTH.
IT IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE.
AND YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT ALL
THESE THINGS TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYONE IS PROTECTED AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE.
>> DAN KOTOWSKI AT THE FEDERAL
LEVEL, WHAT KIND OF RESTRICTIONS
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE OFFICIALS
TAKE UP?
AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IS
POLITICALLY POSSIBLE RIGHT NOW?
>> WELL, I THINK WE NEED TO DO
WHATEVER WE CAN TO PLACE THE
SAFETY AND WELL-BEING IN
EDUCATION OF ALL KIDS.
FRANKLY, OUR CHILDREN THROUGHOUT
OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CITY AND OUR
STATE AND THROUGH OTHER PLACES
IN THE U.S. THEY ARE BEING
MASSACRED.
AND THEY ARE VULNERABLE BECAUSE
OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE NOT
TAKEN THE STEPS NECESSARY TO
PROTECT THEM FROM WEAPONS OF
MASS DESTRUCTION FROM MILITARY
ASSAULT RIFLES AND PISTOLS.
WE HAD A RESTRICTION ON MILITARY
STYLE ASSAULT RIFLES AND PISTOLS
AND IT WORKED.
IT MADE AN IMPACT.
BUT THE REAL CONSEQUENCES AFTER
IT SUNSETTED INCREDIBLE NUMBER
OF MASS SHOOTINGS THAT WE SAW.
BECAUSE OF THE ACCESS TO HIGH
CAPACITY MAGAZINES.
BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE HAVE
GUNS THAT THEY LOOK EXACTLY LIKE
A MILITARY WEAPON.
THEY MAY NOT BE A FULLY
AUTOMATIC BUT THEY ARE
SEMIAUTOMATIC AND WREAK CARNAGE
AND HAVOC AND KILL AN INCREDIBLE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN A SHORT
TIME.
WHAT MAKES THEM LETHAL AND
DANGEROUS IS HIGH CAPACITY
AMMUNITION MAGAZINES MANY AND
THE REALITY IS WHEN WE CRACKDOWN
ON THAT, WHEN WE FOCUS ON THAT
NATIONALLY, IT MADE A
DIFFERENCE.
AND AFTER THE BAN SUNSETTED WE
SAW A BALLOONING OF THE NUMBER
OF SHOOTINGS THAT OCCURRED IN
OUR COUNTRY AND WE'VE BEEN
SEEING THAT.
I'M NOT HERE TO DEBATE I'M HERE
THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW.
THE GUN LOBBY'S WAY FOR DECADES.
NOW THE TIME IS TO DO IT IN A
WAY TO HELP OUR KIDS BE SAFE AND
SECURE AND PROTECTED.
WE WANT TO PROTECT OUR TEACHERS
OUR CHILDREN, OUR
FIRST-RESPONDERS.
AND DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE REALIZE THAT
OPPORTUNITY THAT THEY SHOULD GET
THEY DESERVE LIFE, LIBERTY AND
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
>> THE SUNSET OF THE ASSAULT
WEAPONS BAN.
RICHARD PIERSON, A CNN ANNOUNCED
THERE WERE 288 SCHOOL SHOOTINGS
IN THE U.S. IN THE LAST 13 YEARS
AND THE NEXT HIGHEST COUNTRY WAS
CANADA WITH TWO.
AND THE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE LOW
TO NO SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, LOW
MURDER RATES, HAVE STRICTER GUN
MEASURES.
WOULDN'T ANY REASONABLE PERSON
CONCLUDE THAT THE X FACTOR IN
THE UNITED STATES IS GUNS AND
THE PERMITS OF GUN LAWS?
>> WELL, I DON'T THINK THAT IS
THE SURVEY THE CAUSE OF IT.
I LOOK AT THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE
OF THE UNITED STATES.
THE POPULATION MIX WE HAVE.
THE NUMBER OF ACTUALLY
FATHERLESS CHILDREN THAT ARE OUT
THERE.
THAT DON'T GET GUIDANCE.
THE FACT THAT A LOT OF THE KIDS
NEED MENTAL HELP AND THERE IS NO
HELP AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS THAT
WE CAN DO BESIDES TAKING A
FIREARMS AWAY FROM LAW-ABIDING
CITIZENS.
WE WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE THING
ABOUT MAKING SCHOOLS SAFER.
AND THE PLANS ARE OUT THERE.
AND YET WE DID ABSOLUTELY
NOTHING.
WE DIDN'T DO THE -- WE DID THE
EASY STUFF LIKE LOCK THE DOORS
AND THEN THEY LEAVE THE DOOR
OPEN.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HAVE
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HAVE
TRAINING FOR THE CHILDREN ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY GET A
SHOOTER OR A KILLER OF SOME
KIND.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE WITH A
FIREARM IN THE SCHOOL.
SO WE HAVE NOT DONE ANY OF THAT
STUFF.
>> DAN KOTOWSKI?
>> AS SOMEONE WHO SPONSORED THE
LAW THAT REQUIRED SCHOOL SAFETY
DRILLS, I'VE WORKED OVER DECADES
TO MAKE SURE WE PUT REASONABLE
MEASURES IN PLACE TO PROTECT
PEOPLE'S INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND
WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE OUR KIDS
AND FAMILIES ARE SAFE.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO HEAR THIS
CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
BECAUSE PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH
MENTAL HEALTH ALL OVER THE
WORLD.
THEY STRUGGLE WITH DEPRESSION
AND ANXIETY.
THEY JUST DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO
WEAPONS THAT ARE THIS
DESTRUCTIVE.
THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO
WEAPONS THAT FIRE 30, 50, 100
ROUND MAGAZINE IT IS DOESN'T
EXIST IN THESE PLACES AND TO
BLAME MENTAL HEALTH IS AN
EXCUSE.
LOOK, I WORK IN AN AGENCY WHERE
WE HAVE A CAMP FOR CHILDREN WHO
LOST FAMILY MEMBERS TO HOMICIDE.
WE LITERALLY HAVE A CAMP.
MOST OF THE KIDS HAVE LOST THEIR
MOMS AND KIDS AND BROTHERS AND
SISTERS TO GUN VIOLENCE.
AND WE PROVIDE THEM WITH
ONE-ON-ONE THERAPY, GROUP WORK
IN A CAMP WHERE THEY CAN COME
TOGETHER AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT HOW ARE THEY GOING TO HEAL
FROM THE GRIEF, AND MAKE SURE
THEY ARE NOT DEFINED BY THEIR
GRIEF.
THE REALITY IS EVERYBODY
THROUGHOUT THE PLANET STRUGGLES
WITH MENTAL ILLNESS WE ARE THE
ONLY COUNTRY ON THE PLANET THAT
STRUGGLES WITH EASY AND READY
ACCESSIBILITY OF MILITARY STYLE
ASSAULT WEAPONS.
>> AND YOU DON'T WANT GUNS TAKEN
AWAY FROM LAW ABIDING CITIZENS.
THE FREEM SUPREME COURT AFFIRMED
THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
ARE THERE REASONABLE
RESTRICTIONS THAT THE WOULD NOT
INFRINGE ON THE RIGHTS OF
LAW-ABIDING GUN OWNERS?
>> WELL, WE TALK ABOUT THE
BACKGROUND CHECKS BECAUSE
ILLINOIS IS A LITTLE BIT UNUSUAL
YOU CAN BUY A FIREARM YOU HAVE
TO GO THROUGH A BACKGROUND CHECK
AND TO DO THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE
AN FOID CARD AND TO HAVE AN FOID
CARD YOU GO THROUGH A MENTAL
HEALTH AND A LEGAL BACKGROUND
CHECK EVERY NIGHT OF THE YEAR
AND IF YOU HAVE A CONCEALED
CARRY PERMIT YOU GO THROUGH TWO
OF THEM.
ILLINOIS IS TIGHT COMPARED TO
THE OTHER STATES.
I WILL SAY THAT.
AND SO YOU HAVE KEEP AN EYE ON
THESE THINGS.
>> YOU ARE SAYING THE OTHER
STATES COULD ADOPT POLICIES AND
PERHAPS BRING THE OVERALL RATE
DOWN?
>> THERE'S BEEN PROPOSALS THAT
TALK ABOUT DOING THAT.
BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.
THERE ARE ONLY FOUR STATES THAT
DO THIS, ILLINOIS,
MASSACHUSETTS, I CAN'T REMEMBER
THE OTHER ONE, NORTH CAROLINA
MAYBE.
BUT SO TO DO TIGHT BACKGROUND
CHECKS AS WE DO.
WE USE THE NATIONAL CHECK SYSTEM
BUT ADMINISTERED BY THE ILLINOIS
STATE POLICE.
TO PURCHASE A FIREARM AND
PURCHASE A FIREARM PRIVATELY YOU
HAVE TO GET AN APPROVAL NUMBER
FROM THE ILLINOIS STATE POLICE.
YOU HAVE HAVE THE FOID CARD, THE
PERSON'S BIRTHDAY AND IT TELLS
YOU UP-TO-DATE WHAT YOUR
STANDARD IS.
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF LEVELS
HERE.
DAN KOTOWSKI ABOUT ILLINOIS
STATE POLICE THEY ARE THE UP
WITHS CHARGED WITH TAKING GUNS
AWAY PERHAPS UNDER THE STATE'S
RED FLAG LAWS.
DOES THAT SYSTEM WORK IN
ILLINOIS?
>> HERE IS THE THING.
YES, BUT THAT IS AN ARGUMENT
THAT WAS POSED BY THE OTHER
GUEST HERE FOR UNIFORMITY
FEDERALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT
DANGEROUS PEOPLE DON'T GET
ACCESS TO GUNS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REALIZE THIS
YOU CAN ACCESS THROUGH CERTAIN
BACKGROUND CHECKS TO GET MACHINE
GUNS MADE BEFORE A CERTAIN TIME
IN OUR COUNTRY.
BUT YOU NEED TO BE REGISTERED,
YOU NEED TO BE FINGERPRINTED AND
GO THROUGH ALL THESE MEASURES
AND YOU DON'T SEE A LOT OF
SITUATIONS WITH PEOPLE USING
MACHINE GUNS.
YOU SEE THEM USING MILITARY
ASSAULT RIFLES THAT ARE NOT
REGULATED.
THIS IS A TEDDY BEAR.
TEDDY BEARS ARE MORE STRICTLY
REGULATED IN TERMS OF PRODUCTION
THAN GUNS.
THEY HAVE TO PASS SHARP ENDS,
LOOSE PARTS AND FLAMMABILITY.
A COUPLE YEARS AGO BUILD A BEAR
RECALLED 300,000 TEDDY BEARS
BECAUSE THE EYES PRESENTED A
RISK TO KIDS BECAUSE THEY WOULD
CHOKE ON THEM.
THE GUN MANUFACTURERS HAVE BEEN
GIVEN A FREE PASS BY CONGRESS
FOR TOO LONG.
IT'S CREATED A PROBLEM.
THE GUN USES TODDLERS IN ADS TO
MARKET MILITARY STYLE ASSAULT
RIFLES.
>> A LOT TO DIG INTO HERE.
>> THEY NEED TO STAND UP AND BE
RESPONSIBLE.