MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript
Interview
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Let`s bring Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky of Illinois.
Welcome to the show.
REP. JAN SCHAKOWSKY (D), ILLINOIS: Thank you, Professor.
DYSON: Congresswoman, are you disappointed that President Obama won`t
get behind some form of gun control?
SCHAKOWSKY: I think that the president is correct in thinking that it`s unlikely, impossible, I would say right now, for any kind of substantial legislation to pass the House of Representatives and probably the Senate as well. But I think it is time to have that conversation.
Look, the National Rifle Association and others say, well, it`s not time to be political. But it`s they, the National Rifle Association and their kin that are making a public safety issue a political issue. They don`t want to see any kind of legislation that would not only keep guns out of the hands of crazy individuals.
But why does any individual need an automatic weapon? Why do they need to buy 6,000 bullets? Why do they need to have a high capacity magazine, the ability to shoot off 100 bullets in just a few seconds and kill so many people?
I think that most Americans, even those, I imagine, that are part of the National Rifle Association, think that there are some limits that are reasonable and still protect Second Amendment rights.
DYSON: Sure. You know what strikes me here, of course, is that when you hear the epithets being hurled on either side about politicization of the issue, we know if that kind of amassing and stockpiling of that kind, you know, of potential to hurt people through that, you know, through though bullets and those guns and gases and the bombs and the like -- if this had been stockpiled by a person who was more likely to look reasonably offensive, a Muslim, another minority, do you think the red flag would have gone up sooner than with this seemingly innocent young white man who under cover and protection of appearing normal was out to do some heinous deeds?
SCHAKOWSKY: You know, maybe, although given the lack of regulation of
purchasing ammunition on the Internet, given the lax gun laws and so many
places, I`m not so sure that we could have stopped anybody, particularly
one with this kind of intention.
DYSON: But do you think the FedEx man would have noticed if he`s taking something to an address constantly and the FedEx person is seeing this, maybe a pattern is being established. I mean, no red flag at all there?
SCHAKOWSKY: Well, it could be. You know, one of the gun ranges actually turned him down because there was this odd message that was on his machine.
There may be signals, and you`re right, it may be if he had a different profile or looked different, that he might have been discovered.
But the point is -- the point I think for the country is how many instances like this is it going to take --
DYSON: Right.
SCHAKOWSKY: -- before we say, enough is enough?
You know, one of my colleagues nearly dying, but several people dying in the meantime near her including a 9-year-old child, a 6-year-old on Friday. At what point are we going to say, let`s take a look at the proliferation of guns? Do we really want to be afraid to go to the movies?
In Chicago, people are afraid to walk certain streets. It`s time for us to look carefully and have a rational conversation. But the NRA won`t tolerate such a conversation.
DYSON: But why is it even in your own party, however, it -- your pleas for some kind of rational process here falls on deaf ears even in, you know, in those in your own party?
SCHAKOWSKY: Well, it`s very clear that the National Rifle Association is a very powerful political force. When they say that they`re going to score a member of Congress, that is rate him according to his votes, the most ridiculous pieces of legislation pass automatically.
There was an amendment passed in the House with over 300 votes that is in the case of bankruptcy, individuals may keep $3,000 worth of guns protected from any creditor. I mean, really, guns become the priority of the National Rifle Association.
And they scare the bejesus out of members of Congress and threaten them with primary elections and with defeating them, with ads. They have spent over $7 million on elections in the last cycle. And they`re prepared to do it again.
I think most Americans, if you ask the question, aren`t there some reasonable gun safety legislation that you would support? I think they would say yes.
DYSON: Right. Well, the accuracy of your account there is more chilling than most horror movies.
Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, thank you so much for joining us.
SCHAKOWSKY: Thank you.
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