Gun violence awareness efforts

APPLETON - 450 shirts, signifying the 450 lives lost to gun violence every year in the state of Wisconsin.

"Look around this room, this is a grim reminder of our inaction," said Jeri Bonavia.

Bonavia, the executive director of the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort wants to raise awareness of gun violence, and specifically see legislation requiring a background check for everyone who purchases a gun in the state.

"Right now we require them for sales by licensed gun dealers, but for all sales conducted by private sellers, those sales are done anonymously, no criminal background check required," said Bonavia.

"There's a lot of talk of a gun show loophole," said Eric Thompson of thegunsource.com. "However, it's not a loophole, it's a private transaction. There's nothing illegal about it at all; it's a piece of metal it's a piece of plastic."

Eric Thompson who runs thegunsource.com says there needs to be better enforcement of the gun laws already on the books. He also says if someone wants a gun, regardless of a law, they'll find a way to get one.

"Criminals are always going to find a way around it," said Thompson. "They'll steal the guns, they'll buy them illegally, they'll break into people's homes, break into gun businesses. They'll do it illegally and always will."

"Gun violence is preventable," said Bonavia. "I think we've just been so accustomed to it, become so much a part of our daily lives in many parts of the country that we treat it as if it's normal."

And that normalcy of the violence is something Jeri hopes someday to change.

The Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort hopes to draft and introduce a gun sale background check bill by this fall.