Harvard Profs Applaud Brady Gun Control Bill

Harvard professors interviewed yesterday spoke strongly in favor of the Brady gun control bill, which passed the House of Representatives Wednesday by a 238-189 vote.

The bill now goes to the Senate, which has endorsed the bill's idea of a five-day waiting period on gun purchases before. Associate Professor of Government Stephen Macedo called the legislation "an excellent idea."

"It seems to be long overdue," Macedo said. "I can't see any reasonable arguments against it."

Even if Americans do have the right to bear arms under the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Macedo said a five-day waiting period would insure that guns don't get into the wrong hands.

Kennedy School Assistant Professor of Public Policy David King said he believed the support for the bill came from the 110 new members of the House.

"I think in this case the battle for the Brady bill was fought by a large freshman class," King said. "They haven't been around Washington a long time," he added. "I don't think the National Rifle Association has been as sucessful lobbying them as people who have been there longer."

King said another reason for the passage of the bill may have been that House members live at least half the year in Washington D.C., which has the highest murder rate in the country.

But some professors said the passage of the Brady Bill was an example of too little, too late.

Markham Professor of Government H. Douglas Price said the bill would do little to prevent handgun violence.

"I am glad to see they've gotten around to it," Price said. "It's probably not going to make any big difference, with 200 million handguns already out there--but it's better nothing, slightly."

Price said the political culture of Washington has changed to the point where House members feel they can take on the gun lobby.

"The [National Rifle Association] has lost some of its reputation of being invincible," Price said. "It's a very small step, but I'm all for it."

Price said a proposal by Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.) to tax ammunition might be more effective at reducing gun-related deaths.

"Moynihan's tax proposal could make more difference in the number of unnecessary deaths from guns [than the Brady bill]," Price said.

The Brady bill was first introduced six years ago. It is named after former Secretary of the Treasury James Brady, who was severely wounded during a 1981 assasination attempt on President Ronald W. Reagan.