Weho Council Urges Stricter Gun Control

The West Hollywood City Council on Monday unanimously called on state and federal lawmakers to ban assault weapons and enhance existing gun-control laws.

"What we are really focusing on and Senator Feinstein is going to focus on is assault weapons," said Mayor Pro Tempore Abbe Land, who introduced the council resolution. "Unfortunately because of these horrible tragedies, we can hope that people will be willing to ban these horrible, horrible guns."

In 2004 Congress voted not to renew Sen. Dianne Feinstein's federal assault weapons ban legislation that became law in 1994. On Sunday the California Democrat vowed to make reinstituting the ban a priority for the new congressional session that starts in January.

Land and Councilman John Heilman referred to the need for improved access to mental health care as a key to preventing future violent incidents akin to the shootings last week at a Connecticut elementary school and a mall in Oregon.

"We have to make it OK to ask for help, and we have to make sure that the help is there," said Land, who also referred to the city's website which lists mental health care providers that the city contracts to assist West Hollywood residents.

"This small town in Connecticut could be our fine city—what a nightmare," Weho resident Yola Dore told the council. "As a former LAUSD employee, I looked at that situation and wondered if it could have been the very class in which I worked."

Dore urged swift action on moving Feinstein's semi-automatic weapons ban to passage.

Lee Walkup attended the council meeting wearing the green and white colors of Sandy Hook Elementary School, the site of last Friday's tragedy that killed 20 children and six school employees.

"These acts, whatever the cause, must not be repeated in the United States," Walkup said. "We the people, leaders of our communities, demand of our representatives at all levels that we deal with the problem of gun safety."

Walkup repeated the call to ban assault weapons and large-capacity ammunition clips.

The resolution touts West Hollywood's "extensive history of passing resolutions in support of gun control legislation, including the (federal assault weapons ban), adopting over a dozen resolutions supporting restricted access to firearms and enhancing existing gun control laws."

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