"More children die by drowning than from gunshot wounds, but do we demand that the government ban swimming pools? No, we teach water safety. It's the same with firearms - we need to teach children and adults firearm safety."
Tracey Martin, the NRA's manager of education and training.

"None of the 15 million Russians murdered by Josef Stalin, and the 6 million Jews slaughtered by Adolf Hitler were allowed to possess firearms."
King County Councilman Kent Pullen, quoted in 1989 when he was a Washington state senator.

"Organizations that want to ban handguns are using this as an emotional issue to gain public support."
Brian Judy of the NRA on a 1989 proposal in the Washington state Legislature to ban plastic guns, which can slip through metal detectors.

"Guns is what made this country free for all of us to enjoy. Take away our guns and give away the country. People forget World War II. What keeps foreign troops from walking our streets? What language would you be speaking now if it wasn't for people having guns in their homes?"
Gun supporter Daniel Dadey of Graham, Pierce County, commenting on state gun-control proposals in 1985.

Gun Control Advocates: The Other Voices

Washington state Rep. Cal Anderson (D-Seattle), a strong gun-control advocate, in Dec. 1993:
"People are getting so concerned about violence in the streets and the schools that they're willing to stand up to the NRA. I think we have the public's backing."

Gov. Mike Lowry on the NRA's anti-gun control strategy:
"These people's arguments are ludicrous. I think we have to be willing to stand up to the NRA."

Washington state Sen. Phil Talmadge (D-Seattle), in Dec. 1993:
"The free availability of firearms in our society is a hazard, and I find that virtually everybody in our society is touched by senseless and random violence. When you see the prevalence of firearm violence, you can't help but come away thinking that you have to limit access to firearms. It's nuts."

Hubert Locke, an urban policy professor at the University of Washington's Graduate School of Public Affairs, in Dec. 1993:
"We're seeing the disarming of the nation as a key to people's personal safety. We need to get handguns out of the hands of the citizens. There is a discernable groundswell of public opinion building on this issue. I only hope that it is not thwarted before some real, substantive gun-control measures can be achieved."

Wendy Cukier, of the Canadian Coalition for Gun Control, on the arguments of gun control opponents in her country:
"They promote guns for safety. But you only have to look south of the border to see that doesn't work. If this was the case, then the United States would be the safest place [to live]."

Peter Clarke, aide to Seattle Councilwoman Margaret Pageler and a director of Washington Ceasefire, a gun control advocacy group:
"As long as we're not trying to totally disarm the public, I think there is a lot of room for rational gun control."

President Bill Clinton, when he signed the Brady Bill last Nov. 30:
"Americans are finally fed up with violence that cuts down another citizen with gunfire every 20 minutes. Guns are instruments of madness."

A King County parent taking part in a state Department of Health study on violence:
"I've changed the way my whole family lives. I have young teenagers, and until they can drive themselves, we'll drive them everywhere. We never walk anywhere now."