After the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, and the 273rd this year, there’s very little left to say.
Thoughts and prayers are never going to stop these murderous acts of domestic terrorism. Senseless gun deaths will keep happening as long as Congress refuses to take action. What we need are common-sense gun control laws, which the public overwhelmingly supports.
But shills for the gun lobby–which is, let’s face it, exactly what nearly the entire Texas Republican Congressional delegation are–continue to stop it from happening. How many more kids have to be murdered? How many more parents have to bury their children? How many more families have to be torn apart?
Enough.
Many among us are gun owners, and we refuse to be bullied into silence by the NRA, which has spent months engaged in race-baiting and calls to violence against people of color, and anyone who calls for common-sense legislation.
We demand action. Congress must act. Thoughts and prayers are insufficient. The time for sensible gun legislation is now.
This week, the US House was slated to vote to ease curbs on silencers. If the Las Vegas gunman had used a silencer, it would have been harder for first responders to detect the source of gunfire.
Ironically, the last vote on this bill had to be rescheduled following the shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise in June. If the GOP plans to wait to schedule a vote until the crisis of gun violence abates, they are going to be waiting a long time. (Update: the bill was predictably delayed.)
It is also worth noting that every single one of our Austin-area GOP reps co-sponsored this bill. That’s Michael McCaul, Bill Flores, Lamar Smith, Roger Williams, and John Carter — plus many other Texas reps, including Democrats Henry Cuellar and Gene Green.
Call your reps today and tell them enough is enough. We need common sense gun regulation, not more mass shootings and NRA propaganda.
This is my message to our Senators and Congressmen being sent today. Anyone is welcome to copy it. —
If the Las Vegas shooter had been a Muslim, or undocumented Mexican national, or Black Lives Matter protester, or Syrian refugee, Congress would rush to ACT NOW to protect America from repeat events. We deserve the same protection from white, American-born crazies who have no business possessing such firepower.
I am a gun owner. I have a right to own guns. But I also have the right to be free of the threat of terroristic attack by a madman.
Please tell us — what are you going to do to provide Homeland Security for us?
Thank you for mentioning that the Democrats are also guilty of refusing to pass common-sense gun legislation. It is not a partisan issue, it is an issue of big money buying our Texas legislators.