NCGOP ignores Democrats’ calls for common-sense gun safety laws in wake of Raleigh mass shooting
It’s not a club that any city or its residents want to be a part of, but on Oct. 13 Raleigh joined the list of places in America where innocent people were gunned down at random – this time it was in a neighborhood.
It’s one thing to hear about America’s mass shootings on the news. It’s another when it happens in your state, city or outside your own home. At some point, something has to be done. Or so you’d think. Republicans, who control our state legislature, believe these mass slaughters are the price of our “freedom” and to them, it’s not much of a cost. Don’t let them tell you any differently.
- Five days after the shooting in Hedingham, Democratic House and Senate members called for action on gun safety reform. According to WRAL, Democrats say that Republican leaders have refused to discuss gun safety and won’t even listen to proposals for “common-sense” gun safety laws.
- Senate Minority Leader Dan Blue said Democrats have introduced bills, including those for safe gun storage, red flag laws and raising the age to buy an assault-style weapon – and not a single one of those bills has even received a hearing in the General Assembly.
- House Speaker Tim Moore sent a statement to WRAL saying that “Politicizing this tragedy is wrong” and to not “[jump] to any conclusions about policy changes.” The most he’s done is offer his prayers for the victims’ families.
House Minority Leader Robert Reives told WRAL that he’s realistic when it comes to the possibility of getting anything done with Republicans on gun safety.
“[It] breaks my heart because we [have] literally become a society that has just accepted that bad things are going to happen and we can’t do anything about it because of politics,” he said. “That can’t be who we are and what we’re about.”
Voting is underway and there are candidates on ballots in North Carolina and throughout the U.S. who support finding solutions to the issue of gun violence. Your vote will make a difference.
