Dear editor:
There was another mass shooting last week, and another, and another. Only in America. Our senators and representatives offer thoughts and prayers, but it is well past time for Congress to pass common-sense legislation that could substantially reduce gun violence.
This includes legislation that will provide:
In-depth, universal background checks.
A ban on new sales of the AR-15 and other similar style assault rifles.
A ban on high-capacity magazines.
A ban on firearm sales to people who are on terrorist watch and no-fly lists.
A ban on gun sales to people who are receiving Social Security disability benefits by reason of mental disability or mental defect.
An increase in the age limit to 21 to purchase firearms.
A requirement that gun retailers make personalized guns (i.e. guns that won't shoot for anyone, but the owner) available for purchase.
These measures will not eliminate mass shootings or other gun violence, but they should make substantial reductions in the number of lives lost to gun violence. Will the U.S. Congress and our state Legislature pass any of these measures? No. The NRA has too many legislators in its hip pocket. I believe there is a special place in hell for NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre, and any legislator who is complicit with him in opposing almost any attempt to reduce gun violence (unless it involves selling more guns).
Here's how the members of the Arkansas Congressional Delegation rank in receiving money from the NRA. Of the 531 Senate and House members ranked by OpenSecrets.org in the amount of money they received from the NRA, Tom Cotton ranked No. 13, French Hill ranked No. 19, but he was the No. 1 recipient in the House of Representatives, John Boozman was No. 58, Bruce Westerman was No. 211, Steve Womack was No. 212, and Rick Crawford was No. 218. Another observation: of the top 89 recipients of NRA money, all 89 were Republicans, and of the top 130 recipients, all but three were Republicans. At the other end of the scale, those who received the least support from NRA, among those ranked from 431 to 531, only four were Republicans.
No legislation will be passed in this Congress to reduce gun violence if the members of our Congressional delegation and their party have anything to do with it (and for the next two years they will have a lot to do with it). On the state level, our legislators seem more concerned with expanding gun rights than even considering anything to reduce gun violence. So, we have two years, until the next election, two years to find strong candidates, ones who have a legitimate chance of winning an election, and who will commit to supporting legislation to reduce gun violence. I have never been a single-issue voter, but this may be the time. If you commit to supporting legislation to reduce gun violence, then I'll support you. If you won't make that commitment, then I won't support you.
Michael Young
Hot Springs Village
Editorial on 11/15/2018