Brunswick Beacon, 06.09.22
If the American People had a megaphone, they would be shouting, “ENOUGH, DO SOMETHING!” Our legislators HAVE to do something to prevent these all-too-common mass shootings in America. According to recent surveys, approximately 60% of US voters want stricter gun laws.
Yet, despite the gun safety advocacy on TV, in the press, and on the street, our representatives refuse to do anything meaningful to reduce gun violence. Is that because some of them depend on contributions from the NRA? North Carolina’s two Republican senators, Thom Tillis ($4.4 million) and Richard Burr ($7 million), are among the top four senators receiving NRA donations.
Or, is it because they fear the “wrath” of their most extreme constituents? Then they are kowtowing to a minority instead of serving the majority of their constituents. (By the way, Ted Budd, North Carolina’s Republican nominee for Senate, owns a gun store in Winston-Salem.)
Citing the Second Amendment as a reason for all Americans to own a gun is misguided. It was written in the 1700s, when colonists were being threatened by the British and their sympathizers. It was created to allow civilian forces to protect themselves from the British army. It really is not meant for America as it exists today.
Stricter gun laws DO WORK. Australia, New Zealand, and Britain all had mass shootings and passed stricter gun legislation. All saw gun deaths decline dramatically. Britain hasn’t had a school shooting since 1996. They passed laws including gun buybacks; banning semiautomatic weapons; having licensing processes require valid reasons for owning guns; and establishing a gun registration process.
Some Americans are becoming numb to mass shootings. But most are sick of standing by while their representatives do nothing. We need to contact our representatives, like Congressman David Rouzer, and demand that they vote for stricter gun laws. If they still refuse, we must replace obstructionist representatives with those who WILL DO SOMETHING!
Nancy Briganti
Carolina Shores