Public Comment

In the wake of yet another mass shooting, many Americans are asking, what will it take for Congress to restrict access to guns? This is the 133rd mass shooting in the U.S. in 2016. 

We know that the AR-15 and other assault-style rifles are the weapons of choice in mass shootings.  

In a devastating indictment of Congress, we know that three years ago, 44 out of 45 Senate Republican voted against reinstating the Assault Weapons Ban. The Assault Weapons Ban was introduced in the House nearly six months ago, where, it has languished ever since.  

Last year Senate Republicans voted to allow potential terrorists including people on the ‘no fly’ list, to buy guns out of an innate fear of invoking the wrath of the National Rifle Association who might use their financial muscle to thwart their re-election prospects. These members of Congress have blood on their hands. 

Omar Mateen had been on a terrorist watch list but that did not stop him purchasing guns legally and working as a security guard and the Florida Department of Corrections. He had a chilling history of talking about killing people, beating his former wife and voicing hatred of minorities, gays and Jews. Our law enforcement agencies need to be far more vigilant in countering lone wolf ‘home grown’ terrorists. Radical Islam rejects modernity and has become a major threat to the West. Unless we counter this threat and out outlaw military style weapons we can only expect more human tragedies.